Monica April 27, 2017 Life

FACEBOOK HAS MADE YOUR EMBARRASSING PHOTOS PUBLIC: HERE’S MY GUIDE TO A DIGITAL CLEANSE

I was doing my usual online scrolling spree, and I noticed that Facebook has a shiny search innovation that predicts what you’re about to type.

The results appear in order, Google style. The first thing I thought was, ‘Ooooh this must be new’ (I worked in Digital Marketing for four years, I’m a special geek when it comes to this stuff).

Now, you may think this search bar is an innocent feature, but two things sprang to my mind, A) why are strangers names appearing? B) what can people see when they search for me?

I was right to be cautious. Test it for yourself.

1. Click on the search bar (you know that thing you type into to find your next stalking victim).

2. Type in [‘Name Photos’], e.g., Joe Blogs Photos (do this with someone you’re not friends with).

You can see Every. Single. Photo. In one place. Technically Facebook hasn’t done anything wrong because these images are set to public. That person can thank their mates for that. The issue here is that you can see into a strangers life without even being friends with them.

This sh*t is creepy AF.

The aim of this post is to prevent any Tom, Dick & Harry from seeing your old drunken pics from say, 2013.

Okay, so what is the solution to saving your last bit of dignity?

Go to your ‘activity log’ > click photos (left hand side) > change ‘shared with’ to ‘public’. All of these pictures are what strangers can see.

I untagged myself from a total of forty embarrassing photos from 2006 – present. I’ll give you some insight, the worst image involved significant pouting and gun fingers. No potential employer/client ever needs to see that.

Oh, and btw, it doesn’t stop there. You can also search for what people are liking: Type in [‘photos liked *insert friends name*.’] To see what photos other people are liking, it’s that easy. Be mindful of what you like, that is set as ‘public’.

Before I give you my tips, I want to show you the sort of messages that I get on the daily:

how-to-do-a-digital-detox

I’m super cautious of how I use Facebook. I know that’s ironic as I use Social Media to promote myself as my brand. The downside of being an ‘influencer’ is receiving the dodgiest messages. As a result, I’ve learnt how to be vigilant. (BTW I’m not whinging, I’m very lucky to call this my job, and I choose to put myself out on the WebSphere. Creepers are a symptom of my choice).

Your Guide to a Complete Digital Cleanse

Friend Audit

Okay, this is the most common practice. It’s important not to be friends with someone who you’ve never met. If you don’t know them, you don’t know what they’re capable of knowing and doing. Facebook has more personal data about you than you realise. I never accept people I don’t know. Delete anyone you don’t know, right now.

Your ‘About Me’ section

Set all of your personal information like your DOB, where you work, your schools & contact details to private and never public. You don’t want anyone to be able to see this. I’ve had a few friends become a target of fraud as a result.

Image audit

I had photos albums from 2006 called “R U DIZZY BLAD BEST DAY OUT”. Yeah. The pictures in those albums are hilarious, but I’m not sure I want the new people in my life browsing through them. I’ve set the majority of my photo albums to private so that I’m the only person to look back at the blossoming chav that I was.

Tagging

Be mindful of tagging yourself at locations if you’re alone and potentially placing yourself at risk. I never post Instagram pictures in real-time.

Limit past posts

In your younger years, you may have posted a witty status or photo & set it public. You wanted everyone to know how funny you were. I don’t blame you. You were a baby cub, audacious and exploring life. My friends, do not fear; at a click of a button you can revert all of these posts, look for a function called ‘limit past posts’. I like this feature because strangers can’t see who comments on my public profile pics.

Ah, Facebook. It’s nothing more than what we deserve – we made it our own. We gave it our data, used it to store our memories, communicate with our loved ones, organised our events and spent too many hours wasting our absent-minded afternoon lust by watching cat videos. There is no doubt that FB has revolutionised the way we communicate.

All it’s doing is responding to our desire, to turn a profit.

I just wish it didn’t make me feel like such a creep.

Location: Napland, London

Follow:

Monica April 10, 2017 Life

How to grow your confidence

As a teen, I wasn’t confident. Bullied during my school years, I always knew I was different. I was weird (I still am) and I had a drive that no one else had. People would ask me questions, and I would be too shy to answer them. I was an easy target.

Today, I’m confident, the happiest I’ve ever been, and I don’t apologise for it. Why should I? A journey with insecurities and low self-esteem is extremely hard to overcome. I believe that confidence is something we should celebrate.

The other day, a friend asked me how I developed confidence, and as a result, I’m going to share this personal post with you.

How-to-grow-your-confidence-the-wong-blog-monica-wong-model

Being who you are inside & out – loving yourself

You need to accept who you are, inside and out. Never try to be someone else or someone you’re not. You will be forever searching for comfort when all along, it’s within (PS I’m fully aware of how cringeworthy I sound, but it’s all true).

Fall in love with the strengths of your personality. Appreciate your: witty, smart, graceful, happy, motivated, assertive, organised and/or caring self. Dance, sing, speak: do the things that make you feel confident. It’s about being aware of makes you feel insecure and what makes you feel confident. I’ve been in situations where I could feel my confidence deteriorate, so I got up and removed myself. Surround yourself with people who ignite your positive attributes.

Fall in love with the flaws of your physical body. Accept it for what it is. If you’re unhappy with your body, do not whinge or compare yourself to someone else. Fall in love with your body. When someone tells you how beautiful you are, believe them.

How-to-grow-your-confidence-the-wong-blog-monica-wong-model

Risks

I see so much potential in my some of my friends that they cannot recognise in themselves because they lack the self-esteem to go and get what they want. Hate to break it to you folks; nothing will ever come to you on a white horse. Smart people do things directly or indirectly to get what they want:

Here are some examples:

Friend A wants to land their dream job, but they don’t think they’re good enough to apply. As Richard Branson said: “If somebody offers you an amazing opportunity, but you are not sure if you can do it, say yes – then learn how to do it later”. I hesitated for a long time not to quit my secure job to go freelance, simply because I didn’t believe that I could do it. Since then, I’ve had incredible opportunities that I wouldn’t have known if I didn’t take the leap. Weigh the risks, and be aware of what your gut is telling you.

Friend B wants to fall in love, have amazing sex and relationship. They lack the confidence to leave the miserable one they’re currently in, or if single, they don’t think they’re good enough to communicate with that potential partner who could turn out to be ‘the one’. You get one shot at this life. As the saying goes, you don’t ask; you don’t get.

Friend C wants to have a fit, athletic body to feel comfortable in, but they’re self-conscious and is scared of people staring at them in the gym. It’s a catch 22. I’ll be honest; no one gives a flying f*ck about what you look like because they’re thinking about themselves. That’s the truth. Do what you want to do without the need to seek approval from others.

How-to-grow-your-confidence-the-wong-blog-monica-wong-model

Learning to stop giving a f*ck about other people think

Aslong as it’s not a situation where your friend is trying to get you out of danger with their advice, then do not give a flying what people think. If people don’t like it, they can back off. You’re in your situation, not them. You do what you want because it’s what you wanted to do, at the time.

I’ve elaborated on this in my goals post but here’s a refresher.

Those who are confident in business are successful because they’re content with failure
Those who are trusting in their social lives are sure because they’re comfortable with rejection
Those who are self-sufficient in their relationships are trusting because they’re healthy enough to bear the risk of getting hurt

Be comfortable with the bad, to reap the good.

People who attack your self-esteem and confidence are well aware of your potential, even if you’re not. Once you’ve developed confidence, you will notice that you eat, sleep, and feel better.

I hope this post has inspired you to be more confident. Believe in yourself, believe that you can go for what you want and that you deserve it.

Location: Holland Park, London

Photographer: Brendan Donnelly (Insta here)

Follow:

Monica March 27, 2017 Food

How I learnt to love my Chinese heritage through food

Before we tuck in and dive into my personal experience with Chinese heritage; I have a new restaurant recommendation.

It’s a fancy-pants one. Discreetly nestled on the 5th floor of Harrods, I’ve partnered up with Chai Wu to discuss delicious and authentic Chinese food with you.

Craving lavish lunch bites or got a special celebration coming up? Love your classics with a naughty twist? Then this is the place. I’m telling you, if you took your loved ones here, you would score major brownie points.

Best-Chinese-Restaurants-London-How-I-Learnt-to-Love-My-Chinese-Hertiage-The-Wong-Blog-Monica-Food

The interior is divine and #decorgoals. Chai Wu’s design incorporates the five elements of Chinese philosophy: wood, metal, water, earth and fire. I’m going to section up this post to discuss my personal experience with Chinese heritage and how food plays a major part in this.

Earth

If you haven’t read my blog before, I’m Monica Wong. I name my creative outlet ‘The Wong Blog’ as it’s a play on the ‘wrong’ words, *wink*. I’m British, Chinese & Vietnamese. I’m very lucky to have the best of many worlds regarding culture & heritage. I love food. I always have. I believe that if you have a good relationship with food, you’ll live a happier life.

Metal

Food is a showcase of love, and this is especially prominent within Asian communities. Culturally, Chinese parents often struggle to express and communicate their emotions to their children (in comparison to the Western culture). Enjoying food with our loved ones is important, it’s how we communicate our love for one another.

Wood

Chinese food has a diverse and complex history. With recipes and secret cooking techniques fed down generation to generation, each ingredient symbolises an experience.

Fire

In Chinese culture, red is a lucky colour. At Chinese New Year, we celebrate with a special feast. Traditionally, we eat lobster for luck, dumplings (symbolising pieces of gold) for wealth, fish provides prosperity and vegetables are for health. I learnt to fall in love with my heritage by appreciating, enjoying and spending quality with my family (a traditional Chinese dinner is bowls of rice for each member with shared dishes at the table) — we made sure we never missed dinner together as a family.

Water

We always drink soup (bone broth) or Chinese green tea to wash down our food. This is to aid metabolism and to learn to appreciate your every bite.

Best-Chinese-Restaurants-London-How-I-Learnt-to-Love-My-Chinese-Hertiage-The-Wong-Blog-Monica-Food

The Food

Okay, so when you visit Chai Wu, I recommend ordering the following dishes above. Brace yourself. My guest & I went a bit overboard with the food. And I have hungry eyes.

The most popular dish is the Beijing Duck. It’s pricey, but it comes with a duck chef and a bonus dish of lettuce wrap or duck fried rice.

If you’re craving a steaming basket of dumplings, we opted for the lobster topped with beluga caviar and prawns with black truffle. Omfg, the Popcorn Shrimp with creamy, spicy dressing is the best thing you’ll ever taste. You can never go wrong with a side of salt & pepper squid.

We couldn’t be happier when the ice steam display came with the mixed sashimi platter. I’ve never seen anything like it; the other sushi restaurants need to up their game.

For mains, if you’re into a cocktail of tangy flavours, then go for the Sea Bass with three flavoured sauce. The sweet and sour chicken served with a dragon fruit is most Instagrammble’ of dishes: it’s pink, fruity and cheerful. Veg-wise, we ordered Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) with Oyster Sauce, BTW you’re not a meat-eater, they have a vegetarian menu.

I recently wrote a post on my favourite high teas in London; did you know that Chai Wu offer service this too? You can get ahead of me and book a slot on my funky widget at the bottom of this post.

Be sure to add Chai Wu on your shopping list the next time you’re at Harrods.

Location: Chai Wu, Knightsbridge, London

Red Cami | Black Skirt | Red Lipstick |

Follow:

Monica March 15, 2017 Travel

Why New Zealand Is The Most Beautiful Place On Earth

In recent years, I’ve been fortunate; I quit my job to live the dream of travelling the world.

For my last stop, I couldn’t have wandered further from home, but I have zero regrets: New Zealand is without a doubt, the most beautiful country I have ever visited.

You’ll want to spend every second outdoors. Spend Summer soaking in the white sands and crystal clear waters. Winter is for skiing down mountains, which tower over still lakes.

By the way, doesn’t this image remind you of a Microsoft desktop wallpaper?

Why-New-Zealand-Is-The-Most-Beautiful-Place-On-Earth-The-Monica-Wong Blog-Travel

Anyway, New Zealand has two parts: North and South. In this post, I’ll split them up into two.

North

My top three must-see places are: Waikato, Rotorua and Wellington. (Bay of Islands looks beautiful if you want to venture further North).

Auckland?

I didn’t feel that Auckland was the best city to visit in New Zealand (unless you go further out into the countryside). I felt it was gloomy and rundown. It’s more of a transfer stop. If you do visit, climb under, around or above the Auckland Bridge. The town centre is decent & I heard the nightlife is good too.

Maori Experience

Learn about Maori history because it’s important and fascinating. Explore the culture & traditions of the Native population. Maoris are friendly and proud people, and I was lucky to of met one person of Maori origin. The most recommended experiences are in Rotorua.

Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Excuse the pun, but this was a trip highLIGHT. Explore these caves in darkness with nothing but the illumination of glowworms as a guide. The ‘starry sky’ is a serene experience; I highly recommend a visit. You can book it here.

Polynesian Spa

I didn’t make it to any of the spas as I was too busy patting sheep and alpacas, but one of the travellers in my group highly recommended it. There are a few hot baths in the North, but the Polynesian Spa is the most popular one. What better way to relax than inside a sulphurous spring?

Hobbiton

If you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, oh little one, you must not skip this one. It’s magical. The film set is huge; I loved hovering around the miniature hobbit-sized door. Don’t miss out on the faux tree! The day I arrived, the staff were ready to quit as I took a picture of everything. Prepare your best Hobbit impression and book here.

Why-New-Zealand-Is-The-Most-Beautiful-Place-On-Earth-The-Monica-Wong Blog-Travel

South

My top three must-see places are: Queenstown, Wanaka & Nelson.

Queenstown

If you plan on visiting New Zealand, please, pretty please go to Queenstown (and surrounding areas). Everyone loves Queenstown. Everyone. It’s the most beautiful city I’ve ever visited. I can’t you how amazing it is to wake up to the view of mountains, lakes, great food and friendly people in one town.

Wanaka

My best friend took me here because it rhymes with my name. True story. If you love Queenstown, you’ll fall in love with Wanaka. Expect wilderness of glaciers, crystal clear waters, beech forests and alpine lakes. There’s loads to do: hiking, skiing, wine tasting and golfing.

Arrowtown

The well-preserved Arrowtown is a former gold-mining town which historically attracted miners from around the world in pursuit of their fortune. Charming in character; it looks like an old American cowboy town. Go, if you fancy a day out of food, shopping and attractions.

Kiwi Birdlife Park

Being a nature and conservation enthusiast, it was a tweet (ha, I mean treat) that my friend worked at a wildlife sanctuary at the time of visit; I couldn’t leave New Zealand without meeting a Kiwi bird. There are different species of native flora and fauna in this park. Don’t miss feeding time. Book it here.

Fergburger

It’s Queenstown tradition to eat a Fergburger. Now, I’ve eaten a lot of burgers in my time, and we have a great range in London. But I can see why tourists and locals go crazy for it. It’s gigantic, juicy & delicious. There’s always a queue, but it’s worth it. There’s a vegan burger too for those of you who don’t eat meat.

Helicopter flight

I didn’t opt for this one as I’m saving this experience for the Grand Canyon. Though, Queenstown is against a backdrop of The Remarkables mountain range; so there’s no reason not to enjoy the view from above over secluded alpine lakes and active green rainforest. Book here.

Jump

The following activities that I’m going to list are not for the faint-hearted. The first being a Skydive – it’s the experience of a lifetime. I’ve never been so scared in my life, but honestly, as soon as you start flying, it’s not scary at all. Take a leap of faith with a Bungy Jump; New Zealand is the home of Bungy. For the view, I would recommend the top of the Nevis. Or, if you’re a proper Daredevil, fly through the air on a thrilling Cayon Swing.

Why-New-Zealand-Is-The-Most-Beautiful-Place-On-Earth-The-Monica-Wong Blog-Travel

New Zealand is far from every other country, but it’s difficult not to fall in love with its natural beauty.

If you have a bucket list of filled with adrenaline, then tick it off in New Zealand. Skydiving, caving, bungy-jumping, skiing — it’s the adventure capital of the world.

New Zealand is worth any journey. This list above only scratches the surface of what there is to see and do in New Zealand. In a country filled with adventure and wildlife, everyone will find something to do.

Follow:

Newer Posts
1
…
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
…
20
Older Posts

The Wong Blog

The Wong Shop

FACEBOOK HAS MADE YOUR EMBARRASSING PHOTOS PUBLIC: HERE’S MY GUIDE TO A DIGITAL CLEANSE

Your Guide to a Complete Digital Cleanse

Friend Audit

Your ‘About Me’ section

Image audit

Tagging

Limit past posts

Follow:

How to grow your confidence

Being who you are inside & out – loving yourself

Risks

Learning to stop giving a f*ck about other people think

Follow:

How I learnt to love my Chinese heritage through food

Earth

Metal

Wood

Fire

Water

The Food

Follow:

Why New Zealand Is The Most Beautiful Place On Earth

North

Auckland?

Maori Experience

Waitomo Glowworm Caves

Polynesian Spa

Hobbiton

South

Queenstown

Wanaka

Arrowtown

Kiwi Birdlife Park

Fergburger

Helicopter flight

Jump

Follow:

The Wong Shop