Rose Garden in Golden Gate Park

One Sunday, my love and I ventured into SF's Golden Gate Park on "Car Free Day" where they block the road off for bicyclists and pedestrians to enjoy. It was an enjoyable stroll through the park, and we were on a very important mission that day... To visit the Rose Garden!

via Hoki T. on Yelp, edited by me

via Diane N. on Yelp

He'd suggested we take a trip to the Rose Garden, which he'd visited once before, but I'd never been to. Just a little patch within the massive Golden Gate Park, besides Fulton St and Park Presidio Drive, it smells absolutely divine. As you walk closer, you will see the hundreds of beautiful roses of all shapes and sizes and colors growing in this free-to-visit garden.

Even just walking near the entrance of this hidden gem, the scent of flowers drifts to you and draws you in. In awe from the beautiful sight, I forgot to take many pictures, so I will share my favorite photos that were posted on the garden's Yelp page.

via Laurie H. on Yelp

I couldn't believe how many roses there were, because the garden wasn't as large as I expected it to be. While a good size, I thought it would be along the lines of the vast, sprawling SF Botanical Gardens. While much smaller, the designers really jam-packed as many plots as they could fit inside this space and it's big enough that you can walk freely without running into the other visitors.

This garden is a great place to catch your breath from your walk or bike ride - there are some benches for the weary, but who would want to sit when there's so many roses to smell? We spent our time here buzzing from rose bush to rose bush, reading the names of each color and enjoying their lovely aromas.

Below is a video I captured of a charming two-toned rose with a creamy center and bright reddish-pink outer petals:

Golden Gate Park has a little nook called the Rose Garden 🌿🌹The air is perfumed with the fragrance of roses in this colorful garden!

A video posted by Trista B (@teaberculosis) on Jun 15, 2016 at 12:52pm PDT

via Jade V. on Yelp

The garden's roses, condensed so closely together, perfume the air with their floral scent. They were attracting so many fat little bees with their bright and colorful petals!

On that nice, hot summer day, I enjoyed milling about the flowers like my buzzing, yellow-and-black friends.

Unfortunately, not all of the roses have labels -- I hope that will change in the future. I'd love to know what each rose's name is as I enjoy each and every beautiful display.

via Nicole O. on Yelp

I really enjoyed the Rose Garden.

It is well-maintained and thankfully, most visitors are conscientious by not picking the flowers. Stretched along the backside of the garden are lattice walls which some roses started creeping up, weaving between the strips and growing upwards.

Not only is it beautiful, but very tranquil - even for it being wedged between two busy streets, it's in a quiet corner where you can just sit and relax among the flowers.

If you make a trip into San Francisco and particularly enjoy roses, I highly suggest visiting the Rose Garden.

via David D. on Yelp

San Francisco's Golden Gate Park is definitely the place to be if you need to reconnect with nature or just would like to see some beautiful roses. I do highly recommend also visiting Botanical Gardens and the Conservatory of Flowers in tandem, to complete your flower-filled adventures.

Anyhow, I'm happy to share a little slice of my hometown. Thanks for joining me on my Rose Garden adventures! Until next time ❀

Cookbook: Potato Leek Tart

The only tools you need: a large skillet, a baking sheet
with parchment paper or foil, and a spatula or spoon.

For the first of the Cookbook series, I decided to go with a favorite of mine: an easy recipe that my SO's Ma introduced me to, the Potato Leek Tart.

Potatoes and leeks are very traditional, easy to grow vegetables commonly paired together in Irish cuisine. This recipe was made fairly more often in my love's household when he became a pescetarian, cutting all meats in favor of strictly seafood. But even his brothers, with their carnivorous tendencies, love this dish - it's rich, flavorful and filling without being overtly heavy.

This recipe we use is from Real Simple, an American home & lifestyle magazine first launched in 2000. Their motto 'Life Made Easier' is perfectly encapsulated here, with such minimal prepping that you can make the filling in the time it takes to preheat your oven! This dish is especially great for those evenings where you just want to relax at home with a glass of white wine.

Although I've never altered this as it's fantastic right off the page, due to its simplicity I'm positive it'd be great even with special diet variations. For vegans or the lactose intolerant, you can try tofu Feta cheese and vegan pie crust to eliminate dairy altogether from this recipe. I'm also sure the recipe would work with a gluten-free crust. And meat lovers, you can always add ground chicken or beef to the filling.

Shared by Kate Merker, the Senior food editor of Real Simple, this tart is absolutely delicious! The tangy sourness of the Feta complements the zucchini and leek while the potatoes bring a hearty balance -- perfectly nestled in flakey pie crust.

This recipe makes one tart that can serve 4 people with a regular serving, but in our household we make an extra. It's so good, one person can eat a whole halve if they've got a healthy appetite.

So without further ado, how to make this delicious tart ...

How to Make Potato, Leek, and Feta Tart  

Serves                          4

Leek & potato is a classic combination
as a soup! (via Food, Fitness, Fresh Air)

Hands-On time             20 min
Total time                     1 hr 20 min

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 leeks (white & light green parts) cut into half-moons
• 2 small zucchini, cut into half-moons
• kosher salt & black pepper
• ½ cup crumbled Feta (about 2 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 Red Bliss potatoes (8 ounces), thinly sliced
• 1 store-bought 9 inch pie crust

DIRECTIONS

1.  Heat oven to 375º F. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks, zucchini, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper & cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the Feta & dill. Add the potatoes & toss to combine. 

2.  On a piece of parchment paper, roll the piecrust to a 12-inch diameter. Slide the paper onto a baking sheet. Spoon the potato mixture onto the piecrust, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the edge of the piecrust over the edge of the potato mixture. Bake (covering with foil if the crust gets too dark) until the piecrust is golden brown & the potatoes are tender, 50 to 60 minutes. 

The final product will very rarely look as pretty as the
picture from the magazine, but it'll taste just as good.

And that's really all there is to it! While it's baking, try to stay busy to pass the time. The kitchen will smell so scrumptious as the crust cooks that you'll want to take it out early to start devouring it, but I urge patience! You should also wait for it to cool down properly; I've burned my tongue on this too many times to count. But the best thing about it is that if you find yourself craving this, it is so incredibly easy to make.

I hope you enjoyed my choice, and please come check back later for the next one to come. Well, thanks for checking out the first post of my Cookbook! ♥︎ Bye-bye~!

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Outfit: Paisley Doll

Aside from mori kei and natural kei, I love all sorts of different fashions. Some that I like to draw inspiration from are lolita and dolly kei. Whenever I can, I like to incorporate the silhouettes, patterns, and details from such alternative fashions into my every day outfits; this particular one I put this together on a sunny Sunday morning, for going out to brunch with the boyfriend.

In the bottom righthand corner, there are a pair of white shorts beneath the purse. While invisible in the coord, it's wide shape
and stiffness gives the lace skirt worn above it some added volume. A cheap fix for those who don't have lolita petticoats!

I've had this dress for a very long time. It is the only clothing I have with a paisley or paisley-like pattern, and it reminds me of much of the patterns I see in dolly kei. But for all this time, I've never paired it with colors other than all black.

I didn't think it would look so nice with the tan cardigan I purchased from Nightingrosette, but I discovered they actually pair very well together! To soften the whole look, I grabbed my lace bralette and a severely neglected chiffon skirt from my mori wardrobe; their creamy colors add a hint of femininity without taking away from the loud pattern.

I've also developed an affinity for floppy hats ... and since I've last posted an outfit (roughly two years ago!) I've dyed my my hair a honey-toned ombre. My hair looks short in these pictures, since the front is slightly shorter than the back.

You'll notice most of the pieces that make this outfit is derived mostly from Forever21. I don't mean to be some F21 poster child; I just tend to have lots of luck finding clothes from that brand that suite me. While the majority of their clothing is trendy and/or cheaply made, you can find really great and durable pieces if you take the time to search for them. Alternatively, F21 can be commonly found in secondhand stores and you'd be surprised at what a great deal you get for like-new conditions.

Felt floppy hat: $29 from Amiko Boutique, SF Japantown (x)
Tan cardigan: $7 from Nightinrosette (also featured in FOTW here)
Lace bralette: Around $20, new from Forever21
Paisley Dress: On sale $10, new from Forever21
Chiffon skirt: $12, thrifted from Plato's Closet in Pacifica
Cotton shorts: Gap, thrifted from thredUP for $6.99 (x)

Messenger purse: Forever21, an old hand-me-down from my cousin
Shoes: Wanted Knockout Bootie in Suede, $39 from DSW (x)
Knee-length socks: offbrand, new from DAISO Japan

Thank you for viewing! I hope you enjoyed this simplistic dolly and lolita inspired coord. I'm afraid of delving fully into other styles as I have with Mori fashion, so the challenge of finding pieces that work is very fun and rewarding. Do you like mixing and matching different styles, too?

Anyhow, I do hope you enjoyed this outfit. Any critiques or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Ahh, I'm already itching to put together more coords. But until then, see you next time~!

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Thrift: Nightinrosette cardigan & lacy brooch

While concocting new coords, I realized I needed to update my Mori wardrobe, which'd been largely sitting untouched for the year & a half I went on hiatus. Still torn between donating old clothes, or trying to sell them ...

$7 + $5 worldwide shipping
see listing on Tictail here

Regardless, I've been on the hunt for Mori & Natural Kei clothing, mostly outerwear, tops & accessories.

Outside of my Mori life, I am very dependent on cardigans. Particularly the slouchy, oversized knit ones that cover the derrière. And for some reason, I didn't own any cardigan that was brown/tan in color and couldn't find anything I really liked in my nearby stores.

Enter Nightinrosette, or Rosette from Poland; her main fashion interests are mori & natural kei and lolita. I know this lovely fairy for her stylish coords, having discovered her through her tumblr where she posts her outfits and her own inspiration.  Anyhow, she decided to sell some things she no longer wears, on the online Int'l Mori Flea Market, a Facebook group for Morifolk to advertise their wares.

Since she is one of my first influences into Mori fashion, anything she sells immediately piques my interest. In this case, I was extremely interested seeing this gorgeous tan cardigan. Surprised, too, because it'd been sitting in her store for a whole month!

I couldn't believe what a great deal it was. It was so cute; and priced so reasonably, I was shocked to see it'd gone for so long without someone buying it! Without any hesitation I snatched it up on her Tictail store because I was afraid someone else would beat me to the punch.

As a regular online shopper I'm used to long wait periods for my mail (I'm looking at you, AliExpress). I wasn't at all worried about the shipping speed. But I was still grateful—and surprised—for the unexpected PM from Rosette.

She messaged me an incredibly sincere apology for the delay in shipping, with a snapshot of the package as she stood in line at the post office waiting to send it out. The tracking code was also given to me as soon as she got it, and the individual links I can use to check the status of it.

At this point, I was just very touched that she went out of her way to contact me. Other store owners might've just updated the tracking code through Tictail without notifying the buyer at all. It was nice to know even though she was tired from school exams, she personally made sure I received this information. Rosette is just so sweet and nice! °˖✧ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ

Rosette does not mess around when it comes to packaging.

The lumpy white package arrived in a timely manner ... well, honestly I wasn't keeping track of the days, but it didn't feel like a long time. It was the exact lumpy white package she sent me a photo of, with the addition of really neat postage stamps of a couple seahorses and tarantulas. It was slightly larger than I expected it to be.

SO MANY LAYERS!

The next paper layer next was also taped; my name with a flowery banner and lil' hearts written in pink marker~! Aw!

The cardigan, completely
clean & dry on the inside

The layer under that was a plastic wrap taped all the way around - I'm sure if this was left in the rain or somehow fell into the ocean, my cardigan would have been perfectly fine.

After I meticulously cut through the final plastic and tape layer it was tan knit sweater bliss. The smell that permeated from the fabric was freshly laundered and slightly perfumed (which makes me wonder what type of detergent she uses) and the sweater was exactly as described: perfect condition!

I didn't take a picture of the cardigan because I couldn't really get a nice angle of it on the hanger like Rosette did in the listing picture, so you'll have to settle for the snippet of it in the photos provided. It will be featured in my next outfit post, I promise!

Also included in the listing was the lacy brooch, which was nicely sized and very cute in it's simplistic way. Not sure if this came with the cardigan when Rosette first purchased the sweater, but I'm so glad it came with! It's so pretty and versatile.

To my pleasant surprise, there was a little hand-written note from Rosette herself, and also some interesting fruit teas that I've never ever seen before. Ahh, what did I tell you about Rosette? She's just a beautiful, precious cinnamon roll too good for this world, too pure.

So overall, this cardigan was a great find at a fantastic price, and I'm so glad to give it a new home in my mori wardrobe. The fact that it was from dear Nightingrosette's store makes it all the more special to me. And with her great customer service, the small heartfelt touches and A+ packaging, it made this whole online shopping experience extremely unique.

I urge you to take a look at Rosette's shoppe, blog, and Instagram where she posts beautiful photos and snippets from her life.

Because Tictail's interface doesn't include reviews, she asks customers to leave them on her FB Sales page. This is what I wrote for this purchase:

"Purchased this brown cardigan that came with a brooch. It's so lovely! Exactly as pictured, and came in a timely manner. This might be weird but it smells very nice; freshly laundered with a perfume smell? Hehe. And the packaging was very secure -- thank you for the tea goodies ~ "

I'm so happy with my new cardigan and will surely wear it many, many times, both within and outside of my mori life. I can't wait to share with you my first outfit with it. Thank you all for reading, and see you all next time!

The Practical Naturalist by Chris Packham

I'm the type of person who purchases books faster than she could read through them. I know there's the library if I'd like to read, but there's something about owning my own copy that is truly special.

Knowing I have a stack of books waiting to be finished never deters me from walking into a bookstore and perusing the shelves. I'd loiter in the 'used books' section in dusty antiques shoppes and come home with seven or eight books that pique my interest.

Since I can easily fall in love with a book, choosing only one book to share with you all is difficult for me -- there are so many great books I'd love to showcase. So for this new blog series, I will feature books that have captured my interest. Without further ado, I present The Plant's first Book Spotlight of The Practical Naturalist.

I've always been a bargain shopper. Whatever I'm looking for I instinctively go to the discounted and sale sections first. This includes even the bookstore, and at my nearest Barnes & Noble their 'Bargain Books' section is conveniently near the entrance.

Not long into browsing I spotted a square paperback with lovely photos of shells, leaves, butterflies, and other natural oddities on the cover; titled, The Practical Naturalist: An Illustrated Guide To The Wonders Of The Natural World by Chris Packham.

The forest chapter is broken into 3 parts:
Deciduous, coniferous, and tropical

This field guide meant for all ages is sectioned off by habitat. The first few chapters talk about evolution and biodiversity; it also touches on how both natural and climate change has affected the planet and its inhabitants. A good-sized chapter detail necessary tools and materials for the naturalist in practice.

 What drew me in was the synopsis, found on the back of the book. It reads:

"Today, many people feel cut off from the natural world, with little knowledge of its marvels. The Practical Naturalist shows you how to bring nature back into your life, whether you live in the heart of the city or a cabin deep in the woods. 

Detailed illustrations and specially commissioned photography, inspired by National Audubon society, impart a deeper understanding of how nature really works. 

Simple activities make the experience of nature accessible to all. 

An indispensable guide for anyone fascinated by the natural world, from budding biologists to seasoned wildlife lovers."

So, whether you want to read about your own backyard or someplace halfway around the world, this book has information about it. For those raised in places disconnected from "the great outdoors" -- for those who may not have had the opportunity to learn about plants, wildlife, and environment science; this guide is perfect for those eager to learn but don't know where to start. It welcomes the curious with open arms.

For all my mori friends out there, I wanted to share with you some pages from my favourite chapter, "Forest."

For best quality, view in full-size. Please enjoy! ☺

I didn't know the difference between deciduous and
coniferous trees was how often they shed their leaves.

While The Practical Naturalist loaded of information, it isn't overbearingly so. Indeed, it's packed with a ton of great facts of just about everything! But this is no scholarly textbook. If you are looking for a more intense read, I'm afraid this isn't the book for you. This is meant to be a fun, casual read; it's meant to get its readers out and about into the natural world.

I also love that every photograph is labelled. So, if I see a specimen that's very intriguing -- I'm never left guessing. There's always a small blurb or line explaining what it is.

And this book is not just about plants; there are so many animals to discover, too. A budding zoologist has plenty to read about animals that match with its specific environment.

Besides its great visuals, The Practical Naturalist has little activities and project suggestions sprinkled throughout the guide. In the section Tidepool in the chapter "Coast," they provide easy-to-follow directions for creating an underwater viewer: all you need is an ice cream carton, a craft knife, some tape, plastic wrap, and a rubber band.

Although these pictures are interesting to look at, it makes me
want to run outside to find my own log to observe in real life!

On the page pictured on the right, the book suggests watching a fallen log over a period of years:

"A freshly fallen log offers a habitat for wildlife for many years, but the creatures that exploit it change as time goes by. This is a perfect chance for you to watch and record what happens as a fascinating ecosystem develops. Keep a "log file" with notes, lists of wildlife inhabiting it, and photos—especially from a fixed position nearby—over several years."

There is a setback to all this information; some text is very small and hard to read. So, as with all books, only read in bright light to avoid eyestrain. It's tempting to sneak this into bed to read under blankets with a flashlight, but resist the urge! I reach for this book on mornings when it's clear and sunny; I like looking through it during breakfast time, or in the lazy, quiet afternoons with a nice cup of hot tea to sip from.

There are tons of useful science facts within this book. Terms like 'symbiosis' and 'chlorophyll' are described in a straightforward, but easy to understand way. For beginners, you truly can learn a lot about how the earth works! This makes The Practical Naturalist a great tool or a lovely gift for those interested in the natural sciences.

You can find the PDF of The Practical Naturalist here - but I must say this book is even better when you hold it with your own two hands. Plus, you can bring it with you on your outdoor escapades; I know I certainly will be.

Thank you so much for sticking around. Is there any book or nature guide out there that inspires you to explore? Which type of habitat would you like to check out? I'd love to hear what you have to say in the comments below.

Happy reading, and see you next time!

My first tea-dye experience

Almost two years ago, I purchased a simple circle skirt for roughly $30 USD from AliExpress. It was the very first piece I ever purchased towards my mori wardrobe. As you can imagine, it was a very exciting time for me that I tracked the shipping religiously and counted down each day before it arrived. By the time it arrived, I was shaking with excitement.

The listing picture lighting made it
appear warmer than it actually was

Prepared for a skirt I was sure to absolutely love out of the box, I opened the package and saw the skirt the hue of freshly fallen snow. And it was ... off-putting! I thought, "Is this really the skirt I ordered?!" Immediately, I compared the listing picture to the item I received. Much to my relief and chagrin, the skirt was exactly like pictured ... The tulle/lace pattern was the same, all the seams were good, the elastic band was the same width, and it did have the hideable straps. In fact, the skirt in the photo was probably the same bright white color, but the warm background and possibly the lighting made it look cream-toned.

So, I had a quality skirt that was too white for my liking.

I thought, I should try to dye it myself - with tea. The thin cotton skirt was just perfect for it, and I had the materials already. I heard so many things about tea-dye: it's inexpensive, it's easy, it's a fun process, it doesn't take long. So I did!

Because of the very large volume of my skirt, I chose to soak it in a large rubber bucket
instead of dying it straight out of the pot over stovetop. If my item wasn't very large, I
would have skipped Step 4 and just tossed it in the pot I used to boil the tea with.

Locations used:

Kitchen & backyard deck

Materials used:                                                                              Addition Materials you might need:

• 1 box of black tea                                                                     ●   Large mesh strainer
• Large pot for boiling (not pictured)                                           ●   Tongs
• Slotted spoon (not pictured)
• Rubber bucket
• Measuring cup




via Where Your Treasure Is, who
tea-dyes lace w/ a different method 

• White vinegar

Steps:

1. In the large pot, boil water over stovetop & toss in 15 tea bags to brew

2. Soak the item (my skirt) in cold water via the kitchen sink

3. Use the slotted spoon to remove tea bags from the pot

4. Transfer the tea into the rubber bucket *

      * one tea bag broke in the pot. Should have placed a strainer over the bucket when transferring the tea (but I didn't)

Coffee can also dye fabric. Instant
coffee is the fastest & easiest method!

5. Wring out the item of excess cold water and submerge in the bucket of hot tea

6. Keep agitating and submerging the item to ensure the item is dyed evenly

7. Soak for the desired time and/or until it's the color you desire. Mine took 10 minutes.

8. Transfer item to the kitchen sink & rinse with cold water until it runs clear

9. Air dry the item ** If I was unsatisfied w/ the color I'd repeat steps 5-7 ***

      ** opted to air dry instead of using the dryer, bc I was worried about staining it

      *** If I needed to re-dye, I'd have added some hot instant coffee to the old tea mixture

When you take the item out of the
tea dye, it appears a little darker
than it would be when dry (step 9)
(note: photo taken at sunset so the
skirt looks even oranger than irl)

10. If finished using it, pour out the tea mixture - it should never be consumed. Or, save the mixture to water your plants for a boost of nitrogen.

11. Refill the rubber bucket with an 8 to 1 ratio of water & white vinegar.  I used 16 cups of water to 2 cups of white vinegar. This is to lock in the color of your item permanently.

12. Soak the item about 5 or so minutes & periodically agitate to ensure even distribution.

13. Remove & wring out the item. Let air dry.

The Result:

The result was even better than I imagined! The synthetic tulle trim didn't really take the dye, and it's transparent white provided nice contrast to the light, peach color the skirt took on.

I've seen that the 2nd rinse with the water/vinegar solution does take some color out, so this method is best for items you don't want to be a very rich color. In this case, I wanted to achieve a very subtle color so tea-dye worked out perfectly.

Overall, this project was very relaxed and easygoing! And it turns out that this color is extremely versatile. This skirt is a staple in my closet and one of my absolute favorites. I've used this skirt in so many outfits as a supporting layer and sometimes as a central piece. Isn't it strange that a simple change in color can make something look completely different?

I'd 100% recommend anyone to grab a white item that you don't care too much for and give tea-dying a whirl. It doesn't even have to be a skirt, it could be anything: a shirt or tank top, scraps of lace or cloth, or even a handkerchief or doily you have lying around. Is there anything currently in your closet that you want to dye? There are many different ways and methods and I recommend playing around and having fun with it.

I hope you learned about the process of tea-dying and become inspired to try it out if you haven't already. Thank you for taking the time to read about my experience. See you next time! ❀