Brunch for Lunch!

I had an amazing brunch today with my partner in crime, Susanna. We went to the hyped up Snooze in Hillcrest and didn't have to wait a second for a table outside. Unfortunately, this was not the case for our food. Approximately one hour after we arrived, we finally got our food, but it was oh so worth it! Another brunch success!

Sticky cinnamon bun french toast!

Eggs benedict duo: Bella Bella and Benny Del Mar!

Pineapple upside down pancake!

 

Alright, this is becoming a food blog faster than Kim Kardashian's marriage, so I promise you next entry will be beauty/fashion related!

Maxi Dress for a Chilly Day

I've always loved styling maxi dresses because I'm not a big fan of my legs. However, over the past few years I've only collected maxi dresses with fancy prints and designs mostly appropriate for beach outings or vacations. It was not until this spring when I finally found ones that are casual enough for daily wear. I've been playing around with the style since it's gotten chilly again here in SD. One particular dress I've been wearing a lot is this taupe strapless maxi from Forever 21. It is only around $13 and oh so comfy! Here are two styles for a chilly day:

Left: I've basically layered my maxi dress with a striped sweater from Gilly Hicks. The sweater is from winter 2010, and I'm still loving the stripes trend. The floral belt is from Abercrombie (winter 2011), and the purple infinity scarf is from a night market in Taiwan.

Right: I layered the dress with a simple black T-shirt and open sweater both from Forever 21 (spring 2012). The scarf if from Cotton On (Fall 2011).

One thing you have to be careful about these jersey fabric maxis is that you must wear seamless panties so that the lines don't show when you walk around. It sounds like common sense, but it could destroy the whole outfit if you aren't aware of it! Otherwise, this taupe color is easy to pair with so many things and definitely perfect for this summer!

 

A closer look at my makeup for the first outfit. I opted against foundation today and used my BB cream instead. When it's already the end of the day, I find that the BB cream gives me a nice glow at just the right spots. Usually my forehead gets so shiny throughout the day that I don't need additional highlighting. For the eyes, I only used my Pixi Silky Endless Pen for top and bottom of my eyes. The rest of the makeup, concealer and eyebrows, are the same as my everyday routine.

Gone Fishin'

This weekend we went camping at Lake Hemet. It was a lot of fun, and I felt like a kid again. My sister and I used to go camping a lot with my mom and her friends when we were kids. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day, and we even got to eat the fish caught straight from the lake!

a beautiful day

My baby so domesticated...not feeling the camping thing at all

 

After assembling our tents, we started grilling our food. Most of us just kept eating for the next four hours while others started fishing. It definitely reminded me how much I miss being outside all day.

My Makeup Story + My Everyday Natural Makeup Look

I discovered mascara and eyeliner in college. I was terrible at wearing eyeliner because I could only use pencil liners, and I would always end up with raccoon eyes by the end of the night. Even then, I only wore them for special events. Now that I am a YouTube guru fanatic, I've become one of the girls that I feared long ago. Makeup everywhere from the bathroom to the bedroom. I've collected a few things the last 3 years, and I'm pretty content with my current routine. Of course, every now and then I get the urge to spend more than I need, but that's just the consequence of watching those addicting videos. I'm glad I found them because they inspire me everyday. Here are the products I currently use for my everyday natural makeup routine:

For the face:

Top row from left: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treament in Neautralizer, Vichy Normaderm Pro Mat Ultra-Matifying Oil-Free Lotion SPF 15, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunblock SPF 55, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation SPF 15 in Beige 30; Second row: Bobbi Brown corrector in Peach, bareMinerals concealer, Laura Mercier mineral powder SPF 15, Sigma flat top kabuki brush F80, ELF concealer brush, and Tarte Amazonian clay blush in Exposed

 For the eyes:

Shu Uemura lash curler, Sonia Kashuk angled point eyeliner brush, Pixi Endless Silky Eye pen in Cocoa, Shu Uemura eyebrow pencil in hard 9, Loreal Voluminous Millions Mascara, Physicians Formula Shimmer Strips gel liner in brown

The Look:

 

  

I know, it's a very natural look, and it doesn't even look like I'm wearing anything. But that's kinda the way I like it. Now that I'm older, I need those products to cover my blemishes and dark eye circles. I have terrible dark circles and I almost always have acne scars. First of all, sunblock is a must for everyday use. Since I have combination skin, I like to use the Vichy matifying moisturizer for my T-Zone. 

Next, I use my Chanel foundation, and then I start layering my concealers. The Maybelline goes on first for my dark circles, and I tap that in with Bobbi Brown corrector in Peach. The color is a lot darker but when mixed with the Neutralizer, it matches my color. Lastly, I use the bareMinerals mineral concealer to set. Sometimes, during the end of the day when I'm on the oily side, I will set my whole face with the Laura Mercier loose powder foundation. As you can see, most of these products have SPF in them, and it's definitely the key to keeping your skin free from sunspots.

The brushes are optional, but sometimes when I feel like having a heavier coverage, I will use my Sigma flat top kabuki brush. The ELF concealer brush is a must for the bareMinerals concealer. Next, I use my Tarte Exposed blush, which is just natural enough for every day use.

For the eyes, I only wear eyeliner and mascara for everyday makeup. I use the Physicians Formula gel liner in brown to tight line my upper eyes and line my eyes with a subtle wing. I find that this product is best used with the Sonia Kashuk angled liner brush. Once you get the hang of using the brush, it's a godsend product! Then, I use my Pixi Silky Endless pen for water-lining my bottom eyes. This is a wonderful product that does not give me raccoon eyes! Lastly, I curl my lashes and use the Loreal Millions Lashes. It seems like such a hassle to just look natural... but I guess this just the process goes hand in hand with aging... 

Pizza night!

I originally went to Trader Joe's for my grilled cheese sandwich but ended up with lots of tomatoes and cheese leftover. What does that mean? It means pizza night! Headed back to Trader Joe's (10 min walk!) and picked up garlic and herb pizza dough and bella mushrooms. Here's the final creation!

a closeup of my first try - everything I love about pizza: grilled onion, mushroom, tomato, and smoked mozzarella!

The ingredients from Trader Joe's. Up left is my EVOO and garlic herb dip. I used the EVOO on the pizza.

Grilling garlic with my onion

Rolling out the dough, I'm wearing Susie on my nails!

My second try - round at last!

The pizza turned out delicious, and I didn't even have to add meat! I found that grilled onions and garlic really does make a difference. Here's a list of the complete ingredients I used:

 garlic & herb pizza dough

sliced tomato

bell mushrooms

half an onion

1 garlic clove

smoked mozzarella

2 teaspoons of marinara sauce

1 teaspoon EVOO

Afternoon Indulgence

What a great way to fill up a craving! I've been dying to make a grilled cheese ever since I saw Byron's recipe, and I must say, it's a winner. I changed it up a bit and added an egg, but overall it's a healthy and satisfying grilled cheese!

Ripe tomatos, two slices of rye bread, organic pepper jack cheese, and an egg!

The finished creation! You can see the runny egg yolk and the melted cheese. Delicious!

A great way to pair my grilled cheese. Sparkling POM juice!

An afternoon snack :) with my newly attained Yelp glass from the event

I think this totally justifies as an afternoon snack for me today because 1) I had a pretty filling breakfast and 2) I skipped lunch. I first made my over easy egg and then used the leftover butter for grilling the sandwich. To be quite honest, anything with cheese, I'm a sucker for, so clearly this was amazing. I'm always surprised at the things I can create if I just get myself to do it. In the words of Michael Jordan, "I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can't accept not trying". Happy cooking!!

Yelp Rooftop Event!

I went to my first Yelp Elite event yesterday. It was held on the rooftop of the La Jolla Cove Suites. The event was pretty fun, and they had Abbey's catering for the event. The food choices were limited, but there was also a bar that served some spiked punches and wine. The theme was a Pant-less Prom, so clearly we partied to music and danced like it's 1969. Currently, I'm in love with this tangerine maxi dress. I got this from Gossip in Paseo, an outdoor shopping mall in Pasadena. The color is just right for Spring, and the silhouette flatters even my body. I added the floral belt, even though the dress is beautiful without. 

Tangerine dress from Gossip (Spring 2012)

Beautiful view of the cliffs from the rooftop of La Jolla Cove Suites

Shoemint & Julep Haul

OK, this is my second try at writing this post because consequently I haven't figured out how to use Blogger yet, and I'm technologically illiterate. I'm trying to post pictures from my iPhone but use my laptop to write my posts, which is apparently the most difficult thing ever! Anyhow, I wanted to share my haul for today. I received my first ShoeMint purchase, and I also received my 2 Julep polishes that I ordered. Being 5'7", I've never been a big fan of heels. I didn't start wearing heels until I was in college, and even then, I could only wear up to 3-inch heels because of the pain and suffering. Don't get me wrong; I love the look of high heels and how long they make my legs look, but sometimes, you just want comfort more than anything. When I saw the Jill shoes in my April ShoeMint showroom, I instantly fell in love! It has a 1.75-inch heel, and the coral color is right on trend for the Summer. They will go perfectly with a few maxi dresses I got this Spring. I've tried them on already, and I can say for a fact that they are the most comfortable heels I have ever worn!!

My first ShoeMint purchase!

Jill in Coral and 2 Julep polishes

Left: Almond (a nude) Right: Susie (mint green!)

 

I was definitely a fan of Julep polishes when I received my first package almost a month ago. When the May showroom came around, I wasn't too thrilled about the colors so I wandered over to their best sellers of the month, and fell in love with these two colors! I've been looking for the perfect minty green color, and when I saw Susie, I was instantly excited. It's a beautiful light minty green color; not too green and not too light. When I saw Almond, I knew I had to get it. Nude is my favorite color to wear on my nails, and I figured you can never have too many nudes, right? I've already tried Susie on my nails, and although they are the perfect color in the bottle, it looks almost white on my hands. I'm still trying to get used to the paleness of color, but so far, the consistency is great, and it's opaque in 2 coats. What color trends are you guys sporting this summer??

Weekend Shenanigans

Saturday my boyfriend and I went to try this new shabu shabu restaurant on Convoy. It's not Japanese-owned, and we were one of two parties there. Meat was fresh and veggies were plenty, but sauces & soup base were quite disappointing.

My boyfriend brought me to a UCSD event Saturday night, and it was held at the Sheraton Carlsbad. I really wish we got there when there was still daylight so I could take some pictures of the beautiful resort and ocean view. Nevertheless, we enjoyed a nice Italian dinner at Trattoria Positano and got to smell the ocean from Cardiff by the Sea. Here's a glimpse of my night...

Outfit of the Night: Forever 21 dress (Spring 2011), Black tights (Taiwan), H&M black suede wedges (Spring 2011), House of Harlow necklace (2011)

Here's a closeup of the H&M black suede wedges - so cute & comfy!

Dinner @ Trattoria Positano: gnocchi with mushroom and tomato sauce

Seafood Linguine with tons of shellfish

I'm a sucker for anything gnocchi, even if it's just simple tomato sauce. Sometimes it's the simple ones that are the best. The softness of the potato dumpling just melts in your mouth. Delicious!

On Sunday, we went to get our free Origins product for the annual Earth Day event. Then, we went straight to the farmer's market in Hillcrest. From fresh seafood to African indulgences, there's something for everyone at this farmer's market. A taste of our brunch...

Outfit of the Day: Everything from Forever 21 (Spring 2012) except for the scarf, which is from Cotton On

The meatiest lamb gyro that you ever did see $7

Freshly shucked oysters $2 each!

And the biggest surprise of all! Freshly shucked sea urchin ceviche! $10

Decadent baklava! $2

Aside from the above goodies, we also got cookies from The Cravory, savory crepes from Le Creperie, and Horchata from Pure Juices. The Horchata has to be the best I've ever had. Just sweet enough with tons of cinnamon flavor. No wonder everyone raves about it! We were so lucky to get to try the sea urchin - it sold out right after we got our order in! Everything was delicious, and I can't wait to return next Sunday!

OOTD

Yay it's Friday! I wanted to share an Outfit of the Day with you guys. It has finally gotten warmer here in San Diego (like it should be all year round!), and I decided to wear something comfortable and casual for a lunch date with my friend. We went to Bread and Cie for the first time, and it did not disappoint!! What a splendid way to spend a beautiful Friday afternoon :)

Ivory lace top from Gilly Hicks (Winter 2011)

Taupe strapless maxi dress from Forever 21 (Spring 2012) The belt came with the dress

Shoes are from Saychelles (Spring 2011)

Make up was very light and neutral: Chanel Aqua Lumiere foundation, Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Gel Creamliner in Brown (for hazel eyes). I used the brown eyeliner to tightline and on waterline. And that's all folks!

 This is what we had at Bread & Cie. The California Muffuletta panini: Salami, olives, capers, cheese, tomato, red onion, red bell peppers, balsamic spread on Ciabatta bread. YUM. We both could have done without the olives and capers, but everything was so fresh it tasted amazing altogether. Can't wait to try brunch here! I love the community of Hillcrest, such a great walking environment. Lots of things to look and shop. We wandered to Urban Outfitters on 5th, and it was a small Urban, but a cute one. I wonder why so many Urban Outfitters are located next to restaurants and food areas rather than malls. Can't say it's a bad idea though; everyone can use a little shopping before or/and after a nice meal :)

First Blog Ever!

As I'm still trying to beautify my new blog, I wanted to start writing and expressing what's been in my brain and dying to get out to the world. First off, I received my first Julep Maven package! I've heard of Julep Maven from beauty gurus before, but I always thought $19.99 for three nail products is way too expensive. However, there's a new intro code: APRILINTRO that allows you to make your first order for only a penny! 1 cent! Clearly I, the bargain shopper that I am, jumped on this offer and three days later received my first package ever from Julep. I have to say they really do take a lot of care in their packaging. Everything was wrapped in pink tissue paper with a lime green ribbon.

 

The colors I got were absolutely amazing. A matte tangerine orange called Natasha and a sparkling gold with tons of micro glitter called Oscar. The first thing I noticed when I tried these was the amazing quality of these nail polishes. One coat of Natasha and my nail was completely opaque. The consistency is not too thick, either. It glides on smoothly and is surprisingly opaque in just 1 coat. I have fallen in love with Julep products. What a great way to start the journey! Here's the link! http://www.julep.com/?r=20028953

 Here's Natasha on my toes: