bread butter + champagne

Chanel Earrings Classic Drop A37283

2012-01-27T09:25:00.000-05:00

By surprise I received a small gift <3
The chic black and white Chanel box always makes my heart thump... Sigh.. Tres Chic!

They look so gorgeous against my dark hair, I'm in love.

How-To: Scalloped, Pink and Cute French Nail Art

2012-01-26T10:45:00.000-05:00

Something cutesy, something pink... So easy and so pretty!

Today I'm going to do a tutorial on the scalloped french nail. I saw this in a Japanese magazine a few months ago and thought it'd be perfect for summer.

The materials you need are pretty simple:

1. Three nail polish colours: A base colour, the scalloped edge colour, and the lightest colour for the dots

I'm using Hi-Maintenance as my base, Van D'Go as my scalloped edge, and Fiji for my dots (white would be better but mine ran out)

2. Two sticks used for making dots. One should be a thick point, and the other a thin one to make two different sized dots.

You could use a toothpick that you grind down a bit with your nail file, if you don't have a wooden stick available. I used my lancome eyeliner cap for the bigger dots.

3. A small piece of aluminum foil or paper to act as a palette, and lots and lots of patience!

Lets begin:

1. First we start off with clean nails with a good basecoat applied. Basecoat is really important because it ensures that the polish adheres to your nail and last a long time, but also to reduce yellowing of your nailbed.

2. We apply a coat of our base polish, Essie Hi-Maintenance. Its a translucent pink that barely shows. I like it as a base.

3. Take the scalloping colour, Essie's Van D'go and draw a slanted line on your nail. You don't have to worry about it looking perfect, it will be wiggly! The edges will be covered by dots.

4. We take the Van D'go colour, and dab a bit of nail polish onto a piece of aluminum foil. I used the back of a magazine.

We take the lancome eyeliner cap, and dip the tip into the nailpolish and place dots onto the nail.

5. Then I took the grinded-down toothpick and dipped it in white or Fiji and put small dots on top of the big ones. Wait until the dots are fully dry or else your nail art will smudge.
Paint a thicker clear topcoat over it and you're done!

Voila, tell me how yours goes!

xoxo

Collingwood, Blue Mountain Snowboard Trip

2012-01-24T14:23:00.002-05:00

Gear Details

Helmet - Smith

Goggle - POC Lobe Pink w/ Gold Lens

Jacket - Burton

Gloves - Burton

Pants - Bonfire

Boots - Burton

Board - GNU B-Street Audrey Hepburn

Bindings - Forum

I love snowboarding!

I always feel like there isn't much information about Snowboarding gear for women... Either way I'm pretty happy with the gear I've collected over the past two years or so.

After I hairline fractured my rib last year my board season was cut off really short. I looked forward to boarding so badly I bought my seasons pass months in advance for Blue Mountain.. Only to realize a few months later that Ontario wasn't going to have much snow in December!

Either way I decided to fit in a trip to Blue.

As you can see there wasn't much real snow and a lot of artificial snow

and mud but it was still a great ride!

A trip to Blue Mountain isn't complete without a Beaver Tail!

This is the original cinnamon

Nom Nom Nom Nom..

Gorgeous views from the top of the mountain

can't wait to go back!

xoxo

Ideal (?) Body Shape in Korea

2012-01-20T15:24:00.002-05:00

top model, 장윤주 (Jang Yoon Ju)

So I was doing my morning rounds through my favourite blogs, and I found something very interesting in a Fashion/Style blog in Korea.

The chart that shows 'ideal body size' which breaks down what an ideal size should be for a woman of heights between 150 to 170cm.

It is obvious these numbers are for the fashion model body shape and thus are grossly under what an average health woman should be, especially women in North America (The chart stops at 170cm=5'7").

The purpose of taking a look at this chart was only to see how the ideal "Asian Body Type" deviated from the Western standard.

Many girls in South Korea follow this table and aim for bodies like this.

Source: numerous Korean blogs/websites

However, a catwalk model's ideal measurements are:

5'9" - 6" Bust 32"-36" Waist 22"-26" Hips 33"-35"

175cm to 183cm - Bust 81-91cm Waist 55-66cm Hips 83-89cm

The height passes the graph but I believe the numbers

seem to correlate with the graph pretty well.

The first thing I noticed was the hip-to-waist ratio was not 0.7 which is considered the golden ratio. Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, Alessandra Ambrosio, Jessica Alba all possess this ratio and have an hourglass figure.

Some celebrities fit into this graph but others don't and are still considered very popular in Korea. This means that beauty is really in the eyes of the beholder! I think it is most important to be healthy and achieve an equilibrium between your health and how you want to look.

The following are stars that are known for their 'ideal' bodies:

Kim Sa Rang (김사랑)

이시영 (Lee Si Young)

한채영 (Han Chae Young)

이다해 (Lee Da Hae)

The following are starlets that have atypical bodies but are still very well accepted in Korea:

신민아 (Shin Mina)

강민경 (Kang Min Kyung)

*Disclaimer*
I feel like the chart is bringing a lot of mixed feelings from readers. The purpose of me putting up the chart was to draw attention to what Asian ideals are. Most importantly, what measurements a lot of kpop girls/Korean actresses have to adhere to in order to be deemed as 'ideal' by the mass Korean general public. In no way was I trying to imply that this is what every girl should adopt as the 'ideals'. I hope I cleared up any misconceptions :)

Guess I should be off to my kickboxing class!
I'm cutting out beer and refined carbs until my Dominican Republic trip in three weeks :)

I love... Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia

2012-01-18T13:43:00.000-05:00

Jo Malone English Pear & Freesia, CAD$70.00+tax.

I am in love.
Starts off sweet but dries down to a really feminine sophisticated scent - I don't like sweet perfumes but I really love this on my skin. It makes me smell like I just washed, men love it!
Try it out.

For your reference some other of my favourites in order:
2. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle
3. Chanel No. 5
4. Chanel Chance

Are you can tell, I don't stray much from ones I love...

I love... Walter Steiger Oscar Platform Ankle Boot

2012-01-16T11:09:00.000-05:00

Walter Steiger Oscar Platform Ankle Boot.

love the curved heel, I bet this ones going to be sweeping mainstream markets soon!

Here at Barneys for US $750

Buca - Jamie Oliver knows his stuff, this place is awesome!

2012-01-09T11:35:00.000-05:00

Our Order
Drinks

3 Glasses, White wine

1 Beer, Peroni

Appetizers

1 Stuffed Olives

1 Garlic Bread Knots

Mains

1 Tortellini with truffles

1 Pizza, Spicy sausage

Dessert

1 Tiramisu

Pre-Thoughts
My foodie friend did some research and found out that Jamie Oliver tweeted that he loved his experience at Buca on Nov 16, 2011:

my favourite meal of the year @chefbuca this Canadian is a humble genius such integrit @ Buca Restaurant Toronto http://instagr.am/p/Ug-v5/

He called on Tuesday to make a reservation for Friday and was able to grab a seating for 8:30pm. I would say definitely call early to make a reservation. So exciting!

Service: A+

We walked into a small cobblestoned alleyway on King West and found an intimate dining area that looked kind of industrial. The manager greeted us right away and offered coat check and took us to our seat. He was very friendly and welcoming. The waiter gave us plenty of time to look over the menu and ask questions. Offered us variety of water options. He offered a great suggestion to a white wine that was so delicious I was so impressed.

He also advised that we should have our olives and pizza first than garlic knots and pasta for a better pairing of flavours but my friend preferred we get the pizza and pasta together. I really liked how he mentioned this, it really seemed like he cared about our dining experience. He also always seemed to be at our table before we knew we needed something which was something I usually expect from a fine dining - stuffy 5-star restaurant.

Service was an A+, stellar.

Ambience: A
The ambience was romantic and intimate, modern and industrial. I saw a lot of exposed brick and there was a room at the back with windows showing meat curing, which was interesting and added to the whole ambience. It was like a place you would find at the Distillery District. I really liked how the ambience was so hip but the restaurant didn't lose their focus - the food - a lot of King West restaurants rather focus on the decor which is disappointing. The decor is very tasteful and au courant - Dates and clients would be impressed alike.

My only quibble would be that the tables are close together, but I don't want them any further apart as it would only make getting a reservation even harder with less tables :) Can you tell I love this place?

Yum?: A+
Stuffed Olives

I don't know why but I thought these would be really squishy and moist inside. They aren't, they are hard and crunchy. Despite they weren't what I expected I really liked all the flavours together, crunchy on the outside, salty sour olive stuffed with savoury sausage. They were really yummm. Went perfect with my glass of white wine.

Garlic Knots

These were really good, they remind me of the same knots I had in this Italian restaurant called Amore in La Quinta, CA with the best risotto I have ever had. Anyway they were a nice compliment to the meal. If you are a carb lover you will love these, they are little pretzel balls covered in olive oil and minced garlic. Chewy and carby.

Spicy Sausage Pizza

I don't remember the actual name for this dish - If only I knew there wouldn't be a menu online I would've written down its actual name. Its a spicy sausage pizza - The waiter mentioned it is their best-seller. I was pleasantly surprised - I was expecting the pizza to be sub-par to Pizzeria Libretto but it was the same in style and quality. I like the Buca version more because of two reasons - first is that Buca specializes in curing and handling variety of meats so the sausage was exceptionally tasty, and second that Buca's pizza comes with Mozzarella di Bufala standard, whereas at Libretto you have to pay a few dollars more for it.

The crust was just right - a little chewy and not too fluffy. I also enjoyed the carmelized onions, it went really well with the spicy sausage.

We were both impressed that the pizza came with a pair of crazy scissors, really it was so convenient to cut with these scissors than the usual fork/knife.

Tortellini with Truffles stuffed with mushrooms and truffles

Hands down, this is one of the best dishes i have ever had in my entire life and I am not exaggerating. The tortellini were stuffed with copious amounts of flavourful, fragrant mushroom and tasted of the pungent truffle that I absolutely adore. The truffle shavings on top just made the tortellini over-the-top. I really liked how the tortellini didn't come drenched in sauce, it was just the right amount not to mask but compliment the highlight which was the truffles.

I'm in love.

Tiramisu

I heard a lot of great things about the Tiramisu. It was really good, creamy and not too sweet. A good ending to the meal. Maybe it was just overshadowed by the omg-amazing-ican'tbelievethis Tortellini or maybe I was just really full but it was a good solid Tiramisu nonetheless.

Conclusion
Service, Ambience, Food, everything was amazing and really top-tier. I was very satisfied and would recommend this place to anyone who wanted great Italian food. I would try their charcuterie next time. The menu is a little hard to navigate through!

Added plus - Buca is right across the alley from Cheval. Coming out we felt like rockstars - There were ropes and bouncers and a huge lineup of people wanting to get in. We felt like VIPs walking out, ha!

Wildfire Steakhouse Yonge and Lawrence - An Alternative to the Keg

2012-01-05T10:15:00.000-05:00

Guests

A Business meeting, party of 3

Our Order

Drinks

50.00 1 Bottle Prosecco NV

80.00 1 Bottle Karydas Xinomavro, a dry red

12.00 1 Glass Meridian Cabernet (comp)

Appetizers

14.00 1 Calamari

14.00 1 Beef Carpaccio

15.00 1 Shrimp Martini

Mains

49.00 1 Porterhouse

57.00 1 Surf/Turf Lobster

39.00 1 Filet 8oz

Dessert

11.00 1 Cheesecake (comp)

12.00 1 Creme Brulee (comp)

Pre-Thoughts

Met some clients for a business dinner at Wildfire Steakhouse which one of my clients have visited and had an enjoyable time. A few of my friends said they were quite pleased with the place so I was happy to try it out. I usually don't enjoy restaurants around Yonge and Lawrence as I find them too focused on interiors and not focused enough on the food. One issue I had was parking - it was impossible to find any around the area during dinnertime. I parked at Loblaws and walked to Wildfire. I don't know if I should recommend this but desperate times call for desperate measures...

Service

We were seated next to the door despite making reservations and it was a very chilly and rainy winter day so I wasn't very pleased. Especially when there were many seats within the restaurant. Our waiters changed about three-four times while we were there, we kind of lost track of who our actual waiter was. On the other hand, it was quick and timely service most of the time.

We asked for the red wine to be decanted while we drank the Prosecco but a few of the waiters didn't understand and kept trying to pour the red. I guess most people drink their red from the bottle but I was with a few wine enthusiasts and they were less than pleased.

My steak came out medium-well and I wanted it medium-rare, so I had it sent back. The Manager came over and apologized and offered us dessert on the house and included a complimentary glass of wine for my client who didn't want dessert. This was impressive.

Ambience

Great to take clients out for dinner, casual and relaxed and a welcoming atmosphere. I didn't feel like I had to rush and the dark lighting encouraged good conversation. Perfect for dates and business meetings. Maybe not so much to meet the guy's parents or grandma's big birthday bash.

Yum?

I don't have any pictures to post because I was at a business meeting and in such cases I refrain from taking pictures of food.

The beef carpaccio was really good with just the right amount of rare beef around some aragula leaves and shaved parmesan cheese. I really liked how unlike Mistura they didn't douse the dish with Truffle Oil (so much controversy over this, I think I'm going to side with 'nay').

The shrimp came out plump and fresh and yes, de-veined.

The grilled calamari was juicy but they didn't take the skin off completely so there were these elastic bits around the squid which I prefer off with mine.

My first steak was overcooked so I asked for a second done medium-rare. It came out perfectly cooked and juicy. I asked for a side of mushrooms instead of mashed potatoes and those were savoury too. The steak was a bit too tough and had a bit of a "gamey" taste. Furthermore the steak was way too salty - It was kind of encrusted with salt on the outside. This might be due to personal preference though as I am very sensitive to salty foods. My client's Surf/Turf steak was overcooked as well but he didn't want to send his back, I tried a bit of his and it was very tough and hard.

The complimentary dessert on the house was very nice. The creme brulee was nice and not too sweet.

Conclusion

The interior and ambience is much better than the Keg and this is reflected on the price which is a lot higher. The Keg has much better steak though, which means that Wildfire's steak is really lacking (A proper steakhouse being compared to The Keg is never a good thing). The wine menu is extensive. Good, non-intrusive service. OK for business dinners.

I love... Isabel Marant Sneakers - Betty, Bekket, Bobby!

2011-12-28T11:45:00.001-05:00

I like Bobby most, Bekket/Willow is too puffy and the suede looks so chic.

Estee Lauder Double Wear 2W1 Sand - Installing a MAC Foundation Pump

2011-12-20T11:13:00.000-05:00

I've been dealing with oily skin pretty much all my life. I try to use oil-free products and really limit my use of moisturizer for evenings and during the day only apply to areas I feel are really dry. Foundation has always been a bit of a problem for me because after a few hours I start getting oily and my foundation slips around. I'm really sensitive to certain chemicals and most foundation primers start prickling and hurting my skin a few moments I put them on - Notably Smashbox Photofinish Primer. This is my second bottle of Double Wear and I am so pleased, except for well - The terrible bottle design. After some research I found out that you can install the MAC Foundation Pump on the Estee Lauder Double Wear bottle and it would be a perfect fit! And so here it is, the hybrid love-child that I am adoring at the moment!

I've been on the lookout for a good medium-coverage, long lasting mattifying foundation. I've always sworn by Armani Longlasting Silk UV Foundation because it is mattifying and photographs really well, but it still felt a bit too oily to last all day. Then I came across Estee Lauder's Double Wear foundation, and I must say there is a reason why this is such a cult favourite.

The formula is non-acnegenic - which means it is tested and formulated not to cause or promote acne. This is great because during my massive breakout of 2011, I was really trying to simplify, clarify and sooth my agitated skin. It is very mattifying to the point where it feels a bit dry in the mornings during wintertime but it feels fine in two hours or so when my skin brings out its natural oils. Also, the formula photographs well which is an added plus.

My colouring is 2W1 SAND, which is a yellow-toned beige. I have pretty fair, cool-toned yellow Asian skin, which I find is really hard to match. Usually warm toned foundations look orange on me, whereas cool toned foundations look pink, neutral foundations tend to look ashy... Its hard to find a true neutral yellow beige, but I found this colour to be perfect on me.

I'm a sucker for packaging, the blue/indigo logo is pretty fun!

The foundation comes in a small frosted glass bottle.

As you can see, the bottle doesn't have a pump on the top. It is a simple screw top. I found that I used a whole bottle in about 6 months. I think about 1/3 went to waste because its so hard to control how much flows out of the bottle since you literally have to pour the foundation out onto the back of your hand. I don't know why they would make it this way - In South Korea for every bottle you buy, they give you a FREE dispenser. In Canada, I asked the make-up counters and they had no idea what I was talking about...

Either way after some research I found out that the MAC foundation pump fits perfectly inside the Estee Lauder Double Wear bottle. I decided to give it a try.

This is the MAC foundation pump. It retails for CAD $7.00

The pump comes with a safety clip. Its nice to save the clip for trips abroad. Even though you can lock the pump, sometimes there is product still left on the nozzle. This clip would be a good cover for it to ensure there is no leakage during travelling.

When you stand them side to side, you can see that the pump tube is a lot longer than the Double Wear glass bottle. This means you have to cut the plastic tube with a pair of scissors to make sure it fits.

I cut about 1cm less than what it shows in the picture. I made sure I cut in an angle to ensure the tube is always open when its in the bottles. Just like how you always have to cut the stems of flowers in a bouquet in an angle before you place them in water, this ensures that the end doesn't stay flush with the bottle and stop liquid from dispensing.

Make sure you unlock the dispenser to the dispense position. Then cut at an angle towards the dispensing side. This ensures that when you're nearing the end of the product, when you tip the dispenser it will tip it to the side it is sucking in the product from. You'll see what I mean when you're done :)

Now my HG foundation is even more HG with the amazing MAC Foundation Pump. So happyyyy!!

This is me wearing Double Wear foundation in 2W1 Sand :) at the Shaw Media Party

If you tried this, or already have this on your foundation, let me know! I'd love to hear from you.

POC Lobe Pink with Gold Mirror Lens - Review

2011-12-19T10:59:00.000-05:00

I love snowboarding.

A lot of people assume that because I'm a veryy girly girl that loves to knit and do my nails, that I would hate being cold and doing any physically strenuous activity.

I do hate being cold, but I really love to get out on the slopes. Being in a city where cold weather is half the year, it is so utterly boring during these months without boarding. Its so cold people have to run for cover, and there very few places were people could go and stay warm - Home, Mall, Restaurant.

Ive been skiing since I was 7 years old but stopped after a huge accident when I was 17. Then I took up snow boarding and have been in love with it since.

Now that I'm good enough to snowboard and worry less about surviving and more about looking good, I decided to update my super vintage Carrera snowboard goggles I got when I was 10 and switch to these gorgeous looking POCs.

I first heard of POC from my ski-crazy friend named Sean. POC is a Swedish company that specializes in racing gear. Their designs usually have very clean lines and simple black and white background with accent colours like bright pink, green, vivid blue. Very Swede, so au courant!

POCs have a variety of goggle designs, mine was the 'Lobes'. Unlike the 99% of the models that are out at the moment, POC Lobes are very distinct in that:

They have the goggle lens on the outside of the frame
The lens is spherical in shape, like the eye of a bug, which helps eliminate distortion

The spherical lens reduces distortion from regular lenses and offers a larger range of view.

From Backcountry.com, I found out that:

POC Lobes Goggles was inspired by Swedish architect Sigurd Lewerentz who put his windows outside the facades

Ooooh, architectural elements applied to goggles? I'm sold!

Comes in a box that I found to be a little bit flimsy but good to show off the lens.

Thought the lens was scratched but it was actually the plastic casing, the lens was fine.

I bought the Pink with Gold Mirror lens.

It is made in Sweden.

The lens is very spherical, the little dot screws around it are so cute.

I also love the pink band, simple, minimal but makes an impact.

There are small vents on the bottom to let out steam and prevent fogging.

The mirror lens is very mirrored and from the front view others can barely see your eyes.

The gold mirrored lens is good for medium light conditions,

they have VLT (Visible Light Transmission) of 50-55%

I love the pink and orange together.

The orange foam creates a comfortable, dry seal between the goggles and the face.

Can't wait to wear these on the slopes!

For more information, visit the POC site here.

Khao San Road - Hip and Yummmyy

2011-12-12T10:17:00.000-05:00

Our Order

2 Mango Juice

2 Tom Yum Goong Soup

1 Po Pia Pak Sod Gai Yaw / Chicken Sausage Rice Rolls with Vegetables

1 Gaeng Kaew Wan Beef / Green Curry with Beef

1 Jasmine rice

1 Pad Thai Chicken (Sam Roas)

Pre-Thoughts

When I visited Thailand two years ago in December, I fell in love with the country completely. The temples in Bangkok were just glorious, they were so large and so ornate, every inch was covered in gold leaf, painted flowers and life sized statues lined the walls.

Yours Truly at Bangkok, Thailand

After Bangkok we went to Hua Hin, a beach-side city were the aristocrats used to go on their vacations. Here I had some of the most amazing Thai food.

I've been searching for a really authentic Thai place in Toronto. One such place was Thai Bistro located south of Yonge and Finch. The food here is very authentic and brings me back to Hua Hin immediately. The only problem was... Well, the interior reaallly could use an update. Its more of a take-out place than anything...

One day my friend told me about this amazing place downtown that is sweeping Toronto by a storm. Khao San Road was being mentioned in magazines and food blogs, getting really good reviews. On a Wednesday evening we decided to make the trip downtown.

Service

We parked on the street and walked towards the restaurant. It was located in the lower level of a building and we could see that there was a line that was at least 20 people long.

The person at front turned out to be the owner of the restaurant. He made sure that everyone was able to get to their tables in a timely orderly fashion. When we walked in, he put our name on a clipboard and told us he'll tell us when our table was ready. A lot of people looked like they were waiting a long time. We were asked to wait for at least 45 minutes, so we did! This is saying a lot because both of us don't really like to wait any longer than a few minutes for a table.

We were seated on the bar and the waitress was so accommodating. She kindly explained to us whatever questions we had. The service was also really efficient and quick, but not rushed.

Ambience

The decor was very hipster, the kind that is hitting Toronto by a storm. Whimsical paintings lined the walls, tables were very close together. Some high group tables were placed near the front, smaller tables at the back and a bar resto in the middle - the big chalkboard... Pretty much the exact same layout as Pizzeria Libretto.

To me, the 'hipster' decor was soo authentic Thai for me. The bistros and hip restaurants in Thailand are all like Khao San Road. They have a modern pop-art feeling to them. In Toronto we have all the formal classic style Thai restaurants, with the little statues, gold leafing and paper chandeliers hanging here and there. This restaurant is nothing like that sort, so its really nice and refreshing to see the decor reflect the modern Thai bistro cuisine.

My only quibble would be that the music was pop-thai and kind of loud. It gave me a bit of a headache and I had to leave soon after the meal was over. I understand they are trying to make the ambience festive and lively and promote lots of talking, but maybe it was all the work I had to do during the day, the volume was a bit loud. An intimate date/dinner would be a no, night out with friends is a yes.

Yum?

Mango Juice

The waitress suggested we have some mango juice to add more vitamins to our bodies since it was so cold outside. We kind of expected fresh mango juice, but it came in a can.... Mmm... Not impressive.

Po Pia Pak Sod Gai Yaw / Chicken Sausage Rice Rolls with Vegetables

I don't know why I didn't take a picture of this!

The sausage rolls were interesting. I was sort of expecting the cold rolls I usually find at viet/thai restaurants. This was a little different in that instead of the usual chicken or cold shrimp, the meat was chicken sausage. The chicken sausage was herb-spiced ground up chicken cut up into strips. Along with the herbs and vegetables it was really fragrant and the dip was a great compliment. I personally didn't like chicken sausage but this is because I just don't like chicken sausage in general. I prefer my chicken to be marinated and not ground... And the chicken ground up with herbs was kind of odd for me. So this would be a more-than biased - I probably wouldn't order it again.

Tom Yum Goong Soup

This was the featured soup that day. It had very strong lime and cilantro flavour to increase your appetite. I loved how the flavours were so fresh and had such kick. My friend didn't like this at all, if you're not a cilantro person you probably wouldn't enjoy it as much.

Gaeng Kaew Wan Beef / Green Curry with Beef

This curry was really good. It was creamy with the coconut milk, but not overly so. The paste tasted delicate and a bit spicy. The flavours weren't very strong or overpowering, it wasn't spicy just a little kick. Just pleasant. Wholesome goodness. I would assume most people would enjoy this, it wasn't anything out of the ordinary though. We both thought that it could use some more vegetables inside to mix with the rice.

Pad Thai Chicken (Sam Roas)

We asked for it spicy. It came out quite spicy actually, I was satisfied with the level of spice but my friend had a bit of trouble dealing with it. I loved this dish. It was sticky, sweet and so flavourful. The sauce was really complex. It had no ketchup in it but the sauce was tomato-paste-based, which made it authentic-tasting. The chicken was tender and the vegetables were fresh. The portion was there. I also loved how they didn't over-cook or under-cook the bean sprouts. Gave the dish a nice mouth-feel. This would be the star of the night.

Conclusion
I enjoyed myself. I would pass on the cold rolls... The soup was a nice start.

Would definitely go for pad thai again but maybe not so spicy. I would ask for more vegetables in the curry. I would go with friends but be prepared to wait a while.

Overall, a very authentic Thai bistro that I would be happy to return to!

Moncler Mengs Women's Jacket Review

2011-12-07T09:13:00.000-05:00

When I went to Sporting Life I went straight towards the Canada Goose Chilliwack. It was warm, and the red was so gloriously puffy and warm feeling. I loved it...But... There was a problem. One of my pet peeves is wearing something that everyone is wearing. I always like to be different and have my own sense of fashion, it sounds very snobbish but this is very important to me. So I decided against the Canada Goose Chilliwack. Like the TNA long parkas with the fur hood, I just couldn't be part of the millions of Canadian girls that have either.

So onto Moncler.

The Moncler Clairy is the most popular model for women's jackets. It seems like everyone goes for these like how everyone goes for the Canada Goose Chilliwack or Expedition models. When I saw it I didn't even have to try it on. It was missing a hood... and it was just a simple straight cut. I really need a hood to keep my head warm and I like the cut to be either tight or A line... The material was shiny though which was nice. It was comfortable. But other than that it wasn't much different from the Zara down puffer jacket I got on sale last winter. Pass.

The Moncler Quincy is just like the Clairy, very shiny 'garbage bag material' like a lot of my friends describe it. I loved the drawstring on the bottom that could make it into either a straight fit or a bomber fit. Here I have it as a bomber fit. It was shiny and eye catching. I also loved the ribbed cuffs and the ribbed body. No wind was getting into the jacket! It had a hood to add too!

Then I tried on the Moncler Mengs jacket. This jacket was super tight and showed all my curves. It hugged my body and really nipped in at the waist. I really loved the huge puffed up collar. It made me look so utterly... European. It was a really hard decision between the Quincy and the Mengs. The Quincy was shiny and very sporty, whereas the Mengs was matte black and very dressy and tight with a huge puffed up collar. After arduous deliberation, my mom and I decided the Mengs fit my style more. I had other puffer jackets from Zara when I wanted to be casual anyway. The Mengs could be dressed down as well, and I never *really* dress down down, just a litttle bit casual..

I got this coat last year but never really had a chance to do a post about it until now. I really love it more and more as I wear it I realize a lot of things about it. I love the way the collar is so puffed up, its so high-fashion and its a design that is hard to find. I have yet to meet someone that has the same jacket!

Some modelling pics:

Front

From the front you can see the puffed up collar. Even from far away you can see the nipped in waist.

Its a very, very slim fit.

The Side

From the side you can see how puffed up the collar is.

The collar is so different, very haute couture!

I love how the waist nips in from the side as well.

The bottom flairs out to further highlight my curves.

The Back

There are multiple curved pipings on the back and sides to contour the coat to fit the body.

From the back I feel like I kind of look like a curvy astronaut.

:) Not a bad thing!

P.S. Do you see the leaf on my jeans? They are my Pure Blue Japans!

Some Detail Shots:

The buttons are matte black and oversized.

They are so cute and practical too!

They allow me to gauge how tight I want the collar to be.

As you can see there is some serious curved piping action at the back to ensure that feminine elegant fit where the jacket nips at the waist and splays out the bottom.

The sleeves are cut very high and tight, just enough room for a medium-bulk sweater underneath.

The front zipper is oversized and sturdy.

The pocket zippers are also oversized.

The beautiful collar. I love the little details everywhere,

even the drawstring on the collar to control its puffiness.

The tag shows a clear sizing chart. The model I have is the Mengs

This tag is for your reference.

The size I bought is a size 000. The 0 was a bit too big, and 000 was tight. I would've preferred a 00 but they didn't have anymore stock. My measurements were 24.5 in waist and 34 hip (I lost some weight).

The style is so distinct that it doesn't really fit into any trend and will stay a classic for a very long time.

This is my 2nd winter wearing the jacket and it looks as good as new. The matte black material is medium-maintenance, some stains do show so its best to wash off immediately with warm water and soap.

I totally am in love with Moncler.

On my way to snowboard at Tremblant :)

With my Carrera sunglasses

xoxo can't wait for snow!

I'm ready as always.

Origin Restaurant Review - So Origin-al

2011-12-05T11:05:00.001-05:00

Our Order
Drinks
- 1 Bottle Kronenbourg Beer - $9
- 2 Glasses, "Bastianich" *A white, I don't remember the name.. it was OK* - $26

Orders (Tapa-Style)
- 4 Oysters + yuzu dressing - $14
- Fior di latte + mushrooms + truffle oil + spinach - $17
- Burger Combo: Origin Burger + spanish fries + cream soda float - $25
- Miso glazed black cod - $29

Total + tip = $155.94

Pre-Thoughts
A good friend of Marshy's is a well-travelled couple that have been all over the world, they even hunted wild hogs with a remote tribe in Africa. They recommended this restaurant and we decided to go to celebrate being happy with a recent Tiffany purchase :)

My Four Seasons Chef friend thinks this place is over-priced for what it is though. I see what he means...

Service
We went on a Wednesday evening and this place was packed. We stepped in and we were asked to sit next to the door. Did I mention the utter stupidity of design of this front door? Anyway there wasn't much space other than next to the door so we sat down and proceeded to take our multi-layers of Canadian cold defiant parkas off. Then we realized we had no space around us.

Then we realized everyone was offered coat check and we weren't. This was a BIG NO-NO for me. Thats not cool, its like offering everyone lollipops and everyone having lollipops on their table and not to us. Pfft.

It was a fight to get the servers attention. I actually started losing track of who our server was because around five different people served us food and our actual server was MIA for most of our meal.

When my oysters came they were terrible. I love oysters, I grew up on oysters. Like when I was young in the Philippines and my family would have the men dive into the sea and grab fresh oysters to us and I would have slurp them with little condiment and they would be the best things I ever had and I was 4 years old. I didn't like the oysters and neither the sauce on them so I tried to find someone who would get me some fresh lemon.

Then this waitress came and told me that 'those already have yuzu dressing on them you know' and I told her I don't like the dressing and preferred having some lemon to which replied 'well I'm just telling you okay'. Okay, well I'm telling you too and you just ruined my meal.

Ambience/Interior
Now I can continue my rant on the front door.

The front door is a big door in the middle of the restaurant that is glass-paned. And it is one. Door. Not the two-door standard to reduce the amount of gust and snow to travel into the restaurant, every time a patron leaves or steps in. Given Canada is half winter weather most of the time, it felt icy cold every time someone opened the door to leave or get in.

Also, it is really dark in the restaurant and not...Romantic. More of a cave-y girls/guys night out type place. There is a pretentious vibe in the air amongst the servers, sad because its really less than inviting. I don't mind pretentious clientèle but snobby wait-staff is unbearable.

Yum?

4 Oysters + yuzu dressing

These were terrible. The oysters were flimsy and tasted incredibly fishy and old. Not the fishy yummy taste. The opposite. The red daikon pieces were pretty but they were very salty (you know the pink salty pickle you get with your shawarma? These were those and the same). They were also covered in this yuzu dressing which I don't understand because it is very very sour in a very unappetizing way that brings out the worst in the already bad oyster.

I had one, and Marshy saw my expression and he refused to try one and asked me if I was OK.

I drained the others of all the toppings and asked for lemon, on which case I was patronized. Either way they didn't taste all that better with lemon but at least bare-able. Can't believe they were $3.50 each. Please, refrain from ordering these.

Fior di Latte + mushrooms + truffle oil + spinach

Marshy loved the way the cheese was cold and chunky and sprinkled with salt. The cheese was very mild-tasting and smooth and a bit springy. I thought the way the salt was sprinkled on the cheese was a bit too unrefined (i.e. some mouthfuls you get the salt stick to the top of your mouth giving you a shock of salt, others its infused with everything else). Overall I loved this dish although there was a deliberate, over-usage of truffle oil (I have this long standing vendetta against truffle oil...).

Miso Glazed Black Cod + Soba Noodle Salad + Ginger Vinaigrette + Miso Broth

I don't know what it is about this dish but just by looking at it .... Makes it seem so unappetizing?! I've never come across Asian cuisine where you would serve food in this way unless you'd want someone to tear apart the fish and mix it in with the soba noodles. I am cringing even thinking of this *cringe*

However, the miso cod was amazing, it had a sweet glaze on top with reduced miso that packed a lot of flavour into one bite. The cod melted in my mouth and made me want more. It was warm and perfectly cooked so that its not over cooked to make the fish flaky but rather very creamy and perfect.

The broth was apparently miso but it was more like, 1/2 part miso, 5 parts lemon water that was lukewarm. I didn't really taste ginger. The broth was very very sour. I don't really understand how you could have soba noodles in a lukewarm, very sour broth. And how that would go with sweet black cod. Either way I really hate the plating the way it looks is abominable.

Origin Burger + Spanish Fries

Spanish Fries

I read on a lot of blogs that diners thought the fries looked unappetizing because it was so dark and overcooked. Well, Marshy is a poutine/french fry lover and I just wanted to add this tidbit:

There is a certain potato that produces the darker-than-average fry. It is used as the standard in Montreal and various other areas, known as The Yukon Gold. Torontonians prefer the bleached-white look of french fries. Assuming that Quebecois know their french fries because, they're french, and fries are french, they are the birthplace of poutine, lets just say that Yukon Golds are the way to go. These are legit fries.

The chorizo sausage on the fries put these to another level. Its like ordering a fries supreme from taco bell but in the more pretentious reincarnation. The fries were spicy in a mexican way. The creamy dressing was a bit over the top but really good. It tasted like cream cheese dip mixed copious amounts of garlic. We couldn't get rid of the garlic taste after the fries. We don't recommend this for dates ;)

Origin Burger + Spanish Fries

Origin Burger

The patty was really thick. We asked for it done Medium because Marshy is squeamish and it came Medium Rare-Rare. The beef they use for this was obviously really good quality, we were both thinking steak meat was used for this. The patty was seasoned with a strong taste of curry which melded well with the quality beefy goodness. The greens on top were nice to alleviate the heaviness from the patty. I liked having just half though. I think the curry will throw some people off the burger.

Ice Cream Float

We were about to leave when the waitress asked us if we wanted our ice cream float, so I said yes! We were actually ready to dash into our favourite yoghurt place to get rid of that garlic taste from the spanish fries, so this was a great surprise. I love cream soda and ice cream but we didn't finish it. I like how they tried to add whimsy to the menu.

Weird, because the place seems completely opposite of whimsy - pretentious a bit over-priced and unexpected, interesting, 'origin-al' food.

Final Thoughts
Service was bad, our server was unavailable, wasn't offered coat check, was patronized for wanting lemon.

Had freezing cold drifts every time someone opened the door.

Pretentious ambience amongst wait-staff.

Food ranges from omg amazing and omg what?! all in one plate.

I'd probably go again to have the Fior di Latter and Miso Cod but I think its over-priced and over-hyped for what it is.

Origin Restaurant

Pizzeria Libretto - Review, Authentic Italian Pizza, For Real!

2011-12-05T10:15:00.001-05:00

Our Order
Drinks
- Flat water
- Half-Litre, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo 2010 DOC, Kasaura, Abruzzo - $28
Appetizer
- Buffalo Ricotta, Fresh Oregano, Bomba Calabrese, Crostini - $7
Main
- House-Made Sausage, Caramelized Onion, Mozzerella, Chili Oil - $16
+ substitute to buffalo mozzerella - $3

Total + tip = $70.02

Pre-Thoughts
A friend of mine that is a chef at the Four Seasons and is going to be a chef soon at a new resto opening at Ossington told me about this awesome pizzeria called Pizzeria Libretto. He said they made amazing pizza and recommended it - This man knows what hes talking about 100% of the time so I decided to make a visit.

I've been to Italy and had some of the best pizzas, pastas and risottos during my week-long stay travelling around Venizia, Firenze, Roma and Napoli. I have a very picky taste in Italian food, pizza should either be the American deep-dish greasy awesomeness or the painfully simple, super thin Italian kind. In-betweens aren't allowed!

Service
Sundays are pretty awesome days to try out a very busy restaurant because usually late on a Sunday the line-ups are a bit less ridiculous compared to say, a Friday or Saturday evening. Our calculations were correct and we were ushered in within moments of arriving a bit wet, cold, and hungry at the front door into a very warm and inviting atmosphere.

I wasn't sure what wine to order so the waitress offered me to sample two which was a nice touch.

She also kindly explained to us the difference between Buffalo and regular Mozzarella, which was nice.

Ambience
I would have to say trendy and typical of Little Italy. The bar table extends to a long bench table and some group tables at the back. The space is crowded and together. Whimsical flourishes here and there, the omnipresent over-sized chalkboard at the bar. We sat in between two couples with inches to spare from our busy elbows. Conversations flew here and there but its okay. I wish it was less hipster.. The food is Certified Authentic Italian by the Italians (really!), why does it feel like I need a lomo camera and thick glass frames? I'd rather it feel like an Italian Aunt's family kitchen or something...

The fact you can see the big wood burning oven at the back is pretty cool though.

Yum?
The wine was pretty amazing. We finished it before we got our pizza!

Buffalo Ricotta Appetizer

Marshy didn't like it. He said it was just so-so. I think it might be because we were both expecting the kind of 'finesse' that we got from the Fior di Latte cheese on bread at Origin with sauteed mushrooms... Compared to those these were well... Simple.

I liked it as it went with the overall theme of the restaurant - Simple. Goodness.
It was pretty much what you'd conjure up in your head if you mix fresh ricotta with fresh oregano. The chilli-oil infused glob on the top added a nice kick to the overall dish. I wouldn't call it bland, I wouldn't call it amazing. Just good. I wouldn't order it again. The calamari looked 100000000% awesome. Next time.

House-Made Sausage Pizza

We were feverishly debating between the Duck Confit pizza and the sausage pizza. Marshy is super picky with his food and anything considered 'abnormal' is a no-go for him. In a last minute switch I decided we switch from Duck Confit to Home-Made Sausage. The Duck Confit was being served with pear and in my head duck confit (sweet) + pear (sweet) sounded amazing but probably not so much for Marshy.

The crust was indeed charred to perfection. Just looking at the pizza made me realize how similar it was to the numerous ones I had in Italy. Also how it was so strikingly simple. The cheese was amazing and appropriately messy showing off its freshness. The sausage was surprisingly mild-tasting (somehow I was expecting the pungent taste of something like chorizo). It was actually one of the mildest sausages I've tasted, there really wasn't enough on the pizza. The bread was chewy and thin, perfect! The onions were sweet and soft and the basil added a nice punch to the pizza. It was devoured in mere moments after it was served.

Final Thoughts
We both loved the pizza and decided that this place was indeed the one of the best for Italian style pizza.
I really love how the price point isn't over the top and quite appropriate for the fare. I can't wait to go back.

Pizzeria Libretto

My Noe keeps untying.. How to Tie your Louis Vuitton Noe!

2011-11-14T09:36:00.001-05:00

If you own a Noe, you will know.. That drawstring is one of the most annoying things about a purse that is perfect in every other way.

Some people tie and un-tie every time they need to get something out of their bag.

Others, just leave the mouth open a bit just enough so that your hand can reach in and grab whatever it is and still stay closed.

If you're in the latter category as I am, then you must've been looking for a way to make a pretty bow that keeps TIED.

The slippery, very not-bendy vachetta string that the Noe comes with refuses to be tied into a pretty bow. Rather its always this awkward bow that juts out in odd places and just looks so wrong. A refined bag needs a refined bow. To make matters worst it also unties itself in a few hours.

Exhibit A: Ugly Bow

Noe tied with the average bow we are all familiar with

As you can see, the bow is lopsided with one ear looking to the front the other ear looking..to the ceiling. The legs are outstretched West - East in the most ungraceful manner. The middle of the bow is twisted and unsightly. *sigh*

So I went to Mr. Google and searched for pretty knots and got some gorgeous knots to try on my Noe... Only to realize that they required too much leather string and the string had to be bendy and not slippery and stiff like the vachetta string.

Then I arrived at Ian's Shoelace site. EUREKA! I cried. This is it! This is amazing. After numerous hours of failed Purseforum advice searching and googling, this handy site for shoelaces became a godsend for my Noe.

There are a few really fun knots I tried such as:

The Surgeon's Knot

The Two Loop Knot

The diagrams were step-by-step drawings, which made it so much easier to follow than by pictures. They were all a breeze to try with easy to understand steps along the way.

From the diagrams they looked pretty similar, but trying them on the Noe each knot looked drastically different.

For my Noe, I chose the "better bow knot"

Better Bow Knot

I liked how this knot had two strands crossing the bow in the middle which gave the bow a nice balanced element and added security. The ears were perfectly symmetrical. It was perfect for the Noe where the bow looking pretty is a big element to the overall look of the purse.

So here it is, my Noe tied with Ian's Shoelace Better Bow Knot:

Ian's Better Bow Knot on my Black Multicolor Petit Noe

One other thing that would make this even more amazing would be if the left leg of the bow showed the right side up rather than the back side. It bothered me a lot in the beginning but its not as noticeable to others as it is to me.

The bow is indestructible, and has stayed exactly the same way since I tied it after multiple days of use.

If you have a misbehavin' Noe, or you wear a lot of shoes with laces, or you have kids then the site is worth a look.

For your reference, a comparison.

Link

Hunter Regent Carlyle Boots Review: 3 Outfits

2011-11-14T00:21:00.001-05:00

Its been very rainy here in my city. Usually around this time it would be snowy and very wet. Global warming is worrying me a lot now. I guess I put my boots to good use the past few months! I've been wearing them almost every other day.

I decided to take a few pictures of some of the outfits I wore with my Hunter boots. These boots pose a complicated situation because on one hand they are rainboots... but on the other hand they are made on an equestrian boot last making them a rubber version of a leather riding boot.

So, how do you wear them? Like a rainboot or like a riding boot?

In my humble opinion, I think they look best in outfits you would normally pair a leather flat boot with. They look best dressed up, but then again I'm a bit allergic to anything too casual.

I actually feel uncomfortable looking too comfortable. Weird.

Leggings + Hunter

Joe Fresh cream riding leggings, Hunter Regent Carlyle boots,

Hermes Collier de Chien, Cream Merino Tunic

A recent addition to the staple in every woman's wardrobe, leggings are a must in wintertime. They are warmer than pants or tights and they come in such a variety of colours and styles. I particularly like this outfit because it complements well with the milk chocolate band and the gold buttons. I also love wearing cream/white in wintertime. Not as slimming as black but very refreshing. I could see myself wearing this at Whistler this wintertime during my downtime after hitting the slopes. Perfect for lounging next to the fire roasting marshmallows and sipping cider.

Skirt + Hunter

Armani Exchange sweater, Bedo Skirt, Hunter Regent Carlyle Boots

I like how these Hunter Regents look with a skirt. The long calf length of the Hunter Regent elongates legs. If you look at the boots closely, the lip of the boots are shaped like Hermes jumping boots - The boots are actually shorter on the inside of the calf compared to the outside to accommodate the knees.

This is great because from the side it makes the calf look much longer than it actually is giving an illusion of height - very important for tiny girls like me!

The flat heel also makes a mini mini skirt look not too tarty, which is more important than one would think. In Asia, every girl wears short mini/micro mini skirts around everywhere and its considered cute and classy (even to work!) but even the hint of cleavage is considered a huge faux pas. On the other hand in North America, its the opposite where a bit of cleavage is tasteful and a good distraction to men, whereas a long stretch of legs and heels would be considered trashy.

Either way I love wearing miniskirts in the wintertime with tights and usually heels. I noticed the boots kept me very very very warm as they didn't let even a bit of wind through.

Its actually important to wear a sock under the boot to soak up some sweat (sorry) because the insulation inside isn't absorbant.

The shininess of the rubber lessens the 'casual' feel and allows them to complement a dressy outfit.

Jeans + Hunter

Gstar Raw 3301 Skinny Jeans, Hunter Regent Caryle Boots,

Club Monaco shirt, Hermes Collier de Chien, Cartier Tank Watch

The classic.

These hunter regent boots look great with jeans as shown in my previous post. I like these boots with this wash because its lighter and they bring out the boots more than my dark seven jeans which just kind of blend in with the boots.

This would be an everyday outfit to go to school. Since I work at a conservative workplace the boots are a no-go. Dates with BFs are a definite YES. My male friends loved the look too (not that it should matter ;) )

Its important to note that because of the thin calf of the boots its best to wear these with skinny jeans and not bootcut or flares. The extra material may not fit into the calf area very well and you maybe left with unsightly bunching.

I just want to add that these are my first pair of Gstar Raw jeans and I LOVE THEM. The washing on the knees and butt just highlight everything I'd want to highlight and they disguise the extra jiggle on my thighs. They are great I would definitely get more!

Conclusion
I hope this helps with your decision, if you're ever worried about how to pair up these bad boys to your current wardrobe. Feel free to leave a msg if you have any questions about them.

Louis Vuitton Petit Noe Black Multicolore

2011-11-09T14:17:00.000-05:00

Finally I'm getting to show you my new LV purchase - I guess its been almost four months so 'new' might be an under..or over-statement but nonetheless better late than never!

The Noe was a bag designed to carry champagne bottles long time ago. To me, it looks like the purses the Korean aristocrats used to carry around in the old days:

Nowadays during Korean festivals and New Years, children would pay respects to their relatives and in turn, they would give these little pockets filled with money as a token of good luck.

I've been looking for an everyday bag thats not too flashy but not too boring either. Something that would fit all my every day essentials and not be too heavy but still have some sort of structure (As you can tell, I wanted a bag very very different from my Mulberry Alexa - I can't stand using her anymore)

For the most part of 2010 and early 2011 I was very against super bling/logo purses as they were very tacky to me. Then of course that restraint got old very quickly and by the time I needed an 'every day bag' to replace my Alexa, I went to LV and tried on every shoulder bag fathomable... The Palermo, Speedy with strap, Artsy, Mahina, Stellar... None of them were nearly as comfortable as the Noe.

Being cool-toned and living in dreary Toronto, I chose the Black. If you're warm-toned and living in Cali, I'd say definitely go for white.

Lots of gold hardware on this bag give it sparkle

The gold tones compliments the colourful canvas

The shoulder strap is really thick and flat.

The Noe 'looks' so uncomfortable, but it is the most comfortable bag

I have when it sits on my shoulder

The black dot on the shoulder strap? Thats Maru's bite mark. ARg!

The small logo on the holes

The biggest problem that scares away a lot of people from the Noe is the bottom

I'm pretty clumsy and as you can see, its quite fine

This is with 4 months of continuous wear. As you can see, the bottom has developed a slight patina.

As long as you don't get it wet, and always set your bag down on your lap, a clean table, or hang it on a purse hook, you will be fine. Its actually the least of your worries... The hardest part to take care of was the luggage tag in front!

This is me wearing the bag. I'm 5'0 and contrary to popular belief the square base doesn't overpower my small frame at all. As you can see from the picture I keep it a little open so that I can reach for things without opening the drawstring.

The Galliera PM became mine too.. But it was such a painful decision between the Noe and the special edition Shiny Black Epi Alma with shoulder strap. My next purchase will be that or a Chanel 2.55 medium classic red caviar with silver hardware...

Either way, best purchase of 2011.

Happy Halloween! + cosplayfu.com Review

2011-11-01T14:01:00.000-04:00

Halloween is one of my favouite times of the year aside from Christmas - It is a day dedicated to dressing up in silly costumes and indulging in copious amounts of candy!

This year I planned ahead and got my costume from cosplayfu.com. They custom make costumes based on your measurements. Since I have a really small chest, I found it hard to find anything that fit me well at the average costume store.

The website is highly recommended. The costume I received was top quality - The fabric, the sewing, even the accessories that accompanied my maid uniform were top notch to the point where I think this could actually be a uniform. The measurements were accurate to the cm - I have a size 25 waist and 35 hip so I went with a size M and it fit me perfectly.

The costume I'm wearing here is Maid Costume (104) US $71.62 in M. Link here. If you click on the video sign you can see a video of the costume which helped a lot in making my decision.

J and I before the party!

We went to a house party and was totally expecting a low key hang-out. Our gracious hosts went all out with blood splattered tiles, smoke machines, hanging spiders and cobwebs and halloween confetti.

That casket is homemade. Crazy! I look like I'm slacking off at work ;)

This was a scary grim reaper standing the corner with strobe lights inside his head

The elegant and scary dining table with bleeding candles (ah!)

Someone put Mr. White Rabbit in the pot!

The thing that the guys scared everyone with alll night!

I had such a fun time! Probably the best Halloween I've ever spent since grade 9 when I went trick or treating with my brother and gathered three pillowcases full of candy. :P The good ol' days...

Happy Halloween!

Nail Art: Zebra and Sparkles for a Night Out in Town

2011-10-19T10:11:00.000-04:00

Last weekend was a friend's birthday downtown. I wanted to do something sexy and vibrant to match my outfit. The zebra pattern is hand-drawn with a thin acrylic brush. Its not as hard as it looks, little mistakes add to the look so try it out!

I used a red pink shimmer "Its All Greek To Me" and a recent OPI collection sparkle called "I Lily Love You"

The sparkle confetti in I Lily Love You is so pretty. I looove how it complements pretty much any pink/red/purple toned polish

Bottega Veneta Intrecciato Napa Bracelet (Double Strand), Tourmaline

2011-10-17T10:32:00.000-04:00

The aesthetic of Bottega Veneta is understated luxury. With this brand, it would be hard to find logos splashed all over its bags and clothes. Its really about quality workmanship, and its signature hand-woven leather accessories is what makes the brand unique.

The beautiful handmade leather craftsmanship

The box packaging from the 5th avenue location, so pretty!

The bracelet comes in a protective cloth

The gorgeous tourmaline colour, and the shiny tag

I was first introduced to the Intrecciato bracelet by my friend who had a Nero version. I loved it on her and wanted one for my self! I love her style, its so edgy and HK cool! We look at each other for inspiration, since my fashion leans more towards preppy upper-east side, we like to think that we're both a little bit of either side.

I decided to choose the Tourmaline colour - It is a dark dark almost black cool toned purple. I loved this colour because it had a little bit of edge to it, and was more interesting than pure black. Different colours have totally different vibes, brown would compliment vintage and casual outfits, red and pink more cuter girly ones etc.

I love the bracelet layered with my Tiffany bead bracelet and my Hermes Clic-Clac. The mixture of different textures, bead -enamel- leather, adds an interesting element to outfits.

A colourful combintation for summer outfits
Cartier watch, Bottega Veneta tourmaline intrecciato napa bracelet, Hermes clic-clac, friendship bracelets

I have dainty wrists so I went with a S, surprisingly the double strand looked better on me than single but minimalists would prefer the single. The leather is supple Italian napa, yet is surprisingly sturdy and looks the same now as it did a year ago with normal wear and tear. The tag shows scratches but I like to think that adds 'character'.

On sale on the website here for $210. Can't find the Tourmaline anymore though, must be sold out...

Momofuku Noodle Bar / 163 1st Ave. - Pork. Buns.

2011-10-14T10:01:00.000-04:00

Pork Buns with scallions, cucumber, hoisin sauce. Heaven.

After a full day of intense Soho shopping, and running around looking for a friend's Ugg Dakotas in Black size 7, we were absolutely famished. We called up our friend who works in NYC as a chef, and together we went to Ippudo (65 4th Ave) on 4th and E 10th. They told us to wait two hours, TWO HOURS! Apparently the ramen and fish egg rice are amazing. We decided to head over to momofuku noodle bar instead.

There was still a line but we really only had to wait 15 minutes. We were seated at the bar surrounding the open concept kitchen, right next to the washrooms and the entrance to the back kitchen. Usually I would object as my personal petpeeve is being right next to washrooms while eating (ugh...toilet fumes....!). Shopping really wore me out though and I was just thankful to be not standing.

The open concept kitchen was nice and the place was so busy you could see that the chefs were really busy and working hard to fill orders.

The kitchen was very tidy. Apparently our chef friend told us that open concept kitchens made inferior food because the chefs are too focused on keeping the kitchen tidy.

This lady was in charge of other mains other than ramen. I felt for her - Working in a male-dominated society must be difficult. She was totally on the ball. Hurrah!

Striped Bass: Raw bass with pear, hazlenut and mint in a sweet sauce
I really didn't like this dish. Something about raw fish + sweet sauce was just an odd balance.

Momofuku Ramen: Pork belly, shoulder, poached egg

I took one sip and it was....So. Salty. My friend's Miso Ramen was even more saltier than mine. We asked the waiter to bring us two hot waters for our ramen. He seemed really puzzled and spoke to the general manager about it. We looked around to see everyone else eat their ramen with no object, I was confused.

After adding a whole bowl of hot water, my ramen was still salty but passable, my friend's miso was STILL soo salty. We barely finished them.

This was odd to me because this ramen was far different from the ones I've had during my travels to Japan, such as in Osaka, Fukuoka and Hokkaido. Specifically in Hokkaido, where they are known for their miso and shio (salt) ramen. I've tried them all and the ramen at Momofuku is just far too salty. I noticed in the kitchen that they kept the broth for the ramen boiling with the lids left open. I'm guessing due to the sheer volume of ramen the chef has to prepare, he could never keep the lids closed. This would cause evaporation of the water content within the broth causing it to be over-concentrated.

Other than the broth being too salty, the pork was similar to the pork in the buns. It was an overload on the same pork. The noodles were chewy and flavourful though.

Pork Buns with scallions, cucumber, hoisin sauce

I saved the best for last. These - Might be the best thing I have ever tasted in my life! The pork was the heart of this dish. It sort of tasted like Peking Duck but with pork belly instead. The pork was juicy and so tender that when I bit into the bun the pork just melted in my mouth with a complex web of flavour and fat. The cucumbers added a nice crunch and texture, and the acidity meshed well with the heavy fat of the pork. It was truly decadent and amazing, a must-try!

The buns saved the meal.

171 1st Ave
New York, NY 10003, United States
(212) 777-7773

Hunter Boots: Hunter Regent Carlyle Boot in Milk Chocolate

2011-09-22T10:20:00.000-04:00

Modelling my hunter boots.

I have posted more outfits with the boots HERE. Come check it out :D

Hunter Regent Carlyle Boots, Seven skinnies, Club Monaco Cardigan, Van Cleef Arpels Earrings

I've been wanting boots for so long... Ever since I ripped my pair of Louboutin Bianca boots while walking around Seoul. It was record-breaking cold that day, and I guess I wore them far too often (they were cute & so sexy!) and I was happily skipping around high on sake when I heard them rip. Needless to say.. They are greatly missed.

To me, Hunter boots represent the uppercrust of English society that owns a ranch and requires them to wear rain boots. They were relatively unknown to me until I saw pictures of Kate Moss wearing them to festivals circa 2005 when she wore them first to the Glastonbury Festival:

THE REGENT BOOT

I went to David's to try different Hunter boots on. After a few trial and errors, I found the Regent styles to be much more forgiving on my short frame. The regents are cut very narrow on the calf and give the rain boot a more riding boot silhouette.

A lot of people add in a fleece Hunter Sock inside the boot and fold the flap over. I just wanted to add this and say that the Regent styles look TERRIBLE with the Hunter sock. Their streamlined silhouettes talk for themselves. Please don't do this!

I really fell in love with the Regent boot in Carlyle. The Milk Chocolate colour makes them look like classy riding boots. The H signature on the side makes them look so classy and the minimal gold H buttons on the side and back scream classssss!

Knowing that they only had one left in the entire store (Browns said they had one boot left in my size in all of Canada...) it was obvious that they were very popular and that I must get them that moment...

So here they are!

The Hunter Box!

Model: Regent Carlyle Milk Chocolate W24144, Size UK4. $250.00 CAD before tax

Carefully wrapped inside their box, The boots also come with a Hunter cloth bag

Glistening and so pretty <3 the milk chocolate colour makes them look like a riding boot but in shiny rubber

The "H" insignia and gold H buttons are very classy

The seaming at the back elongates legs

Maru loves being in pictures :P

A place to write name and telephone#

The inside lining is actually a revised one than the originals to keep heat in and absorb moisture

Due to the long calf length of the Carlyle, I needed the help of these handy elevator insoles from Japan. They left my legs up so that the top doesn't hit my knee! I'm 5'0 so if you are around my height, you will need these or else the boots will dig in to the back of your knees when you sit.

Plop it inside...

Voila! My boots in action, with my Noe

With Flash

I can already tell that I'll be wearing these very often throughout winter and rainy summers even! For once, I'm begging for rain....

For your reference, Hunter boots in different styles, colours...celebrity photo time!

The rainboot trend really hit Korea last year with the help of a few fashionable celebrities:

L'Oreal Pro Manicure Nailpolish is Awesome for French Manicures

2011-09-14T11:29:00.000-04:00

I have a love/hate relationship with the classic French manicure with the white tip. On one hand, it is just so utterly.. Snobby. In the Stepford Wive kind of way. Stylish, upper-class and the in-your-face opulence. My personal style was always more of the Parisian style of understated glamour... Barely there makeup, tousled hair, red lips, a button down shirt half- tucked into a pair of skinnys or an oversized Alexander Wang T-shirt so slinky its falling off a shoulder......

Natalie Portman showing off the classic Stepford look: French tips, well groomed hair, the four strand diamond bracelet, non-smoky elegant eye makeup, a bit of cleavage

Alexa Chung showing off the Chic look: Toussled hair, red lips, limited jewellery/embellishments, blouse buttoned up to counter the short leather skirt... and rumpled *just right*

Then I met a very opinionated person named Mr. D. He told me that yes, edginess is great. Being different is great and being chic and looking like you walked out of vogue magazine is awesome! But, the bottom line is, there is a distinct difference with the kinds of fashion men like and the fashion that women like. And a lot of men just don't like a lot of the edgy stuff us women are in love with. I even read an article on Vogue magazine about how during the time when volume and harem pants were very "in", a husband commented in all honesty that he would just prefer to see her in a tight black/red dress.

French nails were totally in the category of 'fashion only men like'. But now they're growing on me...

I walked into Shoppers looking for OPIs Alpine Snow. My bottle was running low... I was willing to go for Essie's though. I have never tried any drugstore brand polishes so I was completely caught by surprise when I saw The L'oreal Pro Manicure Nailpolish.

This bottle is so perfect to make french tips! I feel like I've been living under a rock this whole time trying to use OPI or Essie's regular brush to make thin lines. As you can see from the picture below, the brush comes tapered to a very fine point. This makes it so easy to free-hand draw French tips on fingernails. Its a godsend! I would recommend anyone who frequents French tips.

I love it, and I'm so happy I found this. I'm also happy that I embraced French nails and the whole "dressing for men". I guess sometimes, its not that bad!

Hispanic Fiesta 2011 @ Mel Lastman Square, Friday Sept 2 - Monday Sept 5

2011-09-09T09:28:00.000-04:00

Monday was the last day of the Hispanic Fiesta (link here) held at Mel Lastman Square in Toronto. This is my favourite cultural event in Toronto and I make it a point to attend it every year. Lively Latin music fills the air from the amphitheatre where hundreds are gathered to watch. There's shopping for little trinkets and most importantly, amazing food.

I've always enjoyed my stays to Mexico and eating here brings back memories of my wonderful trips!

The amphitheatre with live music and dancing

The food area with vendors offering fresh bbq, tacos, empanadas and pupusas

Mill St. Stout and Organic

Three tacos, two with hot sauce and plenty of cilantro
The chorizo sausage was so flavourful

Pullred Rice on Rice and Potato

Surprisingly the line for Pupusas were the longest. I love that word, PUPUSA!!!!

We saw people with these pancakes everywhere and wondered what they tasted like. We looked on google and found that PUPUSAS are just that, a thick corn tortilla filled with cheese and sometimes ground pork or veggies. It was served with a side of coleslaw, called CURTIDO.

Personally I didn't like them as I was expecting them to be potato-y, buttery goodness. They turned out to be rather bland... Maybe I just had the wrong one! I really want to try a version with meat or veggies inside since I'm guessing we got plain ones and they were really plain.

To top off everything we had CHURROS. I L-o-v-e CHURROS. They are a hard deep fried stick of dough. You could get it with powdered sugar, powdered cinnamon, or filled with chocolate or dulce de leche. I thought the dulce de leche would be too sweet but it actually ended up being the most amazing. I could have five! I wish I had more, where would I find them? Booo....

I can't wait to attend next year's festival. I'm definitely going on a Friday or Saturday to take advantage of the late night food rather than scurry home to sleep and get up for work the next day!

Nail Art: Pink Gradient

2011-09-08T10:37:00.000-04:00

Today I wore a pink gradient with Zoya Whitney. I like this look because it looks very girly and creates an illusion that my fingers are longer. Gradients are one of the best ways to wear such bold, strong colours that otherwise you wouldn't be able to wear to the office.

The gradient is so simple and easy to do but it makes such an impact!

Michael Kors Midsized Acrylic Watch with Glitz

2011-08-30T11:23:00.000-04:00

I received my Michael Kors Midsized Acrylic Watch with Glitz on my birthday, while having their famous coconut creme pie at Scaramouche!

I love the way it looks so oversized on my wrists. I got the watch resized at the Michael Kors store and took four links off. If its too loose it will spin around too much, but I found when its too tight its hard to bend my left wrist because of the large face.

I loveee it!

Nail Art: Baroque Nails, Essie Wicked + Skinfood Sticker Gold

2011-08-23T11:39:00.000-04:00

There was a crazy rainstorm on Sunday in Toronto, and ever since then the weather has gotten a lot cooler. I feel like fall is around the corner. To celebrate the end of summer (I've had too much humidity and +30C weather for my liking) I did a baroque-style nail.

The base is one coat of Essie wicked. With one coat you can see streaks and brush strokes but I like it that way. Like an old lacquered Korean jewellery box. The gold filligree adds a glam touch to it and lots of high-shine topcoat completes the look.

SF Museum-Korean Lacquered Box

박정식 - 천년바위

2011-08-22T10:55:00.000-04:00

박정식 - 천년바위

동녘 저편에 먼동이 트면 철새처럼 떠나리라

세상 어딘가 마음 줄곳을 짚시되어 찾으리라

생은 무엇인가요 삶은 무엇인가요

부질없는 욕심으로 살아야만 하나

서산 저넘어 해가 기울면 접으리라 날개를

내가 숨쉬고 내가 있는 곳 기쁨으로 밝히리라

생은 무엇인가요 삶은 무엇인가요

부질없는 욕심으로 살아야만 하나

이제는 아무것도 그리워 말자 생각을 하지 말자

세월이 오가는 길목에 서서 천년바위 되리라

Thousand Year Rock

when dawn breaks in the east, I shall leave like the birds

like a gypsy I shall search the world for a place to send my heart

what is life, what is living

must i live for futile greed

when the sun sets over the western mountain, i shall fold my wings

with joy i shall meet, the place i exist and breathe

what is life, what is living

must i live for futile greed

onwards there will be no thought, no longing

standing on the path life passes, I will be a thousand year rock

Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen) at Tokyo Grill, Toronto

2011-08-18T10:17:00.000-04:00

Our Order
- Fried Tofu appetizer
- Hiyashi Chuka Cold Ramen
- Katsu Donburi

Pre-Thoughts
Recently I was given a chance to read a Japanese manga related to food compliments of The Food Network. The manga series is titled 'Oishinobo' written by Tetsu Kariya and illustrated by Akira Hanasaki. This particular book focuses on the topic of ramen and gyoza (Japanese word for dumplings) and stresses the importance of using pure, locally-grown, organic meat and produce.

In the book, there is a section dedicated to Hiyashi Chuka. Hiyashi Chuka is a cold ramen with a sweet soy-sauce based sauce. Vegetables, ham and picked radishes are finely chopped and carefully placed on top of chewy, perfectly al dente, cold noodles. The sauce is poured on top and it is usually served with a dollop of mustard.

Since it is to be served cold, throughout reading about Hiyashi Chuka, I was craving it more and more in the +37C weather of Toronto.

I remembered back a few years when I had the perfect Hiyashi Chuka at Tokyo Grill (582 Yonge St, 416-968-7054) and decided to go back for my fix!

Service
Hospitable Japanese service. Always impeccable and personal. So friendly :)

Ambience/Interior
Tokyo Grill isn't easy to find, the sign is really small and the place is quite narrow too. The decor is outdated and there are christmas lights hanging on the walls in August. But once thing this place has is authentic Japanese food, owned and operated by Japanese. The food is more home-style comfort food, nothing fancy and definitely not a place to impress someone.

Yums?

Tofu Appetizer

The tofu appetizer was great. The tofu was deep fried and piping hot, sprinkled with diced shallots and some bonito flakes and a soysauce based sauce poured on the bottom. I liked how they didn't pour it on top to keep the tofu outside crunch and not soggy. The tofu tasted fresh and it was nice for it to be so warm.

Hiyashi Chuka (Summer Only)

When your Hiyashi Chuka arrives it will look like this. All you do is mix it up with your chopstick so that the sauce, the noodles and the vegetables mix into a homogeneous yummy mixture. I then add a bit of mustard into a portion of my noodle that I wish to kick up a notch and enjoy :D

The noodles were perfectly chewy and cold. The vegetables were fresh and finely diced. I was so content! I could feel my body temperature cooled down and by the time I found myself outside once again under the sun I felt a lot more comfortable in the blazing humid heat.

Katsu Donburi

Marshy said this was pretty good. The katsu meat was tender and well seasoned. He particularly enjoyed the plentiful vegetables on top. He said he wished he had a little bit more sauce or something to cover the rice near the bottom though.

Conclusion
A nice place to pop in if you're in the area, short on time and feel like having non-fussy wholesome food. Or if you feel like having Hiyashi Chuka in the summer as not a lot of places have this dish. Not good if you're trying to impress or if someone in your group wants 'mainstream Japanese food' like sushi and sashimi. Also not good if you're really really hungry or have a big appetite.

================================

On a different note, I came home to find Maru holding up his eye. I think he must've poked it with something. He looks pretty sad. But also kind of cute he seems to be winking. Awww. I hope he gets better soon or its time for another trip to the vet!

New Iphone 4 Skin: A Bathing Ape (BAPE) X Gizmodies Collab

2011-08-11T14:24:00.000-04:00

A Bathing Ape x Gizmobies Collab iphone skin

I got a sticker skin this time because I was tired of the bulky plastic cases.
Sending out loves to my friend in Japan for finding these for my bday!

The plastic feels jelly like and has grip, so no more dropping phones (hopefully).

I love the vibrant colours!

Get it here.

Moisturizing my Mulberry Alexa

2011-08-09T10:13:00.000-04:00

I bought my Mulberry Alexa about a year ago and its been with me through extreme -35C to +35C weathers and rainy days even! The leather is beautiful buffalo leather, and it is so sumptuous. The grainy surface makes me want to keep caressing her. I took her shopping a few days ago, and a bunch of sales people at Locale (similar to Aldo) came up to me and said "Oh you got our purse! It also comes in Red! You should check it out!". I was surprised and told them that they were mistaken...That my purse wasn't really the $28 pleather purse, although they do look alike.

Mulberry Alexa Oak Buffalo, $1200, Net-a-porter.com

Locale Synthetic Leather Mabry Shoulder Bag. $28

How could they think that my purse was pleather? I realized that its sumptuous-ness was no more! On close look, I could see that the leather was dying to be moisturized.

A lot of people use mink oil for their purses and boots, but I found the smell of the oil rather intolerable. Plus I wasn't really happy with the mink oil rubbing against my clothes. Hence I decided to use.... VASELINE.

Side by side comparisons:

Before, looking matte

After, shiny and supple!

Before: Matte looking leather

After: Shiny sumptuous skin

Before: Scuffed corners due to wear, dehydration

After: Rubbed more vaseline on this area to really moisturize.
Hardly visible

I am really happy with the results. Ideally, the leather should be moisturized often but I just do it when I remember to! It looks much nicer now and I could appreciate the beautiful buffalo leather once again.

Hello Kitty x Swarovski

2011-08-08T12:58:00.000-04:00

img src: bagaholic boy

So. Cute.

Do I need it? Nope.

Do I want it? Omigodyess...

Comes in pink and white from the online store here. CAD $50

Watch for Summertime

2011-07-28T13:59:00.000-04:00

Ever since I bought the Cartier (Santos de Cartier, Galbee) as a graduation gift to myself, I've never really had the urge to buy another watch. I was so utterly happy, I thought this would be the one and only watch I would need until I turn 60 in which I would invest in a Patek Phillipe. The Cartier was functional and fit perfectly into my work-life as a sales engineer, it was classy and understated, with a bit of flair required when I need to dress to impress ;)

The only issue with it was that on my off days, when I'm found in jeans and tanktops or frilly blouses and skirts.... The watch looked so wrong! I looked like a child that went digging in her mother's closet. The cartier tank watch is a great watch, but it is a serious, serious watch indeed.

As you can see from the two pictures, the Cartier looks so much better dressed up than dressed down:

Dressed Up

Cartier watch with Bottega Veneta Tourmaline Intrecciato Nappa Bracelet, Black diamond ring (gifted)

Dressed Down (not good...)

Handmade friendship bracelet, Cartier watch

It was clear to me that I needed a watch for outfits that called for something casual, fun and sexy. Something less stuffy and more bling than the Cartier... So off I went on my quest!

I decided on finding a white watch because I always loved the look of the Chanel J12 (but not the price tag). I love crisp alpine white in summer and in wintertime too! I think white watch would look gorgeous with a black parka, some killer leather boots and some white hot Carrera sunglasses...Mmmmm...

I knew I wanted either Toy Watch,Michael Kors, or Marc Jacobs as they had some beautiful designs out for the season. I've been eyeing a lot of their designs for a few years now.

First I started with Toy Watch. The Blingiest of them all, Toy Watch Plasteramic Gem Watch - $495.

The watch is really gorgeous on the wrist, it seems to shine on its own from the crystal overload. The knob on the right is so gorgeous and looks like a little crown as its adorned with even smaller crystals. It was perfect.... I was in love!

Upon close checking the specs though, I wasn't very happy. The band is very light, similar to acrylic, the stones are not Swarovski crystals and the movement isn't Swiss. Most importantly though, I read through the brand philosophy and I was utterly turned off:

"An anti-luxury statement in a luxury obsessed culture, TOYWATCH has become the "it" wristwatch and the "must-have" item among style influentials and tastemakers."

An anti-luxury statement in a luxury obsessed culture? That was the brand's selling point? I wasn't impressed... Plus the price tag was just far too hefty for a watch of that quality.. Sorry Toy Watch! hello Michael Kors.

Browsing the website, one could find 10 or so different models of white watches. It all becomes quite confusing after a while! As you can see from the pictures, the watches are very similar with small detail differences.

They all seemed.... Different shades of grey! I really couldn't choose based on the pictures on the website so I
I decided to go to the actual Michael Kors store at Yorkdale Mall. This made all the difference in the world as trying on the different I realized a few things:

Ceramic is expensive, but the heft of the watch doesn't really feel like it should warrant a $500+ price tag. Cartier watches run at around $4 000, the price includes sapphire crystal scratch resistant glass and Swiss movement. Michael Kors watches are not Swiss movement and have a easy-to-scratch plastic based face.
Silicon strap watches are that - A single wide strap moulded on top to look like they are links. The silicon sticks to the skin and warms up, I can imagine sweat pooling under the straps. It wasn't comfortable.
The PU Chronograph line has the heft of a ceramic watch, and the feel of a silicon watch. They are beautiful but they easily pick up dirt and turn grey (the material is similar to the feeling/texture of a white eraser and gets dirty like a white eraser too)
The acrylic watches stay white and are reasonably priced but are really, really lightweight! I would much prefer my piece to have some heft!

After trying on a few pieces I decided to go with the White Midsized Acrylic Watch with Glitz, US$225.
It was made of acrylic, which meant no heft but the band would stay relatively clean and white. I really loved the mother of pearl face and Swarovski crystals adorning the face. The three knobs on the right were clean and sophisticated too.

Look at it ... Soo Pretty....

On an interesting side note:

Some important factors to consider when owning a watch is its scratch resistance. If you spend a considerable amount on a timepiece, you definitely want the face of the watch to last the test of time. Most timepieces have sapphire crystal watch faces, which are scratch resistant. It is easy to test for this with a bead of water.

Image from: http://www.replicacollector.com/members/lofiversion/index.php/t28921.html

As show on the image, the bead of water on face on the left is actually not beading at all, whereas the sapphire crystal face of the right side is beading and staying spherical. Due to the crystalline structure of the sapphire, the water will stay beaded. I tried it on my Cartier and it does stay beaded :D

Nail Art: Green Gradient for Summer!

2011-07-07T11:34:00.000-04:00

I have a love-hate relationship with Summer.

I love summer because everything is so alive, you can walk around outside comfortably for hours, visit lively festivals and bbqs. You can drink cold beer on patios with good friends while chatting for hours. Romance is in the air as people are more playful and filirtatious, the night air makes the singles frisky.

On the other hand, I hate summer because there are mosquitoes and bugs everywhere. Its so hot a few hours out in the afternoon sun makes me pass out before 10... Plus, fall/winter clothes are so much more elegant and chic. Also, I tan...I tan...!

I did my nails one night before going out to patio. It was sweltering at 30°C and I wanted at least my nails to look 'fresh'.

This gradient nail was done with a sponge. I am so pleased with it! The sparkly green was always a bit too much for me but as a gradient its just perfect.

The polish has small golden flakes in the polish to make it even more beautiful under the sunlight. I also noticed that my nailpolish matches my iphone case, which also matches my converse sneaker laces (lol).

As you can tell, I LOVE LIME. <3

The nails would be the perfect complement to the beach with my orange bikini. I love going to the beach!

Showing off my orange bikini :D

Sandbanks Provincial Park Beach, My awesome huge sunbrella!

Monday Poll

2011-02-28T14:39:00.000-05:00

"I once thought I was wrong... But I was mistaken"

1. Mood:
Confused, Bewildered, Excited for the drastically new changes in my life

2. Did you watch the Oscars last night? If you did, what did you think?
What happened to the epitome of glamour and excitement? The fashion was just, so mediocre

3. Have you ever had a poem or song written about you?
Yes, I'm a sucker for romance! The cheesier the better

4. Button-down denim skirts, yea or nay?
Yay, depending on the style/wash

5. Favorite drugstore body lotion?
Johnson and johnson original

6. Your default work outfit?
Black dress pants, button down shirt, scarf - rather plain to fit my stuffy work culture

7. A country you’d love to visit?
Tokyo, Paris, Mykonos

8. Something you wish you had more time for?
Studying, spending time with family

9. What are you wearing on your lips today?
Nothing, I woke up late for work!

10. Weekly goals:
STUDY, get back on diet plan, drink less, exercise, pick up piano, drawing and painting again

Christmas Party for Shaw/Canwest @ The Carlu, Historic Event Place in Toronto - 444 Yonge St.

2010-12-14T14:01:00.000-05:00

I was very lucky to be invited to the Christmas Party for Shaw/Canwest at The Carlu.
Because it was a party with members from the media industry, a lot of the guests were fashionable and well-dressed. I felt like wearing a white dress because I thought - hey everyone's going to be dressed fancy and edgy since its a media party - who would wear black? But lo and behold I was met with a sea of sophisticated black... Oh well!

Beautiful Venue - and lots of gorgeous suits too!

For the event, I wore a white one shoulder dress by Forever Unique from Asos, YSL tribute sandals, & Swarovski crystal clutch. I love my YSL tribute sandals so much they are just the right amount of edgy (in patent black) and classy (the cute toe bow) and the platform makes them more comfortable than they look.

The white dress is a one shouldered dress that has ruching all over - very Burberry spring 2010. I am quite happy with it as it isn't a design you often see. Also, the one shouldered-ness makes the dress classy as not much skin is exposed so it balances the tightness/shortness of the dress.

Yours Truly

Listening to some speakers for the event

They had warm hors d'oeuvres served in the beginning and served world-class red and white wine. I do love wine but never tried a 'super expensive world-class wine' before... I was kind of hesitant to believe it would be any superior to the chiantis I had in Italy, which were simple, plentiful and beautiful in taste. I couldn't be any more wrong! This wine was truly... The best in terms of its complexity - it was dry but not overly so, fruity and full bodied but still easy to drink on its own. I should apologize to the wine gods - There really is a reason for expensive wines to be expensive!

Enjoying a glass of wine in front of the beautiful Christmas tree

After some presentations on the main stage, they opened up the venue into three or so different rooms with seating). Servers started to plate dishes right before guests were ready to eat - This attention to detail was really impressive to me as this ensured all food to be warm and tasty. Thank goodness there were no dried out, cold food on sticks. This was the Carlu after all, I suppose they are on a whole different level than other event venues!

The steak was so tender and juicy. Also I was happy the dishes were served in small tapas style plates, which are very 'in' right now. The dishes were all delicious and tasted like good restaurant food, not the standard catered food. I particularly liked the steak even though I'm not much of a steak fan.

great steak <3, potato gratin

I also loved the mushroom mac and cheese, it actually had a hint of cheese and tasted of fragrant mushrooms... I must find the recipe and try this at home.

L-R: Tomato sauce and three colour tortelleni, mushroom and cheese macaron, squash and duck with beans

Dessert was mini-cupcakes served on these ornate 'hangers' that you just go up and pick your share. They were so cute and colourful. So lovely! And the frosting matched the different cupcake flavours <3

mini cupcakes!

This is my friend who invited me to the party. He is such a sweetheart and so popular everyone was saying hi!

D & I

Makeup

I used Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (it has no SPF and Armani is known for photographing very well, he made the formulation for his celebrity clients that are often photographed! It is my HG foundation!)

MAC mineral duo blush in Love Rock

MAC MSF in Porcelain Pink

Stila Smudgepot Kitten for eyeshadow base

Lancome Erika F Eyeshadow

Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner

Lancome Oscillation Mascara

Dior Addict Ultra Gloss 686

Nails
D insisted I do french tips for my nails ( he loves them) but I find them rather Stepford-Wife-y but decided to try them anyway. I put Lipmann Believe as the base and Essie Fiji (a stark pastel pink) for the tip. It worked out quite well. I would've preferred China Glaze Frosty though, but couldn't find the nailpolish in time for the event.

What a wonderful evening...!

Journey into Raw Selvedge Denim: Ladies Pure Blue Japan (PBJ) 1069 Slim Fit Indigo Stretch

2010-11-18T14:32:00.000-05:00

love!!
Pure Blue Japan Ladies - 1069 Slim Fit Indigo Stretch
95% Cotton 5%PU
One-wash
Deerskin Leather Patch
Made in Japan

While visiting NYC with my fashionable guy friends Kelvin, Jeff and Mika, we all went to Blue in Green in SOHO to see the Japanese imported raw selvedge denim jeans and for the guys to try them on. Blue in Green is mainly a store for men, so I didn't really see anything for women. Although, I probably came out empty handed because I wasn't really interested in raw denim back then.

My friend Mika, tried on a pair of jeans that had a white leaf on the butt. I thought they were nice, but I didn't think much of them other than that. They did however seem a lot cooler than the R&R or TR jeans that a lot of guys wore. I always found the mainstream brands to be a bit too... girly?

Because the jeans are raw, they have no stretch in them whatsoever and need to be bought a size or two down to accommodate for the natural stretch of the jean (this is, assuming that the denim is one-wash). If unsanforized, depending on the jean/cut they need to be bought a size bigger because they will shrink...Confusing! My friends and I were at Blue in Green for about half an hour for Mika and Jeff to fit into their jeans. lol.

A few months passed by... and I saw a friend with a women's version of the jean in dark indigo, I was sold and am now obsessed over them! They were dark indigo with the white stitched leaf...and they made her butt look awesome- I frantically searched everywhere in Canada where I could get my hands on them but I was out of luck.

Lucky for me, that same special friend (thanks Anna!) had a pair in Size 2 that was too big for her but would be perfect for me! I bought them for $180 which was the price she paid for hers directly from Japan.

Pure Blue Japan is a brand that uses pure blue indigo dye and dye from natural plant indigo. The jeans are very 'slubby' meaning hairy and rough. - Wikipedia

Now for some pictures of my 1069 Slims! This is after one full day of wear (or = two sleepless nights)

The white leaf is a nice contrast to the dark indigo

You can see some nice creasing in the front

A straight, slim cut

Size two label, you can see the chain stitching

Patch made of Deerskin

Interesting stitching on front zipper

Washing instructions label

Label, back

The leaf I fell in love with

You can see by the pictures that the leg area is very tight but the waist area is actually quite loose.

I can fit a fist there easily, and I found this is a common problem with girls that have big butts.

The front area is getting some good creasing action. Its still very tight in the legs though.

Unlike premium North American/European jean brands, these fit small, very small. Don't let the model name mislead you - These have minimal stretch and they are made with very thick, slubby denim. It takes some work to stretch them out. I have heard people cold soaking them and walking around in them wet until they stretch to desired size. However, if you can get the waist buttoned up (I can fit a fist or two on the waist area) and the thighs are very tight then its best you stretch them out by sleeping in them or walking around in them naturally.

I wear:

- Size 25 in True Religions non-stretch, 24 in True Religion Stretch

- Size 25 in 7 Jeans for Mankind

- Size 26 in Diesel Matic

My measurements are

- 25in Waist - 36in Hip

You can buy Pure Blue 1069 Slim-Fit Indigo Stretch at Blue in Green online or

the direction from Japan at their website here.

The end of 2010 means... New Agenda Time!

2010-11-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

Now that 2011 is coming (where did 2010 go?!) I need a new agenda... I already have plans set up for Jan and there is nowhere to put them but trusting my mind and random post its on my current 2010 one that ends at Dec.

I've always been a paper agenda lover and I love to write lists - as you can tell from my blog posts. I want to switch to a quality one that I could use for years and just replace the papers. I've been a long time lover of cute fancy japanese/korean ones with the beautifully designed papers with artist illustrations... but the plastic covers usually don't hold up to wear and tear very well. Plus, since I use my agenda every day, its worthy of spending $ for a nice one.

So the search begins...

Hermes

GM Simple 4 1/4" X 5 1/2", $355

Vision II 4" x 6 3/4", $455

Refills: GM-$95, Vision-$105

Louis Vuitton

Monogram Canvas

Small Ring 3.9" x 5.7", $300

Pocket 3.7" x 6.5", $220

Monogram Vernis

Small Ring, $350 in Amarante

Monogram Multicolore

Small Ring, $430

Epi Leather

Pocket, $245

Refills: Pocket-$50, Small-$40

Some more real life pictures (from PurseForum):

My heart is leaning towards the monogram/multicolore/vernis...

Reflection.

2010-11-09T12:15:00.000-05:00

Wow..
What a crazy few months its been.
I've experienced so much in my life and that I could honestly say I'm so much more grown up than I was three months ago.

My friend sent me this yesterday:

No one falls in love by choice, its by chance.

No one stays in love by chance, its by work and

No one falls out of love by chance, it's by choice

- Anonymous

Chance. Work. Choice.

Three words that should resonate with my life as I continue onto the next chapter of my life.
Remember... Don't look back. There's no place for regrets.

obsessions for this month...

fur

seven bootcut jeans in black

leopard print heels

bcbg bandage skirt in black

moncler jacket

van cleef and arpels rings (small rose perlee ring / medium)

hermes lindy

hermes collier de chien bracelet

Im happy for...

finally finding PBJ (pure blue japan) jeans!

Maru getting huge and fat and so loveable

the feeling of being loved

the health of my family and friends

20 Things Every Woman Should Own (W Magazine)

2010-11-09T11:40:00.000-05:00

Fall Shopping Preparation List

x 1- white button up shirt

2- knee-length double button classic beige trench coat

3- quality grey/navy/beige cardigan

x 4- white.grey.black t-shirt

x 5- black tailored jacket

x 6- knee length full skirt

x 7- knee length pencil skirt

x 8- leather shoulder bag to fit an A4

9- dark no wash straight jeans

x 10- flair fit tailored pants

x 11- navy double breasted blazer

x 12- LBD

x 13- beige/black high heel pumps

x 14- leather moto jacket

x 15- leather belt

x 16- turtle neck or round neck sweater

x 17- breton shirt

x 18- single button black or camel knee length wool coat

19- white & black camisole

x 20- black high heel long boot

2010-07-30T09:25:00.000-04:00

[백지영 - 총 맞은 것처럼]

총 맞은 것처럼 정신이 너무 없어.

웃음만 나와서 그냥 웃었어. 그냥 웃었어. 그냥......

허탈하게 웃으며 하나만 묻자 했어.

우리 왜 헤어져? 어떻게 헤어져?

어떻게 헤어져 어떻게?

구멍난 가슴에 우리 추억이 흘러 넘쳐,

잡아보려해도 가슴을 막아도

손가락 사이로 빠져 나가.

심장이 멈춰도 이렇게 아플것 같진 않아.

어떻게 좀 해줘. 날 좀 치료해줘.

이러다 내 가슴 다 망가져.구멍난 가슴이......

어느세 눈물이 나도 모르게 흘러.

이러기 싫은데 정말 싫은데.

정말 싫은데 정말.

일어서는 널 따라 무작정 쫓아 갔어.

도망치듯 걷는 너의 뒤에서 너의 뒤에서 소리쳤어.

구멍난 가슴에 우리 추억이 흘러 넘쳐,

잡아보려 해도 가슴을 막아도

손가락 사이로 빠져 나가.

심장이 멈춰도 이렇게 아플것 같진 않아.

어떡게 좀 해줘. 날 좀 치료해줘.

이러다 내 가슴 다 망가져.총맞은 것처럼......

정말 가슴이 너무 아파. 오

이렇게 아픈데 이렇게 아픈데

살 수가 있다는게 이상해.

어떡게 너를 잊어 내가,

그런거 나는 몰라 몰라.

가슴이 뻥뚤려 채울 수 없어서

죽을만큼 아프기만 해. 총맞은 것처럼......

NYC: a shopper's/gourmand's paradise!

2010-07-15T14:22:00.000-04:00

I went to NYC with friends for the Canada Day long weekend. We joined a Chinese group tour, because it was cheap and the hotel was quite nice although it was an hour away from Manhattan by train. Every time I go to NYC i always realize again and again that the shopping is awesome, food is grrreaat and the city is sooo dirty compared to Toronto! Every city has its pluses and minuses I suppose.

First we went to an outlet mall and I bought burberry wedges for mommy. She loves wedges and these were comfy and in our size (we both wear 4.0-4.5 and size 5s that fit small are a godsend for brands that don't make their shoes that small!) I also bought two tops from BCBG, this heart blouse i've wanted since..forever! And I found the last one in my size.

On our first day in Manhattan we spent it at SOHO. I really love SOHO as they have every brand that I really need/want like Topshop, Madewell (younger derivative of J.crew) and Uniqlo. Sadly, this time around, all three of them were a bust. Uniqlo was especially disappointing because it looked like I just stepped into an empty gap... I was really sad... Maybe I was just caught in those awkward seasonal change times?

I bought a bib necklace at Topshop ($90) and some superawesome black wedges from Steve Madden ($130). How great is nyc shopping, yay!

We also ate lunch at Balthazar (89 Spring St.)

First off: the place looks like you were transported to an era of Titanic where linens are starch white, waiters are bow-tied and industrial chic lights and ceiling fans wash you in a classy shade of sable..

The interior is framed in dark chestnut wood panelling, archways and tarnished mirrors cover the walls. Almost feels like a classy apothecary's private dining hall?

I had Oysters to start and a fish dish as my main., it was soooo good. I can't wait to go again.. next time as an intimate date for two...

Next off was Commes Des Garcons and Balenciaga off to the side somewhere near the waterfront..Chelsea area?
It had a really cool entrance but no cameras or drinks were allowed inside
the people were really rude and it really wasn't worth the $15 dollar cab ride.

More posts to come!

p.s.:

my ALEXA came in the mail today!!!

YAY!

Goodbye...My Romance

2010-07-07T14:06:00.000-04:00

서인영-잘가요 로멘스

사랑 참 힘든 거구나. 이 넓은 세상 나 하나 안아줄 사람

찾는게 힘든 거구나 기를 써가며 애쓰고 또 애써봐도

만만치가 않구나, 내 맘 같지 않구나.

잘가요. 로맨스 잘가요. 내 아름다운 친구여

사랑은 아마 없나 보오.

이 세상 끝에 그대가 나 보다 먼저 닿으면

내 맘이나 알아주오.

쉽지 않은 거구나. 사랑하나 갖는 게

잘가요. 로맨스 잘가요. 내 아름다운 친구여,

사랑은 아마 없나 보오

이 세상 끝에 내가 그대보다 먼저 닿으면

그대 맘 전해 주겠소.

잘가요, 로맨스 잘가요. 내 아름다운 친구여,

사랑은 아니라고 해도

힘든 이세상 지친 내 어깨 내맘 하나쯤은

누군가 기억하겠죠.

잘가요 로맨스

My Amigurumi Project

2010-05-09T17:00:00.000-04:00

I posted a few months (!) back about making amigurumi.
I got a free pattern from lion brand yarn and went to work! I bought the yarn at Michaels up north and when I ran out, realized they have lots of yarn at Zellers. This isn't really recommended though because yarn from different batches may have different shades of colours except the polyester/synthetic yarns which are the same all the time.

I found that although the pattern was really easy, it was really hard to keep the same guage and I ended up getting really wonky shapes because I wasn't keeping the tension constant throughout the project.

Also, to make amigurumi you have to use a needle size that is much, much smaller than the recommended size. This is so that when you stuff the amigurumi it would look cute with a uniform pattern that is opaque not see through (or else you would have stuffing coming out between the threads..) This made things very difficult because if your tension was too tight the crochet head would barely fit in between the threads.

Here are some pictures of during the project:

After sewing on the nose/mouth area and the limbs + ears :

And the final product with beady eyes and a pink pompom tail:

Here's Mr. Bunny with his other friends, Mr. Totoro and Totoro Jr. and babycup buns

I have quite a family collection going on, but Mr. Bunny was sent to mom and dad's room as a gift :D

I decided not to add legs. I think the bunny looks cuter without legs...
And the legs on the pattern were just much too long and skinny it kind of took away from the whole 'cuteness' of the bunny.

I'm really pleased with the result, and I want to make more, but this took me a LOT LONGER than I would have imagined. Maybe the second time will go smoother..
Also I feel more colorful patterns would look better than a pure white one.

Back from Las Vegas!

2010-04-15T12:49:00.000-04:00

Hey Everyone,

I just got back from Las Vegas and it was a fun time :D
Everytime I go there I realize that the shopping is the BEST there... Honestly, I can't find anywhere that beats it!! We stayed at the Wynn Encore and went to club XS (apparently the hottest club in US) and I must say.. It is as good as they said it was. Cover is $50/guy and $20/girl, I guess its just to even out the ratio ha!

I didn't really get much other than a pair of tory burch flats, converse sneakers, and a small pliage lonchamp bag in lavender. I should've shopped a lot more but I was so exhausted from site seeing I didn't have the energy to buy (i didn't know that was even possible?!)

Anyway about the Tory Burch Flats (METALLIC LUX SNAKE REVA BALLERINA FLAT, $235):

They are a about 40 dollars more expensive than the normal Tory Burch flats, and you have to size up a full size. I'm normally a size 4.5 and I bought these in a size 5.5 and they are still extremely tight where my toes are. They gave me blisters within a few hours of wear. I guess I have to break them in but right now I'm not a fan! They do look quite classy though due to the emblem being leather and not the gold hardware.

I thought the flats looked cute on me but mom said I look short and stumpy.

I saw the TOD's Bag I spoke about on post below and it is much too large for my body.

The purse is as big as my torso and I look like I just packed to run away from home or something (albeit, very stylishly...) so it was a no-go.

I am currently debating on 3 bags from Louis Vuitton:
1. Louis Vuitton Speedy 30 Idylle in Fusain $1090 USD)
Louis vuitton came up with a new line to replace the mini-lin line called 'Idylle'. Its cloth but it has a teflon coating to repel stains and other moisture. I went to the store to try this on and I must say it is very light.

On one hand I love it because its so light, with the removable cross strap its just perfect. But on one hand, if I was paying more than a thousand on a purse i'd want it to 'feel' substantial... like a guerlain eyeshadow palette vs. a revlon one?

Anyway here are some pics from their website with the idylle:

This one is the one I want!! Omg!!! Its soooo cute (but it looks waay bigger on me than the model lol)

2.Louis Vuitton Speedy 25 Epi in Cassis ($1000 USD)

(image from: Louis Vuitton Addicted)

Its classy. Its simple. Its not in-your-face LV like the monogram stuff. Its a classic. It will last a lifetime and I won't tire of it. Its made fully of leather so I'm definitely getting my money's worth!

But it doesn't have a shoulder strap so its forever locked to the area between my fingers and elbow.
Also, the epi leather didn't FEEL *AS* good as I imagined a 'typical' leather to be - buttery, soft, sumptuous to the touch. Epi is hard, rigid, cool and smooth to the touch. Almost like plastic, that *perfect* finish. It really shows the craftmanship of Louis Vuitton but i can't help but feeling its just too early to own such a serious purse?

3.Louis Vuitton Trevi Damier PM. ($1660 USD *oh man thats pricey)
I like the Damier leather which have dark handles so the handles won't turn 'brown' and show use as much as the monogram lines. The lines of the Trevi make it very classy and lady-like but at the same time the unexpected form of the purse make it 'young'. Its also both shoulder and hand-carry which is a BIG PLUS. And its big enough to carry essentials and I could wear this until i'm 60 and look stylish...

One thing I learned while educating myself about Louis Vuitton purses was the word 'Vachetta':

Vachetta Leather, wikipedia says: "is used in the trimmings of luggage and handbags, popularized by Louis Vuitton. The leather is left untreated and is therefore susceptible to water and stains. Sunlight will cause the natural leather to darken in shade, called a patina."

So the difference in patina due to sunlight, natural oils in your hands/skin would be this:
New

Old

Some people like the honey colour patina on their vuitton bags, I personally like mine light and 'new' looking.

I haven't bought a Louis in...a really really really long time and I've been saving up my money for a nice purchase. Not sure which one to get though... Help!

Sorry!!

2010-03-26T09:12:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone
I've been so sick the past few weeks from this random cold that went from a sore throat, fever into a coughing fit! I even missed three days of work which is terrible.. I came back today with soo many emails and just *stuff* that I have to do!
Anyway I'm a lot better now (the doctor prescribed dimetapp-C which has codeine, yum!). I can actually sleep at night instead of getting up every hour of the night in a coughing frenzy.

So!
I fell in love with something this month:

Tod's D-Bag Bauletto
*sigh* the lavender version is DIVINE:

$1425 US!

Nail Art: Rowwr Leopard Nails

2010-03-10T10:16:00.001-05:00

Wow, its been such a busy few weeks so far. I had a verrry good friend come over from downtown on Monday to go to a local Korean lounge/bar and had sooo much fun. Today, I have to make a speech in front of a bunch of people about my previous internships (yay for getting off work early! Boo for having to work when I get home).

I've also finally finished my rabbit amigurumi, it is the cutest thing ever!! I will post pics up sooon its soo cute!

I've also been going to baptism classes ever weekend for the past 6 months now and I'm finally getting baptised on the 27th. Yay!

Anyway to get back to the nail picture above, Leopard nails!
I would've thought they'd be tacky but they actually look really nice with toned down outfits. That reminds me, I should do a post on matching outfits to my nails (or vice versa).
Anyway I think the next tutorial would be on making leopard nails :D
I hope you enjoy that as much as the gradient tutorial!

How-To: Nail Art Gradient without a sponge

2010-03-04T15:42:00.000-05:00

Finally I'm getting to do this post I've planned for a few weeks now :D

Doing a nail art gradient is reallly easy, it just takes a very long time to dry because of all the layers you have to pile on top (you'll see what I mean...) but the end result is totally worth it. Usually I do this while I watch a movie / watch multiple episodes of gossip girl so that it gives plenty of time for my nails to dry.

First, you need to have one shade as your 'main' shade. I would suggest something semi-opaque, sparkle/shimmer-free jelly type. Essie hi-maintenance, OPI bubble bath would be some ideas, although they don't have to be pink based, they can be beige based too.

The second shade you would need is the bottom colour. This can be anything but I find lighter/shimmery/sparkly semi-opaque colours work better than really dark ones, which require a lot more practice. I used Lipmann Collection 'Believe' in this tutorial but you can see from my past posts I've used Lavender Chanel, and multiple others.

So let us...begin!

First you take clean nails and apply a base to inhibit yellowing of nails.

Unscrew the tops of the nailpolish. You have to work rather quickly and so you don't want to waste time screwing and unscrewing caps.

Refer to the following the Diagram, where the pink shaded area is ESSIE, and the yellow shaded area is our LIPMANN colour:

By Step 11, your left hand should be finished and you could then start with your right hand (the harder side...if your right handed :p)

Do each step per hand, i.e. for step 2, start from your thumb and colour your left hand with ESSIE, then start step 3 from your thumb again and so on.

The time between each step will be just enough to prevent the colours from mixing BUT still be malleable enough for them to blend nicely.

I added extra pictures on the bottom to help you visualize each step better:

2. Colour all the nails on your left hand with Essie starting with your thumb

3. Colour 3/4 of your nails with Lipmann starting from your thumb

4. Colour the full nail with ESSIE fully over the whole nail

Keep repeating this until step 11!
.
.
.
.
.
11. After colouring with Lipmann for the last time, 1/4 end of the nail, let dry for a few minutes, then add a top coat. I used OPI

Tadaaaa!

perfect nails for a conservative office :D once you get the hang of it you can try doing funkier colours too!

Please don't hesitate to leave a message if you have aaany questions or if something went wrong! I want to help :D GOOD LUCK!

Tuesday is my random day!

2010-03-02T10:27:00.000-05:00

When its 'that time of the month' for me I get extremely bloated...
To the point where I gain 4 kg (around 9 lbs) of water weight and I just look and feel terrrrible..
*sigh*
Anyway, I'm not particularly irritable or anything (or so I want to believe...) but I do love, love to shop and think about shopping and look at stuff online..! Its a dangerous week my ladies..dangerous indeed.

I decided to make a list of what I want=NEED and one thing that really caught my eye was:

UNITED NUDE SHOES:
The EAMZ ankle bootie is a favourite

They are .. what can we say, heel-less shoes?!
They retail for $345 from the website although the Korean sites retail them for a bit less.

The EAMZ pump version is quite nice too

Other styles are as follows

I really want
ahh..

Nail Art: From Korea

2010-02-22T11:22:00.000-05:00

Nail art in Korea is thriving due to the influx of Japanese tourists.
The art is less intricate than Japan but it is much more affordable and therefore a lot of Japanese Nail Art lovers come to Seoul just for a nail art tour!

The capital of nail art would have to be Myung Dong, Seoul, South Korea. This area is in the downtown core boasting the most expensive real estate, and also happens to be the fashion mecca of Seoul. You can find the streets filled with twenty-something year olds looking for the new 'it' thing. I personally love, love shopping in myungdong.

This nail art was done at 'princess nail' in myung dong. My nail artist was actually a japanese artist working in Korea. The detail in this is absolutely amazing and her each stroke was just meticulous. I loved this one... Perfect for summer!

Nail Art: Lilac Gradation

2010-02-16T14:38:00.000-05:00

Did anyone see Canada win gold in mens moguls two days ago? How exhilarating!

I am going to post step by step instructions on how to do a gradation on your nails without a sponge by tomorrow (hopefully!). It gives it a almost flawless look more so than the stippling you encounter with the sponge's pores.

To illustrate my idea I am putting up another variation of the gradient.

I used Chanel's lilac sky and an almost clear base colour Essie High Maintenance to create this look. Doesn't it look perfect for spring? Lavender is such a feminine colour me thinks, totally would like it in suede for a nice pair of pumps. Perfect!

The step by step instructions I am going to post is done with a silver lipmann colour (which I have on now and looks so pretty i can't stop staring at my nails at work :D) await the post!

Nail Art: Valentines Day Nail Art

2010-02-15T00:40:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentines day everyone :D and happy new year!
This is a nail art I thought would be perfect for valentines day!

I did a gradient from yellow to pink to red using the brush-method to make a nice blend of colours.
Edit: I meant to say Sponge method. I'll be posting more on this soon!
Then I added a heart crystal and surrounded the outside with smaller white crystals.

I added a thick coat of top coat so that the crystals don't fall off and re-applied a thin layer of top coat on the crystals for a few days after for extra-protection.

I think the overall effect is really pretty, and you could definitely mix around with different colour combinations (different blues for summer? browns for sophistication?) to get a different effect.

New Obsession: Amigurumi!

2010-02-11T15:59:00.000-05:00

After my kitten passed away last week, I've been trying to keep myself extremely busy. I noticed that any time I had to spare, I would spend it showering attention to my beautiful little kitten.

Now that shes...gone to a better place I've been finding myself extremely lonely and sad. I feel like I've lost a child! I really needed something to keep my mind off of things...

And thats when the knitting craze began...

I've knitted a super looooong scarf that I JUST finished and will post up tomorrow. Its beautiful and grey and I even took the time to block it (meaning, dip it in warm water, press it etc to give it a neat finish).

Now I've been searching for something else and found this:

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/amigurumikingdom

Wow, a world of cutesy, cuddly, soft, pink fuzzy goodness?!?!?!!
These monsters of cuteness are known as "amigurumi", wikipedia says this means: "Japanese words ami, meaning crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, meaning stuffed dol"

Well, I ran out yesterday and bought meself some pretty cream/heather and pink yarn and I decided on a pattern from Lionbrand:

Lionbrand's site is a nice place to go to for free patterns ( I really like their wool-ease yarn too, its really soft, I hope it doesn't pill!)

Anyway diary, I'll keep you posted on how its going.

Love,

ms. champagne

update: re-did the head 7 times before getting the hang of things, but honestly this is hard!

Nail Art: Blue Gradation

2010-02-09T10:43:00.000-05:00

Its so cold in T.O. this morning. I am shivering at work and as I was looking through my hard drive I found this, and it reminded me of how cold it was! Its a blue gradation french.

I used a pale colour as a base, then used a blue sparkly nail polish to do a gradation.

There are two different ways to do gradation:
1. using a sponge, which is easier and gives a stippled effect
2. using the polish brush and working very quickly, which gives a seamless effect

The second way is quite difficult, but I always like the way it looks more than using a sponge!

Monday Poll

2010-02-08T14:05:00.000-05:00

1. Mood:
tired. depressed. sad.
2. Highlight of your weekend?
seeing a really pretty pale pink jacket from H&M, going out for drinks with a good friend
3. Makeup or beauty confession:
sometimes I feel like I spend too much on makeup without really using it until the end... and yet I can't help but want more, (liberty of london @ MAC. noooo!!)
4. Small piece of advice:
to live every day to the fullest and cherish those around you...Give thanks, every day
5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:
Lancome quad (brown colors), sugar lip balm, Bourjois 10 hour foundation (*sigh* work)
6. I told myself this morning to _________.
wake up and face the day, even though you'd much rather hide somewhere and cry
7. I’d really like _________.
to feel my kitten purr again. Shes gone somewhere better now...
8. What’s the story behind your pet’s name?
Ara, her name was decided after months long of deliberation.. It was a pretty, delicate name like the way she is...
9. Outfit:
black v-neck sweater + silky grey pants (Club Monaco)+ thick cable knit red/black scarf
10. Weekly goals:
to mend my heart, to make sales, to be optimistic again

yay for monday!

2009-08-10T13:47:00.000-04:00

1. Mood
hopeful.optimistic.frustrated
2. At what age were you allowed to date?
18/first year of univ.!
3. Which lip gloss do you wear the most?
I don't like gloss as it sticks to my hair but i do wear MAC's petite indulgence time to time
4. Dark, milk, semi-sweet or white chocolate?
Darker, more bitter, and better...!
5. Eyes/lips/cheeks:
Dior 5 colour in graphic lights / dior lipstick 554/ nothing on cheeks
6. What’s your favorite store at the mall?
Zara/Mendocino/H&M
7. Are you hungry right now?
No, I built up a weeks worth of guilty eating this weekend
8. Vampire, werewolf, shapeshifter or telepath?
Vampire. Although forever life doesn't seem tooo appetizing...
9. Outfit:
Orange/white fish pattern Banana republic shirt, black pants, black stacked stilettos...
10. Weekly goals:
work harder, play harder, enjoy life to the fullest...

...

2009-08-10T11:05:00.000-04:00

Sometimes my hardest critic is myself...

Benefit Creasless Creams: TRIO!

2009-03-31T14:00:00.000-04:00

Huge trend in Asia recently to divide pot rouges/creaseless eyeshadows/lip conditioners into duos, trios even quads. I've seen 8 colour bobby brown pot rouges as well.

This seems pretty smart since, well... I rarely end up using a whole rouge or a whole lip conditioner and for the price of one, I could try out four or five of them at once.

Behold the Benefit Creaseless Eyeshadow Trio:

As you can see the three pieces are separated by a thin plastic film. People who are really good can cut it into clean three pieces as shown. As you can tell by the picture, it is an extremely neat, and calculated process (try measuring out 60° people!).

The creaseless shadows have been applauded by so many people. You can check out a detailed review by Makeupandbeauty blog here.

I do this sometimes for friends to give as gifts and they all love it and can't stop showing them off to their friends. I kind of wonder why this hasn't crossed over to the Westernsphere yet...

Monday Poll: March 30th

2009-03-30T21:41:00.000-04:00

Mood:
Tired, hungover!
Hair:
Down and fussy like the NY girls do it
Best part of your weekend?
Looking at kittens, giggling with J
Eyes:
Simple wash of pale champagne, shiseido liner, and mascara
Lips:
Benetint
Cheeks:
Went without, oddly got a lot of compliments on my skin today...
Favorite eye cream and why?
Trying out '후' (fo) a new brand of Korean cream thats so luxurious as they took inspiration from what the queen/princesses used in the old days, somehow my face looks more paler and radiant
Are you a chocolate person?
After reading the book "Bitter Chocolate", NO!
Weekly goals:
Start studying for those exams, try to eat less... Summer's approaching!

Monday Poll: March 23rd

2009-03-23T19:51:00.000-04:00

Mood:
Optimistic
Favorite eyeshadow:
Dior Sublissime Makeup Palette 01 light silver and grey
Favorite lipgloss:
I'm in a lipstick faze right now... lipgloss gets stuck on my hair... MAC in Creme Cup
Favorite hair product:
None yet. Must get biosilk
How’d ya sleep last night?
Terribly. I feel like I don't get enough sleep even though I get at least 9 hours a day (huh?!)
Breakfast:
Coffee.. bad...
Skill I’d like to learn in the next sixth months:
Horseback riding, finish all my assignments, be able to refrain from succumbing to my sweet tooth? Sigh I ask for too much...
Outfit:
Sailor girl-style top, skinny jeans, knee high zip up boots, Meow!
Song stuck in my head:
바비킴 - 사랑..그놈
Weekly goals:
Finish assignments, stay on my diet plan... Get on those GMATs...