A Taste of European Summer with Pays d'Oc IGP Wines

There is something about a glass of wine that can transport you to a sun drenched valley overlooking clear blue waters of Europe. Recently, I got to escape the Pacific West Coast to the beautiful vineyards of Southern France during a tasting with Pays d'Oc IGP Wines. 

What is Pays d'Oc IGP?

At the event, I learned that the label, Pays d'Oc IGP (Indication Géographique Protégée) is a protected geographical designation for wines that are produced within Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France. This is similar to how sparkling wine can only be called Champagne if it is produced within the Champagne region of France because "Champagne" has a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). What sets Pays d’Oc apart is the allowance of 58 different grape varieties, giving winemakers remarkable creative freedom to craft unique and expressive wines. The region offers a diverse selection of whites, rosés, and reds, ensuring there’s something to suit every palate. 

Wine Tasting

Lilo & Stitch is Pure Childhood Nostalgia

I cannot believe how many negative reviews there are about 2025's live action remake of Lilo & Stitch. The Guardian describes Lilo & Stitch as an "unnecessary remake" and a "monstrosity." The Vulture is not much kinder stating the "remake wasn't such a great idea" and Time Magazine believes "Disney Did Stitch Dirty." The critics seem upset at Disney for making a live-action adaptation of the 2002 Lilo & Stitch. According to critics, the movie is devoid of the charm and magic of the original.

I disagree with the critics! I watched Lilo & Stitch opening weekend and loved it! The movie is a joyous experience of childhood nostalgia. 

The live action remake stays pretty true to the original story. The scary monstrous creation known as Experiment 626 aka Stitch escapes the clutches of the United Galactic Federation and crash lands on earth, specifically in Hawaii. A rambunctious little 6 year old Lilo stumbles upon the blue furred creature and mistakes it for a dog resulting in her adopting Stitch. Chaos and destruction ensues as these two manage to create heaps of trouble. 

Superbolt Lab is Whisking Up Matcha in Vancouver

Vancouver has always been a caffeine obsessed city. A quick google search says there are 959 cafes in Vancouver which is a lot! I myself never developed a taste for coffee beans. I prefer to get my caffeine fix from matcha and have been an avid matcha drinker for over a decade. In fact, my blog is named after my love for green tea lattes, but I thought it would be cuter to make it "pink" hence Pink Tea Latte! It seems the rest of Vancouver has finally discovered how amazing matcha is. Superbolt Lab is one of several matcha cafes to open recently. As a self-proclaimed matcha aficionado, I thought it was my duty to try their matcha. 

Superbolt Lab is a tiny matcha specialty tea room in Kitsiliano. When I hear tea room, I imagine a space with a traditional aesthetic which is not what Supberbolt Lab is at all! Their space is a clean, minimalistic modern space with lots of silver metallics and bright pops of vibrant red and green. 

Superbolt allows their patrons to customize their iced matcha experience by offering two styles: Tokyo (less fruit & slightly more matcha) and LA (more fruit). I went with the Tokyo preparation since I wanted to maximize the matcha. I find matcha to usually have a stronger taste when they are served iced, so it is great that patrons who are not as fond of the flavour of matcha can reduce the matcha and increase the fruity sweetness. I think a high quality matcha that is prepared well tastes earthy and pleasant, but it is an acquired taste. Often matcha is described as grassy and vegetal by those new to the taste which I completely understand! 

2024 Sucked & How I Am Bouncing Back in 2025

I was looking at my blog the other day and felt an overwhelming sadness. In 2024, I published only a single blogpost. For me, blogging is a creative outlet and not to be that obnoxious person, but when I am not in the right mindset, I have zero desire to write. In fact, I completely stopped writing and reading for pleasure in 2024. It was a horrible year for me, and many others harbour the same feelings of frustration towards 2024. I strongly believe 2024 was a cursed year for the majority of us!

I am starting to feel some semblance of normal again, but it feels odd to jump back into my blog without acknowledging my absence for a year. It was a brutal time for me in multiple facets of my life: financial, health, and social. I will not be sharing any details of the struggles I went through because Pink Tea Latte is a space I use to celebrate fun and adventure. Additionally, I want to maintain a boundary between my personal life and my blog.