RIÉ VICTORIA AOKI

4 New Restaurants in Wilmington To Go This Holiday

Rie Victoria Aoki — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 05:55:48 +0000

Love me a divine, fine dining!

I moved here, to Wilmington, Delaware, about 9 years ago - it was completely, compleeeetelyyyyy different back then. This small town is getting better and more fun each day, and now there are many places to visit and adventure to. It has been so thrilling to see this town grow and evolve!

If you know me and you are here, YOU KNOW I am a serious food enthusiast. Today I am sharing with you those new(er) and absolutely divine restaurants that have opened here in Wilmington! Make sure you are snacking while you are reading this post, otherwise you will be too hungry by the time you reach the end.

My ultimate plan recommendation (especially on December 16th & 17th) is to dine in one of these places after coming to see my ballet company, First State Ballet Theater’s most beloved & immaculate Nutcracker. Your day will be enriched. I promise you.

1: BARDEA STEAK

If you are a sucker for a GOOD steak, it’s a must to visit this steakhouse. Words cannot describe how phenomenal each dish they serve is. My husband Eddie is a huge, HUGE fan of steak, which means he is also very picky with steak he eats. He LOVED everything we tried here, and that says a lot.

———————

@bardeasteak

608 N Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801

2: THE QUOIN

It suddenly made an appearance on Market street only 2 months ago and everyone in town is talking about it. I finally got to go, and oh my gosh, my mouth was melting over everything we ordered. The interior here (and the hotel upstairs) is immaculate, the whole atmosphere here is just above and beyond.

I personally recommend you to try their side menu Potato Quoin, I’d go back there just for this!

———————

@thequoinhotel

519 N Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801

3: WILMA’S

This new hip restaurant slash bowling alley is a perfect place for you to go out with your friends. Their Cajun dishes have so much flavor, every bite you take is full of deliciousness! We especially loved their Nola sausage, it was oh so juicy!

———————

@goodtimewilmas

900 N Market St, Wilmington, DE 19801

4: LE CAVALIER

This restaurant is located on the first floor of Hotel Du Pont. The architecture that welcomes us takes us to the different world. Dishes they create are also otherworldly. To this day I still can’t forget the taste of their lobster. Eddie and I stayed in this hotel and dined in here this past summer, it was one of the most unforgettable experiences for us!

———————

@lecavalierde

42 W 11th St, Wilmington, DE 19801

I am not going to lie, I am hungry right at this moment… I love going to and supporting such fabulous local restaurants here in Wilmington, and I already cannot wait to go back! Hope I come across you at these places one day. Perhaps after coming to see my ballet company First State Ballet Theater’s Nutcracker!?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

If You Must Shop, Get These 5 Items This Season!

Rie Victoria Aoki — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 13:02:35 +0000

I love the crisp scent in the air!

Happy October already! Everyone’s favorite time of the year is here, and I’m sure you are having to switch your wardrobe for the cold weather.

As a sustainable life enthusiast, I’d love to push not to always buy new clothes each season. But meantime, I also understand that some people are in need of updating their closets. So I did a little research for those whom are looking for a new wardrobe and not sure what to get. Articles of clothing that are timeless and versatile so that you don’t have to get anything after shopping. Items that you don’t have to get rid of as you age. Sharing this because I just went through a major closet cleaning phase and realized how much my style had changed as I got older. I don’t need crop tops nor rompers anymore. It could have been such a waste of clothes, fortunately I was able to give them all away to younger ladies in my ballet company.

I picked these items by studying stylish ladies whom are in their late 20s to 40s and what they wear in common. They are also items that I find SO versatile as I wear over the years. Hope this post helps you!

1: Sweater Vest

I shared this last year, but oh my, a sweater vest is a wardrobe game changer. It can go with anything, and it makes the outfits look playful (and warm!). I can wear it over any dresses I have.

2: Striped Sweater

It’s wrap-a-sweater-around-your-shoulder season! In Japan it’s called “movie director style” or “Jyunichi Ishida style”, I’ve been doing this quite a long time now. This year I started seeing striped ones everywhere, and just like everyone in Paris, I adore it. I am “borrowing” mine from my husband Eddie, and I’m not planning to return it. lol

The ways you can wear it are unlimited!

3: Long Slim Black Coat That Is Actually Warm

I got this coat in 2020 via Poshmark. Ever since then my cold weather days are saved. The point is it’s long, slim, and really warm. I can wear only a t-shirt and thin pants underneath, and I won’t be cold - it’s that warm!!

I get compliments and asked where it’s from, by so many people from different age groups. It will be in my closet forever, I am certain of it.

4: Blue Striped Shirt

Something about blue striped shirts… It ALWAYS makes me feel somewhat mature every time when I wear it.

You can wear it as City look, Cottage core, Office Casual, Darling vintage era… It’s a chameleon! To be playful, you can mix with fun patterns! (I shared pattern play with stripes last year, check it out from here: 7 Days Challenge: Striped Shirt)

5: Tan A-lined Long Skirt

I promise you, tan A-lined long skirts will go with EVERY. SINGLE. TOP. YOU. OWN.

A-lined skirts are my go-to, the silhouette makes me look taller, and gives a classic vibe no matter what I pair it with.

Do you already have all, or some of them? Then that’s great! If not, I promise you you won’t regret spending your money on these items. And please consider purchasing them second hand or from small businesses, not from those fast fashion brands. It’s way easier to purchase them at fast fashion brands, but know that it means many people has exactly the same things you will choose. With vintage finds, it will be a bit different from mass-made. From small businesses, you will be supporting the owner’s true passion.

Lately I can’t stop getting inspired with styling. Keep up with my fashion diary over my Instagram!

HAVE A SPLENDID AUTUMN!

Home Reveal - Welcome to Our Living Room!

Rie Victoria Aoki — Fri, 17 Jun 2022 14:24:41 +0000

We bought a house!

Hello hello, it’s been too long! So many things have been happening at once this year, I finally have enough time (and energy!) to write something today. As you know via my Instagram, one of the biggest headlines is that Eddie and I finally bought our first home!

As always, I am at my happiest scouring vintage stores and flea markets for unexpected finds. From furniture to little drawer knobs, we are creating our home with unique vintage finds! Also I made a promise to ourselves when we moved in — NOT TO STYLE OUR HOME TOO FEMININE — since I am usually the one whom styles everywhere we have lived (this is our 7th space together!), I have a tendency to style our space just for my liking. However, I can never forget that it is also Eddie’s space, and we both have our guests over quite often. I wanted to make a home that is aesthetically comfortable for Eddie and his dude-friends.

Mixing old and new, mixing vintage and modern, mixing Rie and Eddie - our home is slowly but surely screaming our names. It has been 3 months since we moved in, and it isn’t yet ready-ready, and I am aware that it will never be. Though I cannot wait for our home to get there, I am actually so enjoying the process. I have always been a lover of process at ballet, so instead of rushing into something that is not truly us , we are taking it very, very slow. Also finding THEEEE antique piece takes even longer, but the ultimate joy of finding something so special is totally worth the wait. And today, I am sharing our living room, the room that is the most settled. Welcome to the Persondeks!

Inspiration: Peaky Blinders!

Our living room is heavily inspired by our favorite show: Peaky Blinders! Eddie has his friends over in this room quite often, so I’m styling this room as if it is a Mens lounge club. Speaking of which, PB season 6 is FINALLY streaming in the US too, it’s been even better watching it in this room!

This room looked like this.

When we bought this house, I described it as “a girl who doesn’t know she is pretty”. It was in the worst possible colors you could ever chose… We had to do the right kind of makeover, and the ceiling tiles were one of the biggest projects in this room.

Before

After

I shared our ceiling transformation a while back and I got many inquiries how we did it — we simply changed the tiles to something better. The tiles we got are these ones: PVC Ceiling Tiles. We painted the rails instead of buying the rail covers to save $ (we had extra paint!). We then inserted the tiles. If they needed to be cut, we used these scissors: Crescent Wiss Scissors

Color scheme: Green!

Our home is split level! So how colors float throughout the house was so very important, and we chose green for the primary color! Needless to say, I am so in love.

Paint color in our living room: Sherwin Williams MATCH PLAY (HGSW2262)

All the photos are in black & white

Our memories hanging in our home are all in B&W. I think our B&W photos and colorful paintings/art are complimenting each other.

WE LOVE MAPS.

Eddie and I both LOVE maps. We also have globes all over the house!

Life changers: storage boxes that look like books

I so appreciate things that are decorative, yet very functional. For years we have been using these boxes that look like books and these are beyond useful. We save cards, letters, every little memo and such!

It’s the little things.

Not often light switch covers get their own moments but our living room’s switch/plug plates are mother of pearl & antique brass, I had to give them shoutouts!

Last but most important: WE HAVE A BAR!

One of the reasons why we fell in love with our home is this built in bar. It’s made with solid bricks, and is a perfect space for our “lounge club”. I get to finally showcase my vintage glassware collection, and oh boy how lovely seeing them lined up!

We have many projects planned for here. I’d love to change the shelves and add tiles in the back, update the sink and the ceiling lamp (it’s hideous at the moment!), Eddie wants to change the counter top, we need vintage hightop stools, the list goes on!

…And that was our living room visual tour! As my favorite interior stylist & author Lynda Gardener says “Making a home takes time - and is never finished. The journey should be considered and evolve. Edit, switch things up and challenge yourself always to make it better” — These days Eddie comes home and says “I cannot tell, but something is different…”, our home will always be “something is different from the last visit”, and I am excited for all the memories we will be making at our new home. Thank you so very much for joining the Persondeks’ living room tour, see you next time!

My Favorite Outfits of 2021!

Rie Victoria Aoki — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 17:31:02 +0000

Hope you are having lovely holidays!

Long time no blog, I have been oh so busy with ballet and my styling job on the side, it’s been a while since I had last blogged. How have you been?

This morning I was randomly putting my “favorite outfits of 2021” together in an album but I thought this is the place I actually wanted to keep my fashion record. I am hoping that when I’m in my 70s I can look back at this post.

Keeping track of outfits is actually a good habit for fashion lovers. You can look back and you can explicitly see how your style had evolved, and it is quite interesting. As you scroll down, I wonder if you will notice my one thing that I am so very consistent with!

January

Dress: Vintage from Great Stuff

Heels: Vintage

February

Cardigan: Vintage from Great Stuff

Dress: JustFab (gifted in 2020)

March

Dress: *Conditions Apply UK

Boots/Bag: Thrifted

April

Dress/Vest: Anthropologie (gifted in 2020)

Boots: Forever 21 (got these in 2016, before I stopped shopping at fast fashion brands)

Bag: Thrifted

Hat: Vintage from Poshmark

May

Shirt: Vintage from POshmark

Dress: Vintage

Bag: JustFab (gifted in 2020)

Sandals: Vintage

June

Dress: *Conditions Apply UK

Shoes: TIJN (gifted in 2021)

Bag: JustFab (gifted in 2020)

July

Dress: JustFab (gifted in 2020, the same dress from February!)

Heels: Vintage

Bag: Garnet Hill

August

Dress: *Conditions Apply UK

Hat: Vintage

Bag: JustFab (gifted in 2020)

September

Dress: *Conditions Apply UK

Shoes: Vintage from Great Stuff

Bag: TIJN (gifted in 2020)

October

Dress: Vintage from Great Stuff

Bag: Vintage

November

Dress: Nidodileda

Coat: Vintage from Poshmark

Bag/Beret: Gifted from a lovely friend

December

Jumpsuit: Nidodileda

Purse/Groves: Vintage from Great Stuff

Heels: JustFab (gifted in 2020)

Beret: I have it since I was 16!

This year I wore more colors than I thought I did, and I have one specific item I adore all year around: MAXI DRESS!

If you are a fashion lover, I highly recommend you to make an album of your favorite outfits of the year (I mean, IG is pretty much a fashion diary of mine), it’s so interesting to see them all together!

Thank you so very much for your love and support this year, though I wasn’t as active on social media. I am still pursuing fashion fully on the side of dancing, and I am oh so grateful for all the opportunities I’ve gotten to have this year. I am so lucky that I get to do what I love!

I wish you all a lovely and healthy year ahead!

7 Day Challenge: Red Striped Shirt

Rie Victoria Aoki — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 13:45:34 +0000

Summer is here, and hey I am here too!!

How have you been? I have been busy and time flies by rapidly, it’s been forever since the last time I posted a blogpost — everything is honestly easier and faster with short video posts nowadays, I however prefer photo blogging so I wanted to have something that is worth your time and mine. And today I finally have something I really want to share!

I recently got a vintage red striped shirt, and turned out it was one of the best purchases I’ve ever made! I am genuinely in awe of its unlimited possibilities, so today I am sharing a wear-it-multple-ways with this shirt. I am telling you, it is so very fun yet beyond useful! I’ll keep it short and sweet, so you can just enjoy the fun colors and patterns!

❁ OUTFITS ❁

Inspired by Cinema Popcorn

Basic with Jeans

Cottage Core with Embroidered Dress

Fun fact: I’m wearing a too-long skirt as a dress! Didn’t feel like hemming, hehe

Preppy with Geometric Cardigan

Tropical with Vivid Florals

Summer Knit Vest and Tan Bottoms

And hi Caesar!

Summer knit vest is another item I’m glad I got. Super functional!

❁ Patternplay Guide ❁

I was playing around with my patterned clothes, and I was shocked — this shirt can go with absolutely anything!

This shirt has no limits, and is a piece that will truly brighten my closet for a long run. I am so very glad I got it. If you don’t have one, I highly recommend you to get one, it is a life changer!! <3

Stay fabulous and healthy everyone!

How to Succeed in Online Shopping via Secondhand Apps

Rie Victoria Aoki — Sat, 27 Mar 2021 15:56:14 +0000

I am oh so happy that Spring is HERE!

As the season is changing I’m sure many of you are thinking of updating your wardrobe and home goods. The pandemic has made me appreciate even more of the efficiency of online shopping, though as you know I have wanted to acquire goods in a sustainable way. If you’re here I probably don’t even have to explain why we should shop secondhand, and I’ve been trying to get as many things secondhand online as well. What apps or vintage stores do you shop? My go-to is the app Poshmark out of all the secondhand shopping apps, because I can find many rare items, with surprisingly affordable prices. This app’s aesthetic isn’t as modern as the other newer apps though, that’s why you can find one of a kind vintage items without too much competition. It is organized and I feel safe using it - all good outcomes simultaneously! I am also selling a few goods the app, but you can make an account just to buy things!

Today I’d like to share what I’ve purchased from 2020 to this day, from vintage clothes to home decorations, and more for the first time! Also I’m a sucker for finding great deals on great things, so I’m sharing my secrets for how I’ve been succeeding finding such rare items out of thousands of options. I’m sure you could use those “keywords” at any secondhand websites. Honestly! Enjoy!

Straw Goodies

The most worn item of 2020 of mine is this straw hat on the right. (I’m probably wearing it in every photo I posted from last spring to fall.)

I have a huge thing for straw items, and these straw hats are more than useful while simultaneously being so dang fashionable.

SECRET: I adore straw hats that go deeper on the head. They have more of the vintage era vibe. To find this type, NOT the regular straw hats, make sure to put the word “VINTAGE” or the specific era you are looking for; “1920s” et cetera, in the search box.

Vintage Jewelry

Nothing like old style earrings make me happier.

SECRET: I usually type “vintage pearl earrings” in the search box, so that I can find pairs from the old days at about $3 a pair! The sellers usually have deals such as “6 for $20” and such!

Kitchen Goods

Kitchen and home items are the ones I look for the most on the app.

SECRET: when I see something I like on other people/brands’ IG pages, I look for the similar items here. AND USUALLY YOU CAN FIND SIMILAR ITEMS MUCH, MUCH CHEAPER. I usually put “MCM (mid century modern)”, “vintage plates”, “vintage abstract vases” and so on.

P.S./ if you type “vintage plates” and set a color search specifically on yellow, you’d usually find something colorful and cute!

SECRET: by typing “MCM sets” you can find exquisite matching sets of vintage glassware and dinnerware!

WICKER!!!

As many of you know I love wicker commodities, and I just got this picnic basket a few days ago! (I’m more serious about going on picnics and I needed a basket that can carry drinks and glasses hands free!)

SECRET: I find rare wicker items under the HOME category, simply type “wicker + (whatever the items’ name I am looking for)”. If you are looking for wicker for an outfit, go under the WOMEN category.

Lastly…

Vintage Clothes

You can always find such one of a kind vintage clothes on secondhand shops, but I adore Poshmark just because I can get them under $20. The measurements are usually described, so you can kind of imagine how it would look like on you though you cannot try it on. Although I often buy one even if it’s not my size - if I really love the design, I purchase one and fix it to fit me well. I usually cannot find clothes that fit my body type perfectly, so I always sew!

SECRET: when finding clothes, typing “vintage” in the search box is VERY important. There are so many sellers who sell new clothes from fast fashion brands, or kind-of-new-brands so if you are looking for an actual vintage items, you must search “vintage”. - I’ve found my dresses by searching “vintage balloon sleeve”, “vintage ruffle”, “vintage floral”, et cetera!

Well after all, the key is that you make your search specific. And another secrets: what I do often is that I go to the sellers’ shops when I find something I adore because the sellers have usually got the same liking and similar styles. Then usually I can find more goodies in their shops, and then I buy them in “Bundle” - when you put items in your Bundle (before purchasing) the sellers usually give you a big discount offer within 48 hours or so! Also if you “like” the listings (by “liking” the listings, you can keep your eyes on them even if you aren’t sure you want to make a purchase right at that moment), the sellers may give you a nice discount offer as well!

So that’s a wrap! I really encourage you to get some effects not just for your wardrobe, but for your home via secondhand shops, and refrain from supporting big named warehouses or industries when you can. Today I am talking about app shopping in particular, but let’s be sure to support our local secondhand businesses and your favorite individual online vintage shops as well! I really have a love for authentic vintage items and hope you’ll find something one of a kind for yourselves by secondhand shopping both on and off the web!

STAY SAFE AND FABULOUS!

14 Sustainable/Ethical Brands You Can Start Your Conscious Closet With

Rie Victoria Aoki — Sat, 23 Jan 2021 17:22:49 +0000

Happy New Year! … Or are you sick of hearing that?

I hope you had splendid holidays! I had very relaxed ones.

So, I have received many messages that say “My new year’s resolution is to switch my closet towards sustainability! Can you recommend me some good brands to start?” - So many of them, from both women and men! First of all, I am so so sooo very proud of you, and welcome to the conscious fashion world!

Today I am sharing sustainable/ethical/artisan/eco-friendly brands I met over the years, for both women and men, with all the info you need to know. Also, there is a bonus at the last for you to plan your Valentine’s Day! <3

~ FOR LADIES ~

{*conditions Apply}

Type: Sustainable, Eco-friendly

{*Conditions Apply} produces in India using slow, sustainable, and ethical manufacturing practices. They use sportswear fabrics alongside traditional techniques and processes to achieve pieces which would otherwise be impossible to mass produce.

Price range: $108 ~

IG: @conditionsapplyuk

To shop click HERE

(Carousel photos by Condition Apply website)

From sweaters to dresses, the way they play with colors, and textiles is beyond exquisite!

VIVAIA

Type: Eco-friendly, Sustainable, Zero-waste

VIVAIA was founded with a mission to create stylish and sustainable footwear that is eco-friendly and responsible. They have established a zero-waste process to create a seamless 3D knitted design for the ultimate combination of comfort and function.

Price range: $99 ~

IG: @vivaia_official

To shop click HERE

You can get 10% off of your purchase with my code “AOKI”!

(Carousel photos by VIVAIA website)

They are made with recycled materials obtained from 6 plastic bottles from the ocean!

B|_ANK

Type: Sustainable, Ethical

B|_ANK offers basic wear that is made with modern sustainability that it becomes the building blocks of your style. They abide by the Social Responsibility Code of Conduct and promote continuous improvement of working conditions throughout our factory and working environment.

Price range: Under $60

IG: @dressblank

To shop click HERE

(Carousel photos by B|_ANK website)

I am obsessed with my balloon sleeve coat.

Bhanuni by Jyoti

Type: Artisan, Ethical

Bhanuni by Jyoti is a fashion label that is known for its traditional art meets avant-garde designs of heirloom-inspired pieces. Designer Jyoti Sharma Bajaj bridges traditions and innovation in her stunning collections. Casual elegance, femininity, and sophisticated luxury flows through her beautifully made clothes.

Price range: $198~

IG: @bhanunibyjyoti

To shop click HERE

(Carousel photos by Bhanuni by Jyoti IG)

Every piece is so detailed and made by artisans in India.

T TRIBE

Type: Sustainable, Ethical, Small batch

T TRIBE is based in Philadelphia, and makes each piece ethically and sustainably in the US. Their items are made in small batches, for all sizes, and all ages.

Price range: $46 ~

IG: @ttribeinsta

To shop click HERE

(Carousel photos by T TRIBE website)

This gown is made with deadstock cotton, hand cut & sewn locally in Philly, with 1950’s vintage shell buttons! There are ONLY 20 of this gown out there!

Odd Molly

Type: Sustainable

Odd Molly wants to help its customers to dress more sustainably and offers a distinctive design concept with sustainable materials, high quality and longevity. As little impact as possible — as long of a lifespan as possible. Encourage reuse and recycling.

Price range: $55 ~

IG: @oddmolly

To shop click HERE

(Carousel photos by Odd Molly website)

They make each piece with OUTSTANDING details.

~ FOR LADIES AND GENTLEMEN ~

EVERLANE

Type: Ethical

Price range: $38 ~

IG: @everlane

To shop click HERE

(All photos by Everlane website)

KOTN

Type: Ethical, Eco-friendly

Price range: $26 ~

IG: @kotn

To shop click HERE

(All photos by KOTN website)

pact

Type: Sustainable, Ethical, Eco-friendly

Price range: $25 ~

IG: @wearpact

To shop click HERE

(All photos by pact website)

~ FOR GENTLEMEN ~

ASKET

Type: Conscious, Eco-friendly

Price range: $45 ~

IG: @asket

To shop click HERE

(All photos by ASKET IG)

~ FOR VALENTINE’S DAY ~

There are many sustainable/ethical underwear brands - but today I’m sharing super extraordinary, exquisite, and sexy lingerie brands that are PERFECT for Valentine’s Day!

Bum-Cake Vintage

IG: @bumcakev

Price range: $58 ~

To shop click HERE

(All photos by Bum-Cake Vintage website)

Uye Surana

IG: @uyesurana

Price range: $28-87

To shop click HERE

(Photo by Uye Surana IG)

Cosabella

IG: @shopcosabella

Price range: $48-195

To shop click HERE

(Photo by Cosabella IG)

Bonus for men: OPOK

IG: @opok_clothing

Price: $30

To shop click HERE

(Photo by OPOK IG)

That’s all for today! I hope this post helps those who are trying to shop consciously! I share more eco-friendly shops often on my IG @rievictoriaaoki, so don’t forget to check my page out. Thank you so very much for reading! Hope you have a magical weekend <3

STAY SAFE AND FABULOUS!

The Recipe For A Sustainable Christmas

Rie Victoria Aoki — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 15:30:16 +0000

… and it is suddenly December. I wasn’t ready!

* Christmas music on repeat in the background all day *

It is actually Eddie and I’s first Christmas at home since we moved to this apartment almost 5 years ago. We haven’t really decorated home for Christmas because we are usually in Michigan where his whole family is, leaving right after my Nutcracker performances, so I needed everything Christmasy this year! And I might as well create them instead of buying too many plastics, right? So I’ve decided to do our Christmas in a more sustainable way! Like I said in the previous post, holiday season is when we get wasteful (without noticing!), so let’s be conscious about this matter and very merry simultaneously! Today I wanted to share what I’ve learned and done this year. I hope this post helps those who are about to start decorating for Christmas, and want to shift towards sustainability!

To Start: Buy a fresh, real tree! (or rent one!)

Photo by @thegopurebod

So when we got the tree, it got wrapped in the net… and if you are throwing it away, make sure to cut them small so animals don’t get stuck in the net. We are keeping the net for the garden project in next spring.

Make Fruit Ornaments! (super duper fun!)

Here is the recipe of how I made these fruit slices;

Slice your choice of fruits (I used oranges, apples, and pears), lay them on parchment paper, apply lemon juice so they don’t turn brown, bake them in the oven, 200℉ for about 4-5 hours. (There are so many recipes I found but I adjusted and this one worked for me! My oven is a very old gas oven so it may be different for you. Anyways, keep the temperature low and bake them for a long time!)

Each fruits dehydrate differently, so you have to keep checking on them.

When they are ready, put through a string (I used hemp ropes) with a needle, and there you made lovely fruit ornaments!

Though I applied lemon juice on pears, they still turned out brownish. Maybe I sliced them too thick? I love them anyways, so I didn’t mind.

Bake longer to make dark brown orange slices!

Orange & Cinnamon Garland

DON’T throw away not-so-perfect-slices

Because we will make something delicious later! (Delicious recipes at the bottom)

Keep apples in salted water, it prevents from browning. (I learned this from my mom when I was little, oh so useful!)

Let’s decorate the tree!

I got these LED string lights. The wire string was so easy to wrap around the tree however I wanted, I certainly loved this wired one over a “regular string” one!

Add Dried Flowers!

I got this idea via Pinterest (gosh Pinterest is addicting!) and first I was going to put more flowers and eucalyptus, but just putting a bit of dried roses and baby’s breath was enough. If you don’t have dried flowers, fresh baby’s breath and eucalyptus would do! And if you put many baby’s breath, you don’t even need lights.

I put more flowers towards the bottom, and put fruit ornaments on the above so Caesar (my hyper pup aka a little monster) won’t destroy them.

I had to trim the tree…

The tree was a bit “too fat” for the corner so I had to trim it a little. Now I have a bunch of branches, I’m using them for gift wrapping, I also made a “leftover wreath” with them and the things I found around the house!

I just tied whatever I found around the house with hemp ropes.

Thankful for my hoarding habit…

I’m a person who cannot throw things away, and I’ve been saving all the ribbons and strings over the years, and I used some for the top of the tree!

IMPORTANT: MAKE SURE TO RECYCLE THE TREE AFTER CHRISTMAS

DO NOT throw the tree away! Every state and county has their own pick up to recycle the trees after the holidays. (For people in Delaware: click HERE)

OR DONATE your tree to local farms, habitat sanctuaries and restoration projects!

That’s about it for my Christmas tree, and now I’m cooking and baking some goodies from the remaining fruit scraps!

With the scraps of oranges, MAKE MARMALADE!

I couldn’t slice the oranges perfect. lol Now add sugar and cook them, so you can enjoy them entirely!

With the scraps of apples and pears, BAKE A GALETTE!

Galette is a type of french crusty cake, and my go-to to bake these days. Very easy to make, and so delicious!

I use THIS RECIPE and change up the fruits, and instead of 1/4 cups of walnuts, I usually use 1 whole cup mixing walnuts and pecans!

I am quite proud of myself for using zero plastic for my Christmas. And hope this inspired you to do the same! We don’t need handful of people doing zero waste perfectly, we need millions of people doing it imperfectly!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS, STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY EVERYONE!

6 Sustainable Brands to Shop This Black Friday

Rie Victoria Aoki — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 17:05:22 +0000

How is it already the time of year for holiday shopping!?!?

Time REALLY flies. Doesn’t it? My mind cannot keep up!

Today I am sharing my sustainable shop guide for you to shop this Black Friday slash Cyber Monday! Holiday season is when us humans get extra wasteful in many ways… Let’s be merry and gentle to the earth this year, a bit more consciously, shall we?

Made Trade

is a curated online shop with a wide selection of products that are eco-conscious, fair trade, vegan, and/or made in USA. You can be an informed consumer on each page of their website, without spending a lot of time researching!

IG: @made.trade

Website

You can either get 10% off with code GET10, OR donate 10% with code GIVE10 to help provide food communities in need.

(Photos by Made Trade website)

Tradlands

is a high-quality women’s essentials brand, inspired by classic menswear. Its pieces are comfortable, yet timeless, with an emphasis on fit, detail, and quality. Tradlands uses sustainably produced materials, and minimize waste as much as possible.

IG: @tradlands

Website

11/25: 20% off tie-dye turtlenecks with code TIEDYE20

11/26-11/29: 20% off orders $100+ with code HOLIDAY20, OR 25 % off $200+ with code HOLIDAY25

11/30: 25% off site wide with code CYBER25

(Photos by Tradlands’ website)

Ma’am

is on a mission to make elevated, everyday shoes for modern women. Ma’am shoes are comfortable, stylish and sustainably made in LA. And their shoes were created though carefully selected materials, precise silhouettes and attention to detail .

IG: @maamshoes

Website

11/30: 20% off site wide with code CYBER20

(Photos by Ma’am IG)

Fair Anita

is a fair trade company based in Minnesota that works with 8000 talented women around the world! Artisans create pieces out of recycled, upcycled, and locally-sourced materials, and earn 2-4 times the minimum wage. They also offset their carbon footprint by funding/supporting anti-climate change initiatives.

IG: @fair.anita

Website

Buy 2, get 1 free site wide

(Photos by Fair Anita website)

Delilah Home

carries a collection of GOTS organic cotton and non-toxic hemp sheets and towels and they partner with manufacturers who are certified to the highest textile standard. Everything is made from Fair Trade factories, where the workers are paid above a living wage and work in safe environments. Delilah Home also gives back 10% of its profits to various environmental and community non-profit organizations.

IG: @delilahhomeliving

Website

11/16-12/01: 20% off site wide, free shipping on $100+ with code pureluxury20

(Photos by Delilah Home’s IG)

KOTN

is setting the standard for conscious creation and consumption. Developing products around the principles of considered design, relentless quality, honest value, and positive impact. Donating 100% of profits to build three primary schools in the Nile Delta and Faiyum, Egypt, where all the cotton used for its collection is grown.

IG: @kotn

Website

No code yet provided

(Photos by KOTN’s website)

Lastly, try sustainable gift wrapping!

I’ve been using reusable bags, hemp ropes, washi-tape, and dried flowers for my gift wrapping over the years. And it’s aesthetically pleasing and always super loved, so I highly recommend you to do the same!

I hope you have super lovely holidays wherever you are. Sending you so much love!

STAY SAFE AND FABULOUS EVERYONE!

Source:

ECOCULT

How to (SERIOUSLY) Look Taller

Rie Victoria Aoki — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 14:29:31 +0000

Hello, my name is Rié and I AM 5’1” AND A QUARTER.

Hope you are doing well, my friends! I have been focusing on things off of social media, so I am looking forward to being here and sharing something fun today!

In clothes and at ballet, MY WHOLE LIFE is all about “how tall I look”. Yes, I’ve been dealing with this topic since forever. Today I am sharing what my-five-foot-one-and-a-quarter-self has been doing for over a decade to trick everyone’s eyes. In Japan, this topic is quite often picked up by many fashion magazines, and that’s where I learned most of the tricks I share with you today. I wanted to share something that’s not just for pictures, that works in real life. And I promise you, they surely work!

When it comes to this topic I almost think like a scientist more than just a fashion lover. I have experimented a lot for a long time, and now I have this knowledge and I am happy. Hope this post helps you too, my petite friends!

1: High Waist Bottoms

This is a 101 trick, and if you’ve ever noticed, that’s how I wear ALL of my bottoms. If I find something I love but they are not really high waisted designs, I pull them up (if it fits) and mark at the high waist!

2: Maxi Pants + Heels, and

DON’T SHOW YOUR ANKLES

The more fabric you see, the taller you look. I’ve heard “showing ankles” makes you look taller, but it only works for semi-short people. If you are short-short like me, showing ankles will cut the illusion! Keep your pants absolutely maxi!

3: Maxi Dress

Between my friends I’m known to wear fancy maxi dresses. It just makes this illusion that no one can tell where my legs start and end. Also I prefer maxi length because they just simply make me look more mature. For this reason I never wear a romper, I look nothing but childish!

4: A-Line Skirt / Dress

I love A-line skirts, because 1) They are already a high waisted design, and 2) It hides the shape of your legs in a different way than pants do. When I wear A-line skirts I don’t necessarily wear heels either, the volumed skirts will do all the work! Also for this reason, I avoid anything that is V-line, e.g. Cigarette pants.

5: Bring Eyes Up With Accessories

Big earrings, straw hats, beret hats, hair pins, et cetera… Bring people’s eyes higher, somehow makes you look taller (another illusion!) And now you know why I favor these accessories quite often…

6: Wear Pointed or Square Toe Shoes, AVOID ROUND TOE

You look taller if your feet are bigger (I learned this from ballet), and I’d take anything to look an inch longer. Pointed and square toes give me the much needed lengths on my size 6 feet!

7: Mark Your Waist

The higher the waist starts, the longer your legs looks. Mark your waist with belts or scarves, perhaps wrap a shirt around! This trick gives a look some new vibes, too!

8: The Ankle Lines

I spent so long in my teenage years to find this “flattering line” of my legs - if I wear socks or boots that cut exactly where the photo is showing, my legs look magically longer. If it’s lower, my muscular calves stand out, if longer my legs look chunkier and shorter. Everyone has different line for this, so you have to find your own, but when you do, you will understand what I’m talking about!

9: Monochrome Outfit + Different Colored Long Coat

I admire this way of styling, because it is just a simple magic to look taller. Monochrome outfit itself already makes you look taller, but adding a long coat that is not the same color just does amazing trick.

10: Or Match Bottoms and Outer Color

This color balance makes the top stand out, which bring people’s eyes higher. (If the bottoms are high waisted just like the picture, it works even better.)

and lastly, LOVE YOUR PETITE-SELF!

As much as I try to look taller everyday, I don’t loathe my height. I enjoy being a fun-size human and it is a big part of being who I am. So try not to envy taller people, we have our own good facts about being short, and I think that’s lovely!

The world is in such a madness, but it is September and September is a month of fashion! Hope you stay safe and healthy, on top of being fabulous!

HAVE A MAGICAL WEEK EVERYONE!

Photos by Haley Hopkins, Angela Zielen, Casey Jo, Cara Kelly, and Anya Kay

3 Black Owned Ceramic Shops I Shopped and LOVED

Rie Victoria Aoki — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 16:21:01 +0000

I got new dinnerwares and I am in love with them!

As I continue supporting the black community, I’ve been researching online shops this past month, focusing on ceramic dinnerwares. I think I have mentioned long before, I love collecting dishes and glasses! I adore and have been collecting specifically FireKing (an Anchor Hocking brand of glasswares) for ever, starting when I was a teenager. I was more eager to collect them when I lived in Japan, though I own a few here too. Therefore, I decided to get more dinnerware, and this time to support black owned businesses especially, I recently got 3 pieces of art work from 3 shops, and today I wanted to share them with you!

1: Effortless Composition

@effortlesscomposition

Effortless Composition partners with skilled artisans to bring your home so much brightness. “Creating a home you love should be effortless.” Founder Brittany says.

STAY SAFE AND FABULOUS EVERYONE!

Support Black-Owned Small Business in Wilmington, DE

Rie Victoria Aoki — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 14:26:29 +0000

LISTENING AND LEARNING.

My heart has been sinking everyday to see all the news. I don’t even know how to make my feelings into words, I don’t know where to start, but I have been trying to educate myself and do my best to support this matter.

After “showing up in my own way”, I questioned myself “Is there anything else I could do using my platform?” and thought sharing black-owned businesses in the area, was the best way I could help as a “Delaware Blogger” or whatever you call. There are many pages featuring black-owned businesses all over the world, but there are only a few that are highlighting specifically here in Wilmington, Delaware. So I’ve decided to make a list and shared a bit on my Instagram, but I realized that my feed will be constantly updated and these posts will eventually be hard to find. So I wanted to make sure I share on my blog too, so we can keep continuing to support these businesses always and forever. I want everyone including myself not to forget, this is a matter we must support and be aware of to REALLY change the world, for the justice they have been fighting for generation to generation.

So here is the list of black-owned small businesses in/near Wilmington, Delaware. (Listed alphabetically)

❀ APPAREL ❀

@colastylzme (website)

@deveresocks (website)

@herseductions (website)

@morgansofdelaware (website)

@themommyconnection (website)

@trendy4tmrw

❀ ART ❀

@lafategallery (website)

❀ BEAUTY & HAIR ❀

@babestudios (website)

@browsbyjovanna (website)

@sm.hairdesigns

❀ FOOD & DRINKS ❀

@dessertsbydana - dessert (website)

@doubledippericecream - dessert (website)

@dropaquadkitchen - vegan

@greenboxkitchen - vegan (website)

@leviteashop - tea (website)

@milkandhoney807 - coffee (website)

@officialwaltschicken - fried chicken (website)

@serenassoulfoodllc - soul food (website)

@smoothieshackde - smoothie

@tasties302 - soul food (website)

@ubonthai - thai food (website)

❀ TATTOO ❀

@pushtattoos (website)

❀ TECH ❀

@nerditnow - tech repair (website)

❀ WEDDING ❀

@_ladyinwaiting (article)

Please message me if you know any others, I’d always like to update the list.

Keep supporting those businesses, and keep educating yourself. I will do the same - Spread the love!

BEST TO YOU EVERYONE.

How I Am Entertaining My Life At Home

Rie Victoria Aoki — Sat, 23 May 2020 23:42:19 +0000

How are you doing my friends?

It has been over 2 months since my quarantine started. Just like everyone on the internet are saying, “take your time and appreciate little things”, I’m doing so, as well. I have started new hobbies, also went back to my all time hobbies that I’ve never got enough time for. Staying home literally all day everyday made me realize that I REALLY WAS NEVER HOME! So this weird time has been really good for me to build a better relationship with my home, not just come home to cook quick and sleep. So today I am sharing how I am coping at home, along with my secrets how I keep up when I hit those “low” days…

Making as many excuses to spend time in my backyard

Never being home means I was never able to enjoy my beautiful backyard… Now that the weather is lovely, and since our living room is Eddie’s office during the day, it’s better to stay outside as much as possible!

Having Backyard Picnics

I could go to a park too… But I have a perfect (and private) spot in my backyard! I just throw down my sheets, and it suddenly feels like a gateway.

Doing Laundry

I have both a washer and dryer inside (I’m so thankful I do!) but I’ve been taking care of my laundry outside, especially delicate fabrics and clothing! Fun fact, in Japan it’s normal to dry laundry outside and that’s how I grew up, so drying laundry in the dryer was one of my first culture shocks when I came to the states!

Picking Flowers and Learning About Them

I have always loved picking flowers, but I also started learning about them; What kinds of weeds are edible and such. For example, dandelions are edible from the root to flowers! You can even make wine from it!! The other day I brew dandelion tea, and it was very calming.

Studying English

So I’ve FINALLY started reading books that I got forever ago. It takes me a long time to finish even a chapter fully understanding. I need to have a translator (special thanks to you, Google!) and practice pronunciation every time I hit some “unknown English”. It’s so fascinating that I love to read more when the books are written in Japanese… When they are written in English it feels more like “studying” than simply enjoying “reading”. Although, I have been absolutely enjoying “studying” since I have more time!

So We’ve Started Kitchen Gardening

Eddie and I are big fans of growing vegetables. We’ve tried our best growing veggies in our backyard, however, since there are many wild animals and no predators where we live, our veggies ALWAYS got eaten somehow! So I’ve started a mini garden in our kitchen and it’s been my motivation to get out of the bed every morning. While I am making coffee, I usually water and talk to my “babies”. One of my favorite things to do is utilize used tea bags as seed starters; tea bags contain tannins and other nutrients that will increase the nitrogen level in the soil - yes, you can directly put them into soil!

Living More Sustainable Than Ever

You know I’ve switched my fashion to more sustainable style from last summer, and now it is definitely the time to shift my whole living style more towards it. Not just avoid using plastic bags at grocery stores, I’ve been making homemade broth from using scraps of veggies (I simply stock them together in the freezer), storing food right so it lasts longer, paint the sauce/salsa/coffee jars/containers to make matching jars, et cetera. There are many little things I can do in many ways.

Writing

I LOVE writing, especially these days filled with ‘typing’! From letters to journal, I prefer handwriting especially because it helps my English. I’ve been so into calligraphy a while now, I’ve also started learning how to use ink pens!

Pressing Flowers

This is my all time hobby I LOVE since I was little! It takes time to make one, but I love how they bring me back old memories. Everywhere I go I pick/buy flowers and either press or dry them after displaying. I cannot imagine my life without being surrounded by flowers!

Going For A Walk

I really am trying to leave the house as little as possible, I rarely get in the car. So going for a walk to the park right near by is such a precious moment. (I am also SO lucky that I live in such a historical and lovely neighborhood and by one of the most beautiful parks around!) I often pick flowers, write, and simply enjoy the exhilarating air.

NOT Forgetting About Fashion

I have been trying to think this way - if I lived in a cottage house in the 1920s, without phones, laptops, or even TV, how do I want to live my day everyday? My answer wasn’t “stay in my night gowns or pj’s everyday”. Those days like we’ve been going through existed and I try to imagine how people back then spent their precious time! So for that reason I love to change into something that makes me feel lovely to spend the day ahead, even just to go to the kitchen to make breakfast or go outside to pick up flowers. It doesn’t have to be a perfectly planned look with high maintenance girl’s heels, you know… A simple “Day dress” just sounds better than “day jammie” to me! Also, I simply love clothes… I really really do! I dress not because “I have to”, I dress because “I want to” - I’m genuinely happier when I like my outfit! And yes, even when I take ballet classes on Zoom. Outfits control my mood 10000%!

But hey, it’s okay to hit those “low” days.

As much as I try to stay positive, I have these days just feeling depressed and drained, of course. We are human and that’s normal not getting things done or not being motivated to do anything at all. Those days I usually listen to Studio GHIBLI and Disney playlist non-stop or binge watch this YouTube channel; DIANXI XIAOGE - this lady Dianxi Xiaoge, who lives a genuinely simpler life in a country side of China, and is SUCH a dexterity chef! She films from process of her getting/hunting food to cooking food with almost NO waste. She makes several dishes from one item per episode, and cooks authentic asian food without using any bougie things. Her videos are mesmerizing and peaceful, her dishes look beyond marvelous. I became a true fan of her and her lifestyle. I’ve leaned many cooking techniques and recipes, and after watching her videos I usually want to get up and go to the kitchen. She is the reason why I wanted to learn about edible weeds and flowers around of me at the first place. Watching her videos works like magic to me, so I wanted to share this with you.

And that’s about it! To be honest, I was not expecting this quarantine to be this long (and longer…), so it’s got more challenging to balance my emotions and activities, I mean, aren’t we all? Hope everyone stays safe and healthy! Again and again, we are all in this together!

STAY SAFE AND FABULOUS EVERYONE!

7 Day Challenge: 7 Ways To Wear A Cardigan

Rie Victoria Aoki — Sun, 19 Apr 2020 00:07:28 +0000

I haven’t done this series for a while!

It is just because it usually takes me forever to make and finalize this content, I haven’t done my 7 Day Challenge for a while! However, I have been wanting to share this one - and I only needed a wall and an outfit, so today I am finally sharing my latest 7 Day Challenge!

Today’s piece is… A CARDIGAN! It is a very useful piece this time of the year where the weather goes up and down too often. Instead of “different outfit”,today I am sharing 7 “different ways” to wear a cardigan! It is amazing how many different faces a cardigan can make. Maybe you have been repeating your favorite cardi everyday since you cannot really go anywhere anyways? Change up a little so you don’t feel like you have been hibernating.

The cardigan I will be styling today is the COOL WITH WOOL CARDIGAN by Odd Molly! Odd Molly is a Swedish sustainable fashion brand with a vision of producing clothes that symbolize female strength, courage and love. They want to help its customers to dress more sustainably and offers a distinctive design concept with sustainable materials, high quality and a long lifespan. They encourage reuse and recycling. YES, I LOVE THIS BRAND!

I find a shorter cardigan & high waisted bottoms work the best! Some even works on dresses.

Alright, here we go!

1: WEAR IT JUST AS

No need to explain, right?

❁ ❁ ❁

2: WEAR IT AS A SWEATER

Button up, tuck it into your bottoms, it is now a sweater!

❁ ❁ ❁

3: WEAR IT AS A DEEP V-NECK

Unbutton the whole cardigan, wrap yourself and tuck it tight into your bottoms. You cross the front as much or less as you’d like.

❁ ❁ ❁

4: KNOT IT

Just simply, knot it.

❁ ❁ ❁

5: KNOT IT IN THE BACK

I button it in the back and roll that part in, and wear it almost like an arm-cardigan! You can also knot it in the back and roll if your cardigan doesn’t have buttons.

❁ ❁ ❁

6: WEAR IT AS AN OFF-THE-SHOULDER

Unbutton the top, hold the top part down, and make an off-the-shoulder look! I do this quite often with my cardigans, and this way makes me feel so feminine!

❁ ❁ ❁

7: WEAR IT BACKWARDS

I love wearing cardigans (and cotton up shirts) backwards. I folded a bit of the top so I could wear it off-the-shoulder, but you could just wear it backwards as a sweater, or unbutton everything and wear it as open back, or cross it, knot it… There are actually many ways to wear it backwards!

❁ ❁ ❁

Isn’t it so fun that you can wear a cardigan in many ways? It can look totally different by changing little accessories or hair do’s! Hope you will start wearing your cardigan with more varieties and boldness here and there from tomorrow on!

STAY SAFE AND FABULOUS EVERYONE!

3 Ways To Make ¢25 Instant Ramen Into Gourmet Dishes

Rie Victoria Aoki — Sun, 29 Mar 2020 00:52:11 +0000

Hope you are safe and healthy…

The world is madness and I really hope you are staying home and safe. What chaos we are going through, but we are all in this together! I’m trying to stay positive, and I have been cooking 3 meals everyday and acting like a chef. Today I’m sharing how to make instant ramen into a not-so-collage kind of meal, because now that we are staying home you have to be creative when cooking, and also save as much as possible.

Ramen first started as a gourmet dish originated in China, and made its way to Japan. Now it is everyone’s go-to street meal and I grew up eating so many kinds! Now instant ramen is ridiculously affordable anywhere, and you can store them for a long time, which is perfect especially during this hard time. However, I never eat just the noodles and soup, and I thought this is a good time to share how I usually cook them into something nutritious, filling, and delicious! I’m sharing 3 different ways I cook ramen, only using what I have in my fridge and pantry!

1: GROWNUP RAMEN (so easy!)

This is the easiest way to upgrade your ramen, you just need to add some veggies and protein! Try to add at least 3 ingredients, and ta-dah it’s an actual good meal!

I use this kind of noodles when I make Grownup Ramen - I stock them when I go to Asian Market, MISO kind is the best!

This day I used: Crab sticks, Tofu, Bokchoy, Carrots, Green onions, Garlic chives

Cut your choice of veggies and proteins in small bite sizes, boil them first, set aside, use the same hot water to cook ramen - homemade easy veggie broth! Add soup packet, add ingredients on top, and serve!

2: Oven-cooked Ramen

Ramen is so delish without soup too! You could pan-fry it also, but I think steaming in the oven will keep all the good nutrients in the ingredients more.

Using this one that you can find anywhere!

Veggies: I used Cabbage, Beans Sprouts, Asparagus, Bokchoy. Not pictured but I added mushrooms and tofu!

Preheat oven to 425℉. Cut your choice of ingredients small and place them with ramen on a foil, gently wrap them.

Put ramen at the bottom, and then cover it with veggies (took picture this way so you can see how I place ramen!).

Side Note: Sauce Recipe

Put the ramen soup packet aside (you don’t need it!). You can use this recipe for any stir-fry dish too! I usually eye measure everything, but I’ll add suggestion here:

• Sesame oil (2 tbsp)

• Olive oil (2 tbsp)

• Soy sauce (3 tbsp)

• Mirin/rice wine (1 tbsp, if you have it)

• Garlic (2 cloves, minced)

• Salt (I use garlic salt) & Pepper (I use Lemon Pepper)

• A pinch of Brown sugar

• A pinch of Ginger powder

Side Note: Get these at an Asian Market

(left) Garlic oil: I almost out it on every dish I cook. It gives the dish some depth and is so good!

(center) Mirin: It is a type of rice wine. This + soy sauce = the easiest (and yummiest) sauce for Japanese dishes!

(right) Enriched soy sauce: Better than regular soy sauce! So much “UMAMI” to it.

Now put the sauce and 1/8 cup of water into the foil, and then gently close the foil (it doesn’t have to close all the way), put in the oven, cook for 25mins to 30mins.

If the noodles are cooked, mix them and serve!

3: Ramen Salad

Ramen is so crispy that will make your ordinary Asian style salad extra delicious (and fun)!

Using this one again

Veggies: Cabbage, Carrots, Mushrooms, Avocado, Green Onion, Cherry tomatoes, Radishes, and cucumber! Any veggies that you love eating raw!

Finely chop the veggies and put them in a bowl.

Crush the ramen into the bowl (it is a great stress relief).

Side Note: Dressing Recipe

I love making dressings and my Japanese dressing is oh so yummy, I wanted to share my recipe with you:

• Soy Sauce

• Sesame oil

• Garlic olive oil (or olive oil with garlic powder)

• Lemon pepper

• Vinegar (I used strawberry vinegar, but you can add any kind of vinegar!)

• Brown sugar

Keep tasting and change the measurements! Sometimes I add mustard too.

I’m putting less soy sauce and NO salt in the dressing this time because I’m adding the ramen soup packet here! Also squeeze some lime, and add chopped green onion!

Mix everything together, and serve! I recommend you to eat right when it’s served, but I secretly love eating them after everything absorbs the dressing!

There are many other ways to cook ramen as well:

• Mac & Cheese Ramen

• Ramen Pasta

• Creamy Soup Ramen (add ramen to any kind of creamy soup)

• Curry Ramen

• Ramen Sandwich

… Ramen is for sure so useful and hope this post inspires you to treat ramen a little fancier and creative, not just “things you eat when you are broke”. Every food is precious and now is definitely the time to re-appreciate everything we have, from food to time. Please stay safe everyone, also keep up with me acting like a chef on my Instagram stories everyday!

STAY SAFE AND FABULOUS EVERYONE!

6 New Places To Eat/Drink in Wilmington

Rie Victoria Aoki — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 00:31:26 +0000

As a huge food lover, I’m so glad there are many new and hip restaurants and bars in the city I work at!

My ballet company is located in Wilmington, Delaware, so I’m usually in Downtown Wilmington everyday. When Eddie and I first moved here in Delaware 7 years ago, we lived right by downtown. However there was really no restaurants unless we drive outside of downtown. Fast forward to 7 years later, there are so many new spots in Wilmington now, I get to go anywhere after rehearsals and shows! Since I have many friends who live in this town, also if you come to see me dance and want to grab some food near the theater… — Today, I’m sharing 6 new places to eat that opened in 2019-2020 in Wilmington! In one year many places opened and it’s been so fun to try those new spots!

#6: THE CHICKEN SPOT

Instagram / Menu / Website

204 West 10th Street

Their fried chicken is JUICY! If you are a fan of spicy food, get The Muther Clucker (Grilled chicken, and FRIES in one roll!), I personally liked The Southern Chicken Sandwich! They open at 7am so you can even get juicy chicken for breakfast!

The Muther Clucker, The Southern Chicken Sandwich, and tots

#5: MAKERS ALLEY

Instagram / Menu / Website

804 North Orange Street

Within a minute walk from where my theater is, this cute little spot serves DELICIOUS bites from the wagon! Every time when I go I get Three Bao Buns and It’s 4am Somewhere (super tasty silver tequila drink), and their small bite dishes never disappoint me!

Three Bao buns, Chicken Ranch Nachos, and fries

#4: TORBERT SOCIAL

Instagram / Menu / Website

305 Torbert Street

I believe Torbert Social is one of the hottest bars in Wilmington! Their classy-modern interior gets my heart! Also they have dress code - this place is a perfect place if you love dressing up just like me! I’ve only tried their cheese board so I’d love to go back there for an actual dinner. However I usually cannot stop sipping their Señorita Roselia (almost like a moscow mule but with tequila), and they actually torch their smoked old fashion!

Senorita Roselia and smoked old fashion

With my friend Angela — their interior is over the top fabulous

#3: CROW BAR

Instagram / Menu / Website

1711 Delaware Street

I often come here for drinks and usually am quite tipsy so I don’t really have photos (I forget to take photos or even realize I have a phone when I am drinking) but their margarita pizza always satisfies me. I usually get Paloma or Pop The Clutch (both tequila drinks) and leave there happy and extra tipsy!

Again, when I drink I forget to take photos (living my best life… not Instagram life haha) however you can see the bar a little bit, it is a beautiful and modern place — with my friends Zane & Richy

#2: DE.CO

Instagram / Website

111 West 10th Street

I love coming here for lunch after rehearsals because there are 8 restaurant stalls in one space, so I can always find something I’m craving when I don’t even know what I want! My go-to spots are: PHUBS (Vietnamese street food), STRIPP’D (smoothies, clean eating), and DE.CO bar, I love their Watermelon Cooler!

PHUBS’ Steak Pho: I love pho, and I love it more when the broth is salty & sour. I crave it SO OFTEN, and I’m not sure how many times I’ve gotten their pho those cold days!

PHUBS’ Bulgogi Sliced Steak Rice Bowl: This rice bowl is SO DELICIOUS! If you like steak, give it a try, you will fall in love!

STRIPP’D’s Point Break Bowl: When I want something refreshing or light I usually get this smoothie bowl. FYI: Their smaller size is very filling!

#1: GREEN BOX KITCHEN

Instagram / Menu / Website

400 North Market Street

I LOVE Green Box Kitchen for many reasons. My friend owns this place and first I went in to say hi to him and then I fell hard in love with their 100% plant based food! Their goal is to make eating healthy uncomplicated and tasty by using nutrient dense, plant based ingredients that are not only good for you but, also taste absolutely amazing. They also hire at-risk teens to work the business so they can be employed and learn what entrepreneurism is all about. This place is amazing, isn’t it?

My favorites: Emperor’s Bowl and I Need A Vacation Smoothie — I’ve never had a plant based dish that actually made me feel full, until I met Green Box Kitchen

Farafel Waffle: Love me a savory waffle!

Their Cold Press Juices are made by local at-risk teens from the Wilmington community — SO refreshing!

Chickpea “Tuna” sandwich which really tastes like a tuna sandwich — Can you tell how often I come here for lunch?

The more I write, the hungrier I get… I love that there are many food/drink choices in Wilmington now! If you ever visit Wilmington, check out those places for sure, and hey my friends - let’s plan the next outing! Hope this post made you hungry too!

HAVE A MAGICAL WEEK EVERYONE!

Where To Visit in Pennsylvania: Valley Forge National Park

Rie Victoria Aoki — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 01:33:21 +0000

I like photo-shooting at places where I can learn history.

I used to HATE history class when I was in school but I now find it SO fascinating, every time when I go to photoshoots I try to know what exactly the place is and the history behind of it. So I can share something more than just photos, so my social media pages can be somewhere you can learn something random, fashionably!

So last fall I saw my photographer friend Casey at Valley Forge National Park that is in Kind of Prussia, PA; the site of the third winter encampment of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, taking place from December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778. What a beautiful place it is! Today I’m sharing my shoot at this beautiful park!

The 3500 acre landscape

On December 19, 1777, George Washington led a weary Continental Army into Valley Forge. For the next six months, the hills along the banks of the Schuylkill River would serve as the Army's home.

The men built hundreds of small log huts, each one serving as quarters for a dozen soldiers. For these six months, Valley Forge was one of the largest cities in the colonies!

Muhlenberg Brigate

The Muhlenberg Brigade Area is the site of a brigade encampment led by General Peter Muhlenberg! The soldiers’ dairy lives were right in here…

Knox’s Quarters/Estate

The Philander Chase Knox home is traditionally known as the site of Maxwell's Quarters. Brigadier General William Maxwell, commander of the New Jersey Brigade, established his headquarters near this site during the Valley Forge encampment. This place usually isn’t open for public, but Knox Estate is often used as a wedding venue! (Oh so lovely!)

General Anthony Wayne Statue

Anthony Wayne, a brigadier general in the United States Army, earned the sobriquet of "Mad Anthony" as a result of his military exploits and fiery personality. His statue is facing his home in Chester County!

Photo by Past in the Present

Artilley Park

While the Continental Army was at Valley Forge, the artillery was stationed near the center of camp. This would allow ample space for storage, repair and training exercises while also enabling the artillery to be easily dispatched in the event of an enemy attack.

My ballet partner Zane came along to this shoot, to model our mutual and good friend Tomo’s dancewear brand Tomomomo Dancewear; she is one of the most creative and artsy friends I’ve ever met and now her world has come to life - check it out!

So… how was this little tour? I hope you enjoyed this post and get to visit this outstanding park and see the view in person. This place made me speechless, and I felt my energy is charged by its beauty! There are more (famous) spots in this park, and plenty of restaurants near by. Plan a visit!

HAVE A MAGICAL WEEK EVERYONE!

Photos by Casey Jo

Sources:

Valley Forge

Past in Present

National Park Service

Flickr

5 Things From The 1920s You Need in The 2020s

Rie Victoria Aoki — Mon, 13 Jan 2020 23:29:57 +0000

Happy happy new year everyone!

Hope you had wonderful holidays, I’m still slightly recovering from the New Years Eve Party! Can you believe that it’s already 2020? (oh I cannot!) I also can’t believe that exactly 100 years ago, the most fabulous era of fashion had started. I have mentioned on my Instagram several times that I’m (over the top) obsessed with the Netflix series Peaky Blinders and their fashion… Today I am celebrating the arrival of the new 20s by jumping back to their era and dressing like my favorite female character; Polly Gray - the most powerful and strong woman I’ve ever seen and she is also such a fashionista - I adore her mixture of feminine & bad ass style. Since I became obsessed with the show, she has been my icon for everything!

Polly Gray played by Helen McCrory

Even our holiday card was inspired by them! New years party? - Of course we dressed “Roaring 20s”!

So today, I’m sharing my Polly inspired fashion as my first post of the year/decade while I’m listening to the roaring 20s station (on repeat)!

VOLUMED (faux) FUR

The more volumed fur, the better - but hey it’s 2020, let’s consider wearing faux fur!

PEARLS AND RICH FABRICS

Gorgeous small details are always important, even in the texture: silk and velvet are the top two for 20s fashion! You know I’ve been obsessed with pearls and I will continue loving the gems!

SKINNY FRINGE

I used to wear a lot of fringe when I was more into super bohemian/cowgirl style, I stopped for a while because my style was transitioning, and now my love for fringe came back but skinnier - string skinny fringe makes the fit seem vintage and classic!

CLASSIC HIGH HEELS

There is a quote of Polly I love - “If I come for you, and I still might yet decide to come for you, I will wear high heels so you can hear my approach on the cobblestones and have time to repent. You listen to my footsteps.” - AHH! She is such a strong and confident human being!

Great things never age… It is one of the reasons I love vintage things!

I cannot wait for Peaky Blinders Season 6 to come and see what the drama and fashion will be like! Hope 2020 is full of lovely days for everyone and thank you always for visiting here!

HAVE A MAGICAL DAY, WEEK, MONTH, YEAR, AND DECADE EVERYONE!

Photos by Cara Kelly

Where To Visit This Holiday: Nemours Estate

Rie Victoria Aoki — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 19:37:57 +0000

Need one more place to make your holiday outing more festive?

If you are near Wilmington, Delaware, YOU MUST VISIT NEMOURS ESTATE before Christmas! Nemours Mansion & Gardens is owned and developed by Alfred I. DuPont, where a visiter might believe he/she magically just stopped in Europe. It is modeled after Versailles, and is a masterpiece of design with its mansion, fountains, artwork, filed sculpture and what is the largest formal French style garden in North America! This past summer, my friend Irina and I visited there and we were in awe of its gorgeousness. Today I’d like to share a bit of the most famous and gorgeous place in Delaware, I want you to visit there if you are near! It’s ONLY OPEN for visits MAY-DECEMBER!!! So we only have a little bit of time left to have a visit, and NOW IS THE TIME - Nemours is very famous with their most amazing Christmas decorations!

THE MANSION

The 77-room mansion, modeled after Marie Antoinette’s Le Pitet Trianon, is dressed to the nines. There is a clock made for Marie Antoinette which she never received… Alfred I. DuPont built the mansion for his second wife Alicia. After her sudden death, Alfred and his third (and final) wife Jessie made it “a home”…

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I have this thing with beautiful architecture (I mean, who doesn’t?) and @nemoursestate is definitely one of my fave places I’ve ever visited. I was absolutely amazed by the Victorian style French mansion. {Here is some art & history class from here 🦢} Every room, every ceiling or wall is oh so attentive to the details. These architects for sure had great eyes, they also designed the New York Public Library - As I mentioned before, Alfred I. DuPont built this mansion for his second wife Alicia, by all accounts, she was fond of him but not in love. However, it was DuPont’s third {and final} wife Jessie (she is in the first painting) who made this mansion “a home” - I LOVE that they added Asian inspired furniture to the conservatory (6th to 8th photos!) — If you are in Wilmington, DE, this place is a must go! (Also this place makes you feel rich $$$) #nemoursestate

A post shared by Rié Victoria Aoki (@rievictoriaaoki) on Sep 25, 2019 at 7:01pm PDT

THE GARDENS

A long walk leads to a huge reflecting pool, which opens onto a maze, a colonnade, a sunken garden, a lake and, finally, at the very end, a small round temple enclosing a statue of Diana, the goddess of the hunt. The duPonts came to the United States from France in 1800, just after the French Revolution. A hundred years later Alfred duPont re-created a bit of the old country—the France of the guillotined Bourbons—in Delaware's Brandywine Valley.

I’d really like you to visit this magical place before they close… You learn so much history there!

HAVE A MAGICAL WEEK EVERYONE!

Photos by Irina Belashov

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Sources:

Nemours Estate

Architectural Digest

Visit Wilmington

So My Interview With Philly Mag Is PUBLISHED!

Rie Victoria Aoki — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 20:00:00 +0000

I couldn’t believe when I got an email from Philadelphia magazine…

This past summer I got an email from Philadelphia magazine to be a part of an upcoming campaign to spread the word about the new spot in Philly; Fashion District Philadelphia - and I’ve had an interview with them about my fashion and life style, and now it’s published both in paper and online! I still can’t believe it happened and am so honored I’ve gotten to be a part of this. Today I’m sharing the interview!

CHECK IT OUT!

On Point: Philadelphia Ballerina Finds Second Home in Fashion

Ballerina-turned-fashionista Rié Aoki turns heads both on and off the stage. The First State Ballet Theatre company member began dancing when she was six and was exploring fashion not long after. She started a fashion blog in high school in Tochigi, Japan, outside of Tokyo, before moving to the U.S. to pursue her ballet career. When off the clock, the professional dancer models bold, bohemian looks with long dresses, bright oranges and yellows, and layered textures for her 11k Instagram followers, and shares her Philadelphia and foodie adventures on her blog (follow along the fun @rievictoriaaoki).

We caught up with Rié at the newly opened Fashion District in the heart of Center City Philadelphia to talk about her journey into fashion, how she balances work and play, and why she never dons the same outfit twice.

Professionally… I’m a ballerina. I’ve been dancing since I was six, when I started to copy my best friend. No one else in my family dances—they’re not at all artistic. They’re into sports.

I train… four hours a day. Outside of rehearsals I make sure to ice and relax. When I was younger I didn’t need to worry about recovery as much, but now that I’m older I need to make sure to rest. I also eat a lot of nutritious food. People are always surprised by how much I eat!

I’ve lived in… Tochigi, Japan, where I was born, plus D.C., Wisconsin, South Carolina, Florida and now Delaware. Each place I’ve lived has influenced my style, but I’ve always loved bohemian looks.

My favorite thing about Philadelphia… is the people. They’re not trying to impress anyone, but I find them inspiring. I’ll come here to people watch and will end up with three months of outfit ideas.

When I was a kid… I would dress up my three-year-old sister and take her picture. It’s not that different from what I do now!

I never wear… the exact same outfit twice. I reuse pieces but always find a different take. It helps fuel my creativity!

I feel most like myself in… warm colors. My closet is full of yellows and oranges.

Fashion is like ballet… in that it’s an outlet for me to be myself and to be creative. They’ve both also given me opportunities to go to new places and meet new people. The local Philly blogger community is so welcoming.

I’m looking forward to… having a new spot in the city to shop, eat and people watch. Fashion District is beautiful.

My favorite Fashion District store is… probably H&M. I’ve been focusing more on finding pieces that are sustainably made, and I like that H&M is moving toward using all sustainable or recycled materials.

Explore Fashion District Philadelphia—Philly’s newest destination for shopping, dining, entertainment, art and culture.

Read the actual interview from HERE

Again, I’m so honored to be chosen for this amazing opportunity. I really couldn’t believe it was happening, so I actually asked Philly Mag why I was chosen during the interview… Their answer made me over the top happy; “YOU ARE ONE OF A KIND” — They found me on Instagram, and there are SO MANY big time Instagramers/bloggers/influencers in this area, I am not even close to any of them. They had a handful of possible candidates, and then Fashion District PHL chose me because I was unique… Things like this really make me keep going and believe in myself. So, YOU KEEP BEING YOU TOO! - no matter what you do, your hard work and love will be noticed!

Thank you for reading! Please pick up the magazine if you see it at the stand, and find me!