Ponytail Journal

Stepping into a cave feels otherworldly. The musty chilled air creeps into the nostrils then onto arms, intoxicating our sensory receptors. Prehistoric humans were known to be cave dwellers but only a small portion actually lived in them. The cold, dark and damp shelter was not only inhabitable, but…

If I had to choose just one plant to survive on an island, it would have to be bamboo. Yes, bamboo. Aside from being one of the oldest building materials, these leafy green poles have a Universe of uses far beyond chopsticks in Asian takeout. Today I’d like to take you up to the mountainous bamboo f…

I find having nice textiles around the house makes life so much better. From a cozy rug that relaxes the feet, tablecloths that make mealtimes more enjoyable, to traditional handcrafted fabrics that add character to the walls. Textiles not only define our aesthetic, but they also connect us to diffe…

I looove seaweed… especially the crispy kind. My current favorite is the kind Lauren brought along our most recent W’menswear road trip to the south of Thailand. They are crispy seaweed sandwiches stuffed with sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and almond slices, super addictive! Recently, my taste buds h…

I believe that each of us has a limitless capacity to start a butterfly effect in every moment. When our small actions are backed by good intention, we allow space for another. One such person is Choua Thao, the first Hmong female nurse who paved the way for hundreds of Hmong women to save countles…

With the sun still yet to rise, we loaded up the van and began making our way up north to a section of Mekong River where Thailand meets Lao and Myanmar. Known as Golden Triangle since the 1970s, the region has experienced a long and turbulent history of poppy cultivation, opium smuggling to proxy w…

Anything home brew feels so precious to me, as it embodies the spirit of the maker. I’ve been fortunate enough to have friends who share their delicious labors of love with me. I’m lucky to enjoy the likes of IPA’s, Umeshu, Limoncello, and my favorite chia spiced kombucha. Knowing that each batch i…

Way before written word, stories of folklore, spiritual beliefs, and wisdom were passed down through generations by word of mouth. One such way for Laotians is through century-old folk music called ‘Molam’. A sung narrative, backed by the psychedelic tune of a bamboo mouth organ called the ‘Khane’..…