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Thursday, December 8, 2011

Silver Perfection


I LOVE Rachel McAdams.  She was the Queen Bee in Mean Girls and of course who could hate her in the lovable romance with Ryan Gosling in the Notebook.  Now as devious theif and former flame, Irene Adler to Sherlock Holmes, she has completely wow-ed me at the premiere in her silver longsleeved Marchesa Resort 2012 gown.


The low back to the dress was the perfect amount of peek-a-boo we needed for a long sleeved gown.  Her shoes and hair were a perfect match! She looks stunning!




What's your take of Rachel McAdam's Premiere look?


pics via mirror.co.uk, contactmusic.com

Monday, November 28, 2011

New Girl Specs


Who doesn't love Zooey Deschanel? She's the lovable quirky girl, who is every geek's dream! Well I think it is safe to say her following is MUCH larger than that now! I absolutely loved her in 500 Days of Summer.... GREAT movie if you haven't seen it, don't forget she was Santa's Helper in ELF and I'm loving seeing her on the small screen in New Girl.  She sings, she's goofy, she's funny, she co-founded Hello Giggles, which if you don't follow, you totally should!  Yes, I could go on and on about how much I heart Zooey Deschanel.  One more thing to love about her and alter ego Jess is her super cute specs!



Her glasses on New Girl are from Oliver Peoples Wacks 51 Cocobolo frames.




A few other cute specs I found of her online. 

Are you a fan of Zooey Deschanel, her new show New Girl and her specs?


I'm thinking of doing a weekly celeb or cool looking spec report, anyone interested?


images via people.com, tv.ign.com, tumblr, warmingglow.uproxx.com

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Turkey Day.. ALREADY!?


I cannot believe how fast this year is going.  Thanksgiving is right about here!  I cannot wait to indulge in turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, candied yams... MmMmM... pumpkin and apple pie as well!

Once Thanksgiving hits, its pretty much the start of the holiday season and the shopping shall begin! The malls have already started playing holiday music and all the decor is up.  Next thing before we know it, it will be Christmas and then NYE!

Don't forget to be thankful for all the loving people in your life and remind them:


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!  
Hope everyone has a wonderful time! Can't wait to hear about all the great Black Friday deals ;)

pics via we heart it

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Banana Republic Jewelry


I'm a huge fan of Banana Republic jewelry! My friend once bought me a simple necklace from there and ever since, I've been hooked! Recently I spotted out this chain necklace, which I loved.  Its a great mix of classic colors that you can wear for work or out with friends.  I tend to like chunky necklaces, but at the same time, that are still simple.  It wasn't on sale when I first spotted it so I decided to wait a little bit and sure enough 2 days later, once the weekend came, BR had a fantastic sale - 40% off everything! Of course, I scooped it up then and I cannot wait to wear it! Thought I shared my recent buy :)

Have you bought anything lately that you loved?

Friday, November 11, 2011

Bitchin' Kitchen Panko Shrimp


Recently while surfing the channels, I came across a show on Cooking Network called Bitchin' Kitchen. It was a little odd, like rock and roll, jersey shore cooking show... the show is hosted by Nadia G. It was quite hilarious and she has these random supporting characters. Initially, I was like what is this show!? Definitely not your typical cooking show, but for some reason, I got hooked. She made easy, but delicious looking dishes, which I love! I love recipes with minimal ingredients, but still amazingly good and easy to make!

From the Cooking Channel Panko Shrimp with Strawberry Aioli

INGREDIENTS

Panko Shrimp
Canola oil, for frying
12 jumbo tiger shrimp, de-veined and butterflied
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup honey panko (Japanese) bread crumbs, plus more for coating
Strawberry Aioli
1/3 cup Japanese mayonnaise
1/3 cup condensed milk
12 fresh strawberries

DIRECTIONS
1. To prepare the panko shrimp: Heat 1/4-inch of canola oil in a large heavy frying pan to 375 degree F
2. Place the beaten eggs in a shallow bowl and the bread crumbs in a shallow dish.
3. Dunk the butterflied tiger shrimp into the beaten eggs
4. Place in the bread crumbs and coat with honey panko crumbs and shake off the excess bread crumbs
5. Fry the shrimp for 1 minute per side or until they start curving in on themselves
6. Place them on a wire rack to drain the excess oil.

7. To make the strawberry aioli: In a bowl, combine the Japanese mayonnaise with the condensed milk and mix together.
8. Puree the strawberries in a food processor.
9. Place the fried panko shrimp with a side of Japanese mayo sauce and strawberry puree for dipping.

This recipe was SUPER simple. The longest part was de-veining the shrimp, and taking the time to fry each one of them since I got a bunch! I actually used a rasberry puree because strawberries were out of season. My mom liked the sauce a lot, but I'm not a huge fan of mayo, but I wanted to make it with it anyway! But definitely the combination of the Japanese mayo and the rasberry puree was a great touch to the dish.

From start to finish!

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Buzzing for the Clarisonic


I am in love with this Clarisonic Skin Care System. It based off the Sonicare electric toothbrush. Supposedly, the company found out that patients were using the toothbrush on their faces as an exfoliator so they created the Clarisonic cleanser tool. It is an oscillating brush system, which moves back and forth 300 times per second to clean pores and the skin surface.

You can use any cleanser on the brush and it's suppose to clean your face 60% better than your typical washing face method. I always feel that after using makeup, even after I wash my face, there is still makeup residue on my face, no matter how many times I scrub and even with makeup remover.

I was at Bloomingdales and this sales lady suckered me into trying the Clarisonic skin care system. I was already skeptical, but I gave her 5 min of my time. In 5 minutes, she already sold me. The brush was very soft and gentle. It only takes a minute for it to clean your face on the lowest setting. It literally felt so refreshing after I used it. I felt that I just got a facial. It was super nice and I actually felt that my skin looked better too! Crazy after only 1 minute of cleansing.

Per the Sephora website:
Here are some of the benefits this revolutionary skincare tool delivers:
- Removes makeup six times better than traditional methods.
- Clears pores and reduces the appearance of pore size.
- Cleanses so thoroughly that skincare products absorb better.
- Creates noticeably healthier-looking skin.

There are different lines of the Clarisonic brand.

1) Clarisonic Mia, $119: compact version, 1 speed
2) Clarisonic Mia 2, $149: compact, 2 speed, available on Clarisonic website, not at retailers yet
2) Clarisonic Plus, $195: 3 speeds, universal charging cradle, 1 sensitive head brush
3) Clarisonic Plus Skin, $225, 3 speeds, universal charging cradle, 1 sensitive head brush, 1 body brush

These products are also available at your local doctor's office.  The difference is that the ones based out of physician offices have an additional speed, so the Clarisonic Plus Skin has 4 speeds, however I don't think the Mia has an extra speed.

The Mia is great, small and compact, and definitely less expensive. Most people will only need one speed.  However, I don't like how it doesn't have a charger cradle... that means more clutter in the bathroom and we all know, we don't need more of that! But the the price difference, its definitely a consideration!



The Plus is great if you have more sensitive skin - it has 2 face speeds, one for sensitive skin and another for normal skin and it does come with the charge cradle.  It is larger than the Mia, so it depends on what you prefer.  The Plus Skin has an extra speed for your skin - so its face and body all in one.  This is great exfoliator for rough patches, arms, elbows, feet, etc.  The only thing is, I doubt I personally would take the time to use it for my body, but if you have some body skin issues, this may definitely help.

I'm not sure how warranties and guarantees work when you buy it at a retailer as opposed to Clarisonic.com, but on their website, they tout:

You have nothing to lose in trying any Clarisonic product. We are happy to offer a 90-day, 100% money back guarantee on our sonic cleansing systems and on our sonic infusion systems. Both the cleansing and infusion systems come with a warranty covering any manufacturer defect-related problems resulting from everyday use of the product. The warranty does not cover damage resulting from use with a voltage converter. Voltage converters or plug adapters do not guarantee voltage compatibility.
Following are the warranty terms for each Clarisonic model:
  • Clarisonic Mia®: 1 year
  • Clarisonic Mia 2: 2 years
  • Clarisonic Classic: 2 years
  • Clarisonic PLUS: 2 years
  • Clarisonic PRO: 3 years for PRO models manufactured after January 2010. 2 years for PRO models manufactured before January 2010.
I heard from a store associate at Sephora that another friends and family discount (20% off) will be out for in stores soon, if you missed this one that was online, so be patient.. good things come to those who wait ;)


Have you tried this product? Are you interested in getting it?





images via sephora

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Black Swan Halloween!


The question always is, what to be for Halloween.  I rarely ever buy full costumes to wear.  I usually may buy accessories here and there to help with the outfit, but that's about it. D and I decided to make our own costumes this year.  Our costumes cost less than ten bucks, but we did spend a while on them! I can't complain cuz we did have fun and his costume I think especially turned out great!

My cousin Christine and I decided to channel our Natalie Portman and be White Swan and Black Swan. I also just noticed that Lea Michele dressed as the White Swan as well!




Making a White Swan/Black Swan costume was beyond easy! Here are my easy steps!


1.  Create a tutu with 4+ yards of tulle.  The more tulle you have, the poufier it will be.  I would say the minium you need is 4 yards, my cousin used 6 yards, however I wore a white fluffy skirt underneath so it didn't have to be too covering for me. For the Black Swan, she wore a leotard underneath.
2. Try this no sew method I found on youtube. You can always move the spacing of each tulle piece, separate it more if you didn't get as much tulle.  I used a ribbon/string I had at home that fit around my waist as opposed to elastic, but you could use either/or.
3.  I sewed feathers all around my skirt and a tube top I had.  Use a needle to pierce through each stem of the feathers.  I would thread 5 or so feathers together and then sew them onto the base of my skirt. For my top, I placed the feathers together as how I liked, sewed them together and then sewed them onto my tube top.  My tube top was straight across so I just bunched the middle together and stitched it to give it a V neck shape.
4. For my headpiece, I used white felt, which I cut into the shape of a leaf. I glued on feathers and a few rhinestones onto white felt and attached them to a headband with glue.  I wore the headband upside down to get the feathers sitting up.
5.  Finish off the outfit with some white tights and very shimmery white eyeshadows.  I didn't have time to find some white face powder, but that definitely adds to the look as well!

Simple enough, and ta-da, a white swan is born! Obviously make the right adjustments to create a Black Swan costume :)


I love matchy match costumes!  Good vs. Evil =P

My green crayloa!

At the very end of the night, we end with:
Late night JUMBO slice pizza, D.C. tradition!


How was your Halloween? 
What did you dress up as?




image via vanity fair

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Madewell Super Sale






I ALWAYS love a good deal! I rarely ever buy anything full-price unless its something that likely won't go on sale or I really LOVE it.  For most things, if you wait or search online, you can always find a discount!

During my recent travel around Asia, I thought I had packed my favorite necklaces (my mistake for packing the 3 that I wear all the time, leaving none left once they got jacked!) but by the time I got to Hong Kong, they were no longer in my luggage and once I got home, no where to be found..... so whatever happened to them, whether stolen or dropped out of my bag unexpectedly, someone else is enjoying them! It totally breaks my heart :(  Key jewelry pieces can elevate an outfit to a whole another level. Ever since then, I go into a wide variety of stores even if I don't shop there often just to sneak a peak at their jewelry section in search of replacements for my prev favorites.   

As I stopped in Madewell, I found a ridiculous sale section there!  They had a whole bunch of things on a table for 4.99 each!  They had shorts, white denim skinnies, bathing suits, lightweight soft t-shirts! The assortment of clothes was great! The only thing was most of the sizes of pants/shorts were all larger than what I wear so I couldn't fit any of them, but if you happen to fit into any of them, it would be an AMAZING deal.  I couldn't believe you could get a pair of denim jeans that go for around $100 for only $5! I bought 3 shirts that day for TWENTY bucks from Madewell! Amazing deal, two of them were $5 and I found something on a non-$4.99 rack that was only $10.  I asked the cashier, how often do they have these amazing deals... she said mainly at the end of a season, when things haven't been selling and they really just want to get rid of them.  Great for us!  Anyway, keep an eye out for these deals!  Madewell, unlike its sister's store, J.Crew, you can definitely find some amazing deals there! I love the clothes there as well, although at regular price, its a little steep for me to justify without a good sale :)  

Happy Shopping!

BTW, it's been less than a week since I encountered this sale and from the sale people, it seems like it goes on until most of the merchandise is gone. If you guys have encountered this sale, let me know if your local Madewell has it!  The one I went to was in Tysons Corner, VA.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Mad for Mad Men

Since I've only started working part time so far.. I've had a fair amount of free time! I've really gotten into the show, Mad Men. If you don't know much about it, it takes place in the 1960's, about an advertising agency called Sterling Cooper. It stars Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and follows his life as an ad man in New York City. The show has a great supporting case, a slew of great actors and the portrayal of life in the 1960's is amazing.

I'm not typically into TV shows from different eras, but there is something just so sexy about the characters of Mad Men. The women are so glam and always dressed to the nines, the men so dashing in their suits and hats. What's really not to love.

Below are some photos from Vanity Fair photo shoot of Jon Hamm (Don Draper) and January Jones (Betty Draper). I think January Jones is so stunning! She is a true beauty.

Try this cute little "Mad Men Yourself".....This is what I came up with!!


Mad Men Promo with the cast:

My favorites from a previous Vanity Fair photo shoot of Mr. and Mrs. Draper:


Are you a huge fan of Mad Men?

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Best Wedding Video



Hi! Thought I would share an awesome wedding video I found, shared on my bridal blog. Even if you aren't even remotely thinking about marriage... I think you guys can definitely still enjoy this! Even better if you loved the movie, Inception, which I surely did! Tell me what you guys think :)

Inception Reception


Monday, September 26, 2011

Shopping for a Quail

I recently came across this website for a really cute clothing line, Quail. The meaning you ask? Well, what I've learned from creator, LA Native, Michelle Nguyen Williams, is that quail is a term used to describe a woman or a girl in the 1960's. This line has been featured in numerous fashion mags from Lucky, Instyle, Lucky, etc. and also has been seen on some celebrities such as Lauren Conrad, or should I stay reality TV star, the lines are getting blurred these days!

They've got a pretty decent sale going on so def check it out. Here are my picks from this line:
Love the mustard colors and all the buttons
The florette stole is gorgeous and different and I love it paired with the Kinetic Dress
I think these silk shorts can definitely be worn outdoors!

Have you guys ever tried anything from this line?

Friday, September 23, 2011

NEW BRIDAL BLOG!


Hello all! I've decided to start a new blog chronicling my year of wedding planning.  I was engaged over memorial day weekend :) Since then I've finished my residency, had a birthday, moved back from San Francisco (still miss it dearly, sigh), went on a crazay adventure in Asia, and now settling back in the D.C. metro area... I've finally even started thinking about wedding planning!

I've never been one of those girls who dreamed about their wedding their whole life.. which in a way makes it more difficult to plan! I keep getting all these ideas of what I would like my wedding to be, every time I see something inspirational, it changes! My dilemma mostly is keeping my wedding traditional yet personalized - incorporating my cultural traditions and my American roots.

Please check out my new blog - Bridal Eye Candy <3

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Infamous B.B. Cream


Blemish balm, more commonly referred to as B.B. cream is a well-known product in the Asian markets. I've heard about this product previously, but I haven't had the chance to try it until my recent trip to Asia. Now that I have, I'll have to say I'm pretty in love with this product! B.B. cream is suppose to be an all-in-1-product, it acts like a moisturizer, sunscreen, primer, concealer, whitener (Asians love that), foundation - pretty much does it all!

There are different types, some with more or less coverage, some with anti-aging properties, some that are more water based so they have a more sheer feel to them. It is a product based on ointment created in the 1950's by a German dermatologist who used it on her patients after undergoing laser and peel treatments to soothe, protect and conceal redness in the patient's skin. However, today's BB cream has been attributed to origins in Korea with its popularity by Korean actresses using this product and other brands capitalizing on the success.

In Asia, almost every single makeup/beauty brand, even ones used in the U.S. such as Maybelline, Garnier, etc.  B.B cream has recently been introduced to the U.K. markets with a bunch of different brands including Clinique, Estee Lauder, Garnier, Mac, etc. and is thought to be the year's biggest beauty trend. However, the U.S. market has been a little bit slower to welcoming B.B. cream. Sephora recently released Boscia B.B. cream, this is the first in the U.S. It is well reviewed on Sephora and I have heard decent things from a friend of mine as well... so definitely worth trying out, plus Sephora is pretty great at exchanges/returns if you end up not liking a product.

I tested out a multitude of different B.B creams in Asia, but there were so many that it was way overwhelming! Their drugstores are great in Asia - I went to Watsons for most of my drugstore beauty products and then some specialty stores such as Skin Food, Etude, The Face Shop just to check out their products. SaSa and Colourmix were another some other popular beauty stores.  One of my friends had just came back from Taipei so I was lucky to get her input and use her recommendations

One she recommended to me and really liked was the Maybelline B.B. Cream , SPF 26++, it comes in two colors. The bottle says its an 8-IN-1 skin transformer:

  •  Brightens skin: visible whitening effect
  • Covers imperfections, reduces the appearance of pores, skin redness disappears
  • Moisturizes and protects: all day hydration + helps to protect skin from UV rays and free radical

I used the 02 Natural color, since after a month in Asia, I was definitely much tanner and in general I would say I'm not as fair-skinned as the Asians living in Asia. I personally really liked this product a lot! Its definitely replaced my other tinted moisturizer (Laura Mercier) and Nars foundation as my everyday routine. I like the consistency, its very light and it reminds me closely of a water based moisturizer I got in Asia (will review later). I think the coverage is pretty average, not too much or too little... you can always add another layer if you want more coverage. I prefer buildable coverage as opposed to it feeling heavy once you put it on. Although, I had great success with this product as well as a few of my friends, I did have other friends who felt that the color did not fit them.  Most B.B creams either come only in 1 or 2 shades and that doesn't always work with everyone's skin tone.

The best thing about the Maybelline B.B. cream though is the bang for your buck. Definitely one of the cheapest ones out there.  Prices I noticed were cheaper in Thailand and Malaysia, while Taipei and Hong Kong were more expensive. I bought it at a Watsons drugstore in Thailand for about $6 for 18mL(0.5 oz). The Nars foundation is $42 for 1 oz, so I'm saving $30, while the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer is $42 for 1.5 oz - I could buy 7 bottles of the Maybelline B.B cream for the price of 1. Well of course part of the reason for the low price is the exchange rate of American dollars to Asian currency, but it definitely was one of the cheapest B.B. creams I encountered in the Asian markets.

I also tried the Missha B.B. cream, probably one of the most well-known brands.  I actually just found out they are sold in the U.S. by Korean retailers.  So if you do end up wanting to try it instead of trekking to Asia, definitely check out to see if theres a cosmetic store by you that sells it. I personally did not like the Missha B.B. cream. I felt that it was heavier and the color did not match my skintone.  It made me look very white and ghostly.  The coloring looked like it had a whiteish cast to it, which for is great for some Asians who have paler complexions or want their skin to look that way, but I'm not one of them. I didn't feel like this brand was natural enough for me.  My friend had mentioned that likely the reason that the Missha B.B. cream is thicker consistency and the coloring is lighter is because it originated in Korea, where the temperatures can get cooler and skin tones may be paler as opposed to SE Asia.

Skinfood B.B. cream, I thought was a little too shimmery for me.  There were a few others I tried, but I don't remember them too well now. I decided just to stick with the Maybelline B.B. cream since it was budget friendly and it did its job! I did notice that Bobbi Brown had a new B.B. cream and I would be interested in trying that out... but that was near the end of my trip and I had already collected enough face goodies!

As for an all-in-one product, I'm not sure if I am convinced if it is that for everyone.  For me, as an everyday product, I think its perfectly fine.  I still wear SPF in addition, but thats because I am pretty particular about making sure I have on SPF 50 everyday... I don't use concealer or any other products besides moisturizer with SPF and either foundation/tinted moisturizer so this product works perfectly for me.  If I wanted more coverage and staying power, I think I would definitely use a powder on top of the B.B. cream, but overall I am pretty satisfied with it and I would recommend it! Hope my review helps!

Have you guys tried B.B. cream before? What brands do you like?



info via, photos by me  

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Journey of Tips

After moving back to the D.C. metro from the S.F. bay area, I had only one week home to unpack, attend a wedding, and then re-pack for Asia.  We only had 2 nights booked in Hong Kong when we left the U.S. from NYC.  Typically being a pretty detailed planner, I realized the joys of actually planning things as you go and going with the flow.

I traveled for 44 days visiting, over 13 cities, and 8 countries with just a backpack, which fluctuated between 10-13 kg (22-28lbs).  Throughout this journey, I picked up quite a few travel tips that I thought would be helpful for anyone traveling esp with summer travel.

1.  Pack appropriately!!

You know this, you really do, but you don't realize it until you don't have the right clothes.  I would say to always bring:
  • Tennis shoes (you never know what kind of outdoor hike, waterfall trek, bumpy bike ride you can encounter) 
  • Comfortable sandals (will do a future post on sanuk vs. teva sandals) for all the walking you're gonna be doing, can also be used if you need them for a filthy shower or walking around your bunker
  •  A jacket even if its a hot and humid summer (great when you find yourself on a 2AM trek on top of a volcano - yes its COLD up there! or it'll help when you find yourself sleeping in the airport or even a super air-conditioned ferry ride) .. something lightweight, but trust me, you'll be happy you brought it when you need it 
  • A hat to shield yourself from the sun whether its basking in the sun all day or out tomb raiding temples
  • Bring a daypack to hold all your things as you sight see throughout the day. I used a cross body bag while traveling, but I would say my cousin's daypack was definitely better than my bag. Last but not least, definitely bring a money pouch that you can place underneath your clothes... very helpful for storing extra money, passports & plus you never want to put all your money and valuables in one place, you gotta spread it out!
With this all said, I did bring my favorite outfits although I had to wear them over and over... try to find things you can mix and match easily since space is precious on a trip like this, but with all the photo shoots you're going to do, you of course wanna look good ;) Just don't forget the essentials! & remember, the less you bring, the more you can bring home!

2. To suit case or not?

I wasn't sold on using a backpack initially since I really didn't want to carry a big backpack on my shoulders, but it turned out to be really helpful and I think it helped me build some muscle lugging that heavy thing around... ha! I used a 35L Northface backpack, which was good enough for the trip, you may want to consider something larger if you want to pack more stuff... my cousin carried a 60L backpack. The great thing is when you have to move really quickly and go up stairs, having a backpack is much easier.

Also, don't forget to bring combination locks to lock up your bag when you are traveling, definitely a necessity and if you don't buy those TSA approved locks (but I'm not sure if they work in Asia), make sure you unlock your stuff before you check in your bag or they WILL break your locks (yup, I totally forgot one time :( I would definitely recommend using combination locks over keys...just in case you lose the key and it is ONE more than to carry!

In addition to my backpack, I also brought a large soft travel bag that was helpful for me when we had to check in our backpacks and to keep anything important or valuable. I would also recommend putting in one pair of clothes, contacts/makeup/toothbrush into your carry on, JUST IN CASE your luggage is delayed or lost, which happened to us! We slept in the airport that night so luckily I brought some extra stuff with me, but was definitely extremely relieved when I had a few things while our luggage was on its way

3. MUST USE travel websites

The following travel websites were EXTREMELY helpful on our trip. Considering we did no planning beforehand, we needed good online resources to let us know what the best accommodation for our budget was, places to see, things to do, and how to get from here to there.  These are my favorite resources:
  • Tripadvisor - BEST resource for reviews on accommodations, restaurant and attractions
  • Airbnb - You can find the best deals on airbnb and hopefully a lovely host like the ones we found that can give you great information, use my link for $25 off your first stay! This is great when you're traveling with more than one person... they're usually very cozy! People either rent our rooms in their own apartments or they rent out their entire apt/home. Otherwise I would use hostelworld.com if you'd rather go that route 
  • Couchsurfing - stay on a free couch and meet some cool people (will do another post my own personal experience) if you're brave enough! I would definitely recommend it, but obviously use common sense and chat with your host for a bit ahead of time before you stay there and if you don't feel comfortable, don't stay there
  • Flights:  We used skyscanner to get an idea of where the cheapest places to fly were.  It has a great option where you can select 'everywhere' with flexible dates and it'll list the cheapest places to fly from your current location.  I would use it in addition to using sites like kayak.com, farecast.com or hipmunk.com (we found that our flight from NYC to HKG was cheapest on hipmunk so worth a try!) since it isn't all inclusive
    • We used jetstar.com, airasia.com or tigerairways.com for low cost air carriers, no frills but gets you to where you need to be!
    • Be sure to always pay for checked luggage as if you don't and they force you to check your luggage, it will be a hefty expense! 
    • Don't be afraid to check our buses and trains in Asia as well, they're very cheap and if you have the time, another experience to tell! 
 I could go on for days about tons and tons of travel advice, but I think I will leave it at there for now and add more tips as I go into detail about each place I traveled to. Hope this helps!  Travel happy!


Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Passport Stamp Collector


I had an amazing adventure, backpacking throughout Asia... back now with more perspective about the world, a little heftier from eating so much and endless stories to tell. I'm settling back now so stories and travel tips galore to come! I also picked up quite a few beauty products that need to be reviewed! So excited to try them all :)

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Minimalist


So, another segment completed - residency done done and done! It was the best of both worlds - school and work, while living the life in California. I will look back at the year with the utmost fondest memories. Of course, there must be a post grad trip, enjoying your life before the working begins.  I have been dying to go to Asia for the LONGEST time.  My parents told me they would take me after high school, then after college, and then after graduate school.. and it never happened.  I don't blame them, they are busy, hard working people...  but now its time.

I'm traveling to SE Asia with my younger cousin. She's the PERFECT companion, super laid back, go with the flow type of girl... especially since we're suppose to leave for our trip in 1 week with no set plans, still talk of changing dates of our travel and the only thing booked is one ticket to Hong Kong and back.  I'm honestly, usually a detailed planner, but with everything that has been going on in life with ending my residency (presentations, papers), packing up my stuff to move back home, family, my good-byes to all the amazing people I have encountered over this year.. it has been crazy whirlwind.  But all I can do is embrace the spontaneity and the adventure that is to come. Step 1, learn to become a minimalist.... that will lighten the load I have to backpack around Asia.  My travels to come through my blog and tweets! Follow me and my adventures for the next month :)

picture via

Sunday, May 1, 2011

INSPIRATION

Thinking about my time ending here in the SF bay area is making me really sad.  I've really 100x fold enjoyed my time here.  I really love all the people, the great food, the beautiful weather (for the most part, except for those days days of rain :) the outdoorsiness of being here. 

The great thing about this area is how smart and talented the people are.  They're are so many tech folks, artsy people, creative and driven people, people who are looking for the next big thing (start-ups mostly). It takes a lot of drive to pursue something on your own, which I admire.  You can't be afraid of failure. It makes me think about what can I do, if all these young professionals can push themselves to create something new.. maybe not necessarily new, but innovative of something that is already present, or doing something for the good of people.  I read this story about Toni Ko, the founder of NYX cosmetics, and I thought wow, she was only in her mid-20s when she created this. Another brand I find inspiring is TOMS shoes, I love how for every shoe you buy, they give a shoe to child in Argentina. 

All I can say is, I feel inspired and I like it.  I'm ready for a change in my life.  Ready to jot down those ideas, and figure out what the next stage in my life is..

pic via

Sunday, April 24, 2011

A SO-CAL Adventure

Back in February,  I had a three day weekend, so my cousin and I took a spontaneous trip down to L.A. and the O.C. to visit our friend.  It was such a fun weekend and it was amazing that it was 70 degrees! How, I love California.  It will be so hard to leave once my residency is over :(


 an awesome bike rike!


WE LOVE KOGI!
 Practicing our jumping skills as much as we can!
 strolling after the sunset :)
 bodards, delish spring rolls!
 the getty in malibu, so beautiful
 sharing a moment
 shin sen gumi, one of the top ramen places i've been to, SO YUMS!
bakery over-indulgence in 85C... LOVE this place!!!