Visit to Monterey Bay Aquarium

 

  Topshop jacket (old), Old Navy Rockstar jeans, Nike sneakers, Old Navy crossbody bag

Two weeks before my working Saturdays start, my husband took me to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We've heard that it's the largest aquarium, and it's also the inspiration of the Marine Life Institute in Finding Dori! I am always fascinated everytime I go to aquariums. We have visited different aquariums in different cities, and nature always amazes me.

Monterey is about 1.5 hour drive from where we live, so it wasn't that bad. We even planned ahead and brought our own lunch because we just wanted to spend the whole day in the aquarium, since the entrance ticket is a bit pricey - $49.95 for one adult.

The view from inside the aquarium is just amazing. They have this giant floor-to-ceiling ocean exhibit, just like the one you see on Finding Dori. You can see a lot of different fish and non-fish animals inside, and it's just mesmerizing. I am kicking myself for not bringing my good camera, but really. I could just stand and watch the fish swim for hours, which technically what exactly we did for that Saturday. We watched the sardines swim in sync and it's just so mesmerizing.

Outfit of the Day | Old Navy Mid Rise Rockstar Jeans

The weather has been unpredictable lately. It changes from a rainy day to a sunny day within seconds. I am not complaining, though. It's nice to finally feel real rain in California. In this look, I'm pairing old favorites with new favorites. I love the look of the mock turtleneck sweater that I got from Loft a while ago. I paired it with my new favorite, Old Navy high-waisted rockstar jeans. I got it when I was back home in Jakarta. I knew ON made a lot of jeans, but they never really felt right on me until now. I just had different perspective when I tried these on. I love the color and the slight distressed look. It fits like a glove, and the quality is really nice, too!

Since it's too cold for me to be out and about without a jacket, I topped it with a lightweight jacket, also from Loft. It's an A-line trench. I like the fit, but the sleeves are a tad too short for me - which is always the case for me when it comes to petite sizing.

My Happy Planner | Free Printable Planner Stickers

My new obsession starts at the beginning of the year when I was browsing at Michaels and found what's called the Happy Planner for 60% off. It does lift up to its name, it makes me happy just to plan out my days using stickers and colorful accessories. It does take a long time, and you need to like it to be able to enjoy it. Otherwise, it's just an added chore with cute stickers ;P

In my video, I show you how I decorate and use my Happy Planner. I am so grateful with the internet to be able to find a free printable stickers, so I don't have to keep buying new ones when I'm bored. I do need to cut them out and stick them manually, but it's how I de-stress at the end of the day =)

My Korean Skincare Routine | Innisfree Review

Korean beauty has been popular in the US lately, and I just finally got on board with it. Korean actresses and actors' skin always look healthy and dewy on the advertisement I see. My sister first introduced me to the brand Innisfree. I was visiting her in Singapore several months ago, and she told me that she stopped breaking out ever since she started using skincare products from the brand. I's Korean brand, and it's very popular in Singapore.

We've visited quite a few different store locations when I was there, and none of them were lacking customers. Innisfree has a variety of different skincare lines for different skin needs. I consulted with one of the girls at the store, and I opted from the green tea balancing skin line. I have combination skin, and this line should help balance that.

I have been consistently using all of the products from the line for several months now, and I do feel that I break out much less frequently, and I like how my skin looks without makeup now.



My routine after I wash my face starts with the green tea seed serum. The balancing skin line does not have its own designated serum, so use this instead before all other skin care products. A serum helps hydrate and prep your skin to better absorb the moisture and benefits from all the skincare products you use. I  use this mostly at night because I feel it works best to treat my skin overnight, and when I wake up in the morning, my skin already feels smooth.

I then apply Green tea balancing skin, which is a toner that feels refreshing onto the skin. I use this day and night before my moisturizer. For moisturizer, I use Green tea balancing lotion, which has a light consistency, perfect for daytime or warmer days. The last step is the Green tea balancing cream, which, in my opinion,  is thicker consistency version of the lotion. I don't use this on daytime because I feel it can get quite heavy. I opt to use this at night.

My Netflix Watch List | Series Edition

Netflix has been my go-to when it comes to filling in spare time or just to have something played on the background while I'm cooking/folding laundry/cleaning. It also has come out with legit original series this past few years, and the shows have been my favorites. And continue reading to the end for Ocep's watch list!

Please note that Netflix streaming offerings differ in each country. The ones that I put * are Netflix originals and should be available on any country. 

Stranger Things* / sci-fi
My co-worker told me about this. He swore by it, and told me that I needed to watch the series asap. I was hooked on the first episode. It only has 8 episodes for the first season, so I tried to savor the show by watching it one episode a day. It was a major self-controlling on my part.

One Day at a Time* / sitcom; drama
 I just finished binge-watching the whole season, and it is so different than any other 30-minute sitcom I've ever watched, and that's why I also put it under drama category. It tells a story about a single mother, her two kids, her mom and their Cuban heritage. It is educative and speaks about some deep topics on every episode. The show allows awkward moments which don't go away by audience laughter in the background. It gets as real as possible, and I love it.

Doing My Sister's Makeup | Rosy Eyes

I've always wanted to learn how to do other people's makeup, and I had the opportunity to take a class when I was back home. The class was a short one, 10 meetings of 4-hour session each. Fortunately for me, there were no other students at that time, so I had a private one-on-one lesson which helps me to be more focus and ask any questions I had.

Bare with me, that I'm still learning, and when it comes to makeup I don't think I will ever stop learning. I am just so grateful that my family is so supportive of me. After the class ended, I put my lessons to the test on my mom and sister. Here's a simple flawless makeup on my sister.

My Top Tips for Staying Organized

I took a break from my work for several months, and next week, I will be back to my reality. Over the course of 5 months,  I don't really have a fixed routine like I do when I go to work. Nevertheless, I am the type of person who always tries to make the most productive out of a day. It's really rare for me to just want to chill and spend a lazy Sunday. Not that there's anything wrong with having a lazy Sunday. But it just never happens for me. I always hustle and bustle trying to get whatever I can done on a day.

Staying at home can be very tempting to just lounge around all day and not get anything done, but for me it is important to have a to-do list everyday even when I don't have anything in particular scheduled.

Make up your bed. I feel like I am in a better mood and more productive when I make up my bed in the morning. It helps clear my mind, and it also feels nice when I go to a tidy bed at night. It sets the mood.

Take a shower. Even when you have nowhere to go, taking a shower helps you feel refreshed and ready for a new day. Doing my skincare routine in the morning, especially when I am in no rush, feels really good. It sets my mood throughout the day.

Set a schedule. When I stay at home, writing a post or shooting a video, doing house chores - cooking, cleaning, laundry at the same time, I need to be aware of the time or otherwise I would not get anything done or worse be distracted. It is important to set a schedule for myself so I know what to do when to do them.

Invest in a planner. Nowadays, you can take your agenda (i.e. your phone) everywhere with you. I always find it satisfying to jot down what I need with pen and paper. I find it fulfilling and I always refer to my planner to see my day/week/month looks like. I tend to forget small things, like doing laundry or buy milk, but when I write them down, it is much more likely for me to actually do them (although i still need to work on writing down "Go to the Gym!" and actually go). I'm currently enjoying the Happy Planner. It was 60% off at Michaels at the beginning of January. I know it takes work just to decorate them, but that's what makes it fun for me throughout the whole process.



Having a designated work area, if possible. Even at home. I find having a desk and chair at home is crucial for me to get things done. I do most of chores and blog-related work at this very spot. It's not perfect, but I love my little work area. I love how I have a window right in front of my desk, so I don't feel too suffocated sitting for hours in a room. The sun is also the best source of lighting for my pictures and videos!

Take a break. Although I'm always hustling and bustling, I do take short breaks here and there. It can sometimes be mentally draining when I do my chores or just the things I need to do throughout the day. My idea of taking a break is going to Target to see what's new or going to a boba place and pick up my favorite drink.