Top Ten Animated Hotties

I'm not sure if it's very apparent on my blog, but I'm a huge geek. Ever since I was a kid, I've loved and been obsessed with comic books, anime and that sort of thing. I would spend hours watching TV and films. As a young adolescent girl, I was, of course, boy crazy and tended to form little crushes on some of the animated characters. So in lieu of the endless hours I've recently spent watching the anime series, One Piece (and all the hotties from that series) I've compiled a list of my animated crushes from early childhood to present day.

10. Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid
One of my earliest memories is of this movie. I was six when the film came out and my brother took me to the theater to watch it. Even at such a young age, I fell for Prince Eric. He was a total dreamboat. He was dashing and handsome, everything that a young girl wants in her prince. I really liked that he was captivated by Ariel's voice and not her looks. I found this gem of a photo on the internet. It's a bit risque, but who could pass up a bubble bath with this hot prince?

9.  Aladdin from Aladdin
I always found Aladdin really charming. Of all the Disney male love interests, I think he would make the best husband. He's lived on the streets so he'll always work hard to provide for his family. He's really smart and he'll always be one jump ahead of the lawmen that's all, and that's no joke. I also loved his voice, he actually sounds a lot like Markus. So if you think about it, I sort of married an alternate version of Aladdin. Actually, they kinda look alike too... 

8.  Tuxedo Mask from Sailor Moon
In middle school, I lived for this show. This show was my life. As soon as I got home, I went straight for the TV and watched Sailor Moon. I even wore my hair like Sailor Jupiter. It was embarrassing, but I was obsessed. I think the real root of my obsession was my undying love for Mamoru Chiba or Tuxedo Mask. He was in high school, so he was like the ultimate for me. I liked how rude he was to Usagi, but then changed later. Even though people these days say he's a little lame, I still pledge my undying affection for him. 

7.  Li Shang from Mulan
I was really excited when I heard that they were releasing an Asian Disney movie. I spent my entire childhood admiring and loving Ariel, Jasmine and Belle, but now there was a girl that I could really connect with. Although, there was someone else I would rather connect with, Li Shang. There is nothing more attractive than a man who is in control and commands attention. He was both swift as a coursing river and tranquil as a forest. Most importantly, he was mysterious like the dark side of the moon. Plus, a guy whose motto is, "Let's get down to business" is definitely hot.

6.  Sanji from One Piece
I struggled a little bit with including Sanji on this list because there are two other One Piece characters already. Then I realized, Sanji loves women, he's an incredible chef, he's really strong and he's quite a looker. It would be a crime if I didn't include him. When I was first introduced to Sanji on One Piece, I didn't really like him. I thought he was too annoying when it came to women, but then I realized that's one of his best qualities. He's passionate about the ladies to the point that he becomes a silly prince that dotes on your every whim and that type of guy would be a great boyfriend.

5. Howl from Howl's Moving Castle
I love Hayao Miyazaki films, they are amazing. I don't think there are any movies that could really compare. Howl's Moving Castle isn't my favorite, that's Spirited Away, but this movie has Howl. He is one attractive kid. I mean look at those piercing blue eyes. I could fall into those baby blues. I don't usually go for blondes but Sanji and Howl are definitley the exception. The fact that he owns a moving castle and is a powerful wizard, makes him even more appealing. He's also super mysterious and that's super sexy.

4. Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop
There is nothing cooler than an intergalactic bounty hunter. I never watched Cowboy Bebop when it first came out, but a couple years ago I told Markus I wanted to watch it. I'm not really a fan of space or westerns, so anything that is a space western I don't really like. I know, I know Firefly is amazing and so is Trigun, but I wasn't a fan of either. Having said all of that, I'm totally a fan of Cowboy Bebop and especially Spike Spiegel. He doesn't have any special powers, he's just a really good bounty hunter. I love that he's not so serious and takes life as it comes. He's very carefree but when it's time to be serious, he's a stone faced killah.

3. Roronoa Zoro from One Piece
There is no doubt that the hottest member of the Straw Hats is Roronoa Zoro. This guy just oozes hotness. He's stoic and the complete opposite of Sanji. While Sanji lives for the ladies, Zoro only lives to become the greatest swordsman in the world. This man strives for greatness. He is fiercely loyal to his captain and crew and he's an extremely amazing swordsman. Not only is he hot, but he has great ambition that pushes him to be the best. There is nothing more attractive than a broody guy that knows what he wants and goes for it.

2. Hatake Kakashi from Naruto

Back when Markus and I first started dating, we bonded over our mutual love of Naruto. Over the next couple years, we religiously watched every episode. Then I fell out of love with Naruto and stopped watching anime. Despite not watching the show, one thing still remained, my undying love for Kakashi. I love that he's so serious, but when he isn't off fighting he's reading romance novels.  Markus still watches Naruto, so I'll always ask, "How's Kakashi doing? Still alive? Still hot?" I may no longer be interested in the show, but I'll always be interested in that silver haired fox from the Hidden Leaf Village.

1. Portgas D Ace from One Piece
Ace, oh Ace, you hot, hot hottie. Quite literally, the guy is made of fire. I don't know what it is about Ace, but I love this guy. He has great hair and his freckles, oh my golly, those freckles. I love that he runs around shirtless showing off his body. It's like he knows that he looks good and that he has the confidence to flaunt it. I like to think that he's a grown-up version of his younger brother, Luffy. He's what Luffy will become when he matures and grows a bit. Not only is Ace a looker, but he's also a really great guy. He loves his brother immensely. Their strong bond is what really what made me love Ace. He's fiercely loyal to those closest to him.  He would do anything, even if it means risking his life and that's the kind of guy deserves to be number one.

So, dear readers, there is my list of the top ten animated hotties. I hoped you enjoyed it! Did you agree with with all of my selections? Is there anyone that you think should've make the list? Let me know in the comments!


Photo Credits:
Prince Eric: galaxcardinal / Sanji: nmhps3-d5kczth/ Kakashi: ALA21DDIN21/ Tuxedo Mask: Cosmos-chan/ Zoro: cromarlimo

May Volunteering | 1 of 2

After a bit of a break, Markus and I were able to volunteer at the woman's shelter again. The families that are at the shelter stay for around six months and then they are phased out. All of the students that I used to teach are all gone. This time around, all the kids were new. At first I was a bit nervous, but it wasn't too long til I grabbed one of the girls hands and we skipped into a new friendship. 

One thing that fascinates me about Korea is the amount of children with dyed or permed hair. It's pretty crazy seeing little kids with blue or red hair. While we were at the shelter, I spied the little boy with red hair and said that he was going to be my new bff. I'm happy to say that I was pretty successful because his mom later told me that he liked me. The blue haired kid wasn't part of our group, but I had to get a picture. These crazy haired kids are like Pokemon and I gotta catch em all. 

We walked about 15 minutes to a nearby park and practically took over. There was the perfect amount of volunteers to kids. There was face painting, manicuring, see-sawing, climbing and chasing. As much as I loved my old students, these kids really won me over. They were so much fun and really sweet. I spent most of my time playing and talking with them because I couldn't help myself. 

Usually, the moms and older siblings don't come with us, but this time they decided to join. Throughout the afternoon, the mom of the little girl in the awesome purple sweater kept looking at me curiously. I couldn't tell if she wanted to talk to me or was just confused. When we were walking back to the shelter, she finally started talking to me. She spoke in really broken English, but she was trying really hard. It was actually a really good conversation. I told her that we were going to try and have a baby soon and she proceeded to tell me what vitamins I needed to take. I think she kept looking at me because she was building up her courage to talk to me. It was the sweetest and cutest thing. It's moments like that that make me feel completely humbled and thankful to be in Korea.

Miss Wong Cocktail Bar | Siem Reap, Cambodia

While in Siem Reap, Markus and I wanted to try and find unique and interesting places to eat. As much as I love Korea, it still lacks a lot of the comforts of home. There is a lack of cocktail bars, western food and even authentic Asian foods. While researching Cambodia, I stumbled upon Miss Wong Cocktail Bar. It's described as a "a taste of vintage Shanghai." I scoured the reviews, which were mostly positive, and scanned through all the photos. It seemed like the perfect place to spend an evening and we marked it as a must see.

After a tiring day at Angkor Wat, Markus and I decided to venture out to Pub Street, a very popular tourist area, and eat at Miss Wong. We weren't sure how to get there, so we hired a tuk-tuk to take us there. The driver left us on the street and pointed down an alley. I turned and saw red lanterns and umbrellas and knew we were at the right place. We walked in and I felt like I was in heaven. The ambiance and atmosphere was amazing. It was a bit dark, but not in a seedy, creepy way. There was a great mix of locals and tourists and I could tell that it was a very popular place.

Markus and I went a bit crazy and ordered heaps of drinks and food. The great thing about Cambodia is that everything is crazy cheap. Meals are as low as $2 and cocktails can be $1. It's a travelers dream come true. Miss Wong is a bit more classy so drinks were around $5 and the food was anywhere from $3 - $6. It was great. The drinks were pretty good, but not the best I've had. I enjoyed all of our food, but my favorite was the dessert. It was a sort of sticky red bean pudding. I can't really remember exactly, but what I do remember is that I was really satisfied with it.

Overall, I really enjoyed Miss Wong. It's probably in my top 10 best bars in the world and I've been to quite a few. So, if you find yourself in Siem Reap, Cambodia make sure you visit Miss Wong! You won't regret it, promise.

Eats with Jeff #6: Chicken Feet and Raw Beef

Chicken Feet Restaurant

For this Eats with Jeff, somehow we ended up eating two bizarre foods, chicken feet and raw beef. Coincidentally, the restaurants happened to be in the same neighborhood. I will say that I'm no stranger to unique foods. Even though I was raised in America, my parents were really adamant about introducing me to other cultures and their foods.  I think that's one of the best parts of life and traveling is experiencing new things.

I apologize for the shameless photo of me, but I was really excited about my outfit. As Jeff told me, it was very Korean. I find that the longer I live in Korea, the more Korean I look. All my Korean friends already tell me they think of me as one of them. Before I know it, I'll be an honorary Korean and will be so confused when I'm back in America.

Chicken Feet

Chicken Feet

Chicken Feet Wrap

I've eaten chicken feet at dimsum restaurants before and I've enjoyed it. It's not necessarily my favorite dish and I wouldn't immediatley think to eat it, but it's quite tasty. Although, I hate holding up a mangled chicken foot and knawing away at it. I always feel a bit awkward. Thankfully, these chicken feet were deboned, so I didn't have to spend heaps of time taking off the meat. Korean style chicken feet is very different from the Chinese style. It's mixed with red sauce and sesame seeds. It's also grilled so it's not full of sauce. When you find a really nice blackened piece and eat it with a sesame leaf, it's really yummy.

Jeff is seriously the little brother I never had. It's really creepy how similar he is to my older brother Chris. They make the same expressions. They even speak like one another. Even though they have similarities, Jeff is also completely different. I'm so thankful we were able to meet and become friends. Just think, if we never met, I never would have tried so many delicious foods. 

Hanu Beef Pajeon

Raw Beef or Yukhoe

Beef Sashimi

I've always been a bit iffy about raw meat. I think it's one of the things that they drill in your head back home. Raw meat can lead to an upset stomach, food poisoning or worse, death. It isn't something that I was keen on, but after being in Korea, I really wanted to try it. Jeff was able to find a really good restaurant that only served raw beef and at a reasonable price. I couldn't believe some of the prices he quoted me. Since we stuffed our faces full of chicken feet earlier, we decided to order a small sampler. There was ground marinated beef with a raw egg and beef sashimi. The beef sashimi wasn't that great. It was cold and a little tasteless. The marinated beef was amazing. It was so flavorful. I would actually eat that again if I get the chance.

Ugh, why is his face so cute?

Seriously, sometimes I can't deal with it.

Carrot Cake

Strawberry Cake and Cappuccino

Afterward, we wandered around Seomyeon for a bit looking for a nice cafe. We finally found the Coffee and Cake Studio and ended the evening with yummy cake and coffee. I feel like Eats with Jeff wouldn't be complete unless we eat some kind of cake or sweet treat. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed chicken feet and raw beef. It's definitely something I would recommend to anyone in visiting or living in Korea.

Sleeping Buddha | Angkor Wat, Cambodia

After we were finished at Bayan Temple, our tuk-tuk driver MJ, told us to meet him at the Elephant Terrace. He explained how to get there and I thought I understood. He told us to walk down a street and follow it. It would've worked out if Markus and I exited where he told us, but we didn't. When we left Bayan Temple, we were both confused. We chose the one with the most people and headed, hopefully, in the right direction.

Everyone was walking toward another temple and we assumed it was where we needed to be. We saw a set of stairs that led to the top. I was already a bit tired after Bayan Temple, so I told Markus I didn't want to go. He was really keen, so he went to climb the top while I waited at the bottom. While he was gone, I tried figure out where MJ would be waiting.

As I looked for MJ, I started to realize that this wasn't the Elephant Terrace at all. I looked for someone to ask and finally came across a Khmer guide. I asked him if he spoke English, but he didn't, he spoke French. An elderly gentleman heard us speaking and said that he could help me. He was French and he translated from French to English.

We walked to the front so that he could wait for his family too. He told me that the temple wasn't the Elephant Terrace and it was the Sleeping Buddha. He told me a few other things, but I really can't remember all the facts. Later,  I found out that he was from Paris. He said that he's traveled the world, but there is no place like Paris. Finally, his family found him and we said goodbye. As he walked away, I remember smiling and feeling very thankful. Even though it was just for a short time, it was still an unforgettable experience. I will never forget the kind Frenchman that told me about his beautiful city and the history of the Sleeping Buddha.