Wonderful Wednesday #1

Welcome to the first Wonderful Wednesday post of "According to Mishi"! I've totally made this up on a whim as of right now (the name really, I had been contemplating this idea for a while now), but I wanted to make a sort-of "pick-me-up" post for each week that would inspire me and encourage me to keep updating more regularly and for me to recognize and appreciate the things in life that make me happy! So, basically Wonderful Wednesday posts will be just little snippets of things that I appreciate each week! So let's get started!





♥ TOTORO COOKIES!!! and baking in general!!!! I've realized that I have become an avid lover and admirer of everything sweet and confectionary! I love to watch it being made, making it myself, and of course, EATING IT! :D I can't wait to start baking some things of my own! I hope to include some various cooking recipes here at According to Mishi. Baking really is another passion of mine! If you have a taste for baking too, check out the lj community; bakebakebake! they are always posting delicious and decadent creations!

♥ Super Junior's new album, BONAMANA [REPACKAGE]. <3 Every single song is beautiful and amazing! I've been non-stop listening to this soundtrack for about two weeks now! They really make me feel better when I'm down. Be sure to check it out and support Super Junior! Yesasia.com is a great place to buy Korean Pop CDs online!

♥Vampires Suck! The Movie!!! This looks SO FUNNY. Me, Andrew and Steven are seeing it today and I'll have to see if it stands up to its trailer! I think everyone knew this was coming sooner or later.

haha, well, that's it for now! The list could go on and on but I have to save for the upcoming weeks~! :D

~mishi

Fashion Trend #1

So, I've decided that every now and then I will post "Fashion Trends" to keep updated on the latest styles from Japan, Korea, or America. Why those three countries? Because I love the fashion from those countries! Sometimes the posts will focus specifically on one country, or sometimes a combination of the three. So without further ado, I would like to introduce the first "Fashion Trend" Post of According to Mishi! :)




If there was a magazine I would pick that contains everything a girl would need to keep up with the gal/gyaru fashion scene; it's Popteen. I love everything in this magazine. Recently, I purchased the June issue of this magazine and I've compiled a list of some of the most popular trends that seem to be big for the summertime. Even as summer is slowly approaching, there are about two good months left and these tips are hot to know!

♥Usa-mimi or rabbit ear headband. These are totally cute and meant to look exactly like bunny ears. They come an array of colors, sizes and fabric choices and are a perfect accent to any hairstyle. They are usually fashioned from a regular light-weight scarf, ribbon, or fabric belt accessory and are really easy to style!


♥Jean Jackets My mom always told me that a jean jacket is the best piece of clothing that a woman could ever purchase. Why? Because they never go out of style and are really perfect all year round! The jean jacket matches with any outfit, regardless of the color and is also lightweight! They are timeless and will last an extremely long time!
♥ Floral Print Dresses-Long or Short! I personally love this trend. Floral dresses are classy and at the same time they are comfy. They are the perfect feminine touch and represent everything summery and light!
♥ Boater Hats Boater Hats are a great way to jazz up any old outfit and also keep you cool to beat that summer heat! One can either purchase a boater hat from an online store, or find one locally and customize it! If you find a boater hat that might not have the trim you like, they are super easy to fix on your own and really give that summer country girl feel.
♥Leggings and Tights-Printed or Plain! If there is one accessory I wouldn't live without, it's a good pair of tights. Tights are a great way to dress up your outfit and add a little edge. My favorite thing to do is wear a pair of shorts with tights underneath. Add a cute pair of flats or boots, and you are ready to go! If you have a dress that is just a tad too short and you would prefer to not show a lot of skin, settle for a pair of leggings and you'll look reserved and still stylish. Both leggings and tights are lightweight and are a perfect substitution for pants in the summer heat!
♥ Cowgirl Boots I've noticed that the Japanese are very good at imitating the Wild West side of America and what's wild west without a cute pair of Cowgirl Boots?? Cowgirl boots are another great investment to your wardrobe and shoe collection because they too never go out of style! Pair them with a cute dress and maybe a boater hat and you are a self-made cowgirl, yeehaw!!! Liz Lisa came out with the cutest version of cowgirl boots with a little girly flair (a cute bow and some scallop edges add for a very gyaru approach!)




♥ Big Belts (to accent dresses) Big Belts are a great accent to any dress. They help to make your outfit more formal and accentuate your natural figure. With the appropriate color and style, a big belt is the perfect thing for summer. If one is to wear a floral dress for example, a dark brown belt with a big square buckle is totally cute~! Have fun with belts and mix up your outfits!

♥Shoulder Bags/Pouchettes These days, the trend of big, almost duffle-bag sized purses have died down and girls are preferring lightweight shoulder bags in cute colors to hold their neccessities. I like this idea, especially since I get really tired of carrying my big white purse all the time. Sometimes girls carry WAY too much stuff when they are out and about and half of it they don't even need! Shoulder bags and pouchettes are great alternatives and force you to think small and bring only what you need while still being cute and fun.

♥Bandanas/Scarves wrapped around If you have decided that you would rather use your bandana or scarf for something other than the Usamimi, why not take them and fashion them onto your purse? or maybe around your neck? You could even tie them around your waist! These are really cute to embellish anything that you might think is a little too plain.

♥ Big Glasses Being geeky is now fashionable! I personally love this trend, because I think that the glasses are really cute and it's fun too for the summertime! Don't worry, these glasses are not prescription, they're just for goofing off and being dorky!

♥ Sparkle Sneakers The Japanese love to bling things up. Everything from phones to shoes and sparkle sneakers from Sketchers seem to be taking Japanese gyarus by storm! These cute sneakers have the entire toe area covered in rhinestones and usually have a sparkly glittery print on the side. These are fun and more comfy to wear with a cute pair of overalls of baggy jeans for a day of shopping-forgo the heels in this case!



~mishi

It's been quite awhile.

Well, here I am. The eighth month of 2010, and no post all year. I don't really know what prompted me all of a sudden to make an entry-I've felt no need to since I was concentrating on many other things happening in my life at the moment. I guess it was a sudden spark inside of me that pushed me to write this little recap.

Lately, a LOT has been happening to me emotionally and within my family. I had lost basically all of my love of lolita fashion, something that had been extremely important in my life for a long time. I guess you can say I practically gave up everything that made me happy as an individual young woman. I tried to have the enthusiasm I had before for the things I loved, but no matter how hard I tried, it seemed to be gone. I guess it was part depression, or part of my maturation, either way, I felt awful. A dear friend of mine, Avina, a lolita herself, who was in quite the same predicament as I am when it comes to the fashion has started what is called a "tumblog" on the popular site, Tumblr, called, "The Everyday Lolita" to help inspire her to get back into the fashion she so loves herself. The social world of lolita fashion is one that is very complex. Because it is such a specific niche, it's hard to find many that will share the same interests with you, and even then, it's hard to wear in public without strange looks. I "fell out" of lolita for reasons more than the drama. For one, it was too expensive. I hardly have a quarter of what most girls have and it is quite the hobby. In addition, with all the changes and pain I have been experiencing this entire 2010, I felt the need to start fresh-to let go, and to venture into new territory. I'm still not there, and in fact, it has been hard for me to completely stray away from what has been so dear to me. I have decided that at least for now, I'm going to do my own thing. I love lolita, but I'm still sticking to my guns and not losing track of what is really important and what is immediate to face in my life right now. Hopefully in the future I can branch off and mix styles and fashions. I like the cute, but I like the grown-up as well. I think that I have definitely become more mature after taking some time away from lolita, but my blog still won't be based off of lolita. It will be based off of me. I've realized through maturing bit by bit, I can still love the things I did if I have the desire to. I know that spark inside is that desire. But I guess I wanted to make some sort of physical documentation that lolita will always be apart of me-I would like to maybe try making some designs again. I'm that Lolita Enthusiast. I'll still look at the pictures-and maybe I'm doing a little of what Avina did with Tumblog here. I'm trying to regain that spark of my love of lolita fashion (and of fashion in general) and all things pretty and beautiful- to regain that lost part of myself that I haven't seen in almost a year and to write about it and have fun with it here on my blog while at the same time writing about the other side of me-the me that I'm constantly discovering as each day passes on and that has been developing since I last posted here.

Movie Report: The Princess and the Frog

Happy Holidays to all! I'm here to report on Disney's newest animation princess film, The Princess and the Frog (which I'm sure everyone has seen previews for!) My best friend came home and the first thing we vowed to do over our Christmas break was to watch it! Being an avid Disney animated movie fanatic since I was little, I was more than excited to see this movie. I grew up living and breathing Disney movies. I have just about every Disney animated movie you can think of and I still know every character's name (well, most of them! yes, like Smee and Clayton and Phil...and even Rajah! Kudos to you if you can guess which movies those characters are from!) I already had high hopes for this movie because it was drawn traditionally, just like the movies from childhood, it features for the first time in history, an African-American princess, and the best part...IT'S A MUSICAL! Everything about this movie is wonderful. The movie is set in New Orleans, Louisiana in the 1910's-1920's; at the height of the Jazz revolution and the end of World War I. With music by Pixar's famed composer, Randy Newman, the score and tunes envelop the vision and sounds of Louisiana and its culture. In my opinion, this movie teaches many different messages and morals; many of which taught me something to apply to my own life. This movie inspired me so much and made me cry more than once (despite only being one hour and a half). If a movie (especially animated) can make a person cry, you know it's gotta be worth it. I don't want to give much away about this movie, but I definitely recommend this movie for anyone who loves Disney and appreciates traditional 2-D art.

After the movie, me and my friend contemplated many issues and ideas approached in the movie. A few concepts we noticed that differentiated this movie from other Princess and Disney movies in general:

~This was the first Disney movie where the Prince falls in love with the Princess for her personality; not her looks (Aladdin first revolutionized Prince (rather..."street boy") falling for Princess....however, he fell for her for her looks because he knew nothing about her.)

~This movie was the first to show a woman (especially a "minority") in charge (Refer to the song "I'm almost there" and the last few moments of the movie)

~The first African-American Princess (duh!)
~This movie makes the audience try to understand and interpret the fairytale for themselves and has many different twists and takes that keeps the audience bewildered and stumped about what will happen next.

~It shines light (no pun intended) on minorites and personifies those of low income/class/education/background (through the characters of Ray, Tiana, and Naveen) and age (through the character Mama Odie) in a new way; as noble and respectable people; no different from anyone else. (Refer to the song "Dig a Little Deeper")

~It's the first time there is a friendship between two distinctly different women; Charlotte and Tiana (through the color of their skin and their backgrounds).

~It's also the first time that the Prince's feelings, personality and life is developed.

~It teaches that while it's good to dream on a star and hope your wishes come true, it takes a little bit of one's own hardwork to make that happen.

~The movie goes beyond the concept of living the "true" fairytale life, redefining it, where instead of the prince and princess living their days in royalty, doing nothing but loving each other, instead, it shows the Prince (Naveen) wanting to escape that lifestyle and having both Tiana and Naveen living their days well spent and earned thanks to their hardwork.

There are many other interesting ideas we came up with but we'll leave them up to you to figure out for yourself to get the meaning out of this movie!

The concept of this movie is summed up in this statement repeated frequently throughout the movie: "Never knew I needed". My favorite character has to be Ray. He's such a sweetheart. I also love love love Prince Naveen! Best prince ever! He's just so dreamy! And everyone says that the live Prince Naveen at Disneyland fits him perfectly! haha! If you haven't seen this yet, go go go! It's worth the money. Disney has succeeded in creating yet another wonderful masterpiece; one where they have been able to overcome the animosity and barriers of racism, sexism and other socioeconomic issues to bring about to the public a movie that teaches life lessons all the while keeping the magic and wonder of its fairytales alive.

Music Spotlight: Beast is the B2ST

Hello~It's been quite some time since I last updated! I have a lot to blog about but there never seems to be the time. :{ School is really crazy! Oh well...In other words, Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Remember what to be thankful for and spend time with your family and friends! I've been in the kitchen helping my mom throughout this morning but now I have some time to relax and work on my humanities essay as well as update! Okay, enough of this, on to the real story!


If anyone knows me well enough, they know that I'm obsessed with boybands; especially those of the Korean assortment. Yesterday evening, being the lame-o that I am and practically the ONLY student in my college library the night before Thanksgiving researching for her essay, stumbled upon B2ST's new music video; "Bad Girl" after browsing around youtube. One can only imagine how extremely hard it was for me to *not* freakout into fits of fangirlism. It was torture to say the least. I quickly researched some information on them, [the little that there is] and I'm here to report the latest on this brand-spanking new boy band from Korea!

This 6 member[and absolutely gourgeous!]boy group consists of Yoon Du Jun, Son Dong Woon, Yang Yo Seop, Lee Gi Kwang, Jang Hyun Seung and Yong Jun Hyung. In my opinion, Jang Hyun Seung reminds me of SHINee's baby; Taemin and I can't help but think that Yoon Du Jun looks too much like Seungri from YG's Big Bang! They are a group released under Cube Entertainment and their acronym; B2ST stands for Boys 2 Search the Top. According to their wiki, B2ST is officially known as BEAST, for they changed their name a few days before they debuted and is an acronym for Boys of EAst Standing Tall. October 14, 2009 was the release of their first mini album Beast is the B2ST. The tracklisting consists of 5 songs: 1) Beast is the Best 2)Bad Girl 3)Misery 4)Yet and 5)Oasis. The first song; Beast is the Best is more of an introduction, using techno elements mixed with rap and lasts for about 1:30. Bad Girl is the kind of music that makes you just want to get up and dance and sing along! Misery, surprisingly reminds of some rap music I would expect from American rappers; at least the introduction. But it is a pretty easy listen. Yet and Oasis are their slow pieces; both very beautiful. More information can be found at allkpop.com. as well as on their website here: http://playb2st.co.kr/

Their music video "Bad Girl" looks very futuristic and bright; somewhat reminiescent of G-Dragon's Heartbreaker music video from back in August of this year. The boys adorn intricate all-white ensembles embellished with chains, sparkly accessories, necklaces, and scarves galore. The music video talks about how the "Bad Girl" of their lives has up and left them coldly and while they are upset, they miss her and the chorus echoes their sentiments of the whole ordeal. In my [bias] opinion, this music video is simply all kinds of awesome and should be watched religiously.

I was able to find the High Definition/High Quality version WITH English Translation underneath for "Bad Girl" so please enjoy!



From what it seems, this band looks to be very promising and I'll be looking forward to new music from them in the future. Two thumbs up in mishi's opinion for this new group who has earned the right to be added as a group of the hallyu wave of Korean pop music.

~mishi

What's all the Drama About?

Friday night, nowhere to go and my room to myself. Avoiding my homework, I was watching Super Junior M's new music video "Super Girl" (which is in Madarin Chinese- those boys are amazing! Super Junior M features two Chinese members; Henry and Zhou Mi). After watching the video for the nth time, I came across a commercial for a Taiwanese Drama called "Romantic Princess". Usually, I skip over dramas as I had always thought that English dramas were quite boring and wasn't interested in getting involved in an extremely long drama. Besides, the only dramas I had seen before were TVXQ's various mini-dramas...(which are definitely worth watching if you are TVXQ obsessed like I am). So anyway, what drew me to this specific drama was the cute clips they were showing. (And the extremely good-looking main character; Jin). I instantly typed it in and started searching for the first episode with english subtitles. Once I found them, I started watching. I've instantly become a fan (and gone googoo for the actor Wu Chun)! I've finished watching the first few episodes (they are each almost 40 minutes long), and it really is a lovely story. And it's a very short drama, only 13 episodes that aired in 2007.



The story centers around a young girl, Xiao Mai, who has grown up for 17 years in poverty with her parents only to find out that she is the granddaughter of Huang Fu, the richest man in all of Asia! Her parents were unable to conceive, and Xiao Mai was given to them after she was found as a baby abandoned. She finds out that she was abandoned because she had been kidnapped from her wealthy parents and that her grandfather was searching for the entire time.She is immediately deployed into a life of luxury, surrounded by four attractive young men; one of them being Jin. Despite his charisma and wealth, however, he has a horrible attitude. Speaking of Jin, the actor Wu Chun, I SWEAR looks exactly like one of my high school friends-Eric. He really does!! ANYWAY, I don't want to give away too many details, but I definitely recommend this drama to those interested in "shoujo" style romance stories! It's a very cute and fairytale like story; full of love, distress, morals, power, and real life problems. I've provided the opening song entitled New Home to the drama. The music is by Farhenheit, a Taiwanese boy band-and guess what? Wu Chun is a member of that boy band!



mishi