SAN DIEGO ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL: AWARDS GALA

600+ attendees!

Instant Noodles Crew from America's Best Dance Crew

The beautiful Kelly Hu!

Director and cast of "Surrogate Valentine", our centerpiece film.

Shelby Rabara of The Legion of Extraordinary Dancers (LXD)

Lee Ann Kim, mama of the San Diego Asian Film Festival!

Marketing Team love!

MADEWELL NECKLACE, BCBG DRESS, STEVE MADDEN SHOES

PHOTOS BY CHOWPHOTO

One of the biggest events during the 12th San Diego Asian Film Festival was the Awards Gala. Over 600 celebrities, guests, filmmakers, sponsors, partners, and friends came together to recognize the winning films in this year's festival. Also present was Nancy Kwan, the pioneer of Asian American women in Hollywood, who was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

My job that night was to run the red carpet - it was my first experience with working the red carpet, but it was so much fun! Being in that kind of environment reminded me that celebrities really are normal people, too, and they deserve to be treated as such.

My time with the San Diego Asian Film Foundation ended this past Friday, but I'm extremely grateful for all that I was able to learn and do with the entire SDAFF team. I encountered some really incredible people in the past six months, and I will not soon forget them!

SDAFF x MAHAL STYLE x DEESVIE

This year at SDAFF, we were lucky to collaborate with the awesome team at Mahal Style, who graciously offered to do some pre-festival coverage as well as some red carpet coverage on the night of our Awards Gala Dinner! They interviewed a handful of people in the local San Diego area prior to the festival to create some buzz about the events to come. When they asked me to be one of the interviewees, I was nervous - I'd never done an interview like this before, but I'm really glad that I did it!

Everyone should head over to Mahal Style to check out what they're all about - an amazing community of fashion lovers, arts + culture awareness, and all about loving the skin you're in! Follow them on Twitter: @MahalStyle and like them on Facebook: facebook.com/MahalStyle. I definitely hope to work with them again in the future.

DEL MAR BEACH

CHEAP MONDAY MILITARIA DRESS, WILFRED BLOUSE, FOREVER21 SUEDE SKIRT + NECKLACE, AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS BOOTS, MARC BY MARC JACOBS BAG

These were taken while waiting for a table at Poseidon in Del Mar with The Boy for a celebratory dinner. Still loving everything about these AE Boots... they can really do no wrong. Can you tell I love that militaria dress? Oddly enough, I've never actually worn it as a dress.

I had the craziest weekend working the San Diego Asian Film Festival - from opening night to the awards gala dinner, it was tough work but also very rewarding. Working the red carpet is a hectic time, but you get to learn that celebrities are real people, too. I also had the privilege of planning last night's screening afterparty for "Surrogate Valentine", our centerpiece film. It was a great success, and once again, so amazing to watch everything come together after all that planning.

It appears my weekend was so crazy that I didn't even get a chance to do a Foodie Friday post! I'll have to make up for that this week. I hope you all have a wonderful week!

LEOPARD FAST

WILFRED VIA ARITZIA BLOUSE + SCARF, TNA VIA ARITZIA PANTS, MADEWELL BOOTS + NECKLACE, MARC BY MARC JACOBS BAG

I apologize for my lack of posting - I've been caught up in a whirlwind of work madness. I'm currently doing Public Relations work with the San Diego Asian Film Foundation (SDAFF). I've been with them since June, and tomorrow is the first day of our baby - the 12th San Diego Asian Film Festival. Lately, we've been staying at the office until obscene hours of the night, trying to bring everyone the best possible festival experience.

For those of you who live in the San Diego or Southern California area (or visiting), I highly recommend that you check out the festival. We're showcasing over 120 films from 60 countries - there is really something for everyone. So whether you love romantic comedies, extreme Japanese films, tear-jerking documentaries, or good ol' action movies... come on out! It's running October 20-28 at the Hazard Center UltraStar Cinemas. We've got tons of really exciting events lined up as well - parties with cast members and directors, panels with i.aM.mE and Instant Noodles from America's Best Dance Crew, panels with YouTube talents, and tons more. Take a look at the full event listing and the program schedule... I promise you won't be disappointed!

Come out to support local and international cinema... and to support all the amazing people at SDAFF who have worked so hard to make this happen!