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A Lesson I Learned From the Film ‘Didi’
Submitted by Gina Choi The coming-of-age film Didi follows a Taiwanese American teenage boy as he navigates the challenges of adolescence, trying to balance his cultural heritage with the pressures of fitting in with his American peers. The film does an excellent job portraying the awkwardness of puberty and the often embarrassing moments that come with growing up. It captures the universal struggles that come with adolescence, making it easy for anyone, regardless of background, to relate to Didi’s journey. As an Asian woman raised in American culture, I found myself connecting deeply with Didi’s experience. While the film didn’t teach me any particularly new lessons, it definitely reinforced things…
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Louie’s Dishes: My Mother’s Best Homemade Meals
Submitted by Francesca Tero My mother, Eloisa Espiritu, otherwise known as “Louie”, built her own catering business from the talent of her two hands. Technically, four or six hands if you count the occasional times my sister and I are recruited to help her. Nonetheless, her business, “Louie’s Dishes”, came to life in the kitchen of my childhood home when my mom decided to put her own twist on the viral “Sushi Bake” recipe that was taking over the Internet at the time. It’s important to note that ever since I was young, I’ve had the pleasure of tasting and appreciating the variety of dishes my mom had a knack…
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My Annual Thanksgiving Dishes on My Table!
Submitted by Angelina Ng As November slowly comes to an end, Thanksgiving is nearby! A holiday that celebrates family, loved ones, and blessings, I always look forward to the Thanksgiving holiday surrounded by the people I love and care about the most. I would see the most classic Thanksgiving dishes on television: turkey, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and pie. Although those dishes are traditional and delicious on Thanksgiving, my household likes to incorporate a twist with Asian dishes and even some takeout! Every year, we have just a few main dishes we bring to the table as a tradition, however, we like to change up our platters and…
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Things I Bought That I Definitely Shouldn’t Have: A Journey of Regret and Laughter
Submitted by Steven Pham Ah, the joys of adulthood—when the freedom of spending your hard-earned money comes with the bittersweet taste of regret. Let me take you on a whimsical journey through my wallet’s misadventures, highlighting two shining examples of how I managed to part ways with my cash: Valorant skins and an omakase experience that fell flat. The Allure of Valorant Skins Imagine this: I’m immersed in a fierce Valorant match, adrenaline surging as I grip my mouse, poised to turn the tide for my team. My heart races not only from the intensity of the game but also from the stark realization that my knife skin is as…
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Lies I’ve Told My Asian Parents (And Will Continue to Tell Them)
Submitted by Ruthie Suarez Growing up in a strict but loving household means navigating the trials of expectations and family traditions. In my journey, I’ve found that telling little white lies has become a survival skill. I know that sounds terrible but it works! Here are some common little lies I’ve told my Asian parents—and some I’ll probably keep telling them for years to come. 1. “I Never Go Out with Wet Hair” The classic fear my mom has against me: to go outside with wet hair. My mom surely believes this is a way to catch a cold, fever, or any other mysterious illness that might come upon me.…
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I Know These Restaurants Hate to See Me Coming
Submitted by Gina Choi Growing up working in my family’s restaurant and being a huge foodie since birth, I think I know a thing or two about what makes a good restaurant. I would even go as far as to say that one of my main love languages would be food. Speaking of love, nothing screams true romance more than grabbing a quick dessert to share after a dinner date. So to start, the first restaurant that hates to see me coming has to be Mango Mango Dessert Cafe. As someone whose favorite fruit is mango, this cafe satisfies all of my cravings with desserts ranging from mango sticky rice…
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Retail Therapy is a Blessing and a Curse
Submitted by Will Chen Retail therapy refers to the practice of shopping to improve one’s mood or a way to relieve stress. This term is quite common among college students as they use it as a source to combat the stress in their daily lives. Without a doubt, I have indulged in retail therapy before as well. This can be in the form of food, clothes, video games, pretty much anything you can think of. However, there are consequences to retail therapy, specifically financial stress. According to the Journal of Consumer Research, consumers who engage in retail therapy can experience an increase in happiness. After shopping, people will become elated…
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How I Find Balance When Indulgences Become a Habit
Submitted by Angelina Ng After a long, stressful, week of classes, I found myself rewarding my small behaviors a little too much. It would bring me so much joy in such an easy process: find something I like, take out my card, and now I have it! There are some small indulgences I would do after I complete a task: go out and buy a snack, go to small shops and buy some jewelry, allow myself to eat more snacks, or get a large drink from Dunkin Donuts. These small actions definitely made me feel accomplished for my hard work throughout the week, but it eventually started to feel costly…
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My Obsession with Watching Mukbangs
Submitted by Hera Lee If you haven’t come across a mukbang video, have you been living under a rock? Mukkbang, for those who are unaware of its popularity, is an online video trend that involves people eating food in front of an online audience. This trend originated in South Korea, hence the name. The term is a blend of the Korean words “muk-da” (먹다) meaning “to eat” and “bang-song” (방송) meaning “broadcast”. These mukbang videos have hosts eating large, sometimes impressive amounts of food while interacting with their audience in real-time or through pre-recorded content. Sometimes, mukbang videos can be served as ASMR content, which are sensory and satisfying videos…
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Sweet Delights: Cheat Day ft. Asian Desserts
Submitted by Jodie Li When I have my cheat days, my heart always stays close to Asian cuisines. With various alluring flavors and textures of food, it’s hard to resist my sweet tooth. From crispy pastries to creamy rice dishes, these indulgent treats bring a taste of tradition and satisfaction, making them perfect for a day of indulgence. Here’s a look at some must-try Asian-themed cheat day desserts I recommend and adore the taste of: 1. Honey Toast Originating from Japan, Honey Toast (Shibuya Toast) features a thick slice of toasted bread, buttered and baked until crispy outside but soft inside. Topped with honey, whipped cream, and fruits like bananas…
