The winner is Parker Cross! Here’s the proof:

Congratulations, ParkerCross! I’ll email you the details soon. I hope you enjoy your new pair of Feiyues!

To everyone else, don’t worry! We have another contest coming next week. Stay tuned.

I know a lot of you well-traveled readers know about Airbnb already, but isn’t it fantastic? Cath used it last year when she went to L.A. for vacay. Matt and I used it when we first got to Scotland — we needed a temporary home for two weeks and a hotel was too pricey. And we turned to Airbnb for our recent trip to gorgeous lovely Paris.

Airbnb works two ways: you either rent an entire flat/apartment/house from someone or you rent a room and stay with your host. I know both of those options can sound sketchy. Staying in someone’s house, with their things? Or with them? Strangers?! Airbnb is based on trust, testimonials and reviews. And so far the system has worked really well. I know it might still sound sketchy, but that’s why I wanted to mention it here, and to show you some pics of the flat we stayed at in Paris.

(Those are linen sheets on the beds — ooo lala indeed!):

Don’t you love this chair I’m sitting on? I wanted to take it back with me, but it didn’t fit in my carry-on:

All our Airbnb hosts have always been super-informative about where to eat, how to get around, and provided us with clean and beautiful places to stay. Mark, our Paris host, left us with maps and detailed information on how to get to the grocery stores and use the washing machine. On top of that, his flat was just as beautiful as the photos we saw online (the photos in this post with the airbnb watermark are Mark’s) and Mark himself was such a sweet guy — we can’t wait to go back and stay at his flat again!

He even had fancy diptyque room spray in all the rooms:

There was a gorgeous back patio that looks like this in the summer (it was too chilly to use in December):

But still beautiful, with herbs in pots and lanterns with candles:

Cath blended right in:

Have you guys ever used Airbnb? We’re thinking about trying it for London, but they are a bit pricier there (i.e. the same cost as a hotel). Tell us your stories too!

p.s. Thanks you guys for all the encouragement about our new “diet” plans and all the helpful tips! I’ll let you know how we’re feeling in a few weeks time.

—-

Dear Kitcath,

Doesn’t it feel like we were in Paris together months ago? It’s been just about a month now- booo, too long!

I hope you have a really awesomely relaxed weekend — you so deserve it after the crazy, busy, stressful week you’ve had.

Oh, I’m still on my CSD cleanse even with this cold, but I’m doing more raw rather than cooked veggies. Something about uncooked spinach going down a sore throat makes the soul go cold, doesn’t it?

Love you!

Lar

p.s. I added this photo to our About page:

Vegan?! This from a girl who dreamed in high school of becoming a pastry chef and marrying Jacques Torres (just to eat his chocolate and sugar sculptures — sorry, Jacques!). You know Cath and I love food — all food! Even the kind with cute faces — we just kind of liked to forget where our delicious maple syruped bacon comes from because it tastes soooo gooood.

In fact I’m stepping it up a notch and going vegan (mainly raw- gak!) and gluten-free and sugar-free for the next little while. I know that sounds fairly crazy. I mean once you cut out gluten, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, meat, cheese, milk, butter… heat! what and how do you eat? And more pointedly, what the hell do you live for?

(Arugula and quinoa, you sooo don’t taste like mac and cheese):

I’m not a big fan of diets (especially this one!), but I’m not doing this to loose weight and I think that’s why I might stick to it. The much more convincing reason to eat veggies, veggies, and then more veggies is to ease some chronic health problems and pain. I’ve always had a rummy tummy and on top of that I have some tremendous endometriosis pain. Will lettuce and tofu “cure” me? Maybe not. But pills don’t work, so I’m willing to -gulp- cut out croissants and cookies for a while to see how I feel.

(breakfast of champions who dream of buttery crumpets: juiced cucumber, celery, kale, romaine, and apple):

It really helps I’m not doing this alone. My mustachioed man and twinsie are following similar plans. I got the omph and encouragement to try this wacky (but very healthy — full of nutrients even though it doesn’t sound like it) diet by reading Kris Carr’s Crazy, Sexy Diet. She is my new guru. Haven’t heard of her? Check out her fabuloso blog.

(there are 14 cucumbers hiding under this stash – I kid not… we only have four left in our fridge):

We don’t usual talk about health foods and diets here on AsianCajuns, but all this stuffs (veggies, being kinder to the planet, curing my ails) have been on the forefront of my mind for a long while. Are any of you guys vegan or have tried cutting out foods for allergies or inflammation? Do you think Cath and I are nutso for giving up such delicious things even for a short while? (Erm, I kinda do!).

Kisses and Kale (and broccoli and spinach and cucumbers and carrots and..),

Lar

Oh! And I found this video of me, showing you how I feel about 98% of the time:

—-

Dear Kitcath,

So glad you are doing this with me! You would be so proud, I haven’t had a cookie/biscuit in three days. Three days! I definitely have the non-cookie grumpies though!

Love you!

Lar

Thanks for sticking with us throughout all of our crazy changes this year!

What do you all have planned for tonight?

I’ll be ringing in the new year with black eyed peas (a southern tradition) and cava (er, my own tradition), and Lar will be celebrating Hogmanay in Edinburgh with a torchlight procession down the Royal Mile – I’m so jealous!

See you all in 2012!

XOXO,

Cath and Lar

__________

Dearest Lar,

I cried like a bumbling idiot in the taxi on the way to the Edinburgh airport. I’m determined to start saving up starting now so I can come back and see you in the summer. It’s just not natural to have twins be apart from each other for so long.

I’ll try to skype you at 7 p.m. my time (midnight your time) to wish you a happy new year!

love, cath

xoxo,
Lar

Here is our beautiful stylist Robin chopping into the first braid:

Our four braids will be on the way to Locks of Love shortly. We were originally worried they wouldn’t take our hair because of our highlights, but Robin – genius that she is – cut from the underside (un-highlighted) locks. Wooot! We have so much hair that we should really be donating about once a year. AsianCajun harvest! (Ewww, sounds creepy, but for a good cause!)

Doesn’t Cath look awesome?!

On Lar: UO dress, thrifted shoes, Madewell belt. (In the pic on the left I’m showing Cath how easy it is to swing our my hair now).

On Cath: H&M romper, Madewell shoes, freebie sunnies from years ago

What do you guys think? You likes?

Want some more big AsianCajun news?

I’m moving to Edinburgh in September!!!! (More info to come – including how Cath and I will cope with the distance via AsianCajuns.com, and if that doesn’t work I’ll come back to the states and bring her back with me – sorry, Troy!).

Hello dear readers! Boy-oh-boy, do we have a great giveaway for you! One lucky reader will win a dress of her choice from Lulu’s.

Most of you are probably familiar with Lulu’s – it’s a fashion blogger favorite. Lar and I embarrassingly didn’t discover this sweet shopping site until a couple of months ago. I actually fell in love with so many items on Lulu’s while I was writing this post that I ended up making a few purchases myself. All in the name of research!

How to Enter: Leave a comment letting us know which Lulu’s dress is your favorite and why, and we’ll choose a reader at random on Wednesday (psst…the dress you mention in your comment won’t necessarily be the one you win).

Contest ends Wednesday, May 19,  at 11:59 p.m.

But wait! There’s more! You can get a 15% discount on your next Lulu’s purchase by entering CAJUNS at check out (it’s case sensitive). The discount is good for AsianCajuns readers throughout the whole site until Thursday, May 20.

Good luck and happy shopping!

When: April 29 • 6 am-1 pm
Where: Westminster Abbey, London The Legacy Fountain at Piedmont Park, Atlanta
Who: The Piedmont Park Conservatory, you and us!
Why: Because even though our crush on William has long since faded, we are now loving Kate and Wills together. Oh and telling work we have a friend’s wedding to go to… Friday morning. Champagne cocktails. Feathered hats.
Tickets: $30 includes admission, champagne cocktails, brunch, raffles (win a tea at the Ritz and more!), partying with like-minded folks who love British Royalty and don’t have to pay British taxes to enjoy the pomp and circumstance. Get your tickets here.

Shockingly, Kate and William forgot to add The AsianCajuns to their guest list. The cheek! But no matter. We are going to an even better party here in Atlanta at Piedmont Park. (For you non-locals, Piedmont Park is like Atlanta’s Central Park).

The nonprofit Piedmont Park Conservancy is throwing this royal shindig, conveniently located on this side of the Atlantic! So on April 29 from 6 am-1 pm, Atlantans will be sipping our morning champagne cocktails and brunching as the Prince and Princess tie the knot. And we get to watch the whole thing in real time on eight giant flat screens around a gorgeous tent set up by The Legacy Fountain in the park.

So are you guys coming? Please say you’ll join us! We want to wear big British hats with you at 6 in the morning and talk about how we used to dream about marrying Prince William when we were 13.

If Kate and Wills had decided to actually marry in the ATL (which why they would choose Westminster over us, I have no idea), this is what their wedding at Piedmont park would have looked like (below). See, Kate, no rain.

The ladies at Piedmont Park Conservatory totally encourage you to wear your comfy clothes so early in the morning, but Cath and I have wanted an excuse to wear awesome wedding/church hats for a while now. We’re using the bride as inspiration (isn’t she lovely?):

And being the good Anglophiles that we are, Cath and I love kitschy memorabilia especially when it’s this cute:

Tea towel by Gema Correll for To Dry For. Best tea towel ever!! We hope we can get one stateside.

We hope you guys can join us for the Royal Wedding/ATL style!!! Let us know if you’re coming!

xoxo,

Lar

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to my one and only smoochywoochy (I know I’m going to hell for the baby talk) and future Mr. Lauren Lee, Dr. Matthew M. Crane. A newly minted doctor as of today!!! So the next time someone says “Is there a doctor in the house?!!” He can confidently announce “Yes!” And then gently let them down explaining that his doctorate is in bio-engineering with a focus in microfluidics and he can’t in fact stop the hemorrhaging. Huh? Exactly. I am so proud of you, Matteo!

We celebrated post-defense with some bubbly and then a stop by Superpan. What is Superpan? Well, my friends, all I can say is you have not had a sandwich until you have eaten here. In fact, locals, if you are still reading this instead of arranging your next lunch schedule around Superpan, I don’t think we can be friends. No! I don’t mean that- I’m extremely fond of you, but seriously, these sandwiches will make your toes curl with each blissful bite. Please go as soon as you can, and feel free to invite me. I don’t care if I look like a stuffed sausage in my wedding dress. These sandwiches are worth that.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

About that wedding countdown… so there are 16 days left. 16. Gulp.

Remember that bride-zilla request of mine to have all the books in the library/ceremony room white? Done. Done because my amazing mom and fiance dutifully watched “Pushing Daisies” and “South Park” reruns while covering hundreds of books over the course of three weekends.

Some new do-dads I just got came in the mail this week (I love packages!):

1) This gorgeous flower head thingy from Mignonne Handmade via Etsy
2) My “wedding” earrings by Darleen Meier also via Etsy
3) And this faincy cuff from Kenneth Jay Lane via Shopbop

And I’ll leave you with two more photos from our engagement shoot with the amazing photographer Aharon Hill. (pst- so that last photo, I reallly wanted to order the funnel cake and not the cotton candy, but I look way less cute with powdered sugar and grease all over my face. The spun sugar isn’t my best look either but it beats me shoveling down fried dough I guess- yummmm).

Happy Friday, lovelies! Tell us what you’re up too (you too, Cath, since I’m sure everyone would like some non-wedding news ). xoxox, Lar

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that Lar and I are a bit obsessed with anything and everything that has to do with Scotland. A couple of months after I returned from studying abroad in Edinburgh in 2004, I discovered ‘Hamish Macbeth’ on BBC America – a 1990s adaption of M.C. Beaton’s mystery novels set in a small Scottish town. Fast forward to today: not only are Lar and I proud owners of the whole ‘Hamish Macbeth’ series on DVD, Lauren has actually been to the town where it was filmed!

I know this post is sounding incredibly nerdy and I’m wearing my heart on my sleeve here, but it’s worth it because I wanted to show you all the clothes in the show. Lar and I were re-watching season 2 the other day and noticed how the women in ‘Hamish Macbeth’ were wearing clothes that, without a doubt, would be snapped by any self-respecting street style photog out there.

For example, this white shirt above. I doubt even The Row could create such a great, weighted shirt. It makes me want to go back to 1996 and snatch up the wardrobe from the whole show.

And look below! Chambray! In the 1990s you could buy a chambray button-up for $10. Now they sell for $80+ at Madewell (this one is on sale for $48!).

I know it’s not really groundbreaking to say that 90s fashion is back in style, but I love how unpretentious and modern-looking it appears in one of my favorite shows.

L’Intrus “the intruder”:

Before this post gets too long, I want to include a video that my talented friends created for a school festival. It was shot in one day and my bf did all the sound editing. Warning: there’s part of it that’s NSFW. So at the very least, watch it with the sound turned down if you’re in a cubicle.

PS: I threw a surprise engagement party for Lauren and Matt this past weekend. I’ll post photos soon!