Fatal Attraction to Cuteness

secret garden

2010-03-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

An invite popped up in my inbox to check out the private launch party of the H&M The Garden Collection. What's so special about this collection is that all the clothing is made from sustainable resources. From the H&M press release:

Romantic, exotic, glamorous or abstract: this spring’s floral patterns provide an injection of creativity and a love of fashion into your wardrobe. The floral looks are inspired by chlorophyll-green gardens, sun drenched landscapes and even 70s hippie chic flower-power. The romantic garden collection is made using organic and recycled materials. All the garments have been produced using sustainable materials or using recycled PET bottles or textile waste.

And they look so pretty, too!

The red floral bold shouldered bolero jacket is so Valentino!

The super pale peach dress with the ruffled shoulders was really cute, but you would need to tie your hair back to really see the details on the shoulder. Also came in black (which sold out pretty quick!)

Some of the organic appies they were serving. These were grated cheese lollipops with a sweet filling in the center. Very delicious, and probably easy to make at home!

The line-up to the changing room was getting longer by the minute.

Mannequins displaying heavily coveted clothing.

adorn my digits with rings

2010-03-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

I was only planning to do some window shopping and ended up bringing home 2 rings and a Korres Midnight Eyes collection pack from Sephora. Oops.

lady gaga x beyonce = deadly mix

2010-03-11T19:16:00.001-08:00

First, it was Lady Gaga collaborating with Beyonce on the remix of Beyonce's song, "Video Phone:"

Now, Lady Gaga's song "Telephone" features Beyonce (or Honey B, as Lady Gaga aka "Gee-yonce" calls her) in a modern-day version of Thelma and Louise.

Every since I've heard the song, I've been waiting for the music video to come out. I mean, who doesn't want to watch 9+ minutes of Lady Gaga and Beyonce werkin' it?!

spring is in the air

2010-03-05T19:14:00.000-08:00

... kind of. It's sunny but freezing cold. And we still get torrential downpours. But I like to think Spring is coming soon *cross my fingers*, so I thought I should update my makeup and buy myself a coral lipstick.

This is a big step for me. I am a lipgloss girl. Always have been, always will be. But lately, I've been exploring lipstick territory, and I have to admit, I kinda like it. I feel a little more mature/professional/grown-up when I swipe on some lipstick before my morning rush to the bus stop. I have a few tubes of lipstick in my collection, but those were included in gift-with-purchase deals, so I never wore any of them because they were too red, too dark, or too brown.

But now that I have a few mauve and berry lipsticks and one cool pink colour under my belt, I thought I go "out there" and get myself a coral colour, since that seems to be the colour for spring/summer 2010. It also gave me an excuse to check out the latest MAC collection: Give Me Liberty of London. Love the print. I'm also thinking about getting a cosmetic bag in the Liberty print for my make-up stash... and at this point, I probably need it!

once in a lifetime

2010-02-18T20:12:00.000-08:00

The mascot to the official Olympic mascots. I may have stolen it a few times to use as a pillow...

Zip-line above the city for free! But...

you have to wait 5 hours in line to do it!

Awwwww! Too cute for words!

Party in the streets.

Mommies and babies showing off their colours.

This is just awesome.

Love his orange suit. I believe they were supporting the Dutch? Not 100% sure...

Da-na-na-na-na-na, da-na-na-na-na-na, BATMAN!

Very true.

"We are the champions!"

Shake your tail feathers!

factory girl

2010-02-15T20:09:00.000-08:00

Swatched Mouse (a light mauve grey) and Factory Grey in the store and fell in love with Factory Grey. It's a lovely creamy dark grey. The only downside is the brush is a little on the skinny side. Not at all like the OPI wide brush. It took me a while to get the hang of it and in the process, I ended up making a little bit of a mess on my nails.

I might have to go back and re-visit some of the other nail polish colours, particularly the Royal Blue and Office (minty green).

happy heart day!

2010-02-14T10:28:00.000-08:00

Spread the love!

Photo courtesy of stock.xchng

with glowing hearts

2010-02-12T20:19:00.000-08:00

Cheer on the red and white!

Photo courtesy of Facebook.

mac attack

2010-02-11T19:55:00.000-08:00

MAC cosmetics came out with a h-u-g-e makeup collection for February, one of the biggest collections that I've seen from them in a long time. I'm sure anyone and everyone can find at least one thing that they like in any one of these colour schemes:

Spring Colour 1 Forecast: If it giggles, tickles, teases, it's PINK.

Spring Colour 2 Forecast: If it's tawny, sensuous, glowing, it's CORAL.

Spring Colour 3 Forecast: If it's wicked, noble, naughty, it's PLUM.

Spring Colour 4 Forecast: If it's precious, excessive, golden, it's AMBER.

For me, I was mostly drawn to the Pink, Plum and Amber colour schemes. I really, really liked the promo images of both eyeshadow quads for the Plum and Amber collection. When the collection came out, I was on a mission to get both quad palettes, but ended up just getting the Amber quad. When I swatched the Plum eyeshadow quad, I found the colours weren't as pigmented as I would have liked them to be and the texture was a little grainy. But, I really loved the colours in the Amber eyeshadow palette. I thought the colours were great when I swatched them and they felt velvety to the touch. Definitely a must for my ever-growing make-up collection.

Starting from the top right corner and going clockwise (in the first picture above):

Manila Paper: pale frosted white gold - Veluxe Pearl (LE)

Flip: bronzed gold - Frost (LE)

Aztec Brick: frosted true copper - Veluxe Pearl (LE)

Creole Beauty: frosted dark golden brown (LE)

I might go back and re-visit some of the other items in the Spring Colour Forecast collections, namely:

From PINK:
Laugh A Lot lipstick: mauve pink - Lustre (LE)
Da Bling eyeshadow: pink with gold pearl - Veluxe Pearl (LE)

From CORAL:
all the lipsticks!
Colour Me Coral: frosted light coral - Frost (LE)
Fresh Salmon: sheer bright pink orange - Lustre (LE)
Rose Maiden: frosted bright berry - Frost (LE)
Victorian: frosted light golden pink - Frost (LE)
Straw Harvest eyeshadow: frosty light yellow-orange - Veluxe Pearl (LE)

From PLUM:
Radicchio lipstick: sheer mid-tone blue mauve - Lustre (LE)

Also purchased the Viva Glam Gaga lipstick. It's a light blue pink colour in a Lustre finish, so you can build up the colour for more intensity. It's definitely a colour that I normally wouldn't choose for a lipstick. I tend to stick to berry and mauve-y tones and be a little more outrageous with my lipgloss choices. But, I thought I try something new this time around. And it's Lady freaking Gaga!

For more detailed descriptions, photos and swatches, check out Temptalia.

all hail the queen

2010-02-11T18:47:00.000-08:00

R.I.P.

The fashion world will miss the creative genius that is Lee Alexander McQueen.

Photo courtesy of FashionBank.

the city is my canvas

2010-02-07T19:54:00.000-08:00

Wandering downtown and taking in all the colours.

cruising along the drive

2010-02-06T19:24:00.000-08:00

Mexican shop with super cool figurines in their window display.

This sh*t is banans, B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

This dog is HUGE; its paw was the size of my hand! It could have me as a snack...

Justice on the streets.

Wow... I didn't know they could make them that big. I can fit myself in one leg, easy!

Sofa cushions for giants.

An homage to the flock of crows that hang around the Drive?

He was a little camera shy, but look at his paws! So cute!

this is talent

2010-02-02T19:49:00.000-08:00

Freaking good.

it's not britney, bitch

2010-01-31T20:25:00.000-08:00

You have no excuse for lip-syncing. None.

waiting for spring to arrive

2010-01-21T18:29:00.000-08:00

I received a last-minute invite in my inbox yesterday afternoon to attend the Mavi Spring/Summer 2010 collection sneak peak at the OPUS Hotel. I immediately RSVP'd for the event and forwarded the invite to a few of my fashionista friends for a little get-together.

Headed down to Yaletown after work to meet up with some friends, did a little window shopping before we walked over to the Opus Hotel (after I phoned and texted a few friends to figure out where it was located. For some reason, I thought it was on the other side of Yaletown). Confusion aside, we found the OPUS bar and had our snapshot taken on the red carpet (I miss you Polariod). We made it just in time to nab the last seats in the lounge before the music began and the wine started to flow.

The OPUS bar was kind enough to offer the guests at the fashion show a sampling of Pink, a sparking blend of pinot noir and chardonnay from Australia that kind of reminded me of strawberries... delicious!

Special live performance by songwriter and musician, Tea.

After half our crew left to go see a movie, me and my gal pal were chatted up by Mr. GQ (real name unknown) who was sitting beside us. Apparently, he was waiting to meet up with a few friends and offered to get us some wine, which was very sweet of him. Unfortunately, there was quite the line-up for booze, so he came back with bottled water for the both of us. Turns out, he's a model who's going back to school to learn how to fly airplanes. Very nice on the eyes, too.

My camera battery died before I can take any pictures of the collection, but from what I saw, it looks like the denim on denim look is coming back in a big way.

fashion for the masses

2010-01-19T20:30:00.001-08:00

Zac Posen is the latest designer to jump on the collaboration band-wagon. His Target collection won't launch until April 25th, but I already covet everything. Damn, why does the closest Target have to be 3 hours away?! It's just not fair!

See below for my favourites:

For more of the Zac Posen collection, check out the lookbook.

Photos courtesy of www.fashionista.com

grey is not a colour

2010-01-17T17:06:00.000-08:00

It's a shade and I think it would look great on nails. I remember YSL came out with a lovely blue-grey colour, called "Stormy Grey," last year for the 2009 Fall collection. It's also $24. So, I've been looking for a cheaper alternative for a while now and I think American Apparel might have been thinking of me when they came out with their nail polish collection.

It's $7.50 for a bottle or you can get a 3 pack for $18.00. I'm definitely going to check out "Mouse" and "Factory Grey" and who knows, I might have another addition to my nail polish collection soon.

Photos courtesy of American Apparel.

heavy cargo ahead

2010-01-16T14:49:00.000-08:00

The Canadian makeup line, CARGO, is re-marketing their products, according to their PR statement:

For 2010, CARGO has begun an evolution with its relationship with Sephora that will take several months. We are focusing our brand on Sephora Inside JC Penney and we will be a top feature brand for them. By the end of this year, over 200 Sephora Inside JC Penney stores are expected to carry the full range of CARGO products.
We will be removing CARGO from the other Sephora doors in North America. CARGO products will continue to be sold within Sephora's European markets: France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Turkey and the Middle East. In addition, CARGO will continue to be available at Ulta, QVC, Beauty 360, Independent Beauty Boutiques, Murale (Canada) and Boots (UK).

So, to break it down, CARGO will now only be sold at select boutiques and nation-wide through Murale which is similar to Sephora. The bad news is that it won't be as readily available as before. The good news is that all CARGO products are 50% off at all Sephora stores! As you can see below, I took advantage of this and stocked up on a few things to try out:

My collective haul from Sephora.

From top to bottom: blu ray High Definition Lip Gloss in Panama (a muted raspberry), Classic Lip Gloss in Tobago (soft baby pink) and Halifax (pale peachy pink; although to me, it's more peachy than pink.)

SuedeBlush in Montebello (a swirly mix of sweet peach, sheer raspberry and golden bronze.) I LOVE this blush! Glides on smoothly and it looks very natural. It's also very pigmented. I realized that after my first try and I ended up with very red cheeks. Had to tone it down with some concealor so it didn't look like I was sunburnt.

Colour Eye Shadow Palette in London.

Colours: matte brown/shimmering pale gold/matte eggplant and deep olive sheen

Baja: bronze sheen/light pink sheen/matte peach/shimmering beige taupe

in case you haven't noticed...

2010-01-15T15:54:00.000-08:00

You're welcome.

Photo courtesy of Holt Renfrew.

resolutions continued...

2010-01-11T12:53:00.000-08:00

A few more that I've come up with and hope to keep:

2.) Eat healthier. What I've learned from this past Christmas is that it's so easy to pack on the pounds when you have chocolate, cookies and sweets every where you turn. So, I'm going to ignore my sweet tooth, eat more fruits and vegetables and choose the healthier option on the rare occasions when I go out and eat at restaurants or get take-out.

3.) Wear more makeup. This doesn't mean that I'm going to wake up an extra hour earlier to pile on 10 pounds of makeup and show up to work with a full face. Currently, I only have time to swipe some lipstick on before I run out the door to catch my bus. But for some reason, I've accumulated a massive collection of makeup, so it's about time I use it. Maybe I'll turn it into Project 10 Pan, like what lollipop26 has done.

4.) Save money. Enough said.

A decade gone

2010-01-08T09:59:00.000-08:00

and a New Year begins.

I've thought about my New Year resolutions and for now, I have one (besides the usual lose-10-pounds-diet):

1.) Wear more nail polish and do my own nails instead of spending money on manicures. This came about when I was re-organizing my closet (which I do almost every other weekend) and I realized that I had 18 bottles of nail polish stashed away. Surprise, surprise! So, now I'm going to give myself a manicure every week or every other week depending on the longevity of my manicure so I can use up some of the nail polish before buying anymore.

More resolutions to come!

happy holidays!

2009-12-25T09:34:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a very

Merry Christmas and a

super fabulous New Year!

it's done!

2009-12-22T20:25:00.000-08:00

W00T! It took some time and research, because I really wanted a palette of colours that I would actually use on a daily basis, but it's finally done! There are some that I've had for years and years (Nocturnelle and Motif) and have yet to use up. I've bought some new ones that I absolutely adore and pretty much wear every day (looking at you Woodwinked!). I've already hit pan on Schroom, which is the one in the very top left corner. I'm definitely going to restock that colour, since it's what I wear as a base eyeshadow for everything. Even if it's the weekend and I'm going out with a very casual makeup look, I still apply Schroom.

I also have a list of eyeshadow colours that I want to try once I've used up some of the colours. I especially like the Veluxe Pearl finish because of the colour payoff and the staying power. Who knows, I might start another palette!

From left to right:
Top row: Schroom, Woodwinked, Tempting, Shale, Nocturnelle
Middle row: Motif, Romp, Knight Divine, Satin Taupe, Florabundance (limited edition)
Bottom row: Honeylust, Amber Lights, Typographic, Sable, Expensive Pink

2009-12-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

It first started with the NARS lipstick in Roman Holiday (on the right) that I purchased a few days ago and than I got the Sephora Glam Lip Attitude lipstick in Rose Frivol today. NARS Roman Holiday is a sheer delicate pastel pink and Sephora Rose Frivol is a sheer magenta. Generally, I'm not a lipstick person. I prefer lipgloss over lipstick any day as I find lipstick can zap the moisture from your lips and you end up with chapped, peeling lips. Very attracture. But, both of them are sheer glossy lipsticks that have a tint of colour that you can build up, which I like a lot. I especially like the Sephora brand, since it's cheaper than NARS ($30 for a lipstick?! It's a good thing I had a gift voucher) and I might have found a dupe for Roman Holiday in Sephora's Poetic Pink, a sheer bright cool pink Only time will tell...

when I RSVP to a party, I make it my business to come

2009-12-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

As per the above quote (from Sex and the City), today was a super busy day for me as I had three events to attend, including the Lady Gaga Monster Ball concert (!!!) and once I RSVP, I make it my personal mission to attend the event, even if I'm fashionably late by half and hour... or more.

Up first was the Noir Lash lounge for their Haus of Klaus event. We snacked on appetizers from Society (I'll be going there for a dinner with a friend next week). The food from Society was amazing, especially the aha tuna cracker with quail eggs and the fried macaroni balls with cocktail sauce. I can't wait til next week when I'll be at Society for dinner; I'm expecting good things from this place! Never too far from the food, we maneuvered our way to a couch within an arm's length from the mini pizzas, sipped on bubbly and Red Bull (for me) and caught up with a friend who has been recently MIA as she had given birth to a beautiful baby boy this year. We also oohed and aahed over the Sublime jewellery (one friend was pining after a gorgeous pair of sterling silver oval hooped earrings with pearls) and had our picture taken by the lovely Ellen Ho.

Next, we made our way downtown to do some serious shopping at the Tommy Hilfiger and Fashion Magazine Holiday event. Not only were all tops in the store 40% off the last ticketed price, but you also received an additional 25% off the grand total at the til! With purchase, you also received a gift bag: a leather Tommy Hilfiger tote (in black or brown), a silk scarf and a copy of Fashion magazine, all valued at over $200!

My new bag that I'm loving. It holds everything I need and more and I actually like the brown colour. It's a departure from all the black bags that I have. You can't tell in the picture, but the silk scarf has a handbag print. How perfect is that?

So, of course, I had to take advantage of this awesome deal and bought myself a lovely thick black sweater wrap that I'll be cozying up to this winter season. The event was catered by C Catering (delicious mini burgers and mushroom mousse tarts and accompanied by white wine) and the DJ was showing some love to Rihanna by turning up the bass to the point where the store was literally vibrating (I thought my ears would blow out!). Got out of there with our purchases and gift bags in tow (and our hearing intact) and made our way to the Lady Gaga concert.

Lady Gaga was freaking fabulous. The crazy costume changes, the light show that gave me ADD for an hour afterward, the whole show totally blew my mind. The girl knows how to P-E-R-F-O-R-M!

helping hands

2009-11-27T17:29:00.000-08:00

When it comes to makeup, I'm a huge product junkie. I have lipglosses in every shade of pink, stacks of eyeshadows, several bottles of foundation and mini makeup palettes that I take with me when I travel. I have now added another palette to my collection:

It's the CARGO Hands for Hope Eyeshadow palette and I love it! The texture is silky soft with great colour pay-off, so it's wise not to be too heavy-handed in application. The shadow will eventually crease if you put too much colour on. But with a primer, the colour lasts the whole day.

A close-up of the hand design imprinted on each eyeshadow pan.

At first, I was a little skeptical about some of the colour choices: Midnight blue? Fern green? Aqua? But for only $29, who cares? It's a great deal and a good introduction to the brand if you haven't tried it before.

r.i.p

2009-11-20T09:52:00.000-08:00

It's so tragic, she was only 20 years old... My heart goes out to her family during this difficult time.

Photo coutesy of the Cut.

skoah turns 8!

2009-11-19T09:27:00.000-08:00

And to celebrate, Skoah had a birthday bash at their Yaletown flagship store today (you have to RSVP to get on the guest list!). There was wine from Strut, appetizers and a preview of their holiday collection which is out now. Me and a coworker hit up the birthday party after our midterm (ugh), and I was a little too fond of the Well-Heeled White wine and was feeling a little tipsy. They really didn't have enough appetizers to soak up the alcohol. I bought myself the Naughty and Nice superglosses duo and got a free goody bag filled with coupons, a water bottle from Mavi, and a sample of Skoah's Smooth Talk Body Lotion. After much sipping and rambling and giggling, we decided it was probably a good idea to call it a night and headed home with our purchases and goody bags in tow.

it's a quarter of a century

2009-11-18T08:16:00.000-08:00

It's Aritzia's 25th Anniversary and they're celebrating by having a massive sale. Now until Sunday, November 22, 2009, everything is on sale! Discounts range from 10-30% off, and some special items are discounted up to 50% off. I happened to stop by and snagged myself a really cute Ines dress for $39.99!

Image courtesy of aritzia.com

a-choo!

2009-11-17T20:20:00.000-08:00

What a girl will do for shoes...

Like line up at 7:20 in the morning to wait for the launch of Jimmy Choo for H&M collection. Yep, I was one of many sleep-deprived fashionistas in the city (as well as some fashion misters), who stood in line for 3 hours in the freezing cold (it was 5 degrees out!) for a pair of shoes. As my toes lost all feeling and my nose was running a mile a minute, I wondered if it was really worth all this trouble for a pair of Choos. The answer: Yes!

There were shopping guidelines in place, in order to prevent cat-fights from occurring: The shoes, accessories and bags were sectioned off (a store within a store) and the first 160 people in line received a coloured wristbands with a time shift written on it. They were allowed into the designated area in groups of 20 with 10 minutes to shop for what they wanted. After two hours, the mini store was opened up to the rest of the public and you had to wait in line for a chance to shop the shoes, bags and accessories. The men's and women's collection were available to everyone with no time restraints. There was a limit of one item of each style per person, as they want as many people as possible to shop the collection (and to prevent scam artists from buying everything and selling it on ebay with a 200% markup).

There was a mad grab for all the clothes and by the time it was my turn, there were no more leather jackets on the racks. So I made my way upstairs to meet up with my shopping buddy, and he was able to grab something, although he didn't have any luck with the shoes. As he was trying stuff on in the changing room, I managed to snag myself a leather jacket in a size 6 and traded it up for a size 8! After paying for the jacket (I wasn't going to let it out of my hands!), I proceeded to wait in line for two hours by the designated section, in the hopes of getting a pair of Jimmy Choos. I ended up making some shopping friends (Hi Sonya and Raminder!), as we slowly inched our way up the line. As my turn came up at 1:30PM, I was surprised that they still had shoes left. I managed to grab a necklace, 2 bracelets, a long wraparound belt, a bag and a pair of leather high heels (4 inches!). Since you only have 10 minutes to shop with a personal shopper by your side at all times, you really don't have any time to actually try stuff on. It's more like, "I'll have one of those, and one of those, and that one... " and you make your way to the cashier. I'm going to do some returns in the end, because I don't know if I want all this stuff, so if you're lucky, you might find something in the stores later on!

I love this necklace, but what I didn't realize how heavy it was. I wore it out to a friend's birthday dinner and got lots of compliments on it. Definitely a keeper. :)

I returned the first bracelet, the rhinestone one, since it didn't really suit me. I like the chain bracelet much better.

I'm going to return this belt because it's just way too long. I feel like I'm lassoing myself with it.

As much as it breaks my heart, I did end up returning the bag. It looks really cute on the website, but it was massive in real life! You can literally fit everything and the kitchen sink in that bag and still have room to spare!

These are the crazy 4-inch heels that I bought. I have to practice walking in them. The most I can handle is 3-inches, so this will be quite the challenge. I have 30 days to return them, but I'm determined to make it work!

Love my Jimmy Choo leather jacket! After losing my first leather jacket, I've been pining for another one. You don't realize how much you miss something until it's gone. I'm quite happy with this replacement, although I wish the collar was a little more substantial, but that's me being picky. You can't tell, but there are two hidden interior pockets.

can you tell me how to get to, how to get to sesame street?

2009-11-12T17:14:00.000-08:00

This year marks the 40th birthday of the children television show, Sesame Street! I remember watching the show when I was a kid and counting along with Count von Count, wanting to play with Big Bird and Snuffleupagus and laughing at the antics of Oscar the Grouch, Elmo, Grover, Bert and Ernie (and his Rubber Duckie!).

The show has evolved over the years, since I've last watched it and now includes a large cast of Muppet characters of and more adventures for them all, but there are still very many familiar faces around Sesame Street. I'm happy to see the show is still popular with today's children and wish Sesame Street another 40 years of fun and laughter!

Photo courtesy of Mommy Reporter.

guess who the pope is

2009-11-11T10:22:00.000-08:00

I finally found the time to watch the documentary, "The September Issue," and I loved it! First off, I wasn't expecting this documentary to delve into the deep, dark world of fashion or to look behind the hard-as-nails facade of Vogue's famous, or infamous, editor Anna Wintour. I doubt you would be able to get anything out of Anna "Winter," other than the fact that she enjoys playing and watching tennis. So, with low expectations in mind, I found the documentary to be exactly what it was: a light, frothy look into the fashion industry and how Anna Wintour and Vogue's creative team prepares for the September issue which will dictate the latest trends and styles to be worn by fashionistas everywhere.

I loved watching the behind the scenes action and I especially enjoyed watching the cat-and-mouse relationship between Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington. I've always admired Grace's talent and creative direction to style the breathtaking, fantastical editorials for Vogue and after watching the movie, I admire her even more. Everyone knows that story of how Grace was appointed the Creative Director of Vogue on the same day that Anna became Editor-in-Chief, so they've always had a relationship from day one. But to be able to see how their relationship works is amusing to watch as they try to push each other to the limit (creatively speaking).

I'll be adding this film to my DVD collection when it comes out... hopefully in time for Christmas!

Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org

friends with benefits

2009-11-05T18:58:00.000-08:00

Benefit's Grand Opening at Holt Renfrew today!

After class, I was cutting through Holt Renfrew with a friend and somehow managed to get my eyebrows waxed in the process...

Sales rep: Hello! Do you know that today is the grand opening of the Benefit Brow Bar?
Me: No, I didn't.
Sales rep: Would you like to sign up?
Me: Sure, why not?
Sales rep: Would you like a free gift bag?
Me: Yes, thank you!
Sales rep: Okay, now line-up over here for your free brow waxing.
Me: Oh... kay?

This was pretty much how I came to be at the Grand Opening of the Benefit Brow Bar at Holt Renfrew. Despite my concerns about having my brows waxed (images of searing pain, burnt skin and half my eyebrow gone kept popping up), it was actually a very pleasant experience (not that I enjoy any waxing of any type, but it wasn't as painful as I thought it would be).

My friend getting her curly eyebrows tamed at the Benefit Brow Bar.

Inside the goody bag: the Benefit holiday guide, the Brow Bar services menu, a Benefit magnet, a white chocolate cream cookie, and samples of Some Kind-a Gorgeous (the foundation faker), eyecon (brightening eye cream) and b-spot by Benefit eau de toilette.

happy hallow's eve!

2009-10-31T18:32:00.000-07:00

As part of my costume tonight, I bought two MAC lipglosses to complete my look (I was going as a hippie). Unfortunately, I ended up going as a zombie hippie since I was tired of redoing and fixing my makeup for the 4th time! But, I really like the lip-glosses that I picked out. Maybe because it's not the usual colours that I would generally gravitate towards.

Baby Sparks is pale pink with violet pearl which is the perfect lip-gloss for my zombie hippie costume.

Ever So Rich is a sheer creamy lilac. It applies on with a very sheer hint of colour. I like it because it's a colour that I don't have in my vast lip-gloss collection.

do you happen to have a pair of birds that are... just friendly?

2009-10-30T22:33:00.000-07:00

I was walking downtown today and just as a I turned the corner, I stopped in surprise. There was a girl with a falcon perched on her right arm, standing outside in front of the bank, waiting for her friend who was using the ATM (and also holding a falcon). Of course, with my trusty camera at my side at all times, I managed to take a few shots before she had to leave.

PS: the quote is from the famous Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Birds.

forever 21 = forever young?

2009-10-23T12:45:00.000-07:00

I was standing in line at Forever 21 for what seemed like an hour to exchange something, only because all the kids and their BFF's thought it would be a good idea to skip last period to go to the mall. During the excruciating wait, I did some people watching, eavesdropped on a few typical teenage conversations (heavily sprinkled with the words "like" and "okay") and texted a few friends with updates on my lineup status. As my eyes wandered around the store, I couldn't help but notice a few um... more mature customers trying on some clothes amidst the crowded racks and mirrors. You can't go wrong with a $10 plain t-shirt but if you're over the age of 50 and trying this on, you have to wonder if they understand the concept of age-appropriate dressing.

For example: if you're under the age of 25 and wearing black leggings, they can look cute. If you're over the age of 50 and wearing black leggings without something to cover up your butt cellulite, it's not cute (unless you're a yoga practicing yummy mummy, but even than they might have had some tweaking done). Same thing goes with trendier pieces that were clearly designed for the teenage demographic. If age is nothing but a number, why are you trying so hard to look like a big fat zero?

it's all greek to me

2009-10-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

In T-minus 24 hours, I will be on a plane, headphones firmly on my head, jetting off to paradise for a week of sun, shopping and beaches, while keeping myself hydrated with large quantities of ouzo. This blog will be on a short hiatus until I get back. But no worries, I will have my trusty digital camera with me to document the many adventures during my trip. Don't hate me, 'cause you love me!

fashion with flare

2009-10-07T07:37:00.001-07:00

BCBG celebrated the 30th anniversary of Flare magazine with champagne and French macaroons as well as a special 20% discount of all regular merchandise for tonight only! West Coast Flare Fashion editor, Luisa Rino was also be in store to showcase the latest fall fashion trends as well.

Of course, I had to go to the event since I'm still in hot pursuit of a party dress for my company's Christmas party. While I did try on a couple of dresses, and there were a few options for me to choose from, nothing really stood out as "the One" to buy.

But I did spy a lovely silver watch that, after some very little convincing from a friend, I quickly scooped up along with a feather rhinestone ring that I fell in love with immediately when I tried it on.

The feather rhinestone ring that I heart immensely.

My brand new watch! Now, I don't have to search through my bag to look for my cellphone to see what time it is!

The 20% discount will continue til the end of the weekend, so if you're looking for a party dress or some accessories to dress up your LBD, then you might want to book it down to BCBG!

OMG, WTH GG?

2009-10-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

Dear Gossip Girl,

Last night's episode of Gossip Girl was obviously a desperate, mad grab for ratings. There could be no other possible explanation for having two so-called thespians on the show as they overacted every single scene they were in. The scenes with doe-eyed, pouty lipped Olivia or "Kate" as Dan refers to her (played by Hilary Duff) and the mad, crazy eyes of Ursalla (overacted by Ms. Smile-with-your-eyes Tyra Banks) was laughable. While I will admit that Hilary Duff was the better actor on the show, Tyra Banks clearly stole every scene, but not in a good way.

If you really needed the high ratings, may I suggest you include more Blair/Chuck goodness? 'Cause let's face it, the pair are just too delicious not to watch.

xoxo,

Meow

faint over fashion

2009-09-28T22:12:00.000-07:00

I had planned to go solo to the Jacqueline Conoir Fashion Show last night, but after a sudden change of plans and a last-minute text, my friend joined me for a night of free champagne and fashion. The Jacqueline Conoir show is the first show of BC Fashion Week, so the fashionistas in the city were out in full force tonight.

There was a sudden change in venue (good thing I checked my email before I left work!), so we ended up at the Fortune Sound Club where the fashion show and after party were being held. We arrived at the club, checked in and walked into a wall of people. Literally. The club was jam-packed with fashionistas and fashion misters jostling for prime viewing territory with the photogs since the club space was clearly not meant for a fashion show of this size, or for any fashion show for that matter. It was also getting really hot with all the warm bodies packing into the club.

After a quick detour to the bar to grab our free champagne, we managed to grab some seats in the back for a quick catch-up before the show started. Once the lights started to dim, we squeezed our way through the crowd and I maneuvered into a prime spot at the end of the runway. With camera in hand, I managed to snap pictures of all the models strutting their stuff, giving good face and posing on the runaway.

Some of them were clearly amateurs, looking like a dead fish out of water (in Tyra's words: they weren't smiling in the eyes). While black and sequins were popular with the viewing crowd last night, it was all about funky work wear to take you from day to night, psychedelic colours and elegant bridal gowns that walked down the runway for the spring/summer 2010 collection. During the fashion show, there was some activity to my left but I really didn't pay attention to it, since I was focused on taking pictures. My friend filled me in later and told me that one of the VIP attendees fainted from the heat and dehydration, but was all right in the end. Just a light dizzy spell from drinking too much champagne.

Sitting in the back of the club, enjoying the view.

I'm not keen with the idea of wearing a person's face on your chest, whether it's somebody famous, or your own (if your a self-centered narcissist with a massive ego aka Paris Hilton), but I really liked the peep-toe ankle boots.

This bitch gave good face.

I like the loose draping and tie-dye effect. There were several dresses made from this material, but I like this style the best.

Cute outfit that caused a lot of tittering amongst the audience as it became quite clear she wasn't wearing a bra underneath. Tee hee.

The multi-coloured psychedelic dresses that floated down the runway.

For the brides out there, planning a 2010 spring/summer wedding, some goddess-worthy gowns for your big day.

And the finale:

RoseMerie Cuevasthe, creator of the signature label Jacqueline Conoir Collection which she named as a tribute to her mother, taking a bow at the end of her show.

Celebrity sighting of the night: Stacey McKenzie, model and judge on Canada's Next Top Model, season one. She was very fashionably late, but looked super glamourous in her mini dress and funky headband.
Also saw Jason Malto, the Vancouver fashion designer, although it was impossible not to spot him, dressed in his black sequined shirt and studded fingerless leather gloves. Dude looks awesome.

Inside Fortune Sound Club. Love the interior.

freakshows found in random spots

2009-09-23T20:44:00.000-07:00

A creepy old guy on the bus, completely drunk off his rocker, proceeded to chat me up. In what was possibly the longest 10-minute bus ride ever, he told me that he worked as a secret agent in Nicaragua, where his job was to "knock people around." Riiiight. Every time the bus made a stop and a young girl came on, he would stare as she walked by and break into song, "I'm loving this spot, where the sun is shining and the girls are hot." Great. I could not get off that bus any faster, even if I had superhuman speed or mini jet rockets strapped onto my feet. Ugh.

if money grew on trees

2009-09-22T16:15:00.000-07:00

I would buy every single item featured in this video:

Despite the fact that the choppy editing made me feel a little ADD after watching it numerous times, I heart everything in this video. Everything. Also, best friends and supermodels, Coco Rocha and Behati Prinsloo looked like they were having massive amounts of fun dressing up, which made everything that much more covetable.

who's ready for fall?

2009-09-21T19:17:00.000-07:00

I might not be ready to give up the sunshine and blue skies just yet (I am going to Greece next month to get more sunshine!), but I'm so ready for some fall fashion! There's only so much you can wear during the summer, besides the daily uniform of t-shirts, tanks and shorts. But when the days get shorter and the weather gets cooler, there's so much more you can do when it comes to dressing up. Layers of cardigans, blazers, sweaters, hoodies, pullovers, vests, scarves and the list goes on and on. It also doesn't help that every where I go, fall is in the store windows, on display, worn by the mannequins or on sale. Is it so wrong to have my cake, eat it and ask for seconds. too?

this little piggy...

2009-09-13T21:08:00.000-07:00

... went out on Saturday night to celebrate the big 3-0 of a friend (happy birthday Sheila!) at The Greedy Pig, a small hole in the wall that you wouldn't notice as you walk on by. But, inside the jazz band was playing, the mood was festive, the birthday girl was in high spirits (and hammered) and the food was mouth-watering good.

This was more of an appy/tapas kind of party: meat and cheese platters up front at the bar, plates of tomato and boccacini salad skewers and servers coming around, offering guests mini pulled pork sandwiches and spicy peanut satay chicken skewers. Delish. Of course, this being the birthday girl's big 3-0, we had make a few toasts and drink to her good health: I ordered the Ward Eight (Kentucky Bourbon shaken with fresh lemon and orange juices with pomegranate grenadine. a classic from New York City) and had a sip of my friend's Roughrider cocktail (Canadian Rye Whiskey shaken with pureed raspberries, black raspberry liqueur & fresh lime juice juice topped with ginger beer, served tall).

Midway into the party, there was a bit of a medical emergency (no ambulance required), but someone did have to leave early for the night, so a glass of white wine (dr. loosen reisling. 2006, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany) was bestowed on me as a parting gift. I'm no wino, but this was exceptionally good white wine: light, fruity and sweet but not too sweet that it didn't make me sick after a while (I've had some very unfortunate encounters with some unfriendly red wines in the past). I would definitely order it again if I saw it on the menu. And I do plan on coming back and tasting the other menu items that the Pig has to offer.

The place was packed when we arrived, which was great but the downside: no air conditioning. So it did get a wee bit hot in the back, where we were sitting. I'm so glad I wore shorts, even though the back of my thighs were glued to the leather seats. I had to peel myself off the seat every time I got up to order a drink or use the bathroom.

A very blurry picture of the pulled pork sandwiches with BBQ sauce. So moist and delicious. This is one of the reasons why I don't think I'll become a vegetarian. At least, not full-time.

My Ward Eight cocktail.

For the rest of the night, I was sipping on this lovely reisling.

The eyes... it just won't stop staring at me...

Crowded bar... those were some good cocktails...

This little piggy also took in the scene at the Livestock Block Party held in Gastown on Sunday. It's suppose to be the last one eva (isn't that what they said last year?), so I came down with my little sis in tow and we checked out the skateboarding, the dogs, the DJ and the peeps rocking their cool kicks. Everyone and their dog was wearing Ray-bans, it was ridiculous.

fashion's night out

2009-09-10T21:21:00.000-07:00

While New York City was having their huge bash today (gawd, I wish I was in NYC today), the Bay had their own little Fashion's Night Out shindig. After a short class today (I can't believe I'm back in school), we meandered through the mall, making strategic stops along the way (Holts, anyone?) before arriving at the Bay. We bought our gala tickets ($10 with $8 going towards whatever purchase you make that night, and $2 donated to Canadian Breast Cancer Society), and went in search for appys and drinks. Spinach filo patries, spring rolls, cheese, fruits and sweet pastries were washed down with a cup (or two) of surprisingly strong Cosmopolitan martini. After satisfying our hunger, we made our way to the MAC makeup counter to use our $8 coupon. I was able to convince my friend to get out of her eyeshadow rut and try other colours beside pink and bronze and I got Woodwinked and Typography to add to my collection.

There were other events being held at the same time, but today being such a long day, I just wanted to go home and snuggle under the covers.

A model getting her makeup on... I like how she's got "DKNYC" spray-painted on her left cheek. Now, that's classy.

New makeup line was being debuted. It's called Mica Bella Cosmetics and it's sparkley mineral makeup. A little too sparkley for me.

DJ, keep playing my song!

My purchases of the night: Woodwinked (above) and Typography (below). It looks like I'll be depotting this weekend.

guess what i'm doing tonight

2009-09-09T21:14:00.000-07:00

With a glass of raspberry spritzer and vodka in one hand and a crepe chicken dumpling in the other (appies by Culinary Capers), I was happily snacking and sipping my way around the Guess by Marciano store at a cocktail reception hosted by the Style Spy to showcase the latest fall trends. A portion of the proceeds from tonight's sale will go towards Dress for Success, an organization that provides disadvantage women with access to career resources and professional attire. I love the idea of shopping for a good cause, but unfortunately I really couldn't find anything that I would want to try on or purchase. I think I was a bit distracted by all the people-watching; me and my partner-in-crime were giggling at the hot tranny messes teetering on 6-inch heels, having arrived at the event after raiding the nearest makeup counter and leaving behind bits of broken eyeliner pencils and empty tubes of lipgloss and mascara all over the place. Fun times.

crackberries for realz

2009-09-08T16:57:00.000-07:00

In the span of one week, I have seen two girls texting madly away on the Blackberries with cracked screens (one on the bus, and the other at a bus stop). Um, shouldn't you get a new Blackberry? What happens if it gets wet (and if you can crack the screen, I'm pretty sure you can also get it wet), water seeps inside and your Blackberry goes kaput? The result: one hysterical girl, crying that she can't get her messages, therefore her social life has gone down the crapper. Boo hoo.

On a side note: Two people were kind enough to open the door for me as my hands were full carrying a hot cup of jasmine tea of the Dragon Ball variety (bought at David's Tea and yes, I picked it because of the name), and bags. Who says people don't have manners anymore?

you scream for ice-cream?

2009-09-06T10:21:00.000-07:00

It's interesting to note how many people look at you as you're walking down the street licking an espresso flake ice-cream cone.

what sale?

2009-09-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

I woke up early this morning to head over to the organic market to stock up on juice and then me and my cousin headed over to the Aritzia warehouse sale located at their head office.

It wasn't much of a sale. I was expecting steeper discounts, since these items were supposedly on clearance. I bought a pair of navy high-waisted shorts at the Aritizia Oakridge location, about two weeks ago and they were on sale for $24.99. And I found the same pair of shorts at the warehouse sale for the same price.

One thing did catch my eye: a grey wool Community winter coat, that was very warm but was missing all of its buttons. It was hanging on the $59.99 sale rack and had no tags on it. I asked a sales associate to confirm the price and she said it would be around $49.99 to $59.99. A pretty damn good deal for a winter coat. But when I went to the cashier to confirm the price, they said it was $149.99 and she would give me $10 for the missing buttons. Not worth it. For that price, I could buy myself a decent winter coat that still had ALL its buttons sewn on.

My verdict: If you had already gone to the stores to check out their summer sale a couple of weeks ago, you do NOT need to come down to the warehouse sale. It's the same thing, for the same price, just all their summer stock is centralized in one location. However, if you missed out on the summer sales, then it might be worth it for you to check it out.

city trek

2009-09-05T05:21:00.000-07:00

I haven't really explored Granville Island for years now. I usually just stick to a few shops and walk around the public market and that's about it. But yesterday, I thought I'd get out of my comfort zone and look around a bit more before I took the boat ferry to Yaletown.

Ten Thousand Villages was my first stop, since I like to poke around and look at all the unique stuff they have in there. Next, I wandered over to a little marketplace and found an awesome bead shop that had a wall of pearls, all in different colours. It was so tempting, but since I already bought a pearl necklace, I decided against buying anymore (although, a blue strand of pearls would look awesome!). From there, went to the public market, checked out the bakery, juice stand, flowers and finally made it over to Oyama where they had delicious cheeses (local and international), sausages, huge chunks of hams and slabs of pate. Afterwards, headed over to the dock and clambered aboard a rather small little tugboat of a ferry and sailed across the marina to the other side.

These orchids were huge! They about as big as my hand!

Sailing under the bridge.

Houses along the marina! So cute! I especially like the blue one.

The view from the other side.

In Yaletown, wandered in and out of stores before I made my way over to the mall and of course, ended up at Sephora. That place is deadly. I walked away with minimal damage (just a lipgloss and rollerball perfume). Finally, I took my weary feet home and promised myself that I would wear more appropriate footwear next time I decided to trek all over the city.

The Marc Jacobs perfume roller-ball and Clinique Superbalm Moisterizing Gloss in Black Honey are always sold out. Every time I have visited Sephora, they were completely out of stock of both products. So, when I saw the perfume, I immediately grabbed one before they disappeared right before my eyes. When I passed by the Clinique shelf, I saw one lipgloss left. I didn't think it was the ever-so-rare, impossible-to-find, urban myth of all lipglosses, the popular Black Honey, but it was! And it was the last one! And it's mine now! HA!

models for hire

2009-09-03T21:38:00.000-07:00

After work, I headed to the GAP and I just happened to stumble upon a photo-shoot that was being shot right on the streets of downtown, with the traffic and pedestrians walking by (and doing double takes). I ended up walking behind the three models, two brunettes and one blonde, and noticed that one of them was holding a sign that read, "Will work for prada." And me without my camera. Damn.

i want to be there

2009-08-31T16:35:00.000-07:00

Speaking of fashion, New York City is hosting Fashion's Night Out on September 10, 2009, which will see 250 models scattered all over the five boroughs and big names in fashion, music and film will be on hand to host the event at various venues around town. I am jealous.

Video courtesy of www.fashionologie.com

anna wintour in person

2009-08-31T16:15:00.001-07:00

... well, kind of. This is probably about as close as most people will ever get to actually meeting the famous Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue magazine. She appeared on the David Letterman Show on August 24, 2009 to promote the documentary, The September Issue which will be coming out in September, of course. Here's the interview, in case you missed it the first time, like I did!

Part 1:

Part 2:

Videos courtesy of www.youtube.com

happy 3rd anniversary!

2009-08-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

Today was Portabello West's 3rd anniversary and to celebrate, those who subscribed to the Portabello newsletter got an email for free admission to the market (it's usually $2 to get in). So, I dragged my sister down there to check out the local designs and products and it's a good thing I did or else I wouldn't have found this:

I've been looking for a navy school boy blazer for months now and bam! I find it at Portabello West and it's in my size, of course!. The fashion gods/goddesses were smiling down on me, so out came the credit card and in a matter of seconds, it was in my loving arms. Oh, and did I mention it's vintage? And in mint condition? With the tags still on? I love it and I'll probably end up wearing it to death this coming fall/winter.

keeping an eye over the city...

2009-08-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

it's Batman! POW! BAM! SLAP!

I was heading to a jewellery sample sale for Simply Sublime (the designer is permanently relocating to Greece) and guess who I came across? Of course, I had to take a picture of the guardian of Gotham City (so COOL). There was Darth Vader too! But alas, my camera ran out of batteries, so no pictures.

After spending a small fortune at the sample sale, I headed over to Richmond on the Canada Line (it's air-conditioned!) and shopped at Daiso, the Japanese toonie store. It's a great place for finding little knick-knacks and stuff that you don't really need, but for only $2, you're not breaking the bank!

A cool sand sculpture inside the mall, right outside of Daiso:

My spoils from the sample sale:

Big gold hooped earrings are always in style.

This big leaf necklace is definitely a statement piece. It also looks great with a white t-shirt.

Classic white pearls. You can't go wrong with pearls.

foodie in the making

2009-08-22T21:28:00.000-07:00

Headed downtown to watch Julie and Julia (check out my review here) and had lunch at a new Mexican place called Don Guacamole. Great tacos, and the homemade guacamole was chunky and lightly seasoned, just the way I like it. Although $8.50 for a cocktail glass of guacamole just doesn't cut it for me. And only one tortilla chip? What the hell? I need more than one tortilla chip for guacamole. But I would definitely come back for the tacos.

GAP is turning 40 years old

2009-08-21T12:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the GAP held a fashionable fête to mark the 40th “Born to Share” anniversary at their downtown location. They had their new premium denim collection in stock (the deconstructed skinny in the dark indigo wash was very popular. There was only 3 pairs left when we got there!) and scored 25% off all merchandise that night. DJ Auntie Em was spinning the tracks (and there were some old-school tunes playing! ) and lots of party favours, including mini-makeovers by Beautymark, a sweet buffet by Frankie’s Candy Bar and refreshments by Vitamin Water and Fuze. They even had a popcorn machine, like the kind you find at the fair! I hit that up pretty fast.

I got my makeup touched up by the lovely people at Beautymark (it was HAWT out and I could feel my makeup sliding off my face) and with every mini-makeover, you received a Beautymark gift card. You have to go to Beautymark to find out how much is on the card (it ranges from $5 to $500!), so I'll be sure to book it down there after work soon.

What could be more fun than a bag full of gummy insects? Mmm... spiders...

***

Today, after work, I booked it down to the Scotiabank Dance Centre to line up for the annual Spend on Trend event. The event showcases hot new designs from established and upcoming Canadian designers of clothing, jewellery and accessories. The first 25 people through the door each day will receive a fabulous goodie bag filled with great stuff such as a copy of FASHION magainze, Catalyst Reaction keychain, a yelp! shotglass and more. Hence, the reason for my speed in getting down there. Partial proceeds donated to BC Cancer Foundation supporting Breast Cancer Research and Care. It feels good to shop while support a good cause. Makes all the money spending a little more worthwhile. At least that's how I like to think about it.

mac-centric

2009-08-10T16:49:00.000-07:00

I'm not a huge MAC user/abuser, or at least I thought I wasn't. I was riffling through my makeup bags, looking for 6 MAC products to recycle to get a free lipstick which I thought would be hard to do, since I don't own that many MAC products. Then I realized that I had quite a bit of MAC products. Enough for 2 free lipsticks, actually.

So I traded in my 12 used MAC products (!) for 2 lipsticks:

From left to right: Sweetie, Capricous and Zero (which I got in a gift bag)

I also bought the and plan on adding more eyeshadows to my MAC collection.

I bought this eyeshadow. It's called "Tempting" and it's my new favourite eyeshadow.

Sweetie is a medium rose mauve pink, with a slight shimmer.

Capricous is a "fanciful rose plum" according to their website.

"0" is a metallic bronze glaze and I'm not sure if I can pull this colour off. I'll probably wear lipgloss over top to play down the metallic.

happy bc day!

2009-08-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

Out and about town, enjoying the weather, trying not to get a tan but still got one anyway and hanging out with friends and family. It doesn't get any better than this:

Saturday: Me and my little sister checked out the Powell Street Festival at Woodland Park. Browsed through the booths, saw girls dressed up in kimonos (even in this heat!), cute dogs, sushi plushies (who doesn't want a smiling rice ball to cuddle with?), and lots of jewellery! I dropped a lot of money on earrings, bracelets, necklaces and a few vintage items, too. I got my mom a vintage elephant brooch with rhinestones and a vintage necklace for myself. I saw a few funky items (a ring made from a Japanese compass), stuffed animals, sterling silver handcrafted jewellery, ceramics, toys, mango hand cream (that smelled divine) and cookbooks, so there was a little something for everyone.

Taiko drums (I think I spelt that right) start off the festival.

So cute!

I want a kimono. One day... when I go to Japan.

What is possibly be the cutest dog in the world.

More kimonos!

We managed to work up quite the appetite after weaving in and out and between the stalls, so it was off to the food court. There was okonomiyaki, sushi, udon, ramen, BBQ salmon, takoyaki (the line snaked up and down the street!) and traditional Japanese desserts. YUM!

Sunday: Went back to the Powell Street Festival, so my sister can look for a thank-you present. They had new booths! So there was more browsing and perusing, but I did manage to keep a better grip on my wallet and only bought inari for lunch (they were huge!) Hopped on a bus and headed downtown but we missed the Pride parade. That's the second year in a row that we've missed it! Oh well, there's always next year... Watching the aftermath of the parade (cleaning crews and police cars were still around to make sure everything got cleaned up before traffic was allowed), and did some shopping. I was good, so I only bought a belt from the GAP and this really cool bracelet that my sister picked out for me at Banana Republic:

Japanese choir singing in Japanese, duh.

People browsing through the booths for handcrafted, homemade things you can't get anywhere else.

The massive crowd at the food court.

The aftermath of the Pride parade.

I don't know if there was some cosplay event downtown, but I took this picture while the bus was turning a corner. Definitely not a great shot, but I like anyway.

Monday: despite some confusion (I was suppose to meet up with someone later in the afternoon but we thought the other person was going to phone and long story short, we didn't meet up), I had brunch with my friend Andy (aka Andrew, LOL!) and then we ended up walking all over town. Walked along 4th Ave, down to Kits beach to look for a bench dedicated to her boyfriend's father, back to the apartment for a rest stop and a glass of water before heading downtown to walk/shop around. After shopping along Robson and getting more tanned, we decided to listen to our sore feet and limped our way over to Joey for dinner. I had a delicious lobster grilled cheese sandwich (that's right, there was lobster in my grilled cheese sandwich) and Andy had the grilled chicken souvlaki. Good stuff right there.

Lobster grilled cheese sandwich with fries. There's ketchup and cocktail sauce for the sandwich. YUM.

fashion is religion

2009-07-30T18:01:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting for this for a long time now, ever since I read about it on fashionologie. A documentary, directed by RJ Cutler, takes the camera behind the doors of Vogue magazine as Anna Wintour and her staff prepares for what has now been referred to as the "bible" of the fashion industry: The September Issue. Anyone who is a follower of fashion or has the slightest inkling about fashion, will know who Anna Wintour is and what she represents: the glamour, the fantasy and the fashion. It's all about the fashion.

With her trademark bob and dark sunglasses, Anna Wintour is a constant at the front row of fashion shows, displaying her approval (or displeasure) with the slightest of facial expressions. She has ruled over Vogue magazine with an iron fist and over the past two decades, and amidst rumors of her rival Carine Roitfeld coming to America to take over the reins of Vogue, or Conde Nast pushing her towards early retirement, Anna Wintour is an immensely influential figure in the fashion industry. Watching Anna Wintour in her element with the editors and the passionate people that make up the Vogue team, dictating what will ultimately be the trends, colours, silhouettes and styles for the fall season will be exciting to watch.

The documentary will also look at the cat and mouse relationship between Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington, the Creative Director of Vogue magazine, who has been described as one of the greatest stylist in the industry. Coddington stepped into her role as the creative genius the same day that Wintour begin her reign as the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, so it will be fun to watch how their interaction is portrayed in the film. I'm guessing there will be large amounts of drama, frustration and gnashing of the teeth... can't wait!

If you want to know what to expect, check out this review from the 2009 Sundance Festival.

Remember: September is the January in fashion.

through the looking glass

2009-07-28T16:23:00.000-07:00

After attending the festival, I'm quite excited about the latest Disney movie, Alice in Wonderland, coming out next year. Directed by Tim Burton, famous for his dark, quirky films (Sweeny Todd, The Night Before Christmas and the Corpse Bride), it's a more mature take on the classic, as a 19-year old Alice returns to Wonderland, a place she visited 10 years ago but doesn't remember.

The cast includes newcomer, Mia Wasikowska, who plays the lead character, Alice and frequent Tim Burton collaborators Johnny Depp (as the Mad Hatter), Stephen Fry (the Cheshire Cat) and Helen Bonham Carter (the Red Queen) are also make an appearance in the movie. Anne Hathaway plays the White Queen, Michael Sheen as the White Rabbit and Alan Rickman (Snape from Harry Potter) takes on the role of the Caterpillar.

Johnny Depp is the perfect match as the Mad Hatter. It vaguely reminds me of his character in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, but dipped in makeup from the MAC counter and wearing a clown wig. While Depp's character in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was eerie, Depp as the Mad Hatter looks absolutely scary.

Tim Burton's wife, Helen Bonham Carter, plays the Red Queen. Her head will be digitally expanded to three times its size for the movie. I guess it's to give her that comical outraged bobblehead expression when she screams, "Off with their heads!"

The visual imagery of the above photos are absolutely gorgeous. They look more like pieces of art that should be framed and hung on the wall in your living room. It's all about the fantasy, the exaggeration and the magic that Tim Burton brings to the film, creating a richly textured world full of surprises, darkness and the bizarre.

Take a tumble down the rabbit hole and follow the White Rabbit to another world as Tim Burton's movie, Alice in Wonderland hit theatres on March 10, 2010. Click on the link for the official movie trailer: Don't be late!

Images from www.wired.com

i don't think katie holmes can dance

2009-07-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

I'm not an avid viewer of the television show, So You Think You Can Dance, but I did make sure to tune in last night. Why? 'Cause Katie Holmes is performing "Get Happy," a song and dance routine choreographed by Tyce Diorio, an homage to the great Judy Garland. I won't chew her out too much, since it was for charity (dizzyfeet foundation), but it was very robotic.
Which makes sense when you really think about it...

It was mostly her (looking great, by the way) prancing around, doing a few spirit fingers (refer to the movie, Bring It On!), a few high kicks and some hat tosses. The back-up dancers picked her up, set her down, wham, bam, thank you m'am, and she's done. Maybe if it wasn't pre-taped, lip-syned, over-directed and over-edited and just overly robotic, it would have been more dancey. But, hey, you don't have to take my word for it. Click below to see her "perform."

burn a hole in my pocket

2009-07-17T09:56:00.000-07:00

Bused my way downtown after work today to check out the Yaletown Summer Shopathon, hosted by the Style Spy. The first 250 attendees at the registration table received a free I Love Yaletown swag bag full of products and coupons and everyone gets a complimentary ticket for a free Thai Sangria cocktail at the new Charm Modern Thai. Participating retailers were also offering discounts for one day only, so of course, I had to go and get my shopping on!

The registration table where earlier in the day, hundreds of fashionistas were jostling for a free swag bag.

My friend arrived early, hoping to be one of the 250 attendees to get a free swag bag. However, they gave out the free swag bags about half an hour earlier and it was all gone before it even started. So my friend waited in line for 45 minutes in the blistering 40 degree heat for nothing! They didn't even give out bottled water for the people waiting in line! I thought that was a bit of a bummer for her. A bit of a mess for sure, on the part of the organizers.

However, I still managed to get my shopping on, and bought a few pieces of jewellery. Most notably a stack of silver bangles from Lola Home and Apparel that I've been eyeing for some time now, but now 15% off! Fine Finds always has good stuff and so does Atomic Model and Vasanji. If you're looking for one of a kind gifts for a friend (or for yourself!), these are the shops to go to.

About a block away, Yaletown was hosting Hot Heineken Fridays which featured a beer garden, a hot DJ from LA spinning the tracks for the night and a bar-tending contest at Goldfish Kitchen.

The beer garden about a block away from the shopathon. It's only 4PM and it's already full.

Some words of wisdom from the streets.

down a rabbit hole

2009-07-12T21:25:00.000-07:00

... and into Wonderland! Today was the 15th Annual Alice in Wonderland Festival, and while the sun was playing hide and seek amongst the clouds, it turned out to be a nice (but windy) day to follow the White Rabbit down the hole.

I'm not sure what Humpty Dumpty was doing in Wonderland, but I didn't want to wake him up to find out.

Friendly jousting amidst the knights.

The Mad Hatter's tea party!

Follow the White Rabbit!

Oh noes! Alice has been captured by the Red Knight!

It's the White Knight to the rescue...

with a spray bottle?

Oh well, it worked.

The Chestershire cat came down the tree to say hello.

The Pink Flamingo

Queen Victoria made an appearance.

In case you need directions in Wonderland...

"Off with her head!"

Twiddledee and Twiddledum! Or was it Twiddledum and Twiddledee?

The Carnival band.

The White Knight taking a break before he goes off to slay imaginary dragons... or dung beetles.

People were encouraged to dress up as their favourite Alice in Wonderland character and there was no shortage of Alices: there was classical Alice, anime Alice, goth Alice, punk Alice...

Would the real Alice please stand up?

I've never heard of this festival until this year, and it's been around for 15 years! But better late than never, right? I loved the Alice costumes. There's something about the petticoats that just makes you want to twirl around endlessly. It's given me some ideas for Halloween...

like a kid in a candy store

2009-07-11T15:52:00.000-07:00

Sephora is here! The grand opening was yesterday, and there was a private VIP party the day before (which unfortunately I couldn't attend as it was a friend's birthday), but I managed to make up for it by dropping $200 on cosmetics, skincare and beauty tools. What can I say, they have everything and anything a beauty hound needs/wants! For more info on this 7000+ sqft gem, clickity click click.

Here's a picture of my makeup haul. Damn, I bought a lot of lipgloss. Again. I need to stop. Seriously.

stop being so koi

2009-07-05T18:51:00.000-07:00

Kinda wandered all around today: went downtown, then Chinatown and in between. Me and my sister went into Zara and checked out their summer sale (they had chunky sweaters for fall already!) and tried on floral dresses and beach clothes. Didn't find what I was looking for and the purple fan silk dress that my sister tried on had a hole in it, so that was a no. Sucks, 'cause it was a pretty dress. I should have taken a picture but I'm pretty sure the sales people wouldn't be happy with that idea. Afterward, we stopped by the Chinese Cultural Centre and said 'hello,' to the sea creatures that live in the pond:

Mama chick teaching baby chick how to dive for food.

This one kept dodging in and out of the water plants.

So pretty!

Looking for something to nibble on.

Mr. Tortoise is trying to get a tan.

"Hello, Mr. Turtle"

This was the biggest, fattest koi in the whole pond.

Turtles like the sunshine, too.

jurassic park in my hood

2009-07-04T18:51:00.000-07:00

I just happened to be at the mall today for a spa treatment when I came upon this:

This is what a baby T-Rex looks like. It comes out of the womb looking ferocious. See that deranged look in its eyes? Yeah, it wants a piece of you. For dinner.

Not something you see everyday when you're shopping for t-shirts and underwear. The exhibition is free and features moving, roaring, life-sized animatronic models of dinosaurs. A young feathered Tyrannosaurus-Rex will be on display for the first time in Canada (pictured above). The exhibition will be from June 12 to September 20, 2009. For more info, just click.

happy 142nd birthday!

2009-07-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

Off to take part in my country's birthday celebrations around town. Will post pictures!

First stop was Canada Place, where they were kicking the festivities off big time since it was also the grand opening of the new Convention Centre.

He's our star goalie on Team Canada. Watch out for him in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Being interviewed by the media.

I wanted to give him a hug, but there was a big lineup, so I just waved and took a picture instead.

Circus performers stalking the grounds around Canada Place.

This picture was taken while I was inside the new Convention Centre and it just shows half the crowd that just congregated at Canada Place.

After a quick lunch, we headed off to Granville Island to check out the Canada Day events:

This kid was totally getting into the song and dancing along. He was quite the scene-stealer.

Honey bear!

So cute! And tasty...

*Drool*

The tomatoes are showing off their patriotic colours.

Street performers all over Granville Island, keeping the crowds entertained.

t-squared

2009-06-29T19:05:00.000-07:00

I don't know what to make of it, but this video definitely put a smile on my face: "Call me T-Sweezy now I'm a rap star"

Photo courtesy of www.cma.com

the king of pop has left the building

2009-06-25T23:12:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest today at the age of 50. While listening to a radio station's tribute to the King of Pop, playing all his #1 hits and the lyrics from "Beat It" and "Billy Jean" floating around my head, I can't help but think what a shock this is for a lot of people. With the amount of chemicals and plastic in his body, I thought he would never age or die. Literally.

I liked his songs, but I was never a huge fan. But, I do respect his talent and his contributions to the music industry. For a lot of singers and entertainers, he was their idol, their inspiration and their reason for being in the music industry. I mean, who hasn't tried to emulate Michael Jackson? The moonwalk, the songs, the crotch grabs... He's the King of Pop! And he will be greatly missed.

i choo-choo choose you!

2009-06-21T12:45:00.000-07:00

With the recent collaboration between Matthew Williamson and H&M for spring and summer tucked away on the clearance shelves and racks at your local store, it's time to announce who the next collaborator is: Jimmy Choo. That's right, the shoe guru will be designing a collection of shoes, bags and accessories for H&M's holiday collection. Mark down the date: November 14th. I might have to call in sick...

Check out the video below for the Matthew Williamson and H&M collaboration for summer, if you haven't seen it yet:

"We need a change!"

*****

Spent the day outdoors, enjoying the sunshine (it was hot!) and watching dragons racing along False Creek. Lots of fun, lots of food and lots of cute dogs!

Kitty afraid of heights?

Dragons in action.

So cute!!!

Getting some luvin' from his fans.

Pooped out from all that luvin'.

Two of a kind.

nobody messes with the kluminator

2009-06-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

This is freaking hilarious: Dr. Faux Pas and the Kluminator, along with her Sassy Superhero sidekick battle it out over the fate of fashion world in this mini-series, "Spiked Heel" produced by modelina.

Check out the trailer:

See more videos on modelinia.com

BTW: this is my 100th post! W00T!

clothing optional

2009-06-14T18:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday: shopping downtown with my little sister. While she was in the changing room at French Connection, I was outside taking snapshots of this:

Yep, that's right. Nude cyclists. Well, mostly nude. The girls had body paint to cover up their private business, while the guys wore thongs. Although, they're were the select few who went commando. At least it was sunny...

Sunday: spend the afternoon checking out the Anime Evolu tion convention with some friends. I didn't dress up but these people did:

I don't know what characters they were dressed up as, it just made a good photo.

A green robot?

She was attracting a lot of attention. I'm sure it was because of her, ah... weapons.

I wanted to pet this character, but I thought that might be rude.

Love the ears.

One of our friends dressed up as Spiderman (Venom?) and everyone was like, "Hey Spidey!" and high-fiving him and asking for his photograph.

I don't get it.

You know the convention was good when Jesus decides to drop by.

wink

2009-06-09T18:51:00.000-07:00

Wink Lounge celebrated their one-year anniversary with a 3-day La Dolce Vita event. My friend and I stopped by on Saturday to celebrate and ended up buying lots of nail polish (OPI was 30% off!). Free mini spa services, pink champagne & drinks, delicious appetizers, discounts and free samples were given out during this birthday event. With each purchase, you also got to spin the Wink wheel to win additional prizes or discounts. I ended up getting some free samples of mascara and a 15% discount coupon that I spent towards a lovely scarf while my friend got a makeup pouch. All in all, it was a good day of girly fun.

crossing over

2009-05-31T17:28:00.000-07:00

to the other side of the border on Saturday, in search of good deals and yummy eats.

Took this picture as we waited at the border.

"Life is a highway, I'm gonna ride it all night long... "

We were on a mission to find a Denny's down in Bellingham so we could try grits for breakfast. I had no idea what grits were, but apparently they're a breakfast staple served on many American tables. I didn't know if I'm suppose to chew the grits or swallow them, but I definitely didn't like them plain. Barb flavoured her dish of grits with loads of butter, salt and pepper and some white gravy and declared them to be quite tasty (I thought otherwise), while I loaded up mine with lots and lots of maple syrup. It was slightly more tolerable with the syrup, but I still couldn't make up my mind about them. My verdict: I found them annoying to eat. Yes, annoying. The grains kept getting caught in between my teeth and I was still finding grits in between my back molars and chewing on them several hours later.

The large plate of white stuff is called grits. Mary seems to like it. I don't.

Bellis Fair was our main stop and I was on my best behaviour and managed to stick to my budget of $100 (okay, so I went a little over by $3, but still good!). Bought shoes at Target, lotion and lipgloss at Bath Body and Works (that store just sucks you in and you end up shelling out loads of money for 10 bottles of body care.. so BAD), Starbucks frappucino ice-cream at Fred Meyers and bits here and there. I was really hoping to find a swimsuit at Victoria Secret, but I couldn't find a matching top to the bottom that I liked and vice versa. Sucks. But, I did get a swimsuit at H&M the week before, so maybe it was a good idea that I didn't find one at Victoria Secret or Target.

Dinner was at Bob's Burger and Brew, on the suggestion of a friend of a friend, who was peeing her pants in excitement when we texted her that we had entered the establishment. I have to admit, the burgers were pretty good, but holy smokes, do they pile on the fries!

falling into next season's trends

2009-05-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

Another Friday night out with the girls again! Ooohed and ahhed over fall fashion trends with Flare magazine's editor-in-chief Lisa Tant at the Century Plaza where we were treated to delicious hors de voures, wine and mini spa treatments from Absolute Spa. Big dramatic clothes to match the big dramatic hair and barely there makeup is going to be the big thing this fall. I'm talking about Star Trek shoulders, crazy skyscraper heels and black is the new black. Redundant, I know, but it keeps coming back for a reason.

This was the view outside the spa when we were waiting in line for the free mini treatments.

Ended the night with a screamer, a strange sweet concoction of soft serve ice-cream and root beer slurpee. It has an unusual texture and it is an acquired taste but I think I kinda like it.

wine and dine

2009-05-25T16:02:00.000-07:00

is what I did this past weekend. The Eat! Vancouver Food + Cooking festival was happening around town and I wasn't going to miss out on the free samples and goodies for only $12 (when you pay online or $15 with $3 going to the United Gospel Union). Celebrity chefs, local wineries, famous restaurants, artisans, cookbook authors and food retailers from all over the province, and even beyond converge in Vancouver for three-days of gluttony. Okay, maybe not that extreme, but you get full fast on the free samples, yummy food and wine tastings. Speaking of wine tastings, Raven Ridge Cidery has the best apple ciders EVER. I tried the Ambrosia, Fuji and the Braeburn and I couldn't make up my mind about which one I liked best. I might just have to try them all again. What a drag. Hee.

anna winter

2009-05-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

Last night, as I was flipping through channels, I happened to stumble upon 60 Minutes where Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of American Vogue, was being interviewed by Morley Safer. It wasn't a particularly insightful interview, although I doubt you would be able to get a lot from Wintour. She is always the consummate professional, cool and calm under the paparazzi flashes and the media glare. You won't find any personal revelations or funny anecdotes of her past in this interview. Safer does ask the obvious questions (her penchant for wearing sunglasses indoors is a way of hiding her true feelings about the collections paraded in front of her, as a sort of "armour").

Check out the interview and the videos below from CBSnews.com and outtakes here.

Here are some of my favourite outtakes from the 60 Minutes segment:

What Anna told Oprah:

What Anna thinks of the people in Minnesota:

If you want more Anna, then you need to check out the documentary, The September Issue, which screened at the Sundance Film Festival this past January.

JT on SNL

2009-05-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

Justin Timberlake has appeared on Saturday Night Live several times in the past to great success (remember D*ck in a Box? It's a Youtube classic). Last Saturday's episode was no exception. The digital short,"Mother Lovers," featuring Susan Sarandon and Patricia Clarkson is going to be the next big thing. But, my favourite sketch was "Plasticville, " starring Will Forte and Justin Timberlake as competing mascots battling it out in a turf war. JT as the Plasticville's boob mascot is freaking hilarious. If you didn't catch it on Saturday night, click below:

FCUK the rain

2009-05-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

The French Connection VIP Shopping Event was tonight and I was finally able to use my store credit! Snacked on mini cupcakes and sipped natural spring water while I browsed the racks for something that wasn't too crazy expensive (I'm a fashionista on a budget) and snagged an olive green tshirt dress with grommet details.

This was the dress that I got, but imagine it in olive green, or "seaweed extract" as it's called on the website.

I was also looking at the Sonar jersey dress, but for $98, it just wasn't practical. I don't think I would get as much wear of it compared to the Jo jersey dress that I ended up buying.The Sonar dress was my second choice. It would be great for the weekends, just throw it on over a pair of leggings or jeans and run out the door. Perfect. But my wallet would complain. Profusely.

arts & crafts

2009-05-03T20:16:00.000-07:00

Craft fairs are becoming quite popular now. I guess with the economy the way it is, people are now looking to local talent for homemade products and designs of good quality that are usually less expensive than the stuff you find at large chain-stores and shopping malls.

First stop was Got Craft? held at the Royal Canadian Legion. The place was packed and they had a lot of stuff to covet. I ended up buying a sterling silver fortune cookie necklace from the Farmer's Daughter booth. Love it. Wearing it right now, actually. I'm so glad that I budgeted myself, or else I would have shelled out quite a bit of moolah on jewellery, bags and little knickknacks that I don't really need, but want so badly. My sister literally had to drag me out of there.

Had a quick lunch at Earls, where we soaked up the rays on their patio. Then headed over to the Roundhouse Centre for the Make It! craft fair downtown.

Not bad. It was more fashion-y. They were fully licensed, but at that time I was still feeling full from lunch, so just had a small glass of fruity Yellowtail red wine. Very nice. Goes down smooth. Did a lot of browsing, but came away empty-handed this time around. Which is good, because the next event coming up is French Connection VIP Shopping Night and I am determined to use my store credit this time. It's burning a hole in my wallet, so I need to buy something! Crossing my fingers, hoping that I find something that I love!

it's not easy being green

2009-04-18T18:46:00.000-07:00

Capers Market held a mini event in their parking lot in celebration of Earth Day, which is coming up on April 22 (mark your calendars!). The event promoted ways to preserve water and energy, how to support local farmers and raised awareness for endangered species and educated the public about our impact on Mother Earth. Picked up a few things and quickly breezed by Fashion High's tent where they were having a Clothes Line Sale. Then, we strolled along Robson, breezed in and out of stores and basically enjoyed the sunshine before it leaves tonight. Which means it's going to rain tomorrow for the Sun Run. Sigh. There goes my plan to walk the Sun Run and get a nice glowing tan. Now, I'm going to have to pack an umbrella and wear layers. Sucks.

The marmot is one of the endangered species that needs to be protected. Incidentally, it's also one of the 2010 Olympic mascots, named Mukmuk.

A large plastic cherry blossom where people can scribble their ode to the cherry blossom in Haiku or other poetic forms. This one reads, "Cherry blossoms make the world cherriful." Cute.

hello lover!

2009-04-16T20:12:00.000-07:00

This might be old news for some people, but it looks like there will be a Sex and the City sequel coming out in 2010. I guess the temptation of creating another box office hit and racking in millions of dollars at the movie theatre was too great to resist. But what could they possibly do for the sequel? I mean, (*spoilers ahead!*) Miranda got back with her hubby, Samantha got her groove back, Charlotte got the baby she always wanted and Carrie finally got her man. But hey, it's Hollywood. They'll think of something.

But you know what? Despite the weak plot, when the movie comes out, I'm still going to stand in line with the rest of the female population in the city. You know why? It's the shoes. It's always about the shoes.

au naturel

2009-04-14T20:02:00.000-07:00

Monica Bellucci and Eva Herzigova are two of the eight celebrities featured in the April issue of French Elle magazine, all without makeup and entirely without Photoshopping, retouching or digital editing. This is a huge step of the fashion magazine industry, which is more famously known for its aversion to a woman's curves, digitally whittling bodies down to appear several sizes smaller in their editorials. Curvy celebrities who are usually heralded in the media for showing another size of women (Beyonce, America Ferrara, Alicia Keys, Scarlett Johansson, etc), magically appear thinner in magazines with slimmer waists and thinner silhouettes. It was only a few years ago, when Renee Zelleweger was bumped off the September cover of Harper's Bazaar due to the amount of weight she gained for her role in the movie, Bridget Jone's Diary. There was a huge debacle over it, but really, once the dust settled, the magazine industry continued to churn out the same digitally enhanced model/celebrity on their covers.

All I can say is that it's about time. But I can't help but wonder...

What does Anna Wintour think of all this?

Photos courtesy of http://shine.yahoo.com

today in pictures

2009-04-04T23:05:00.000-07:00

"Save a horse... "

Flash mob: pillow fight!

A makeshift bird bath in the middle of the city.

Perogies for lunch.

The alligator is my favourite. Or is it a crocodile?

4 glasses of white wine and my wallet is lighter

2009-04-02T22:57:00.000-07:00

Flare magazine editor-in-chief, Lisa Tant was in town and her magazine teamed up with Banana Republic for a special VIP shopping event, to talk about the latest trends and gave shoppers a peek of the new summer collection in stores now. We wined on Wild Horse Canyon wine, had my nails done courtesy of Pure Nail Bar and hors d'oeuvres prepared by C Restaurant. The goat cheese wrapped in thinly sliced cucumbers were delicious, but it was the quail egg wrapped in duck confit that I loved. The store had hired some models to showcase their summer collection, as seen in the photos below:

The models.

This was actually my favourite outfit out of the bunch. I really liked the colours. Very summery, very easy, breezy, beautiful, Cover Girl! LOL!

I really liked the yellow dress, but it's the grey boyfriend blazer that I would invest in.

A white summer suit. Good idea in theoy, but in practice... good luck. You can see the blush on the male model. Hee.

With a 30% special discount for the VIP shopping event, I couldn't say no, and this baby came home with me.

Side note: Seymour told me I looked "Betsey Johnson-ish." That totally made my day.

happy april fool's!

2009-04-01T14:50:00.000-07:00

Sleet?! In April? This is a cruel April Fool's Day joke. Mother Nature has a twisted sense of humour.

On a side note: I was advised that I should be a professional squirrel tracker. I think it might be a good hobby to take up.

blueberry jam crepes rock my world

2009-03-31T14:52:00.000-07:00

A lot of things were happening around town this past weekend: Westjet Street Party to celebrate the Junos, craft fairs and of course, the Juno Awards itself, bringing down the house Sunday night.

Saturday: I saw the movie "Watchmen." I've come to realize, time and time again, I don't like bloody gore. I spent part of the movie hiding behind my jacket, cowering like the scaredy-cat that I am. But I did get a free refill on popcorn. Checked out the Juno street party along Granville, laughed out loud at the sumo wrestlers and enjoyed some live music from up-and-coming Canadian talent.

Brandon Paris is the name of the band. It's rock 'n' roll with some reggae. A very cool band.

Juno Sumo! Friggin' hilarious. Especially listening to the two girls bitch each other out: "I hate you!" "Fuck you!" And those suits were heavy. Three people were needed to pick them up when they fell over.
Tamara Taggert. I have a bone to pick with you. What's up with all this bipolar weather we've been getting? You're a weather-girl (weather-person, to be more PC), shouldn't you know what's going on?

Chris Olson from "Olson on Your Side", and somebody else. I can't remember her name, but she was putting on makeup before the cameras started rolling. A lot of makeup.

It was all about the craft fairs on Sunday. Dim sum bright and early, and then grocery shoppnig before hitting up Portabello West and Blim's Community market. The sun was shining and it was warm (gasp!) and there was quite the turnout. Portabello West has expanded into another section of the station and there was a large amount baby stuff being hawked. I guess since it's spring and everyone and their dog is pregnant...

People outside enjoying a rare bit of sunshine and a bite to eat outside Portabello West.

Waiting in line to order buckwheat crepes. Mmm.. blueberry jam...

Cute!

Check out the dog's pimping ride!

Blim's Community Market was held in a little auditorium that smelled like dusty old people. It was crammed full of craft tables, and they tried to squish a cooking station in the corner. People were practically climbing over each other trying to get around. Next month, it's going to be held outdoors. I say that's a great idea.

The entertainment: Fine Mist. The girl has a great voice. The guy... needs to beef up his vocals. They barely had any room to move. Good on them for not falling off the stage.

See my spoils below from the craft fairs:

The artist painted the little drawings and made glass pendants out of them.

Vintage owl lockets as earrings.

It's a squirrel pin! Also vintage and super cute.
PS: It's holding a nut, not drinking a beer.

missing my morning perk

2009-03-28T00:03:00.000-07:00

Friday was the last day of the Vancouver Sun newspaper promotion. While that might not mean much to people, it means I won't be greeted with a hearty "Good morning!" from the lovely fella who gives out free copies of the newspaper. During the work week as the morning grind sees groggy-eyed commuters rushing to the skytrain station, he's always been there with a ready smile on his face and a happy "Good morning!" handing out the newspaper for those who will accept a free copy. He's always quick with a kind word, and he's happy face perks me up in the morning. I always make sure to match his enthusiastic "Good morning!" with one of my own, to let him know that I appreciate the effort he puts into the job.

It's so easy to not give a damn: keep your head down, just do the job, get through your shift hassle-free and get out of there once it's time. But, he puts that extra sparkle into it, enjoying the social aspect and his positivity is addictive. While many people may just mumble something under their breath, ignore him and rush on by in response (either they're too weak from caffeine withdrawal, tired from lack of sleep or just plain grumpy in the morning), there are still many (like me) who take a bit of time out of their morning rush to slow down, take a free newspaper and say "good morning" back.

Friday was different. After his usual morning greeting, he let me know that it was his last day as it was the end of the newspaper promotion and he just wanted to say that it's been a pleasure to say good morning to me all this time. I made sure to let him know that I enjoyed saying good morning to him as well, and I'm going to miss him. It's a shame because we need more people like him in this world. Hopefully, he won't be gone for too long and maybe I'll see him again, in some other capacity.

I don't know if you can see him in this picture, but he's the one on the far left.

skinny bitches

2009-03-24T13:14:00.000-07:00

is not a term just associated with high fashion supermodels. Those who live, breathe and work in the fashion industry also live by the ideal that skinny is beautiful. Case in point: check out Elle magazine's fashion editor Anne Slowey's diet of vitamins, water and... three olives.

If the name rings a bell, it's because she was one of the judges on the much hyped reality show, Stylista. The show followed a group of 11 desperate fashionistas, all vying for the position of junior assistant editor at Elle magazine. I have to admit, it was kinda addictive and cheesy to watch. I won't spoil the ending for you, in case you want to download the episodes and view it for yourself.

who is this woman being feted by fashion's finest?

2009-03-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

Why, it's Carine Roitfeld, the editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris, of course! CNN has done a profile, for their Revealed segment, a program that offers its viewers a glimpse of the private people behind their public profiles. Carine is one of the most influential fashion editors in the business and she's stalked by fashion photographers everywhere she goes, much like how celebrities are hounded by the paparazzi. I find her more appealing than her fashion nemesis, Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of the American Vogue (which most people may recognize as the inspiration for the character of Miranda Priestly in the movie, Devil Wears Prada). Her style is edgy, rock 'n' roll and she is unabashedly honest and candid in her opinions.

Check out the 3-part videos from CNN:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

today's sighting

2009-03-19T17:48:00.000-07:00

Walking through the mall, heading to the bus stop when I spotted a male dressed as a Parisian flight attendant: black beret perched jauntily on his shaved head, navy pencil skirt and sky high stiletto pumps. Tres bizarre.

This definitely beats the time when me and Andi saw the drag-queen-in-training, shopping around for a top to match his micro mini-skirt and 4-inch heel boots.

i have no faith in the weatherman

2009-03-16T09:58:00.000-07:00

Predicted weather forecast for Sunday: 6 degrees and rain.

Actual weather forecast for Sunday: large snowflakes, wet snow, hail, rain, sleet, overcast, cloudy, sunshine and torrential winds, all in the span of 24 hours.

And how was your weekend?

good luck

2009-03-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday the 13th!

Ugh, it's been a long, exhausting week (I missed Project Runway and America's Next Top Model!) and I'm so glad that Friday is finally here and the weekend is just a skip and a hop away. Totally jealous that my good friend, Andie, is leaving on a jet plane to visit grassy Ireland (is the grass always greener on the other side, or just green?). I would lurve to go on vacation right now. But there's still too much to do. Oh well. Maybe some retail therapy will soothe my nerves...

it's cold!

2009-03-10T18:08:00.004-07:00

Which gives me the perfect reason to view the New York, Paris and Milan's Fall/Winter 2009 collections and start picking out favourites. Here's what I'm coveting so far:

Vivienne Westwood:

Christian Dior:

Balmain:

Balenciaga:

Azzaro:

3.1 Phillip Lim:
Photos courtesy of Style.com

mini blizzard

2009-03-09T14:47:00.001-07:00

This morning, I was trying not to snort white stuff up my nose. It's harder than you think.

getting lost

2009-03-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

I have a love-hate relationship with the show. It's wonderfully written with a great story line full of suspense, conspiracy theories and intrigue that leaves the viewers craving for more. But it's frustrating to watch, as the dialogue continually shifts from the past, to the present and makes references to future events. All this time travelling is starting to hurt my head. I think I might need to rent the previous seasons and do a Lost marathon to catch up. Oy.

a dumpling nearly killed me

2009-03-07T16:47:00.000-08:00

or at least gave me a feeling of massive fullness. Went out to dim sum with a friend that I haven't seen in a while, and she took me to this restaurant called Happy Valley. The portion sizes are huge compared to other dim sum restaurants and one dumpling is about the size of my palm. We only ordered 4 dishes and 2 desserts and we still had to pack away a third of it as leftovers. I know what I'll be having for breakfast tomorrow morning.

miss you already

2009-03-06T16:27:00.000-08:00

I'm going to miss Silly Sally. She was patient and kind with me and to many newbies, as she trained us on how to use the computer system (it's like, old. Like before the 80's old), and she was always willing to help anyone of us when we came rushing up to her with questions to ask. I'm going to miss her big smile in the mornings, listening to talk about her son and her grandchildren and the Canucks (she's an avid follower). It's sad to see her go, but now she'll have more time to spend with her family that she loves so very much, more time to travel to Trinidad to visit her mom and siblings and more time to enjoy life. Enjoy your retirement, Sally! You deserve it!

spring is being a b*tch

2009-03-01T08:58:00.000-08:00

and dragging its feet trying to get here. It feels like we had winter, then two days of sun, we skipped summer entirely and now we're back to winter. It SNOWED on Friday. White fluff falling from the heavens above. Why do we still have snow at the end of February?!

*le sigh*

Since I don't have control over the weather (yet!), I've decided to check out the Spring/Summer (HA!) 2009 fashion from New York Fashion Week:

Alexander Wang: love the casual, laid-back, effortless look. It's pulled together without trying too hard.

3.1 Phillip Lim: streamlined femininity without the fuss. I also like how the handbag looks like a ladybug.

Miu Miu: soft pleats, draping, pops of bright colours, and silky prints; what's not to love?

Photos courtesy of Style.com