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Corals!

2012-03-08T09:36:00.003-07:00

It's getting to be spring, and that time for nice, coral colors!

As you can see this is Hazard by Sinful Colors. It looks great here...but it only looks coral in natural light. In every other light, it looks orange!

Nonetheless, I did a bit of nail art with this one. Rather simple chevrons... Almost a tribal look but it's not too busy!

Florida Recap

2012-03-06T09:08:00.002-07:00

I mentioned back in early December that I was going to DisneyWorld, Universal Studios and Florida! I just wanted to post a few pictures to remind me of my vacation. Don't know about you guys, but I looooove vacation photos and I did get several requests to take pictures of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Here goes!

In December, Arizona was pretty cold, so going to Florida was a nice break. Helllllo, Lake-y Florida.

We stayed in a pretty fun condo of sorts. It was incredibly strange to share a house with my parents again and even more so to share a room with my little brother. Here are a few shots of the place!

After spending all night meticulously planning our one day in Universal Studios, we were off! I stick my hand out the car for this next picture. And allllmost thought I was going to drop the camera.

It was so warm at Universal Studios! We headed straight for Harry Potter while I snapped pictures of everything we passed. Later in the evening, we had dinner at this Hard Rock Cafe, which is the world's largest.

We walked by Cat in the Hat. Honestly, this was a scary place. It was so cartoony that it made me feel like one.

At this point, the sun was absolutely blazing.

I don't even remember what this guy was! I call him "on the way to HARRY POTTER."

LOOK LOOK LOOK. A glimpse of the magic.

And I'm going to have to cut you off right now. Haha, that was only a teaser! I'll get the rest of the pictures for you guys over the next few weeks or so. I love reliving my trips.

Is it awkward to wear the same dress twice?

2012-03-03T09:08:00.002-07:00

Generally, I try to show off new purchases once on my blog but I really enjoyed repurposing this summer dress for "colder" weather.

I think I just really enjoy stomping around in a swishy skirt and some thick heeled boots.

Jacket: New York and Company (Oh, so very old)

Dress: Thrifted

Tights: Forever 21 (So, so old)

Boots: Target Xhilaration Karassa Slouchy Heeled Boots - Cognac (29.99)

Zinburger!

2012-03-01T09:21:00.002-07:00

Do you have that one restaurant you've been dying to try? For me, this was Zinburger. I first heard about Zinburger when I was looking into Fox Concept Restaurants way back when. Almost a year later, I finally get to go!

Zinburger was a pretty casual place. I found that I liked the environment of a Friday early dinner. Before I went, I researched all the food there so for once, I actually kind of knew what I was going to order.

Their menu was small but it had everything you needed. It had a range of great burgers, some salads, some shakes a few sides/appetizers and some dessert.

Zinburger also had a daily special board in the corner of the store. I found myself wondering how they took it down and put it back up every day. They also have a burger of the month and a shake of the month... that ALWAYS keeps me going back.

On the side of the restaurant where I was sitting, there was this huge scene of a field of grass with cows. I suppose they were trying to say that the meat was fresh... but I'm not sure if that's the impression I got. I didn't like this part of atmosphere.

We started out with some sweet potato fries. I love sweet potato fries. These were great.

I got a turkey burger and it was amazing. There's just something about the taste of the buns that I really appreciated. I think the buns can really make or break the burger. I think their lettuce could use a little bit of work.

Also recommended to me was their creme brulee milkshakes. To say I'm a fan of creme brulee... is an understatement. I really enjoy them as a treat. This milkshake was an expensive six dollars, but it is honestly worth it, especially because you can share. I mean... you can finish it by yourself, bu there's just too much good stuff at Zinburger and not enough room in my stomach. I didn't take a great picture of the glass here, but it's very tall.

I've been there a ton of times since this first time and I love it.

Sparkle shoes!

2012-02-28T09:24:00.002-07:00

Everyone's been either posting or showing these shoes around. I've also been seeing them in stores and I love love love them. But! They're not really in my budget because... when would I wear them? I think there's a reason they're on polyvore "Holiday Party" and "Going Out" looks. That's pretty much all they're fit for. Let me know if you think differently ~~and give me more reasons to get them.~~

Aren't these just pretty?

Women's Komet Platform Pump, from Payless

And then there's this multicolored beauty.

Betsey Johnson 'Tastty-G Glitter Pump

But you know what I really really want? Glitter flats. I think they can work in more settings since they're more casual. I need flats anyways. Imagine these with a skirt and some black tights.

Women's Chelsea Flat, from Payless

But cheap flats can make me unsure of quality. Even so, I'm also partial to these.

Women's Mossimo Supply Co Odell Glitter Ballet Flats - Gold

Even though the holidays are over, I can't help but to still like these.

Do you have or want a pair??

My Life Is Awesome Mondays: Giveaway winner?

2012-02-27T09:23:00.004-07:00

Thanks so much to lovefemme! This is LONG overdue, but I really wanted to thank Che from lovefemme nonetheless for her generosity.

I've only tried out a handful of everything she gave me but gah, way to get me hooked on Konading!

Random dots...

2012-02-25T09:20:00.001-07:00

My nail looks aren't always well thought out and profound. You guys already know if there's one thing (see here and here) I can do with nail polish, it's dot. But you can do a lot with a simple skill. (Also known as, because I only have one simple skill, I've found different things to do with it. Same difference.)

This is just some red dots and some white ones because that's what I felt like at the time.

Veggies are NOT Candy....

2012-02-23T09:07:00.001-07:00

But this is as close as it gets. I based my recipe on this post but I feel like the recipe in this post is similar if you want to try and compare the two. They both sound healthy!

One of the things that I've been very unused to is the appearance of food. Chinese food tastes delicious, but there's not too much of an emphasis on plating... or color schemes. In fact, much of Chinese food is covered in this amazing and delicious dark sauce. But this dish? It's gorgeous.

Have a look at the uncooked colors.

Now feast your eyes on the cooked version. Wonderful, isn't it?

Perhaps best of all, these veggies are all very simple to cut. And that's the only preparation needed.

2011 Movie Reviews, Part Two

2012-02-21T09:58:00.001-07:00

Please read my 2011 review, part one, here.

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Paul - This little alien sci-fi flick really warmed its way into my heart. The knockout team of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost can always seem to deliver the nerdy references to Comicon, Star Trek and what seems like every alien movie out there. I found myself noticing X-Files ET and Star Wars references... not to mention the cameos! That's all I'll say.

Your Highness - Oh dear God. James Franco alone wasn't enough for me to want to watch this movie... but Zooey Deschanel was involved too. NOT WORTH IT. Bland humor (or stoner humor? I can't tell the difference.)

Fright Night - Much scarier than I anticipated but if you're into Anton Yelchin, vampire lore, or want to catch a glimpse of David Tennant, curl up with a friend or cat or both and watch this! While the premise is hokey and the script doesn't pop, the acting brings this home. Look for a special performance by Christopher Mintz-Plasse.

Puss in Boots - I watched this in theaters because some of my friends dragged me. This wasn't Pixar's best but it wasn't too bad. I didn't think it was too funny. I guess you can watch this if you need to babysit and still watch a movie you'd enjoy.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows - I... could write pages on this but I'll try not to. This is a Guy Ritchie film. It's an action film with a minimal mystery component. I loved Noomi Rapace's character style in this movie. It was enjoyable.

Water For Elephants - Another movie that I randomly saw in theaters on a whim. I wasn't expecting ANYTHING from this movie but it actually wasn't bad. It's a romance story which I don't love, but Robert Pattinson plays a likable character. There are worse movies you could be watching.

Shanghai - I actually watched this in China... This is the ONLY movie that I've ever seen in China. I watched this with my family and I haven't heard of it at all in the states but I really liked it when I watched it. Watch it you like: period films, shanghai, Gong Li or John Cusack.

The Green Hornet - This film got some pretty awful reviews but its tongue in cheek humor delighted me.

Friends with Benefits - I thought the first half of this movie was hilarious. I think Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake are genius ... but it is a romantic comedy and it does get sappy at the end. Halfway through the film, I definitely got bored. The first half is loads better than the second.

There are also some movies that came out in 2011 that I still really want to watch! In no particular order:
- Super 8
- Kung Fu Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2
- Hanna
- The Three Musketeers
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
- Real Steel
- Hugo
- Colombiana
- J. Edgar

How many of these movies have you seen? What did you think?

My Life is Average Mondays: Updating you on my decisions...

2012-02-20T11:05:00.000-07:00

I've been asking you guys to help me make a lot of decisions in the past few days so I figure I'd give an update on how everything worked out!

First, I wasn't sure about whether or not to keep this Jason Wu Dress.

Ultimate decision? Yes!

I started looking at more of Jason Wu's other things and realized that I really like him as a designer. And... well. I'd rather keep this >$50 dress than super splurge for another item.

Next, I asked if I should get Twitter or Tumblr.

I decided on Twitter, thanks to your advice. I thought that since I've been using Tumblr all along without an account, I can continue that. Anything I want to post on tumblr, I can really post on my blog. On top of it all, so many of you use Twitter. You can find me @seven_percent. Make sure to follow me and I can follow you back and we can be friends and stuff.

Lastly... Those shoes! I only had three days to return them. So... I kept the wedges.

This shoe was really popular with you guys. I'm gonna have to find some new socks to wear with this, but I already have a pair of boots I can tuck jeans into. I'm looking for a pair I can wear more flared leg jeans with so, I guess for those purposes, this pair is perfect.

Misikko Hair Dryer Review

2012-02-18T09:38:00.001-07:00

There is NO way that you haven't seen this company and their products around before. But I'd like to add my own review in. This product was provided by Misikko for review. This review reflects my honest opinions.

I was approached to review the HANA Air Premiere Hair Dryer right when I was considering the purchase of a new hair dryer. The old hair dryer I was using was an old Conair that I found somewhere in the house. It worked at blowdrying my hair well-enough (or so I thought) but I hated how it made my hair smell after using it. Note: that's not normal.

However, I was hesitant about purchasing a Hana product. It's claimed as Salon quality and about two hundred dollars. ...Not exactly one of my usual purchases. But the thing is, guys, that you never just get the hair dryer. I received a nine pound box from Hana... and the hair dryer was not nine pounds.

As you can see, the box was packed full of goodies.

What kind of goodies? Well... I got a monkey.

As well as a dust bag I could not get a decent picture of.

A sleeping mask.

Two seperate bags of a bunch of nail files (I desperately need a new one) and hand sanitizer.

A heat protectant pad for flat irons.

A FULL brush set from Bobbi Brown!!! WHAT?

An ELF Eyelash Curler.

A cloth cover thing.

A bottle of Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Daily Shampoo and a bottle of Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Daily Treatment. At the bottom there are scented roses; they're just filler but I LOVED THEM.

Not to mention... oh yeah, the hair dryer. It came in a fancy box.

I am by no means, a hair expert. So, let me start by telling you what I was looking for. I wanted this to dry my hair quickly; I wanted this to be easy to use; I wanted it to not dry out my hair; I wanted this to not frizz out or damage my hair.

Let's start with what this hairdryer is. I'm inserting my comments on the side.

Ion Technology- condition hair & reduces static electricity (No static in the winter. My hair doesn't float anymore!)
Tourmaline & Titanium Oxide Technology- natural ions promote healthier hair (Smoother and definitely reduces post dry frizz.)
Silver Nanotechnology- for antibacterial Protection (I.... don't know about this one. )
Scratch Resistant Shell with black metallico finish adds durability and is easy to clean (Very pretty. Yes, it is!)
Long life motor with low noise (I'd add that the motor is freaking strong! The medium setting here is strong thank high from my other dryer.)
Gyroscopically balanced for easy handling (It's a bit heavier than what I was using before, but not inconveniently.)
Fiberglass concentrator
Italian Design

This has two fan settings, three heat settings and a cold shot. It even comes with a warranty for two years! Before, I had to towel dry my hair then blowdry layer by later. Overall, it would take about twenty minutes. With this, it takes less than ten. I have incredibly thick hair, so if I'm okay with it being a little bit damp, it only takes five minutes after towel drying. Power and efficiency are it's two best selling points. The next is probably the result. My hair is less frizzy and has less static. Because I don't need as much heat to dry it, it feels softer and silkier as a result. If your hair is damaged, this dryer isn't going to heal your hair or give it magic sun powers, but it will probably be better than what you're using now. Lastly, this thing is durable. When I first got it, I planned on dropping it on the floor to see how it would last. That's something my last hairdryer always did--fall on the floor. But I didn't need to with this one. There are two rubber nubs on the sides of the dryer... it doesn't budge from your counter.

It retails for 194.99, which is more than I had ever considered paying for a hairdryer. But let's take a look at the whole package, shall we? Even if we get rid of the doll, the bags and containers, there are some SERIOUS freebies here. We all love E.L.F (which is the brand I've seen included most often) but Paul Mitchell and Bobbi Brown aren't E.L.F. There are freebies in every package, so it's not just the ones for review. According to a Misikko representative, "We basically have really big bins full of makeup and each box gets different makeup it’s really all what the picker decides to put into that box. Then on top every box gets the eye mask, hand sanitizer bag, heart shaped rose soap, and a heat proof mat." If you value these freebies, the true cost of the dryer may not be $200. If you don't, there is the two year warranty and the quality of the product to consider.

Would I buy this? To be honest, no, I wouldn't. I'm not in a state in my life where I splurge on nice products. I'm in the stage in my life where I try to pay for graduate school. However, if you're looking to make an investment in a hairdryer, or if you blowdry often and you want to maintain healthy hair, I'd definitely recommend this. There is not a single part of this product that performs badly. Misikko may have the best hair dryers. I read a lot of other reviews before doing this one... and I did not read a single negative sentiment about its performance. If you're interested, please also look at Chi Flat Irons.

Please Help Me Choose!

2012-02-16T21:38:00.003-07:00

It may just be because I'm learning about anxiety disorders at school, but I have EXTREME indecisiveness. I can spend up to a day thinking about what I have for lunch the next day... and you saw that I can't make up my mind about whether to get a tumblr or a twitter. I actually still haven't decided. If anything, it's going to be twitter, but I'm going to hold off until I make sure I really want it. (See what I mean?)

Anyways. Went show shopping, brought two pairs of shoes and... I have problems deciding which one to get.

Option 1: GB Gianni Bini "The-Beat" Boots

These, only black! These are so trendy right now! That's a plus and a minus for them. Trendy, yay, good. On the other hand, the winter season is almost over...will these be as popular later? The ankle is a bit low--it shows my ankle socks so I may have to get even lower socks to wear this with. I love how chic and edgy these look but it may be too edgy to work with my normal style. Should I just go for it?

Option 2: Gianni Bini Cheyene Ankle Boots

Click here... this gives you a much better front view. I like these because of the color scheme and the details on it... but ugh! The sweater cuff. I don't know if I'll find that hard to work with in terms of matching. I'm wondering if it'll be limited in terms of wear-ability in the spring. These shoes just don't get me as excited.

Option 3: Don't get any; keep looking! I'm kind of tired of searching... but I'm sure there'll still be boots out there. Maybe on Endless.com.

In terms of prices... the first pair is 34.99 down from 99.99. The second pair is 45.49 down from 129.99. I got both from Dillard's which is having a sale, so I highly suggest you go take a look this weekend.

So, Option 1, 2, or 3!?!

Cherry Blossom Cafe

2012-02-16T09:46:00.002-07:00

I'll admit. I got lost on the way to this place. And the friend who I was meeting up with called me on it. It happens. To make me feel better, this restaurant was located in a pretty tiny and run down shopping complex after a long strip of car lots and dealerships. I walked in, not expecting much but I saw really nice wood furniture and some bamboo curtains. Overall, it had a really nice atmosphere. The crowd was nice as well. Mostly businessmen who came over from work.

We ordered off their reasonably priced, but not cheap, lunch menu.

I don't know about their regular menu, but the food was worth every penny. We started out with a simple salad with this delicious ginger dressing. Really really good.

If I remember correctly, I got a big bowl of udon noodles. Whatever they were though, the bowl was this big and I finished most of them.

Talk about complete! In addition to all their yummy Asian food, they also made their own cakes. I thought that this mousse was irresistible.

So, I would have to say I'd definitely go back to this place. The atmosphere is nice, the food is worth the price and they have yummy desserts. What's not to like? Find their website here!

Fandom

2012-02-14T09:05:00.003-07:00

I write what I please in this blog. I mean, I care about what everyone thinks, of course, but I also care about myself. Though I'm not a great writer, I greatly appreciate its place it my life. If I write it down, then it's out of my mind.

You know that feeling when you're thinking about a to-do list? Thoughts are spinning in your head and you're trying to hold on to them. The list keeps on growing longer and you forget something. Then you remember it. Then forget something else. You're not even sure if you've forgotten something. Writing things down helps. I literally move an item from my brain to a piece of paper, where I know it'll stay safe. I can refer to it again at any time. It's not going to go anywhere so I've freed up my mind to think about other things.

It's like that with all of my thoughts. There's one thought in particular that I've been thinking about. It's fandom.

via weheartit

What is fandom?

Merriam-Webster defines it as 1. all the fans, 2. the state or attitude of begin a fan.

Wikipedia describes it as "term used to refer to a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of sympathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest."

The highest rated Urban Dictionary entry says it is "The community that surrounds a tv show/movie/book etc. Fanfiction writers, artists, poets, and cosplayers are all members of that fandom. Fandoms often consist of message boards, livejournal communities, and people."

So, that's fandom: fans of something.

But fandom is so important to me. If this comes off as really pathetic, it's okay. Don't pity me, I'm enjoying my life. The television show or movie or book is just a starting point for something much more impressive. Like the definitions explain, it's a community.

I meet people though fandom... amazing people. These individuals have such incredible talent in drawing and writing and knitting and sewing and baking. They can express their interests though ways that I haven't even dreamed of. They inspire me. It's a group of people I can communicate with using the secret language of the fandom. I can find entire conversations where the only form of communication is references to minute details... details that a fan would know. Details that EVERY fan knows. It's like being a part of a club.

There's no doubt that people spend money because they're part of a fandom. People spend effort and time to catch up on the latest everything. Fans can follow actors and writers to the point where it's unhealthy. But it's different for everyone. What joins people is the passion that drives them.

That's what it means to me. It's a reason for wanting to do the best I can do. Stupid things like looking forward to The Hobbit in December and Star Trek next summer make me happy. It makes me excited. And I'm not sure how much of a exaggeration this is, but it gives me a reason for being. Fandom, will you be my Valentine?

My Life Is Average Mondays: Social Media Dilemma

2012-02-13T09:40:00.001-07:00

I seem to like creating problems for myself where there are none. Today, the topic is social media. The main scope of discussion is, if I could only choose one, what would I create? A Twitter or Tumblr account?

via weheartit

Why only one? Well... self imposed rule. Often times, I feel incredibly over social media-ed. I actually did have a Twitter that I got rid of because I was constantly looking at it. Even when I walk now, my face is stuck in Facebook. There's a joke in there somewhere, ten points to Hufflepuff if you find it.

So, let's talk pros and cons. Twitter. Twitter is easy to use. I've used it before! I can connect with all of you who have twitter accounts and share pictures as well as live updates of what I'm up to. I can also get your latest info. Twitter will be incredibly useful in sharing blog stuff with blogger buddies. On the other hand, I notice that I am much much much less censored on Twitter.

Tumblr. I go on tumblr even when I don't have one. Tumblr is certainly popular, but it doesn't seem as popular among the blogs that I follow. I think I'd love to have a tumblr because of all the fandoms there. I could rant about Sherlock Holmes and Star Trek and Doctor Who without confusing you guys. But... I don't want to separate myself and run two blogs.

What do you guys think? Do you have Twitter? Tumblr? Which one should I get?

The Meaning of Reichenbach

2012-02-11T09:41:00.003-07:00

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Reichenbach.

Have you ever heard of that word before?

It's a series of waterfalls in Switzerland, but that's not what the word is known for. In the short story, the Final Problem, this is the location where Sherlock Holmes had his final fight with his arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty. They had been clashing for years before and their largely intellectual fight was finally brought to close quarters when Moriarty sent several men to kill Holmes. Holmes lured Moriarty to Reichenbach Falls and they both tumbled down. Mutually assured destruction. But Sherlock Holmes doesn't die. He returns to 221B three years later.

What's interesting about this word isn't any event that made it into the Holmes Canon, it's what was kept out. When Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the Final Problem, he meant to kill Sherlock Holmes. The detective he created had gotten too out of hand for him. He was constantly trying to create new mysteries and the stress had become overwhelming. He wanted to stop writing these silly mysteries and write more historical novels. It was only his fans' outcry that forced the author to bring back Sherlock Holmes.

So... Reichenbach.

With any mention of Reichenbach in a Sherlock Holmes story, fans know what they're going to get. The beloved hero of the tale will take a fall. And it's heartbreaking. Even though we know he lives, it's gutwrenching. Reichenbach represents a dark time, a necessary sacrifice, a period of hopelessness and an eventual triumph. Sherlock Holmes's dearest friend John Watson, thought he was dead for years. We suffer along with him because in real life, Sherlock Holmes really did almost die.

Western Cooking

2012-02-09T09:56:00.002-07:00

The other day my friend commented and said that I cooked in a very Western way. I paused to consider and thought that she was right. I don't ever cook anything that's truly Chinese. But I have started cooking more Mexican-American Food. In fact, I think I make this stuff more than I make Chinese food.

I think this is actually a Tortilla, as opposed to the Quesadilla I made earlier. It includes cheese on tortilla, fajita meat, a handful of spinach leaves and some guacamole and sour cream.

Back with more vlogs!

2012-02-07T09:15:00.003-07:00

So... another thing that Mugdha and I decided to do was a "What's In Your Purse Video" but I think we need to call it what it really is.

Hoarders: Purse Edition.

You be the judge.

Without further ado...

My Life is Average Mondays: Reflection

2012-02-06T09:57:00.003-07:00

weheartit

I have to admit that I really miss writing down my thoughts. I was readying my old livejournal entries and I realized that while no one else might be interested, I was. To be honest, I enjoy writing down my mundane life issues. Years later, I like to re-read that much more than I care about what I wore or where I ate. It's just something about the way I write. It's very raw. Very rambly. Every time I read it, I can hear my own voice--just years younger. I suppose that's what I'm trying to do here. I generally don't enjoy forming complete thoughts. And I think in fragments.

This is more for me than is it for my readers.

Sorry. Let me have a moment.

Jason Wu For Target is here!

2012-02-05T16:40:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, today Target released Jason Wu's collection. I woke up at 8, when the store opens. But I didn't want to see over-eager so I moseyed around my house before leaving a nine. Mistake. I was expecting a zoo when I got to the store but it was very calm. Why? The racks were already picked over. I just picked up and tried on whatever caught my eye and was in my size. It didn't add up to a lot.

The first thing I got was a polkadotted navy blouse with a necktie. It's made of a really light material that would be perfect for summer. This was the only piece I picked up in extra small and it was indeed, too small for me. I thought this was cute, but too small and not exactly my style. I've seen a few other girls tuck this in but I liked the casual look. I can't justify a blouse at 34.99 even if I love how it's cut.

I also picked up this nice little t-shirt dress. I was in love with the colors but the draping didn't work for me on all levels. Front view was awesome!

Side view, not so much. It clung on my chest and my behind awkwardly. The material (lovely, but cotton) and the draping on my body was not good enough to justify 34.99. And I'm also cheap. What?

I'm smirking in this picture because I love this dress. It's super light and chiffony and it comes with a belt.

Sorry for the next two headless pictures. I got upset at my camera (any tips on fitting room photos?!?). I was really sold on the cinching at the bust, the ruffles and the patterns. I spent a few minutes spinning in the fitting room because the skirt was so lovely.

The side profile isn't bad either. This was 39.99, which might be the most expensive dress I've ever purchased in my life. Should I keep it? I do desperately want something from the collection. How do you think it'll compare to the usual H&M and Forever 21 spring dresses? I'm not sure if it's unique. Please let me know your thoughts!

Please also check out other reviews! SewPetiteGirl has one up!

Jason Wu Chaos

2012-02-04T09:15:00.002-07:00

I wasn't in love with Missoni for Target... but I'm more than thrilled for the Jason Wu Collaboration. I'm sure you've seen this collection on more than a few blogs but I think these clothes are just too lovely not to share. The collection will be available starting tomorrow... and I'm guessing it'll be gone incredible quickly.

Pictures from Target

I absolutely love lines in the pattern as well as the full skirts and pleats. He also has a great deal of chiffon-esque and sheer blouses. I'm in love with his dots and flowers.

I think I may be one of those people fighting in Target come 2/5.

As a sidenote, I know I didn't make a note of 100 followers or 200 followers... BUT 221 followers! Baker Street for LIFE.

Baking with Friends!

2012-02-02T09:52:00.001-07:00

If there's one thing in cooking that I fail at, it's baking. That's strange, because it used to be the only thing I could do. I cook by changing recipes around, dropping spice and herbs here and there. I exchange a lot of ingredients (sometimes not on purpose) and I'm very haphazard about it all.

Baking's a lot more exact. Or at least it seems. However, I have a few friends who are excellent at baking and so, Strawberry Nutella Cupcakes. I'll link you to the recipe from here but I'm just going to say that there's a lot of delicious baking on that site. Fair warning.

Not healthy at all. But SO DANG good.

Nail Polish Tag

2012-01-31T09:48:00.002-07:00

The rules:
1. Answer 10 questions
2. Pass it to 5 other Bloggers
3. Make sure the blogger you tagged know about this.

via weheartit

1. How many polishes do you have?
31. A great number of them were gifts.

2. What is your favorite brand of nail polish?
Sinful Colors. I get it when it's on sale as a one dollar polish. They have great variety and decent quality.

3. Do you like Crackle polish or do you have it?
I think it's a cool and easy look but I haven't found any that are about 1$... so I don't have one yet.

4.What is the brand of your first nail polish?
Erm. I think I still may have it. It's a green Dollar store color!

5. If you're going to have a nail polish line what would you name it?
Probably L'Arc En Ciel or something like that. It was the name of a band I LOVED when I was in middle school. It means rainbow in French.

6. What nail polish does not compliment you?
Some shades of pink. It just doesn't agree!

7.What nail polish compliments you?
I like darker, more mature colors.

8. Name two of your nail art best-friends.
I love love Konads and tooth picks. Konad plates are the easiest way for me to get fancy and neat nails. You don't have to have endless plates but with a few plates of a few colors you do have endless combinations. I also love various forms of dotted nails so toothpicks are a great way for me to do that.

9. What was the best nail polish gift you ever received?
I can't really say. I won a nail polish giveaway prize from che at lovefemme a while back and that I adooooore.

10. Make a speech thanking the blogger who gave you this tag.
Thanks to the Girlie Blog! I've never done a nail tag before. Her blog is great and I can't believe I just found out about it.

Five bloggers I'm tagging:
A Daily Dose of Anything
Keyleigh Jean
Adorgables
Love, Femme
SharleneGetAddicted

Chomp, Chomp, Chompie's

2012-01-28T09:59:00.001-07:00

Have you guys seen the show Man V. Food? It's a travel channel show where this guy named Adam goes across the nation doing food challenges at restaurants and and showing us the dishes that they offer. It's one of my favorite shows. When I found out that he made an episode in Tempe, I decided that I NEEDED to go to this restaurant. It's called Chompie's and it's more or less, known for being a NY Jewish deli.

Even though I wanted to go to this place, when I did go, I ended up forgetting to bring my camera. Of course. so I apologize for cell phone pictures.

So, this first picture is a part of the menu, this shows the guy and the meal he had to eat. I know I can eat a lot, but I can't eat very fast... so I can't ever do any food challenges. Oh well.

They also have his picture as well as other pictures of people who tried the challenge.

Now let's talk about the actual meal. Instead of giving you bread or anything like that, the meal started with pickles. I really think there are two groups of pickles here. One was really quite gross... all salty. The other was a normal salty pickle and it was great.

While I didn't get five pounds of food, I did get the same sliders as Adam.

It was cheesy and delicious, but I think I hyped it up too much in my mind. At the end, I had a little bit of trouble finishing even three. However, if you have one of these restaurants in your area, I still recommend it. Their menu is huge.

My friend who accompanied me out had a Chipotle Burger. Now... that was delicious. It was incredibly juicy.

After we had dinner, we walked by the dessert case on the way out. And I could not resist picking up creme brule. it was... really good. Those pieces of chocolate? I want this all over again.

My friend got the seven layer chocolate cake which was on sale. This was really good too. The dark cellphone picture doesn't do it any justice at all.

Wanna see some LUSH stuff?

2012-01-26T09:33:00.004-07:00

Wanna see some LUSH stuff? This is some of their Halloween stuff (hey, not as late as Christmas in July).

When I unwrapped the package, I was disappointed with Lady Catrina soap. It doesn't look that appealing, does it? That's really okay. It smells delicious. If I carved off a nubbin of it, I'd think it was a purple jellybean. It smells wonderful. It has that tart jellybean scent and I actually don't think it's that sweet like some others have described. I think this spells better/stronger when it's not wet but I love the scent it leaves on your skin. It's very light and mixes with my own natural scent very well.

For a soap with Lush's new base, it's also quite sudsy and moisturizing. I need a little extra in the winter but this would probably keep my skin quite happy in the winter.

I think this one is also amazing. It's actually supposed to be the same scent as Lady Catrina, just in a different form. I think this form has a stronger smell because you keep it in its bag more often. I think while this smells just as great it's a little bit more tart. It's also not as moisturizing. This is also supposed to be in the same of a skull but it seems that it's not that pronounced and my camera isn't great at capturing it.

2011 Movie Reviews: Part One

2012-01-24T09:14:00.003-07:00

I love watching movies. When I was reading a blog about 2011's best movies, I thought I'd make my own large scale review. Before that though, a note about what I like about movies and in movies. I love popular movies; I love action movies; I love superhero movies; I love movies that I have a good time with. I'm also incredibly geeky and greatly enjoy pop-culture references.

I tried not to have too many spoilers here!

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X-Men First Class - I was so excited for this film I actually saw it in theaters. I really like the era that it took place in. The depiction of Mystique bothered me a bit, but the male leads, James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender were great.

Thor - I was quite excited for this as well and I also saw it in theaters. As far as superhero movies go, my favorite character would have to be Loki. He had a great amount of complexity. Special effects and portrayal of Asgard also blew me away.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows PT2 - I really liked this. Ever since I got to high school, I haven't been able to go back and reread the books as often as I liked so I didn't even notice the giant differences. I thought it was great entertainment and a fair ending. As they say, the journey ends. I even posted about this when I saw it.

Captain America - I loved the era that this film took place in too. I was really fighting for Steve since he was so small at first and this film actually gave me a lot more of a story than I was expecting. Steve is an interesting character. I wasn't that impressed by the conflict in the plot.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - I lost interest in the franchise a movie or two ago but I actually saw this in theaters on a whim. After I came out, I remember talking about the mermaids. I've always liked mermaids and I thought the depiction was quite good. I really liked the supporting characters this time round (I expected Will and Elizabeth again) but Johnny Depp isn't as exciting to me anymore.

Green Lantern - As much as I like Ryan Reynolds... I thought this was a weak movie. Space travel, superheros and aliens pretty much always make me happy but the relationship was icky in this movie. I liked the villain... but not as much as I loved Loki from Thor.

Sucker Punch - This looked so epic! But it was one of those cases where all the epicness was contained in the trailer. The film got boring every time it tried to progress the plot. '

The Immortals - I watched this at a dinner and a movie place! ...It was not a movie you should have watched while trying to eat. I watched this movie because I loved 300, but other than the gore, it just didn't compare. The movie was a lot of build up about a bow that was used less than five times. I didn't even think there were great fights in this film. Just torture porn.

Hangover 2 - I didn't watch part one because I thought I would hate it, but when part two came out, I watched both. I like Hangover a lot better than the second one, but it's really cute, crazy, mindless humor. Who can object to laughing? Now, if you think this isn't your brand of humor, I'd at least watch half an hour of it then decide. I didn't give it the chance it deserved at first.

Bridesmaids - There are many who call this Hangover for girls and I'm not sure what to feel about that. You can't look at the cast of all women and all men and determine based off of that. At parts, I found this much more foul and full of guy humor than Hangover. At the same time, the character development and the plot that drives the story is very much chick-flick material. This movie made me laugh and it made me cry.

Have you seen any of these? Agree or disagree with what I thought?

Nails with a little depth.

2012-01-21T09:16:00.001-07:00

This nail color is a combination of several colors. It was inspired by the "pounced" nail art trend since I'm always on the look out for nail art that's simple and easy.

I know this isn't the clearest image, but the difference was quite subtle. For this look I used Sinful Colors Mercury Rising, Wet n Wild Red Red, OPI The One that Got Away (Gift!) and I topped it off with NYC Love Letters. The different shades of red just give it a bit of a different dimension than just any one color by itself.

Why I Wouldn't Travel With the Doctor

2012-01-19T09:17:00.001-07:00

This is all about why I wouldn't travel with the Doctor, from the show Doctor Who. I've posted previously about Doctor Who and some of you guys said that you have seen the show.

I've just been thinking about this for a while. Every single person I've spoken with would go traveling with the Doctor as his companion if given the chance. I always end up asking them if they have or have not considered the danger that is constantly involved. They would still go. That's something the Doctor actually asks his companions too--about the danger and they answer in the same way. I have three reasons that range from the petty, the practical and the profound.

The Petty: I can't drop everything and go. That's been my issue for a lot of events forever, but I can't drop it and go. I can't come back and adjust. I'm not good with change... and what is travelling in the TARDIS but constant change?

The Practical: I wouldn't last. How many times has the Doctor said "RUN?!?" to his companion? At the state my cardio is at, I wouldn't last a day in a zombie infestation, not to mention outrun aliens with the Doctor. I've also seem Martha run in heels. ...Martha. How.

The Profound: I don't know if I can handle it. I know I can't handle the physical... but knowing about the worlds out there? I don't know if I can handle that. In each episode, the Doctor and his companion goes on a dangerous journey and I think I'd become so exhausted. I'm not one who runs towards danger. I walk away and I would only look back from behind a very safe wall.

Sauce!

2012-01-17T09:34:00.001-07:00

If it's not clear to you now, I love trying out new places to eat. I feel like one day, I'm going to have tried every restaurant in my available area... But I know there's a reason that that's not going to happen. I keep going back to the same old places, again and again.

But it's a completely different experience when a friend shares their "same old places" with you. I've had that feeling, where you're waiting in tense anticipation and wondering if they like it. Because...they have to like it.

I went to Sauce recently. Like True Food, Sauce is a Fox Concept restaurant, but much lower end (ie affordable) and it simple focuses on American dining. Is there anything more American than Mac and Cheese and Pizza?

Best macaroni and cheese, ever. This dish can come out tasting fake, or too salty or not salty enough. For something that also comes in a box, it's really easy to get completely wrong. Now, we paid several times box price for this but it's worth every penny. Hands down, best mac and cheese ever. End of story.

Oh, random artsy picture of me.

The other thing we had was mushroom pepperoni pizza. I'm not going to say that this is the best pizza I've never had (I've been to Italy) but this was pretty good. It still has the downfalls of pizza as it was greasy, but it was pretty good for a decent price.

I recommend Sauce. They combine fine (or, better) dining food with casual dining prices.

Boots, boots, boots.

2012-01-14T09:39:00.002-07:00

I really wanted a pair of boots last season. I was looking for combat boots, but I ended up with these. I still love them, but my black boots are dying. The heel is being worn out. So, I suppose I'm looking for black boots again. Living in Arizona, I definitely don't NEED boots, but I think a black pair and a brown pair is always useful, right?

Don't answer that.

I almost want to get the same pair I have in brown in black.

Women's Xhilaration® Kainda Slouchy Heeled Boots - Black, from Target

But I love variety too much. I want my combat boots to have a heel, and I love heels, but these are a bit unpractical.

Scilian, from Aldo

There's definitely a part of me that really wants gungy boots.

Distressed Leatherette Combat Boots, from Forever21

But these don't really fit with my overall style, so I'm not sure how much wear something like this would get.

I also went through 13 pages of boots on a website. How can there be so many pairs of awesome boots... and not one I'd actually spend money on? Let me know if you recently brought boots and where from!

Chinese New Year Nails!

2012-01-12T09:14:00.002-07:00

Colors for celebration! These were inspired by a nail look I happened upon online. I didn't do these for any special occasion but I think they'd be fantastic for the Chinese New Year. I'm probably going to do them again. If you need a reminder, Chinese New Year is on 1/23/12 and it's going to be the Year of the Dragon. Insert Skyrim/LOTR/other dragon pun here.

I used Wet n Wild's Red Red and my gold striping polish to dot. Really easy. Really quick. Tons of color combinations you can do. I call that a winner.

The Best Breakfast

2012-01-10T09:34:00.003-07:00

Breakfast burritos are the breakfast of the champions.

Not that anyone has the time to make this in the morning. But you're a lucky one if you do.

Did you know that hash-browns came in boxes that you fill up with water? Then then you dump all the potato out into the pan to fry? I'm not sure if it's real food, but it's delicious food. This pan shows some potatoes and some bacon (I chopped it up and cooked it in a pan.) I left the bacon grease in this pan to cook the hash-browns. Sorry if you think that's gross. I like gross food sometimes.

The other part of the meal requires meat. This is flank steak, cut up into strips. You add a little Worcestershire sauce and pepper.

You boil it in its own juices. It is delicious. Then, burrito ingredients, then ASSEMBLE. In case they don't do that by themselves, you're going to have to do it. I put a little ketchup on this one.

Mouth, use bite! It is super effective!

7% Muse on Television

2012-01-07T09:08:00.002-07:00

As some of you may recall, I started a vlog with Mugdha from A Vigilant Muse. We shared an awkward teaser but some of you may be interested in us actually talking!

So, without further ado... here is the first part of our vlog!

Enjoy!

Some of you will be excited to know that she's BACK TO BLOGGING NOW. Cheers all around.

The Young, Educated and Unemployed

2012-01-05T09:09:00.002-07:00

Today, I go back to school. In honor of that depressing mood, here's a depressing post.

I recently listened to an NPR article on American college students and their job search. This is a topic that I'm sure you've heard at least a little about no matter where you are. For the eleven minute article, see NPR, here. Here's my take on it.

I'm a graduating senior in college and I'm not exactly sure if I'm going to grad school... but a getting a job is definitely in my future. I'm surrounded by many friends who are definitely working after school and scrambling to find jobs so I find this very interesting. While most of my friends are business majors, I thought I'd still talk about choosing a major because a lot of bloggers are still in high school or have just started at a university. There's a continuum between doing what you love and doing what you can support yourself with.The NPR article tells you pretty straight: it's the more technical fields that are in demand. The most popular majors include psychology, journalism and literature.Yet, it is in these majors where jobs can be most difficult to find. On the other hand, a major like actuarial sciences is very low in desirability and very high in demand. One of the most poignant and new pieces of information I learned is that a "bad" major in a "good" school can still set you back in your career.

Encouragement can set you back too. Parents who tell their kids that if they study hard, they can do anything... aren't exactly right. You have to study hard at the right things. Professors, advisers and recruitment officers continue to tell kids that they will find success as long as they work hard are disillusioning their students. Students like to listen to those who tell them what they want to do; not those who tell them to do that hard boring stuff.

Lastly, TEDtalks are also misinforming you. I'm not a fan of TEDtalks myself (in fact, I take a little pleasure in bringing them down, so take my words with a grain a salt) but many of my friends are. My friends are inspired by TEDtalks in searching for their future careers but NPR talks about how TEDtalks do not give an accurate picture of the jobs really out there. TEDtalks make it seem like the perfect job is just waiting for you. Students, in turn, are waiting for the perfect job. What's wrong with waiting, though? Oh... Bills, loans, interest, defaulting, credit. Just that.

This last bit really resonates with what I see in the blogging world. I see so many successful etsy shop owners, successful bloggers and fashion designers and stylists that sometimes, I feel like I just want to do that instead.

2012-01-03T09:10:00.006-07:00

Happy New Year!

I really can't believe it's been a year already. But then again, do I ever?

I wanna do a quick roundup of my favorite posts from each month.

In January, I found a recipe for honey baked salmon that I've been using ever since.
In February, I shared my love of Big Bang Theory and Sheldon's style of dress.
In March, I started documenting my journey of raising a virtual child (you can find all the posts here).
In April, I went to an Arizona Blogger Meetup.
In May, I did a style inspiration challenge.
In June, I started a new blog feature called My Life is Average Mondays.
In July, we had a HUGE haboob.
In August, I admitted I'm self-conscious about what I write.
In September, I tried to write down what I learned during the summer and took a vacation to LA.
In October, I posted about getting a new planner.
In November, I had my one year blogoversary.
In December, I started vlogging!

I always try to think about what I did during the year... and if these posts are any indication, quite a bit!

This unimpressive bowl ...

2011-12-31T09:25:00.002-07:00

...is actually a sad attempt at this dish.

One of the things that I dislike about Asian dishes is how often it calls for fresh ingredients in such small qualities. For example, I have great issues with green onion. When I buy it, it's at least 3 bunches. I think I use 2 stalks per meal, at the most. I usually stick them in my fridge, only for them to dry and shrivel up.

Now, for this dish, I brought a few types of eggs. I still have way too many salted duck eggs and thousand year eggs. Perhaps it's time to revisit this dish!

Also, happy new year's eve!

Vlog Teaser!

2011-12-29T09:24:00.001-07:00

So... Remember when I was talking about the possibilities of a Vlog about a month ago? I really wasn't sure where it was going but after a morning of filming with Mugdha from A Vigilant Muse... We have something!

All I can show you now is an awkward Teaser but there is more to come as soon as Mugdha edits it all! Much thanks to her for taking part as well as doing all the editing. Without further ado...

See us in video!

Galaxy Nails for Cheap!

2011-12-27T09:12:00.008-07:00

Hello everyone! I'm back from my vacation. I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and spent a nice time with their families. I'm getting back in the swing of things but I've been horribly lazy. Today, I am bringing you a nail look!

Remember that trend of making your nails look like they were in space? If I remember correctly, it used an Orly polish that cost quite a bit.

Okay. Not quite a bit. But it costs more than a dollar and that's how much I try to buy my polishes for.

By combining two polishes, I created a similar effect. This nail look is for the lazy. You don't find planets and solar systems and galaxies in this look. Just SPACE, the FINAL FRONTIER. I hope you read that in William Shatner's voice or something.

Enough gabbing. The star of this look is NYC's Love Letters. By itself, it looks awful. Barely sparkles, mostly clear. LAME.

But what if you layer it over black? Ohhh. Isn't that pretty?

I love the details of this look. It looks like individual stars. And I tried to show how much of a duochrome this polish is. It's pink and purple and magenta as well as blue and teal.

Even though this uses two polishes, the NYC Love Letters is cheap and the black I have was really cheap as well. You probably already have a black color on hand. With the two colors combined, this look only took two dollars to do!

Leopard Print

2011-12-24T09:04:00.005-07:00

I used to think that Leopard Print was so tacky and trashy. It used to be something that only really trashy people wear.

Then, I realized that curvy black women looked great in it.

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Then I thought that older white woman could look good in it too.

via weheartit

My journey in accepting animal bring has been fraught with generalizations, misconceptions and stereotypes. But now I think that even I can look good in it. Anyone can.

I still don't agree with wearing it head to toe, but scarves, nails, bags, cardigans, coats and shoes can always be printed! I hope the print will very forgive me for my earlier comments. It's not tacky, it's not trashy. It depends on how it's worn!

How do you feel about animal prints?

Oversharing Hypocrisy

2011-12-22T09:31:00.002-07:00

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Let me just be clear. I hate oversharing. Hate it, hate it, hate it. Oversharing often makes me hate social media as a whole. But as you can see from the title, I'm a hypocrite about it. And how can I not be? I'm on facebook and I have this little thing called a blog.

People share so much useless information about their lives. Where they are, who they're with, what they're thinking about... You've seen the mundane Twitter Updates ("Woke up, my coffee tastes awful, lol." You've see the vague facebook updates that are designed to make you ask questions ("It's days like theses where I know that no one cares. Everyone's fake, even you.") There's the depressing tumblr reposts that include a pretty picture and some words like "Life isn't worth living." There are people who constantly update, whose updates are never original... the list goes on and on. I'm sure that everyone has their own annoyances.

But the thing that I hate the most is that I check these things. I read and look at every annoying sentence and picture and comment. I can't stop looking at it. I don't care about anything that people say, but I'm constantly still refreshing and keeping up to date. That's probably the most annoying part of all.

The pictures kind of match!

2011-12-20T09:50:00.003-07:00

You guys know I have trouble replicating recipes. And you know that I have even more difficulty getting my pictures to look like food bloggers' photos.

But this one... It alllllmost looks the same.

The recipe is from Kevin at Closet Cooking and the dish is Asparagus Mac and Cheese!

I count mac and cheese as a pasta and it is definitely one of my favorite kinds. I love that the asparagus added some veggies to the mix. Definitely try this recipe out. It was so good.

Link Up

2011-12-17T09:06:00.008-07:00

It's time for some random links I find on the internet!

Let's start off with an SNL skit that has Steve Buscemi and Batman.

Get ready for Class in 30 Minutes - ...You mean five, right? Cause on a day I have 30 minutes to get ready... I clearly woke up 25 minutes too early.

I'm late... - Another article about looking awesome in no time at all. Cause sleep guys, it's important. As is checking your blog in the morning.

Sweet Lemon Magazine - Have you ever wanted a blog in a magazine form? Here it is. If I were to describe this... it would probably be east coast and preppy.

The Dirty Unethical Business of Fashion Blogs - The relationship between your favorite blogs and those who they advertise for.

Unicorn Nails - Every bit as amazing as it sounds... and like all of my nail looks, so simple even I can do it. I just... don't own a shatter nail polish at the moment.

People Who Photograph Food - Also known as everyone I know? Including all you bloggers? NYT article on the new "phenomenon".

Also, I'm turning 21 today and going on a week long family vacation. I'll have scheduled posts but probably won't be commenting that much. If you'd like to reach me, please contact me here. I'll be back around Christmas.

Downtown and Fair Trade Cafe Adventure

2011-12-15T09:19:00.006-07:00

I recently found out that there was a free shuttle that took me from Arizona State's Tempe Campus to Arizona State's Downtown Campus. So... I went!

I find the Downtown Campus to be fresh, new and exciting as opposed to the Tempe one. Look, tall buildings.

They even have something you don't really see in all of Arizona. Historical buildings.

There's something about it all that just looks so modern. Unlike the rest of Arizona.

There's that Civic Park "Jellyfish"!

My main goal in taking this adventure was to find the Fair Trade Cafe! And I spotted it!

Interestingly enough, the area is secluded and hidden. At least, it was for me. You had to go down these stairs.

I had a nice berry ice tea.

I also got a sandwich. It was overpriced, but really good. They even gave me a cookie! Overall, I have to say I really liked the Fair Trade Cafe. I would never go there again just to eat there like I did this time but if you're in the neighborhood, I think it's a perfectly acceptable place to stop by and grab a bite. Of course... they are known for their coffee and I didn't get to try that. Perhaps one more trip.

Wonderful Days at the Farmer's Market

2011-12-13T09:12:00.013-07:00

This was the last time I saw my friend before she went off to London. I think it was September or so. We went to the Phoenix Public Market, which I'm sure you've seen if you read blogs by other Phoenicians.

Once we got there, we went to have a drink. I got a Sparkling Lemonade. This stuff is super refreshing. I highly recommend you try one.

Here's me posing with my drink. Like in an advertisement. Oh, if only my face looked like this more often and less like my goofy faces. We are not in dress season anymore. Don't worry.

She also pulled this out of her purse? I thought it was doggie doo doo at first. It's not. It's a doughnut.

And because we're Asian, we take pictures. ...Or, maybe it's because I'm a blogger, I take pictures. Either way, pictures of hotdogs were taken. These hotdogs in particular came from Short Leash, which is a hot dog food truck.

The dogs were really good. They gave you a fork cause it's kind of a messy experience.

As you can see, it's not in any normal type of bun. It was encased in a tortilla type shell. I thought it was weird at first, but it was good. I had a brat, some sauerkraut and thousand island dressing. Sounds super weird, but it was very good.

The place wasn't so much of an experience that I'd dying to go back; maybe with the right person.

I have two more finals to go! Today and tomorrow... and I'm free.

My Life is Awesome Mondays: Birthdays and Trips!

2011-12-12T09:26:00.001-07:00

via weheartit

So... I'm still in the midst of finals but I can't stop thinking about what this winter break as to offer me! It's shorter this year but I have to look forward to my 21st birthday as well as a family trip to Orlando to visit Disneyworld and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I shoooould be studying but I can't stop thinking about all the fun I'll have.

But! I need your help.

My birthday is on Saturday and I need to leave Sunday morning. I'm thinking of just having dinner with my friends on Saturday as celebration. Where should I go? What kind of vibe should it have? Any ideas?

Also, do you guys have any must visit locations in Orlando? Any booths, rides, or shops that I need to go to in Disney and Universal Studios?

Physician's Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Tinted Moisturizer

2011-12-10T09:33:00.002-07:00

I've been using a BB cream with SPF I got from China and I decided I really loved the idea of foundation + SPF. I don't like to wear too much on my face because then I feel like I have robot skin (no offense to robots), so I tried to look for tinted moisturizers. I looked into a lot of drugstore items as well as Sephora and found that a lot of the tinted moisturizers only go up to SPF 25. That wasn't going to work for me since I live in the Valley of the Sun and I hate sunspots.

But after more searching, Physician's Formula came to the rescue. It always amuses me when products have incredible long names. This is one such product. The Physician's Formula Healthy Wear SPF 50 Tinted Moisturizer.

I thought it was okay. I'd agree with what it advertises here. It's lightweight hydration, for sure. If my skin was in bad shape, I wouldn't be comfortable sticking with only this for moisture.

The foundation is very runny and liquidy. I disliked this at first because I wasn't used to it, but it honestly leaves my skin very very soft. It's a weird kind of oily soft though (even on my very dry skin), so I'm not sure I'd recommend this to people with oily skin. As for coverage, it's extremely lightweight. Next to nothing, I'd say. However, I'm fine with that because I wasn't looking for much coverage anyways. This does a great job of evening out my skintone. It's a very subtle improvement.

But another problem with this product is that the pump is flawed. Now, to be fair, I've dropped the bottle a few times but I find that the product drips out and down the side of the bottle rather than into your finger. If you tilt it, it doesn't work as well.

I'm not sure that I'd repurchase this. This retails for 13.99 (but I got it for 10 with a coupon) which means it's not super cheap. I don't love the product, but it's one of the only products I was able to find with SPF of 50. I might try the powder form of this product next. While I don't like the look of powder on my dry skin, it would fix many of the problems with the packaging and texture of the product.

Colorblocking!

2011-12-08T09:54:00.002-07:00

Yeah. Read that title carefully.

When I first tried this dress on, I thought it was ill fitting. The chest was too tight and it was too low. But I still loved it too much. Excuse the following picture, the color representation isn't great but it was the only straight shot full body I had.

That's better. The skirt started with a small crocheted top, a nude panel, a light blue panel and a dark blue panel. It was a bit short for my liking but not unwearable. Someone commented that I wear a lot of wedges... which was really true this past season. Wedge love.

Dress: (Thrifted)

Wedges: Aldo (49.50, on sale from 70.00)

I also did a strange, side-swept pony tail braid for this dress. Just experimenting for fun.

I wore this dress on a night out when I had dinner at Tempe Marketplace. An outdoor mall near my college campus. The place was called Kabuki. I don't usually like expensive sushi places, but I thought that this place was worth the higher than average prices. The food is really so good.

Their happy hour menus is pretty fair and I loved their sushi so much that I signed up for their reward program. There's really something to be said about quality and originality in sushi. I love salmon, but I'm constantly looking for new ways to experience it.

PS. Finals week! Wish me luck.

Ma Bar

2011-12-06T09:04:00.003-07:00

It's been a while since I did anything Lush related hasn't it?

I come today baring a recommendation for the winter times. This isn't part of their Christmas collection, but it's great when you're in that mood. This is called the MA BAR BUBBLE BAR.

Lush says: Spoil yourself with a chocolate-toffee bar. The LUSH Ma Bar is a Bubble Bar of two halves: cocoa and honey toffee. In the centre, there's a lump of brown sugar, which melts in the bath water. Despite what might pop into your mind, the Ma Bar gets its name from its origins. It's a bar for Ma. It has the winning fragrance of our Honey I Washed the Kids soap and smells like a delicious bar of chocolate.

Just half of a Ma bar gives you really good quality bubbles. It smells warm.. very much like something you'd want to drink. I think it may be a good idea to drink a nice hot chocolate while you're in the bath too!

I also just did my first ever guest post over at World According to Shia. She likes damask and is awesome.

Paletas Betty Mexican Ice Cream!

2011-12-03T09:21:00.002-07:00

One of these stores opened up on Mill Ave and I just had to go! These stores specialize in Mexican ice cream and they've been incredibly popular over here in Arizona.

The shop was rather quiet so we went in, got our popsicles (I think they were two dollars or so for one) and sat outside. It was kind of expensive, but I think again, worth it for a treat. After some struggling, I opened it.

The mold of the ice cream looks like it has a bite out of it already. That scared my friend.

So, yeah. I think I got the strawberry flavored one and I absolutely loved it. I also had a lick of the chocolate one and it wasn't bad either. It was a little pricey for a popsicle but I thought it was great! It really gave you the perfect amount of a cold treat. If you're interested in their website, you can visit here.

I also want to let you guys know that I recently signed up for Skimlinks, an affiliate site.(If you click on this link to sign up for the service, I will receive a commission.) I'll give an opinion about it, but I'm super new to this as well. You'll start seeing links for the items I post and it'll get me motivated on my blogging resolutions. Especially for more fashion and haul related posts! I proooooomise I won't start just posting things. I'm just curious to see how this works. =)

Kreativ Blogger Award

2011-12-01T09:19:00.010-07:00

I'd like to give a big thank you to Erin at Popcorn, Pugs and Peonies for passing on the creative blogger award.

As always, there are rules and facts to share about yourself.

RULES:

1.) Link back to the person who passed you the award
2.) Complete the form below
3.) Award 10 blogs and drop them a note to let them know about it
4.) Share 7 random things about yourself.

FORM

1.) Name your favorite song? I serenaded someone with Taylor Swift's You Belong With Me, recently, so that.

2.) Name your favorite dessert? Ohhh. Chocolate anything. And creme brulee.

3.) What pisses you off? People who don't take care of the responsibilities they have... often. Once or twice is excusable, but if it's a constant you don't have your stuff together type of individual... I can't stand that.

4.) When you're upset you? Eat bad unhealthy things and sleep.

5.) What is your favorite pet? Tribbles.

6.) Black or White? Both? I wear much more black though.

7.) Your biggest fear? Probably being alone and unhappy with myself.

8.) Best Feature? I'm not sure... Perhaps my hair now? It's incredibly long and I always find it really impressive when I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH, WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH.

9.) Everyday Attitude? Happy go lucky, I guess. I know a lot of people probably think I fret about everything because I fret to them, but I generally just try to live my life and do the best I can. Hakuna Matata perhaps.

10.) What is perfection? I remember last time I said that perfection was working hard for something and achieving it. I think this time I'd have to say it's the feeling of helping someone else along and seeing them achieve their dreams. that's perfection too.

11.) Guilty Pleasure? Food. To be precise, eating too much food. I really think that I enjoy my food so much that I just want to constantly be eating it.

I'd like to tag:
MizzSandyChau
Synonym4fashion
Kayleigh Jean
Shiny Pretty Things

Q U I R K Y E X P L O S I O N

Oh my dior

E l l e S e e s

World According to Shia

MyMy Mode
The Blog of Worldly Delights

I finally found my white blouse!

2011-11-29T09:38:00.003-07:00

I don't think I ever told you guys, but these past months I've been searching for a white, flowy blouse. My search started in the early summer and it took me until September to find it. This post is a bit old, sorry. Anyways, relive summer. Here!

This summer was my first "blogger summer" if you will--a summer when I was conscious of the options of keeping cool while looking hot. ...Sorry. I just had to. However, I noticed that a lot of the things that other bloggers wore just wouldn't fit Arizona. In Arizona, a short walk from your car to the mall would make you overheat. Being naked wouldn't even make you cool.

However, I discovered light clothing. There were certain fabrics other bloggers wore that I just loved. I loved the way it draped on their figure. I loved how it looked so cool and still allowed for full coverage and protection from the sun. It seemed like such an improvement of my usual summer uniform of camis and shorts. (I got really annoyed with camis because the straps of my bra were always showing.) Sheer clothing also made it easier to cover my arms, so I wouldn't be half dressed all of the time. On top of it all, it seemed like a great layering piece.

I found this top at H&M and it was even on sale, down to 7.95 from 17.95. To think, I was ready to drop 50 dollars on a shirt from Express. I think it's perfect. It's very lightweight, but not too sheer. It's cut in that "mullet" fashion (shorter on the front and longer in the back). I could complain about having to roll up the sleeves or the fact that there are two front pockets... but for the price, I really couldn't be happier.

Shirt: H&M (7.95, on sale from 17.95)

Shorts: Mudd (Old)

Shoes: Aldo (49.50, on sale from 70.00)

I know these shorts are really short but I have a lot of trouble finding a length that's long enough to fit my age and short enough to not cut my legs off. Cause... don't my legs look long in this picture? Don't they? Also, check out my fishtail braid in the last picture. Took me a really long time to learn that.

OktoberFest

2011-11-26T09:15:00.010-07:00

In Tempe, there's an OktoberFest every year. At night in turns to drinking but it's like a German themed fair during the day. Ever since I started blogging, I've wanted to go to more of these events so I dragged my friends!

We parked... and right after we got out of the car, we saw these empty little bottles of alcohol. "Somebody had a good night," I quipped.

The festival takes place at Tempe Beach Park, right down from Mill Ave where we parked.

Right off the bat, we pooled twenty dollars together for tickets and started checking out all the little shops and places that offered food.

Having never tried funnel cakes before, this was what I went for!

When I got it (with cinnamon topping) I found that there was more than enough to share.

We sat by Tempe Town Lake to enjoy our funnel cakes.

I thought it might have been cooler since it was October... but nope! It's still warm even now. It seemed like there were too many people.

Since it was OktoberFest, there was beer tastings everywhere.

I even spotted this little German dude!

We also stopped by the baseball field, which they modified to be a short racing track. We saw dachshund races. They were purebred... and adorable.

They had to race down this track... And although they looked silly, they ran really, really fast.

To wind down our day, we decided to split a caramel apple. This one was covered in oreos. I found out that those knives they cut the apples with are really more like saws.

They also had a ton of other types of apples. I wish I could have tried one piece of each.

But we were very satisfied with our apple. A long time ago, I think I ate a caramel apple that got stuck in my teeth, but this one didn't do that at all and it was just delicious. Since I hate apples, I thought it was a decent way to enjoy them.

Oktoberfest also had several stages around the park all playing different types of music. There was polka dancing, rock music and country. Of course, mix that with a little alcohol and you have people dancing up front.

The stages were really nice places of congregation because there were lots of umbrellas to shield us from the sun and tables to sit down on. Unfortunately, it was too busy for us to get a seat.

I thought it was a super fun experience and a nice way to spend an afternoon. I might go back just for the fair food.

Restaurant Week

2011-11-24T09:13:00.016-07:00

There's a little thing here called Arizona Restaurant Week. It happens twice a year and basically, it offers meals for 15, 20 and 30 dollars per person. The 30 dollar meals are at really fancy places and includes a starter, entree and dessert.

Of course, being cheap, I went to a two for thirty place (called Arcadia Tavern) where we had to share the starter and the dessert. But I didn't mind. Here's the menu we could choose from. There were some pretty awesome choices.

Oh, before we go on, I should probably tell you that I forgot my camera... the pictures aren't of the best quality. Apologies. For the starter, we choose the hot spinach and artichoke dip. This was definitely a case where the appetizer was so good that I ate too much of this and didn't have enough room for the entree.

My friend got the roasted chicken, which was definitely delicious. Star of this plate was the mashed potatoes, though. WOW. So creamy and rich. It's hidden under the chicken. I'm always really impressed when some one or some place makes food that I've attempted and failed at. That's right. I can't make mashed potatoes.

I got ribs. I think this is the first time I've never had ribs before. A complete set anyways. This was also really juicy, delicious, and fall off the bone tender. Finger licking good, I might say. Actually. I would say. Just said!

For dessert, when I was sooo full... they brought out a sundae. A huge, sundae. Ice cream and whipped cream and nuts and brownies. It was ALL there.

Here's my face for comparison of how large the sundae was. It's kind of the same size.

We ate it all. And all this was only thirty bucks! I guess I should be very thankful of the good times, good food and good company I keep.

Hope you're enjoying your Thanksgiving.

Goofy face + Layer it on

2011-11-22T09:35:00.004-07:00

You know how I often crop my face out of pictures? Most people say that my face is okay, but I don't think you understand. I can end up making some seriously goofy faces. They range from the eyes closed, to the dreaded eyes half closed, to doing something strange with my cheeks or mouth. Today, I'll show you a goofy face. Since I'm showing it on the internet, just thought I'd let you know, this is probably only a 6 on the scale of goofiness. With 10 being a total goof. Of course.

Also, I'm doing this post in parts. Each being a step of how I put on my clothes. There's no real reason for it. Just am.

Part one: The tank top. I got this tank top for five bucks at Buffalo Exchange. I like it.

Then I put on a blazer, because I don't like going outside in polite company in just a tank top. Anyone else like that?

And this is what you've been waiting for, my goofy face. What am I smiling at? I have noooo clue.

Tank Top: Aeropostale (Thrifted, $5)

Blazer: Forever (Thrifted, 4.99)

Shorts: Forever 21 (7.00)

Wedges: Unknown (Old)

I'm always too lazy to wear accessories, so there are none.

And you guys! I had no idea that everyone felt the same way about Starbucks. Considering almost all of us have a love/hate (or just hate) relationship with it... why is it so successful?

My Life Is Average Mondays: Starbuck's Caramel Brulee

2011-11-21T09:49:00.008-07:00

via weheartit

Starbucks, I hate you.
I love you.
I hate you.

I... hate how everyone is carrying those stupid clear white cups with green straws. I hate how I looks. I kind of really love carrying them. I hate how big they are and how they're everywhere. But I love how it's always there for me. Starbucks, I hate your stupid drinks and how much sugar they have and how delicious they are. No. I take that back, they don't even taste good. I love your seasonal selections and how you advertise them and how they look so appetizing. I hate that I have no self control when it comes to you.

I know I try to be eloquent most of the time... but I just needed to get this rant out of my system.

Weekend in LA: The Last Dinner and the Long Drive Home

2011-11-19T09:54:00.001-07:00

We wanted to hit the beach after Balboa park and the Rose Garden, but after going to several different beaches, we realized that we didn't have enough time. There was still a 6 hour drive left to go home and I had work the vest next day. So, we ended our trip at a fancy restaurant.

I shared an octopus and shrimp pasta in marinara sauce. It was good, but it was also one of those things that still don't justify the price.

Friend got a simple pasta alfredo. I heard it was too salty.

Things always look more beautiful when you're tired and leaving a good weekend.

Random fact: that truck was border protection.

Casual Outing

2011-11-17T09:00:00.002-07:00

I really like this shirt. It's just a comfy, cotton tee. I find that it's perfectly casual.

In this picture, it makes me look a little bit like a tent, but that's ignore that. I'm sure that's not the shirt's fault. I think I wore this outfit on a day out shopping or something like that.

Shirt: Urban Outfitters ( about $10)

Shorts: Love Culture (about $12)

Shoes: Old Navy (about $5)

Bag: from China (approx 35$)

I also want to show you my new watch!

I gave in over the summer to those watches everyone was getting... but since I knew I had a much smaller budget and would probably be in it only for the trend (and the fact that I needed an analog watch for a test) I got this cheap one from target. It makes me happy all the same.

It's not the most flattering angle...but I really enjoy the summery shade of white and I think it can really stand out in the winter too.

Thank you for your Patronage!

2011-11-13T09:32:00.001-07:00

via weheartit

I started my blog with a simple "Hello" and the gloomy statistic that most bloggers who start don't last 6 months. A year later, I definitely still am going on. In the scope of my life, I have to admit that this past year has been a pretty good year and blogging has only made it better. I've learned so much from blogs. I've learned about the economy and I've been shown career advice; I've learned so much about how to cook and about ways to stay healthy; I've learned makeup tricks and all about the products to buy; I've learned about what brands fit short girls and where I can get the best deals on clothing. I don't know how many of you realize this, but blogging is an all encompassing... guide to life.

What is 7% Solution going to be up to in the next year? I have a few goals...

1. Better content with better writing. Improving my writing was one of my original Solutions. However, I can't say how much I've really tried with this one. Sometimes, after taking, uploading and editing all the pictures, I feel like I've already put enough effort into one post and I can't really be bothered anymore. But, I suppose I should always go back and make sure that everything that I write is clear. It's one of my biggest problems.

2. More contact. You guys have probably noticed, but I added a Contact Me! Tab to the top. This is step one in my quest to have more contact with my fellow bloggers. I comment on your blogs and you comment on mine, but I want to get into more intimate posts, outfit challenges, that type of thing. Blogs are, after all, for connecting, right? I deleted my twitter account a while ago, but I wasn't using that to connect with anyone anyways. I want to get to know you better.

3. Leaving real comments. I hate, hate, hate it when I go on your blog, look at an outfit /dish/post you've put time into... and I can't say anything but "Nice hat." Or "That looks delicious." Or "I agree." Starting a few months ago, I've really tried to improve this by trying to carry on a conversation through comments as well as by really taking the time to think before I call something lovely/gorgeous/beautiful/cute. If I leave a comment like this on your blog, I'm sorry. I'm trying my best to improve.

With that, I'm sure you all want to see, what's coming in the future? Anything... new?

1. Vlog. I can't say for sure if this one is coming or not. I don't want to give false impressions because I'm not going to start vlogging on a weekly basis or even frequently. But there may be a little project in the works with another blogger. We'll see where it goes!

2. Different types of posts. When I look at my blog, it's really no surprise that I've gained a ton of weight. All I do is eat. I think food related posts take up the biggest chunk of the pie here. (Yummmm. Pie.) So I'm thinking about doing more makeup/product reviews as well as getting back on track and taking more outfit posts. But in addition, I also want to look into a few new types of posts... lemme know if you're interested!

- Fashion - Blogging has gotten me so interested in trends. Some people are trend followers, some are trend leaders and some are trend ignorers... but either way, it's definitely there. I think of myself as a trend follower. Occasionally a trend leader. I'm thinking about documenting my quest for some clothing items again. Example with boots here.

- Hauls - Since I do buy things based off trends, my purchases are composed of trendy items. I feel like I don't buy that much but I've definitely amassed quite a bit of clothing. Asking for your opinions in a timely manner might help me return some of it, no?

- Career - I've given a few pieces of career advice in regards to professionalism in dress, but there's so much that I've learned and so much more that I have yet to learn. This topic is interesting to me, but is it to anyone else?

In another, mostly unrelated train of thought, do any of you have any questions for me? I don't care what they are, or how personal they are (within reason, you know. And I get to decide). I'm looking to compile a question bank and answer some of these questions in a future post.

Balboa Park: Rose Garden

2011-11-12T09:50:00.002-07:00

This is yet another part in my vacation from long, long ago now. I'm still reliving it, shush. You can see me in Chinatown, on Santa Monica Pier, pointing at tree-dinosaurs on the street, and gorging myself!

Mugdha had a post on Balboa in her blog here and it became on of the places that I really wanted to go! We got to go listen to a organ performance... it was very classic and eerie... but we eventually got bored. The performance was free but it took place in the sun. Profits were made from these umbrellas.

After that, I whined like a child and we all walked to the rose garden. It was kind of funny because directly across from the rose garden was a desert garden... which looked like an Arizona backyard. We all had a hearty laugh and headed towards the roses. Cue gratuitous pictures. Since you all know that I am NOT a photographer, it's obvious to tell that these were taken by Mugdha, not me.

Not bad, right? My favvvvvvorite are these two here.

I'm not a huge flower person, but there's just something sappily beautiful about a hot afternoon, a cool flower patch and some pretty flowers.

We got to sit on the benches behind this last photo and just... enjoy.

Simple Scallops

2011-11-10T09:40:00.001-07:00

They'll take your heart away. The recipe is from here.

I struggle with eating well and eating a lot. ...that's rather silly because I know I should eat well and I know I should not eat a lot. But sometimes, I just want a ton of junk food. Other times though, I spend my money on worthwhile meals.

When a worthwhile meal is so simple and easy to make, it's quite difficult to resist.

And the biscuit because... I'm weak.

I don't know how to swim...

2011-11-08T09:36:00.002-07:00

But I can still pose by the pool like a pro. Ignore my silly looking grimace here. It's not my fault, my face was in the sun.

As Arizona continues to be hot, I continue to wear summer clothes. The winter better be extra long to make up for the never ending summer. I'm drinking an Arnold Palmer in this picture. It was really yummy. Arnold Palmers are the perfect summer drink. Or in Arizona, I suppose an all-seasons drink.

Shirt: Calvin Klein ($10)

Skirt: Forever 21 ($10)

I also wanna share a better picture of the new Sinful Colors Polish I got. It's called Pull Over.

Here's a random picture of my friend's dog. It's cute.

It's also a strange dog. His name is Monty and he hates water. In fact, if you throw him in the pool, he'll swim out and rub himself on trees to dry off... instead of shaking. Thank goodness there's no cacti in the backyard!

Accepting Failure

2011-11-05T09:23:00.002-07:00

via weheartit

There's something that I've noticed about myself. I don't like to fail. I'm not a perfectionist, but I can't accept the truth that I've tried my hardest and that I've failed. I'm in my senior year of college, so it's pretty obvious that I've failed plenty before.

But no matter what it is, a relationship, a test, a new hobby... I've always just told myself that it doesn't matter that much, that I can try again soon, that I just didn't try my best because it wasn't worth it. I think that everyone needs different things to make them feel better, but thinking in this way has made me realize that I have never tried and failed and picked myself back up to try again.

How do you deal with failure?

Breakfast in San Diego

2011-11-03T09:44:00.005-07:00

After a whole day of driving to California, walking around Chinatown, playing on the beach and walking around the street we were all very tired. So, we drive back up to San Diego and crashed for the night. After we woke up the following morning, we went to breakfast.

That makes this post gratuitous food porn.

Mugdha took us to a place that's apparently pretty popular in SD. It's called the Broken Yolk.

When we got there, we had some parking issues, but we figured that one out. We had to wait a while for our seat and so we took that time to walk around. Wasn't too much around to see.

I did manage to snap a picture of a food challenge they had.

I love grapefruit juice and they totally had the stuff to make me want to go back! Fresh squeezed and natural. It was the absolute best.

I decided to take pictures of what everyone got. Yeah, I'm that annoying friend. Most bloggers are though... right? Here's a breakfast burrito with beans and salsa.

An omelet with hash browns and a biscuit.

And here's my meal, toast, fruit, and a bacon avocado omelet.

And here, when they say bacon and avocado, they don't skim out on anything. Each bite is fully loaded. Ahh... it was the best.

I'd definitely go again.

You can do this too!

2011-11-01T09:11:00.007-07:00

Though I do enjoy lunch and dinner thoroughly, some days, it's just a breakfast day.

Is there really anything better than starting the day off with some coffee and some strawberry covered pancakes?

Fresh strawberries of course, none of that weak stuff!

Making this isn't hard because I can do it, in the morning no less.

Ingredients
Pancake mix
Maple Syrup
Strawberries

Instructions
1. Make a large pancake, a medium sized pancake and a small pancake following the instructions on the box.
2. Cut up a cup or so of strawberries.
3. Layer the strawberries on top of each pancake layer. Use maple syrup on top of the strawberries between each layer. Eat.

A while ago, I went to an Improv Comedy night.

2011-10-29T09:10:00.001-07:00

via weheartit

It's not the type of thing that I usually do, but it was pretty fun. Though tickets were only ten dollars each, each person had to order 2 items from the overpriced menu, which added up.

The comics were all local. And they really ranged in talent, but one joke stood out to me.

This male comic was talking about his wife's pet names for him and he said it was "Pooh Bear." He continued by explaining that it was because he enjoyed walking around in a red t-shirt and no pants. I might have just butchered his joke. He had better comedic timing.

But enough background information. A few days after that, I saw this post. No one's really naked here, but it fits in with some of my other Winnie the Pooh posts.

Speaking of... do you have your Halloween Costumes?

Third Street Promenade

2011-10-27T09:21:00.002-07:00

Only a few pictures this time. We went to Third Street after visiting the beach to look around, listen to live music and eat dinner.

We wound up going in a few stores even though we weren't supposed to. No one brought anything though!

We did however, see these dinosaur plants!

On the way to dinner, I spotted this funny face in a dentist's office. The mannequin, not my face in the background!

Most of us were starving by the time we wanted to have dinner... so I think I totally forgot to take pictures of that. After dinner though, I made everyone walk back to this crepe shop I saw... we got crepes.

So yummmy.

Honestly, these crepes were so so so so good. Maybe it was because the nutella was sweeter, or I just had really nice company, but this place was amazing. I wish I remembered what it was called.

You know what's not always practical?

2011-10-25T09:57:00.003-07:00

Huge family style meals when you live alone. And when you're in college.

I love food, but when I have 12 hours days and only myself to feed, here's a list of things I won't do:

1. Prep and cook for hours.
2. Cook huge portions of food that don't taste good reheated.

Here's some things I will do:
1. Make a sammich.

But seriously, this is a Laura Original Recipe. A LOR, if you will.
I really shouldn't write recipes, but here goes.
Ingredients
White bread (or whatever)
Cheese (I used provolone)
Sliced Tomatoes
Sliced Mushrooms
Lunch Meat Roast ~~Beast~~ Beef

1. Heat up your skillet to medium. Place a piece of bread and cheese on it.
2. Put mushrooms on top of that. Then tomatoes.
3. Take that off the skillet and put the other slice of bread and cheese on the skillet.
4. Put roast beef on that. Then take that off the skillet and put it on the other part of the sandwich. MAKE SURE TO PUT IT ROAST BEEF SIDE DOWN.

I just taught you how to warm a sandwich. A sandwich that doesn't cook the mushrooms or really melt the cheese that well.

New School Year, New Planner

2011-10-22T09:12:00.001-07:00

I know I'm not the only person who thinks planners are really flipping cool. In preparation for the new school year, I consulted many a college/prep blog to look for the perfect planner. There were a ton of expensive ones, available to order from online but I balked at the 20-30 dollar price tags. I eventually found on at ... Wal-mart.

I'm only a little ashamed.

This planner was about seven bucks and it has a nice, cheery blue color.

One of my concerns with planners is having enough space to write. Luckily, this one has a space for me to plan out my months as well as to go over each week.

It has lovely tabs as well.

I also wanted to show everyone what my old planner looked like after a year's wear and tear. I have thing thing where I keep planners, just so I see who I was hanging out with, what classes I was taking and what my general mindset is. I have 3 from college so far. You can see that the corners are DONE and that the binding is coming apart. I got this from Walmart too, but after a much less careful search. This was cheaper but the look of it was definitely more juvenile.

Nope, my handwriting isn't neat at all. And yes, I do keep my grocery lists in here as well.

You can really tell that the corners are absolutely done for!

I'd love if if you would share about the planner that you use and show us!

Wear a Tubetop at Work

2011-10-20T09:22:00.001-07:00

I don't know if you saw that article about the workplace that had a dress code called "Tube top Tuesdays" instead of casual Fridays? It was a case about workplace harassment, which is no joke, but I did wear a tube top to work the other day. How did I do it?

Is there anything that gives an outfit instant class faster than an a pearl necklace and a pair of heels? No.

Dress: Lorada (Unknown)

Cardigan: Charlotte Russe (Old)

Necklace: (Given by Friend)

Heels: Dexter by Payless (22.99)

Belt: Brandless from China (Given/taken from mom)

From here, you can see that I'm not showing shoulders or a lot of a neckline at all. Best of all, the material is still comfortable. Now, the caveat is that up close, it's obvious that my dress is cotton. I wouldn't wear it to an interview, but for an average day at a casual office, it's absolutely appropriate.

It's still 95F here, so here's another summer recipe.

2011-10-18T09:59:00.002-07:00

This watermelon granita is another Pioneer Woman Recipe, linked here. I really wanted to get this posted before it really turned into fall. Here, it got cold last week but highs are still 100 and walking around campus still makes you very very warm and looking forward to something cold and sweet for when you get home.

This stuff really hits the spot! I didn't think I liked watermelon before this but this stuff is amazing!

My Life is Average Mondays: Weeping Angel

2011-10-17T09:09:00.001-07:00

One of the scariest monsters in the television show Doctor Who are the Weeping Angels.The Angels are not a new species, but I first encountered them in the episode "Blink". The story behind the Angels is this: Weeping Angels are a species of aliens. They are frozen into stone when any creature is looking at them, however, when they are not being looked at, they attack. A single touch from them takes their victim back into the past as these Angels live off potential energy.

Now, I had heard of this episode even before I started watching Doctor Who, so when I got to it, I recruited a friend. We watched the episode and it was scary, but manageable. Then he told me the story of this Statue at Arizona State's West Campus. He even took a picture of it at night.

Now, this is called Statue of Woman Looking into the Future, but it just a creepy picture of a hooded woman. Imagine passing by that at night!

LA Vacation: Santa Monica Pier

2011-10-15T09:58:00.023-07:00

This is the second part of my vacation. You can see the first part here. We went to the Santa Monica Pier.

Some people just want to ruin vacations... :(

But we made it past them and took a walk on the pier. There were an incredible amount of people.

From the pier, we could see all the people on the beach.

Taking advantage of the scenery, I took pictures with friends.

And by myself. There was just really no way you could get a bad background!

The water and the pier itself was breathtaking. It was such a huge change to go from Arizona, where it was so hot you couldn't breath to this coastal area!

They also had a huge ferris wheel and a ton of fair games. Being, games you would find at a fair, which most times, are the opposite of equitable. The sea-side humidity (and 6 hour car ride) definitely made my hair unravel at this time.

Next we decided to enjoy a bit more of the ocean breeze.

Then we took the short walk down. I haven't felt beach sand in years!

The water was cold, but I only dipped my legs in. ...Is that still a dip? Or does it qualify as a dunk?

This following picture is my absolute favorite of the bunch!

After that, we went and walked on the Third Street Promanade (pictures to come later) and I snapped this photo when we returned in the evening.

Work Outfit

2011-10-13T09:57:00.002-07:00

If I were to name one inappropriate aspect about this outfit is that the skirt is way too tight.

Shirt: Forever 21 (12.80)

Skirt: Joe Benbassat (Unknown)

Heels: Dexter by Payless (22.99)

So, why exactly am I wearing this skirt?

...As much as I love dressing in an office appropriate way, I don't like doing laundry. And I hate dry cleaning. As these things are required to keep up the office look, sometimes I venture into questionable territory.

Baked Spinach Tomato Pasta

2011-10-11T09:49:00.003-07:00

I have a recipe, for once. Because I started out with a recipe.

Ingredients
Serves 4 ( I used less)

2 cups penne
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
4 cups baby spinach
3 cups diced tomato
1 tbsp oregano
Pinch of Salt

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cook pasta to al dente.
3. Heat oil, add garlic. Stir until fragrant and then add tomato and spinach. Cook for 4 minutes or until spinach wilts.
4. Combine with herbs; stir in cheese.
5. Grease baking pan; pour pasta/veggies in. Cook uncovered for 15 min. Put some more cheese in and bake for 5 more min.
6. Proceed to OM your new NOMs.

Because I'm a meat eater, I added some chicken to my dish.

My Life is Awesome Mondays: Whatspp

2011-10-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

Technology is amazing. I'm not a techy person, but I appreciate technology. Recently I was introduced to Whatsapp. Whatsapp is basically text messaging... which isn't that impressive but it works through your data plan. That means, that you can text your friends from across the world, which as it happens, one of my friends is.

Texting someone is fun... but waking up to a picture texted to you from across the world? A picture of Stonehenge?

That's inconceivable.

Gold Tipped

2011-10-08T09:58:00.001-07:00

Remember the gold polish I got from here?

I did another look with it.

It's rather simple, suited for the fall or winter, probably.

Kinda grunge.

As you can see from my middle finger in the first picture, the gold polish smudges quite easily. I gotta be careful about exactly how dry it is before I move on with doing things. But it shows up okay.

Have you guys ever been to Sprinkles Cupcakes? I've gone there for Valentine's Day, but I've been there since then as well to take advantage of their free cupcake. The thing is, I get so guilty just asking for a free cupcake that I purchased water that was way too expensive. It's cute bottle, so I thought that I'd include it in some type of picture. Reuse--in all ways.

Cupz and Crepez

2011-10-06T09:42:00.002-07:00

There's a certain love that everyone has for their neighborhood restaurants. You know, the ones that are family run?

But unfortunately, these family run restaurants are sometimes open to the same pitfalls as chain restaurants. Unpleasant staff, expensive prices, lack of atmosphere, bad food... While small business owners are admirable, I don't think that it's fair to relax general standards on them.

Cupz and Crepes is a family run business. Though I'm a fan of most places with a smaller family feel I didn't love this place as much. And they sell crepes! What?

The set up is pretty nice. It's a roomy place that has tables as well as comfortable chairs in a cafe style.

Their handwritten menu is a nice touch and everything on their menu looks... so incredibly YUM.

My friend got a hot chocolate. The whipped cream is a lovely touch and I find myself really attracted to the cup they used as well.

And that strawberry nutella crepe? No complaints from me!

This looks significantly less impressive, but I swear it still is. Avocado and chicken. It's just hearty and makes a good lunch.

Their food was yummy, and the cafe atmosphere was chic... But the service was awkward. I did go during the middle of the day, but the place was incredibly empty and the one employee was incredibly distant. I like a smile occasionally!

Heels, Beauty, and Fandoms!

2011-10-04T09:19:00.001-07:00

I like to write in my blog... but I also like to read other people's blogs. And sometimes, people write things that I just really love.

It's either this inspiring and amazing outfit post or this really insightful article... or just some plain helpful tips. I considered doing a "Link Up" kind of post, but I realized that there's no day of the week that starts with L.

So this will just be a once in a while post. =)

Stripper Heels are Meant for Strippers - I thought this was an interesting article about shoe height.

What is "Blogger Beautiful?" - For those of us who put outfit pictures on the internet, it's inevitable to compare. This article includes a few thoughts on what "Blogger Beautiful" is.

And a random picture:

from 9gag.com

Harry Potter Beauty - A link from over the summer to relive the end; makeup looks inspired by each house. Hufflepuff!

Zachary Quinto (Spock in Star Trek 2009) plays rock, paper, scissors, lizard, Spock in the clip below

Not really a proper photo...

2011-09-29T09:05:00.001-07:00

Sorry about that.

But I do want to show this because it's one of my favorite shapes to manipulate. Everyone has a different body type and different trouble areas. Everyone also has assets to show off.

This is one of my favorite outfits because it shows off my waist and hides my stomach.

Shirt: Heart to Hips (Old)

Skirt: Gap (Thrifted from Buffalo Exchange for 12.00)

In addition, I found pairing a rather plain t-shit, with simple embellishments, and a skirt to be an incredibly easy way to go and dress business casual (leaning on the casual side). I need more throw-on shirts that look good.

Torrrrrrrrrrtilla. I mean...

2011-09-27T09:50:00.002-07:00

I live in Arizona, where Mexico and Hispanic culture has a great influence. However, I've always disliked Mexican food (except for Chipotle, which isn't... really Mexican.)

As a result, I can't really tell the difference between different types of Mexican foods. I learned that what I so aptly titled a tortilla when I first wrote up this post is actually a quesadilla. ...According to the recipe it is anyways. This is another recipe from the amazing Pioneer Woman.

I definitely didn't use as many fancy cheeses as she did or use a grill pan... and there might have been some really iffy quesadilla flipping moments, but I got past all that. The end result is really really good. Mushrooms and spinach are my absolute favorite healthy foods.

My Life is Average Mondays: When the Phone Rings.

2011-09-26T09:52:00.002-07:00

You guys already know that I'm a Star Trek fan and that it's my preferred Friday night activity. So, a few Fridays ago, I was watching an episode of The Next Generation. It's called Phantasms and I highly recommend if if you haven't seen it yet.

via weheartit

In the episode, Data has some disturbing dreams where there's this incessant ringing. It turns out to be a telephone, but the way the music plays, it turns out to be a little creepy. In the episode, there are several of these dream sequences and once during them I said to my friend, "I think my phone's ringing." My friend assures me that it's just the phone in the episode until... the phone in the show stops ringing and we still hear ringing. I run outside to grab my phone... it was my phone after all! From a room away, it sounded like the exact same pitch and tone. Totally creepy.

Sonia Kashuk Bristle Hairbrush

2011-09-24T09:56:00.003-07:00

For all my life, I've purchased brushes from the dollar store. I had one requirement. They should untangle my hair. ...And my hair usually so straight that I don't even brush my hair.

Except the thing with dollar store brushes is that they break after falling from the counter to the floor after too many times. So I had to go get a new brush. Being the new me, I looked up some brush reviews.

To my absolutely surprise, I found out that there were such things as brushes that cost more than 100 dollars. Specifically, the Mason Pearson Brush.

Not only that, but I found out that there was a dupe for this brush, the Sonia Kashuk Bristle Brush.

This was much more affordable at fourteen dollars.

As you can see, this is a lot fancier than plastic. It's made of piggy hair and stockings.

I've been using it for a few weeks and I have to say that I'm definitely not used to the fact that the bristles on this move when I brush it. I don't notice a ton of differences between this one and much cheaper ones. One of the differences I do notice? Little to no static.

How do you brush your hair?

LA Vacation!

2011-09-22T09:05:00.004-07:00

As I mentioned before, I love looking at other people's vacation photos during most of the summer. I loved that I could live vicariously through others as they took vacations out of the county or out of state or just in the next town over. Now though, I'm excited because I have my own vacation to share.

This vacation took place between the 30th and 31st of July. That's why you didn't get a post Saturday or a MILAM. ... If anyone remembers.

I took a ton of pictures. Here goes.
This is just the first part of the first day, Chinatown in LA.

Here are some scenes of LA. So many more people than I'm used to!

On the right, a lovely gate. And on the left, a couple walking underneath red lanterns. I think this image is kind of romantic.

On the left is a billboard type thing painted on the wall advertising the area. On the right is an actual educational board attached to a post.

A cute little fountain.

Mugdha from A Vigilance Muse and I in front of the gate from a few images before.

Some places have brides and grooms as cake toppers. Other places have these little dolls.

Mugdha's yummy red velvet cake from a local bakery.

My lychee ice cream and coconut mochi. Lychee ice cream has such an interesting taste!

My friend's red velvet cupcake.

We explored Chinatown for a few hours before hitting the beach that afternoon!

Essence Bakery

2011-09-20T09:49:00.003-07:00

OMFGJHSOS Macarons.

Ladies and Gentleman, if that condition describes how you feel about these delectable treats, you may have a condition. At this time, we are unsure if the disease is contagious, but we urge you to be treated right away.

Essence Bakery is located at 825 W. University Drive, Tempe, Arizona and you need to run, not walk, to it. Or drive. Drive would probably be fastest.

It's an unassuming place. The inside, which I didn't get a picture of, isn't your hip and posh cafe. In fact, it's quite the opposite. It's not a manufactured look at all. They didn't hire an interior decorator to make the place look like something it's not.

They have macarons. And no, they're not cheap. But if they were, you'd eat dozens of them and then you'd get really fat, so it's all for the best. They're affordable as a sometimes treat.

And they're good. They're so good. Of course, there are different flavors but each is cold, sweet but not overly so. The outer shell collapses in and blends with the middle. It's four or five minutes of heaven, depending on how fast you eat.

And I like to eat them while wearing dresses.