Izzy and I are visiting Chongqing, China, the city my mother was born in! In 1949, my 20-year old pregnant grandmother â who had just survived the Nanjing Massacre â was fleeing from the Chinese Communist Party to reunite with my grandfather, who had already left for Taiwan with the Nationalist Party. Destitute but determined, she gave birth to my mother under a tree. She then cut my mother's umbilical cord with a rusty pair of scissors she found. Over a couple days, my mother's stomach began to rot and swell abnormally. My grandmother had to find a solution quick, for death was coming to take her second child. It's an incredibly powerful story of one woman's perserverance, love for family, and fight against all odds, but this post is about freshness. It's about elevating the mundane. It's about YOUR masterpiece by Subway Sandwich Artistsâ˘.
While walking around, Izzy and I stumbled upon a Subway restaurant here. Their graphic design, advertisements, and souvenirs were top notch â easily the best of any franchise I've come across in the world so far. I do wish they had more vegetarian options as we were limited to just the Veggie Delite. They also failed to carry mayonnaise, which was a big red flag. We opted for Chipotle sauce instead, which turned out to be very similar to Thousand Island dressing (which they also carried). The sandwich itself was not bad, surprisingly, but it didn't quite meet the splendor that other locations have delivered on. 7/10 for my taste test, but a 10/10 for presentation.
Also, that video is of our hotel room here! The front desk staff said she hooked us up big time and gave us the room with the best view, and oh boy did she!
Last photo is of my grandma, taken by my sister with some terrifying beauty filter. But that's what my grandma pretty much looks like now at 98.
#subway #eatfresh #chongqing #cyberpunk
Whatâs meant for you wonât have to be forced. chased, or begged for.
Itâll flow with peace, arrive in purpose, and stay by grace. â¨
.
đ¸ @itsjonchen
#model #photography #photoshoot #modeling
Did a dreamy birthday shoot with Olivia that went into the wee hours of the morning. She destroyed my backdrops and got cake everywhere. But in the end, it was so not worth it.
Happy birthday, @olivia_mhill ! Go and be free like Jarvis.
#jarvisisfree #birthdayshoot #worthit
These images may appear ordinary, and thatâs because they are. They are of families, friends, and children enjoying their leisure time together.
They were also taken in Isfahan, the former capital city of Iran that has been hit by airstrikes from the US-Israeli regime. More than 65 civilians, including children, have been killed in the Isfahan province so far.
I recently drafted a statement for our faculty union condemning the strikes, expressing concern that we are using their deaths to justify toppling the rule of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In the statement, we acknowledge that his regime committed grave atrocities, including the murder of over 30,000 civilians in January. His leadership has impacted the rights of women, the LGBTQ+ community, and others to meaningfully participate in society.
Yet, denouncing US provocation does not mean condoning Iranâs oppressive leadership, nor does the Iranian governmentâs persecution of its people absolve the Trump administration of accountability for its own actions.
Our administration has disregarded respect for the law and acted on coercion rather than diplomacy. This is not to say there are no just causes for war; it is to say this was not one of them.
A colleague recently posted photos of two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Ali Qapu and Chehel Sotoun palaces, that have been damaged from the strikes. I visited both locations. These sites have no military presence and are frequented by Iranian families touring the beautiful sites of their country, much like Americans tour their own iconic landmarks such as the Space Needle or the Golden Gate Bridge.
I wanted to share these photos because sometimes we are taught to hate or be distrustful of others who are not like us or who share different values than us. I am not exempt from this. Yet, it is altogether different when you interact with them and discover they love Subway SandwichesÂŽ just as much as you do, except they call it FreshwayÂŽ (see photo #19).
Unlike its government, the Iranian people are some of the sweetest people I have ever met in my travels. They are thoughtful, very funny, kind, and a joy to spend time with.
#isfahan #iran #freshway
A magical wedding in Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico among friends and colleagues. Congratulations to Marcelle and Kenneth, the former of whom continues to look after me and taught me how to organize! #wedding #mexico #guadalupe
Every time I hear a love song now, I just think of our sweet boy Jarvis! Happy Valentine's Day to you, cowboy. đ oh and Izzy.
Model: @qweeepws
Makeup: @stella_nickol_makeup
Hair: @hairstylist_weddings_events
#sacmodel #bayareamodel #valentinesday
