Archive / My Mom

Happy Earth Day!

asulia blog happy earth day

Happy Earth Day friends! Today, I’m thinking about how I impact world with the choices I make. We have one earth that we share with about 7.2 billion people! Let’s take care of the planet to ensure future generations will be able to experience the wonders of nature.

At Asulia, our boxes are printed using certified wind power on Rainforest Alliance approved paper. We worked hard to find a printer that is eco-friendly.

I grew up with an eco-friendly mother. There simply weren’t enough resources to go around most of her life, so she did the best she could. Sweaters were unknitted and re-knitted to create a new sweater and fabric from worn out clothing was turned into new garments. Anything that could be reused, was. The lessons I’ve learned from my mother have impacted my decisions with Asulia and my daily life.

Above are ways to upcycle your food scraps. Below are just 5 simple ways to greenify your everyday life. If you’re looking for even more ideas, 50 Ways to Help the Planet has great tips!

  1. Buy ingredients in the bulk section to reduce packaging waste.
  2. Stop buying plastic water bottles. Carry a lightweight stainless steel bottle with you so you always have water.
  3. Reuse glass jars when possible from pasta sauces, pickles, etc. for storing your lunch, leftovers and more.
  4. Host a clothing swap. Your closet, friends and wallet will thank you. We all have clothes we seldom wear or have never worn!
  5. Save magazines for book scrapping and to make your own cards. This past Easter, I made a card entirely from a magazine, including the envelope.

Let’s make some changes together today and show the earth how much love we have! We’d love to hear from you. Follow Asulia on Facebook and Twitter to share how you’re helping the planet!

 

 

Happy Birthday Mom

My mom’s birthday is today. I rented a zipcar to take her a restaurant not accessible by the T. As I was driving, a thought popped in my mind. Although I don’t have children right now, I know I want to be able to tell them some day that their mom confronted her fears and followed her dreams. I want them to be proud of me for being the type of person I hope to raise them to be one day.

Happy birthday mom! You’re the best mom and example of humility, grace, and perseverance.

My mom and I on her birthday back in the day when we were in China. Oh, and you’re not seeing things. That is a Santa Claus candle in the pic! Who wants a boring birthday candle? Back then, people used Christmas paraphernalia all year round. If it was American, then it was cool.

Happy Lunar New Year

One of my cousins had her second child. I’m in up state NY visiting and spending the Lunar New Year with family. My mom cooked up a feast for all of us. There’s nothing like mom’s home cooking. To health and happiness!

From left to right: sweet and sour chicken, snap peas with chicken gizzards, salted chicken with scallion and ginger dip, braised taro root.

After the Lunar New Year celebration, I went to NYC for an event for women entrepreneurs. I stopped by the local Lululemon store to check out the bulletin board for guest passes to yoga studios in the area. The ladies at the store suggested I take a class at Pure Yoga in the West Village.  The class was good, but the instructor didn’t seem to mesh well with the corporate environment at Pure. He would probably be happier teaching in Brooklyn instead. Overall, I would come back the next time I’m in town though!

Dumpling Fillings and Fears

Last night I was in my mom’s kitchen to test three different kinds of vegetarian dumpling fillings: kale, taro root with toasted sesame seeds, and curry cauliflower with toasted pepitas, a new recipe idea I developed.

When all the dishes were washed, my mom and I sat down and chatted. Over the years she’s been slowly revealing more of her past, most of which I’ve never heard before.  After she was abandoned in China, she would spend nights walking the streets because she had nowhere to sleep. Fearing something bad would happen, she kept moving because she felt that if she was at least on the move, it would be harder for others to harm her. She encountered challenging situations through the years to say the least.

During my commute to meet a buyer at a store this morning, I reflected on what my mom had told me the night before and was over come with emotion. So many things had to happen in order for me to be here today.

Staying with friends and having my stuff around town makes me feel extremely unsettled. I view this as another day of opportunity to turn things around, not only for myself, but also for the girls that need me. I’ve never wanted to succeed at something so much before. I want to bring hope to girls and know it’s one of my life’s mission. I would love for my mom to still be around to see the impact she’s made not just for me, but in how it’ll be paying it forward.

We have to overcome our own self doubts, fears, and take a risk.