musings – Down the Rabbit Hole

Wherein I, Andge, lover of all things Alice and Wonderland-esque will chronicle in picture and words the insane experience that is The Alice Cocktail Party Experience.

Please note this blog is not affiliated in any way with The Alice Experience and I do not get compensated for any promotional reviews I leave below. I’m just a girl who has a shared love for Lewis Carroll and his fantastical world.

We start off at the door, which is a beautiful key-shaped entrance that’s oddly reminiscent of Kerstin Gier’s book covers.

Back to that door. Of course it wouldn’t be to Wonderland without the tagline: Down the Rabbit Hole. You know I’m partial to it. So shall we head on down the rabbit hole together?

Upon entering, this is the wondrous view. Colours! Odd shapes. Random knickknacks. You name it, it’s here. Separately they may be less overwhelming but together? Just brilliant.

Everything is completely on theme, from the wondrous tea party table spread to that GIANT Cheshire grinning down at us.

Not to mention, Wonderland wouldn’t be complete without our very own Mad Hatter guiding us through whatever wacky tea party he’s about to throw. Talk about getting into costume and character! This guy was absolutely marvelous.

The sets around the room really got us into the theme – who wouldn’t feel like they’re somehow in a wacky Wonderland universe?

I loved all the creativity and thought put into the smallest things, from the teacups on our table to the many suits decorating the walls and objects. (And by that I do mean the cards.)

The atmosphere was set and the party itself was interactive and loads of fun! From solving riddles to making tea (the alcoholic kind), it was a one of a kind experience that’s for sure.

This may *look* like ordinary tea – I can assure you, it’s got some special ingredients 😉

I must applaud the workers who make this party so lively and entertaining. Just look at that wondrous Queen of Hearts gown! I haven’t had that much of a surprising good time since before the pandemic.

Overall, I never thought I’d get to experience any Alice in Wonderland themed anything but it goes to show there are fellow lovers of Wonderland out there like me. So here’s to going down the rabbit hole (outside of a book for once) and loving every moment of it.

musings, recommendations

Poetry Appreciation Month

April 28, 2022April 27, 2022 Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

I read somewhere that April is poetry appreciation month. Whether or not that is fully true, I wanted to take the time to highlight poetry on this blog. Now, I don’t read as much poetry as I would like to, but for a little while, I was so immersed in poems. It was a weird transitional period in my life, and I found that the emotions and feelings invoked by poets just reached into my heart like they could see how I felt.

So I wanted to take this time to collate the poetry books I read and loved, as well as those on my TBR. Perhaps you may find that they will touch you too in a way you’re needing right now. Or maybe they’ll introduce you to something you never knew you wanted to read until now.

And if you have any recommendations for other poetry books, I’m all ears because I want to dive back into that genre with the perspective I now bring.

The Last Time I’ll Write About You by Dawn Lanuza

For more of my thoughts on this book – click here

I love how this book touches on heartbreak and seeing the world around you with reminders of your first love. I hated that it made so much sense to me, even after so many years since such heartbreak. Why couldn’t I just let go? But Dawn’s words helped me heal in some ways I never got to – where closure was never truly formed. Where it previously made sense to just forget the pain, shove it to the farthest corner and move on, perhaps years later I come to realize I hadn’t exactly moved past that dark corner I never looked at.

Continue reading →

musings

2021 Reflections

December 30, 2021December 30, 2021 Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Is it strange to say that I felt this year pass by like looking at something through a blurry mirror? It just doesn’t feel quite real that we are once again at the end of another pandemic year and waiting on 2022.

Alas, we wanted to put out some reflections about the year from both of us at Down the Rabbit Hole. Things that we learned, things that we’re excited for, things that maybe made us a little sad. We wanted to keep it real here and share more of ourselves outside books alone (but also including books ’cause they’re such a huge part of our lives).

Immigration stories hit me in the feels and I realize I shouldn’t be so quick to judge those who want/need to escape the life they were born into (read Love in English for example)
While travelling is off for me, I realize books provide more adventure than I ever anticipated before
Speaking of travels, I’m thankful for shorter distance travelling plans as I’ve come to realize it’s the people I go with that make the trip, not just the location
Just because I’m Asian doesn’t mean that all Asian experiences and stories will connect with me – but even with a little grace to experiences I haven’t gone through, I still stand by not perpetuating harmful Asian stereotypes to the wider masses, especially in literature (see So We Meet Again)
Life is super short, not just from seeing how fragile we are from disease but also from freak accidents, so I’m grateful for all my loved ones I can still hold onto (even from afar) this year
I want to do more things I’m passionate about and not because I have to/feel obligated to do them – so posting things I like and making blogging fun
Forgiveness is a healing process that takes time, but I am glad to say 1 year later, I am seeing the fruits of such healing (thanks to Forgiving What I Can’t Forget)
Love >>> our own need to voice every opinion (mostly unheeded) – if there’s one thing this pandemic has taught me, to love others is the braver and more worthy choice
Hope is not ignoring the reality – it’s looking forward to a brighter future with full confidence while acknowledging and acting accordingly in the present

Firstly, grateful to Andge for a fantastic year here at DTRH, and for suggesting a whole slew of fantastic series that I really enjoyed (see Six of Crows, Stalking Jack the Ripper, Shadow of the Fox, Caraval…)
Now that I’ve found something that I love to learn and do, I instantly know that it was right all along. Sometimes, you just know when it’s right, so I encourage you to chase that little inkling as it really can change your life
Time is fleeting, and really shorter than you ever think, so enjoying the present moment where we can be safe and together becomes increasingly more important
It always does a lot of good to try and see things from others’ perspectives. Listen more instead of speaking more
Everyone deals with the same hardship a different way – something that pandemic really proved. A little more compassion can go a long way
Relationships and friendships can ebb and flow, and there is no need to worry that you aren’t growing all your relationships at the same time (you don’t have the resources!)
Making time to rest is so much more important than squeezing in a little bit more work. Burnout is hard to recover from
Health is paramount. Don’t underestimate this!

Hope you enjoyed hearing a little bit about how we felt about this past year – it certainly hasn’t been easy for most of us. What have you all learned this past year?