BOOKSHELF + COMMUNITY

This week I finished reading Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li. With the pace of an Ocean’s Eleven movie, the book was a refreshing change to the books I usually read. At the core of the story is a heist involving the return of culturally significant art pieces to China. The story explores identity, origin, and belonging through the lens of each member of the team.

The novel asks the question: What happens when cultural items become a trophy of war and power?

“Art could be beauty, but it was also power.”

I was reminded of a scene in the tv show Rutherford Falls where the character Reagan Wells (actress Jana Schmieding) retrieves a vase belonging to her Minishonka Nation community from a local museum. Museums often covet objects that were not given or donated to them, but were instead purchased or procured in unethical ways.

“Art belongs to the creator,” Will said, his voice soft, “not the conqueror. No matter what the law says, or what treaties are signed. For too long, museums have held on to art that isn’t theirs to keep, bought more because they know they can.”

-Will Chen from Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Lin

One of the reasons I enjoyed this book was the complex yet relatable lives of the characters. The team consists of characters with their own strengths that sometimes cause them to be at odds with each other. What they share is a common love for Chinese heritage even if they are at different points along their journey.

“Diaspora had always been an unmooring, a boat cast free.”

“The stories her parents had never told her about China, the the empty space it had carved within her. How it felt to search and never find. All these years and Lily had never known how to love a place and not leave it behind.”

-Lily Wu from Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li

Portrait of a Thief would make a great page-turning read for your next vacation or listen to it in audiobook format* if you’re planning a road trip (which would make a great homage to Lily Wu in the book).

The author, Grace D. Li, will be one of the executive producers on a Netflix for TV series based on the book.

In the acknowledgements of the book she writes about an encouraging moment she remembers with her friend, Brandon Choi. “I still remember the evening we went to the Strand (a bookstore in New York City) where he went to the L section and he said, This is where you’ll be.” Don’t we all need friends like that?

Learning about the history of a place before and during travel provides a depth to your vacation by adding the element of story to your experience. Our recent trip to Kaua’i inspired me to put together this booklist of stories I read before our trip or plan to read in the future.

HOME + TRAVEL

We began our summer with a trip to Kaua’i which also happened to be our first time visiting Hawai’i. We were in awe at the turquoise blue water and the clear blue skies. Even though the temperatures were only in the 80s, the mid-day heat was intense, and we found ourselves trekking back to the house in search of an afternoon nap until it was cooler, and we were ready to explore once again.

In case you are curious about Kaua’i or already have it on your vacation wish list, here are a few of our favorite stops and tips during our very enjoyable stay in Kaua’i.

The AirBnB where we stayed had a welcoming view of the ocean every morning. Our host was wonderful and gave us a helpful packet of information and personalized recommendations. The rest of the recommendations I’m sharing in this post came from reading Lonely Planet Kaua’i as well as exploring and finding little gems along the way!

We didn’t visit the usual tourist hot spots (coffee and chocolate plantations, pineapple-themed everything, etc) because we enjoy wandering and making discoveries that support local residents, preserve the land and local traditions, and support sustainable practices whenever possible.

Wild chickens run around the island, and we had a few hilarious encounters. Introduced by Captain Cook in 1978, the chickens are a constant reminder of Cook’s “discovery” of The Sandwich Islands (Hawai’i) in his expedition and missionary efforts that led to the degradation of native Hawaiian culture, flora and fauna. Kaua’i is the only island that didn’t use mongooses to control the wild chicken population. The decision proved to be a smart move considering other islands ended up with a mongoose problem!

Favorite Grocery Store: Papaya’s Natural Foods

Favorite Coffee: Kai Bar in Kilauea for morning glory muffins and Thai coffee

Favorite Breakfast: Trucking Delicious inside Wake Up Cafe (I loved the Fisherman’s Breakfast with ono)

Favorite Lunch & Dinner: There were so many good food trucks that we rarely set foot in a brick-and-mortar restaurant (and they were way less expensive). Sushi Girl (try the blue crab sushi with macadamia nuts!) and Kilauea Fish Market in Kilauea (delicious poké!), Chalupa’s and Monster Sushi in Koloa, Filo’s Tacos and El Ray Del Mar in Kapa’a were all amazing!

Favorite Treats: Matcha Ya! (try the lava flow milkshake!) and shave ice

Favorite Putt-Putt Course: (a family vacation tradition): Mini Golf at Anaina House Community Park (be sure to stop at the arepa truck, Ally’s Cocina, located next to the putt-putt course) and although we didn’t have a chance to check out their Locally Grown Culinary Experiences at the same park on Saturdays, they look like so much fun!

Favorite Animal Encounter: Sea turtles and monk seals along the beach in Po’ipu (very touristy though)

Favorite Towns: Kapa’a and Kilauea

Favorite Activities: Renting bikes to ride along Ke Ala Hele Makalae bike bath along the ocean, relaxing at the many beaches including Black Pot Beach in Hanalei, and golf at Makai Golf Club in Princeville and Wailua Municipal Golf Course

*We missed out on renting stand up paddle boards to paddle the Wailua River, but I’m pretty sure that would have been a fun experience.

Setting yourself up for a smooth transition after returning from vacation may be just as important as preparing to leave on a trip.

How to Come Home from Vacation - Episode #265 on The Lazy Genius Podcast

Staying home this summer? Why not plan a staycation?

How to be a Tourist in Your Hometown - Episode #269 on The Lazy Genius Podcast

If you’re looking for food trucks on your next vacation, I found this site which will help you locate a quick lunch during your travels: Roaming Hunger

It is HOT in Texas this summer. We’ve had the lucky break of being on vacation during a sweltering June. We’ll do our best to enjoy the rest of the summer with cooling meals to beat the heat.

What’s on the menu for dining on the surface of the sun this summer?

Smoothies at our favorite smoothie shop in Austin, Juiceland!

Watermelon gazpacho

Fresh summer fruits like peaches, melon, pineapple, and plums

Salads like Niçoise salad and mason jar salads

Pitchers of water infused with citrus and cucumber

Iced herbal tea from Catsprings Yaupon

Cooling additions like yogurt and mint-cucumber raita (thanks to Ayurvedic wisdom)

Homemade gelato - coffee, pistachio, and rose saffron come to mind. I use my Kitchenaid mixer with this attachment and store the gelato in these containers in the freezer

This ombre ice cream pie with sugar cone crust looks like a treat worth trying this summer!

GARDEN + NATURE

July is unbearably hot in the garden, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few maintenance tasks on my list. Our cherry tomatoes are an indeterminate variety, and that means that they will keep on growing (with little production) if I don’t trim them back to prepare for a second harvest in the fall.

I may also try my hand at a small pumpkin patch this year as well as planting okra (if I can find some space in one of the garden beds) and a second (or is it third?) planting of cosmos, marigolds, and zinnias.

WELLNESS + CREATIVITY

The Hidden Life of Pets proves that the more we play, the smarter we become. Maybe humans should heed this advice?

Wandering around new places when traveling always feels like play to me. Whether we’re happening upon a neighborhood shop that makes fresh tortillas, trying a new to us ingredient like finger limes or these yuzu sesame seeds (apparently I’m not the only one), hiking up a new trail and experiencing the awe-inspiring feel of walking on squishy tundra, or picking up avocados from the farmers’ market that are bigger than your hand, we’re open to unexpected experiences on the path less traveled!

After our vacations this summer, I’m realizing there are a few photography skills I’d like to work on, so I signed up for a Skillshare membership to learn a few new tricks.

Interested in creative classes on Skillshare? Click here to get a month free of Skillshare online classes.

After returning home from vacation, I will be working on the many home projects that have been left undone while we spend most of June traveling.

I’ll be back on Friday, August 12th with ideas for the new school year, books to add to your TBR list, a fresh look at keeping your home clean and welcoming, creating personalized artwork, and budget-friendly tips for grocery shopping.

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In the meantime, you can visit these “vintage” blog posts for summer inspiration.

Road Trip!

Summer is the Perfect Time to Do Less

Keeping it Simple for Summer

Enjoy your weekend!

I read once that if there is something that you want to do, but you're not sure how to get there, just begin.

Writing blog posts for 52 Seasons is a creative journey into the expressions that come from my heart: writing, photography, tending a garden, immersing myself in nature, reading stories from voices that need to be heard and sharing them with others, keeping a home, being an advocate for education and basic human rights, and sharing resources with others.

Get involved in your community. VOTE. Speak out. Volunteer. One small action can create momentum for change.

“Do your little bit of good where you are. It’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” -Desmond Tutu