A Colorful March

It is now established that if I bathe, I must bathe with biddyboo. Once she tried out our giant tub once with bubbles, fun colors and bath toys, she was not going to miss another opportunity. I got this set of bath bombs from JCPenny’s around Christmas time and just couldn’t resist its oh-so-chic Parisian packaging. I tried out the White Tea scent first and it fizzed well. The scent wasn’t strong at all but that might also be due to the fact I’m sick (as I’ve been all year…) but it did turn the water into a nice sea glass green.

The Victoria’s Secret bath fizzes are really great quality! They are giant in size and fizz powerfully. The scent is strong and pleasant and the color is pretty vibrant as well. The residue is minimal too, which is a plus!

My friend gave me this over Thanksgiving break and I finally mustered up the courage to try it. The scent was more like an autumn spice thankfully, and not too much food flavor here. It didn’t fizz very strongly and the color choice is just not great. To all bath bomb manufacturers out there–please don’t go with turning the water any shade of yellow. Just don’t do it.

Two weeks ago at the Strip, we bought these radiant irises for only $1! Unbelievable! They lasted a whole week too! No scent, but how gorgeous do they look at my breakfast table?

This was taken at a posh grocery store at PATH in Toronto. They are simply the prettiest little mousse cakes I have ever seen.

I’m not even a candy or gummy aficionado but man, this brand Sugarfina sure does know how to package and display their goods! The mini ice cream cone and pineapple gummies looked the most intriguing to me.

I ordered this delicious mango pudding at this fancy dim sum restaurant we went to in Toronto. Biddyboo ate only this.

Ahhh…my beauty! I had been eyeing this one of a kind carry on for over a year and finally buckled. I’m pleased to announce that it is every bit like its description online and more. I chose the 22″ one and it am so happy. It is a bit cramped inside and not as big as my other hardside carry on but it is infinitely more beautiful. The seller even included a luggage tag, underwear bags and stickers as extras for my purchase!

Summer Picks

I’ll gladly caption this picture! My work teamed up with this local cupcakery called StudeCakers and had them come during a lunchtime to sell their gorgeous creations! Part of the proceeds even went to the AHA – American Heart Association Pittsburgh local chapter!

First row = samoa, maple bacon pancake with YES, that is a mini pipette of syrup and strawberry milkshake with mini straw and malted ball

Second row = cookies ‘n cream with a truffled Oreo ball inside, duplicate of that maple bacon and a chocolate chip cookie dough

For this amazing presentation, these gems were $2 each, which is slightly lower than less fancy cupcakes at local bakeries!

I won another Pinchme beauty giveaway! This collab featured this ultra chic beauty company called Poppy & Pout and includes the following:

-3 full size body scrubs

-3 full size citrusy lip balms

The packaging had no plastic in it so I unfortunately pushed too enthusiastically at my lip balm and now it’s stuck at that height. There’s no way to push it back down so…just gotta use this sucker as is! That Lime Rush flavor is so refreshing and summery! Just wish the smell would linger longer! Feels great and isn’t waxy at all on your lips. I highly recommend you check Poppy & Pout out!

This is the current shower gel I’m using and boy, does bath time feel like a treat! I got this from Memebox last year and am still not over the fact they don’t sell any of their amazing beauty boxes anymore or have a loyalty points system. I was their biggest fan. Anyways, here’s my take on this Happy Bath grapefruit sparkling ale body wash:

Pros:

smells like bubbly wine + real grapefruit! Nothing artificial

packaging is just too cute; like a pint of beer

lathers well

smell actually lingers on you after you dry off!

 

Cons:

hard to use on loofah

too runny and comes out really quickly

half the bottle is just foam and the actual product is very little

expensive!

Uhhhh, this is just the fanciest, tastiest drink I’ve ever had. This bottle is so dangass tiny though. It tastes like a sparkling, slightly tart lemonade with a fragrant rose smell! Packaging, color, taste, just all awesome! It was like $3 at Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop. For special occasions only, lol.

Y’all gotta check out Little Poppy Co. It’s a monthly subscription for bows and headbands and the designs are just too cute! Here is August’s! Can’t wait for my biddyboo to have longer, nicer hair to be able to flaunt some of these!

Today is this little angeldoll’s FIRST birthday! To think, this exact time last year, I was a bulbous mess going into the OR for my spinal block…oh glob, I’m so glad that’s over because LOOK WHAT I MADE! She is my joy!

Wintry Tales

I’m showing off so many new things here! My mani, for one, is super unconventional. I was so lazy about removing my last mani’s colors entirely…dark colors are so difficult to get out! So…there are remnants of my watermelon nail polish ever so slightly staining my new look. It would have been unnoticeable if I had chosen an opaque color but no…I had to go for a soft, season inappropriate nude pink shade. I used Revlon’s Sheer Blossom and it has tiny specks of glitter in it. Then I used Marie cat cartoon water decals for a cutesy mani.

I’ve recently been obsessed with POPSugar Must Have boxes and bought myself two a in row (not even counting 2 mixed boxes off of Mercari from other subscriber’s!). One box is 4x the cost of Ipsy or Birchbox per month BUT you mostly get boutique full size products in categories of not just beauty but food, jewelry, fashion items, home (my fave!) and sometimes games. Their cyber Monday deal gave you a chance to order past boxes so you know exactly what was in them. I’m modeling an indigo silk friendship bracelet with a sterling silver heart from their August box. It is the most delicate piece of jewelry I own and even though it’s simple and can be easily overlooked, I’m kind of obsessed with it because it’s so easy to wear and adjust. I also can’t wait to use this gorgeous rose gold notebook from Fringe Studios. It’s leather bound and has a ribbon. I wish the pages were unlined so I can doodle but it’s still fancy looking enough.

I still hesitate to subscribe so I’ll only be buying specific boxes or pieces from boxes that I fo sho know I will like. I have this thing about surprises–most of the time, they’re not worth the fun of not knowing because the annoyance of it being something I don’t like will overshadow any positive feelings.

I also wanted to continue my tradition of modeling my mani atop the current book I am reading so this is a shoutout to the last Foundation book in the trilogy and also the best! I’m about 3/4 of the way through and it is definitely the easiest to follow because there is only one story line and I know all the past main characters already. My hubby has been pushing me to read these books years ago so it’s the least I could do after he’s gone and read the entirety of Les Miserables, Gone with the Wind and Sophie’s Choice after I declared that anyone who wants to understand me should read the following first ;). I am lacking in the sci-fi department so finishing this series in turn broadens my horizons a little.

Is she not the most adorable little baby doll you have ever seen? Look at her pretty little face! I MADE THIS.

This was the last meal included from Gobble and it was grand! You’re looking at a miso ramen with soft tofu, hard boiled egg, bak choy (qing cai), scallions, baby corn all simmered with delicious Korean sweet chili paste and a sprinkling of Korean chili powder. The portion was so big, there was even enough for one more meal the next day! This Gobble subscription was real dang good.

It’s tummy time!

Spring Decor

I made a shadowbox craft! I used thick craft paper from Target as a patterned background and glued some shells way back from an Atlantic City trip! These origami swans are actually folded by the hubs because I do cranes. I made him fold a whole batch while I folded cranes in all different paper for centerpiece decoration at our wedding. I also included a recent wedding anniversary gift from my sister. They are keychains that say: “moon of my life” and “my sun and my stars.” Being the big Game of Thrones fans we are, it was a perfect gift! It’s pretty romantic to be addressed like Daenerys ;). 

Okay, I am flipping out over my new shoes. They came extremely fast from China and they actually fit! I am rocking these Lolita heels at the office today like a fashion winner. I have on an airy white lace dress with the skirt part made of a floral patterned chiffon. So spring, you guys.

Oh, and here’s my mother’s day present from Pangur Ban. She done brought me a snake, y’all. No joke. Here is the wriggly, live proof. Funny thing is that she brought me a snake 2 days before and I had specifically told her not to do it again. Kids these days!

This is from the first time she brought over a snake. Take a close look because these 2 snakes are different! I screamed bloody murder and was legit about to faint. My husband picked it up casually and tossed it down our hill but I’m inclined to think that it’s definitely made its way back by now…

What he needs to do is take it with him to the airport when he leaves every week. I’m sure movie fans will love it–snakes on a plane, am I right?

Liebster Award!

I have been nominated for the Liebster Award by my newfound blogging gal pal: lifewithlilred!

Here are the fun questions she’s asked and my answers:

-What’s the one beauty item you couldn’t live without?

What? One beauty item?! Okay, fine, I guess lip balm. Wait–eyeliner. Do skincare products count? Then I would go with a good cleanser. Shoot, this first question is way too hard.

-Who are three of your favorite bands?

I’m not really a band or artist follower, but I will give this question a shot. I guess…Train, Evanescence and The Beatles.

-The best gift you’ve ever received?

The opportunity to live and grow in this country. Yes, I went all deep on you guys. If it wasn’t for my brave, talented parents making the HUGE leap from leaving the country they grew up in to a whole new strange one, I would not have had any of the wonderful experiences in my life. I am thankful everyday. Best gift ever.

-The weirdest food you’ve ever ate?

Honestly, coming from China, where diary products are just not very common, my next sentence will be surprising to anyone who is not Asian. To this day, I still think eating a plain block of cheese is just about the weirdest thing one can do. To me, squid, pork hock, or even oxtail is really not that weird.

-Favorite childhood movie?

It’s definitely a 3-way tie between Terminator II, Alien II and True Lies.

-Your favorite pair of shoes?

My golden blinged-out wedding heels!

-A story of the worst date you’ve ever been on?

Haha, probably when I agreed to go out with my hip hop TA my freshmen year of college ;). When he picked me up, the whole parking lot was shaking because his sound system was blasting out the windows. He proceeded to not wear a seat belt and insisted to drive to a location that was half a mile away. We got some milkshakes of which I paid for with my student swipes and he pretended to like everything I liked.

Him: What’s your favorite show?

Me: Family Guy

Him: Oh my god, me too. Who’s your favorite actor?

Me: Johnny Depp.

Him. No way, me too. Do you like skydiving?

Me: Um, no.

Him: Pssccch. Me neither. That stuff is dangerous.

I pretended to pick up a non-existent call from my mom saying it was an emergency and I had to leave to talk to her more. I assured him I could walk the whole way back myself and let’s just say there was no second date.

-Favorite book?

Gone with the Wind.

-Do you have any pets?

H to the yes! Pangur Ban, my furry, gray love of my life kitten.

-What is your favorite subject to blog about?

Probably my documentation of good food. I like to blog about fashion, travel, beauty and shoes too though!

Here is my own list of questions to answer for people I’m nominating!

-What is a foreign language you’ve always wanted to learn?

-What is the maximum height of shoe you’re willing to wear for a special occasion?

-What is the funniest news story you’ve heard recently?

-What is one feature your dream home would have?

-Describe your favorite restaurant.

-What is the best dish you know how to make?

-What is favorite Pixar movie?

-If you could go on a date with any Avenger, who would it be?

Here’s how the award works:

1. Thank the person who nominated you
2. Provide a link back to their page
3. Copy and Paste the award to your blog
4. Answer the questions set by the person who nominated you
5. Nominate 5 blogs with less than 500 followers
6. Leave a comment on their blog to inform them of their nomination

I am nominating:

• The Pretty Pomegranate
• Yummcha
• Lipstick Lovely

Memorial Weekend Fun

  This is definitely my new favorite nail color! It is creamy, thick and so darn perfect! I have been searching for a peachy, summery nail polish and I found it in Essie’s Peachside Babe. And what a lovely name as well. Nicely done, Essie, as always.

  Saturday was a day of treats! I will mention that they are all well deserved because of a long hike the hubs and I did in the nearby Boyce park. We hit up my favorite Pittsburgh neighborhood–Squirrel Hill–and dined at a highly rated restaurant there. I’ve been wanting to try Sichuan Gourmet for a long time and it sure did not disappoint! The menus are works of art and available in Chinese and English. The dishes are all authentic Sichuan classic dishes with a few Southern ones thrown in. I had the flaming rabbit and the hubs ordered the Sichuan style lamb. It was my first time trying rabbit and I counting down until I can try it again! While we both used up a small mountain of paper napkins and 3 glasses full of ice cubes, all the heat and pain was worth it. Until next time! I am already making a list of dishes to try on my subsequent visits :).

  I got this “cheesecake” at the Pink Box bakery and was a little surprised that it was not the traditional creamy dessert that I thought I bought. It’s made in the Asian style of a thick pound cake that tastes like the essence of cheesecake. Still amazing, delicate, rich and made me want a second and third slice.

  On Sunday, we (and it seems like all of NY and OH) traveled to Penn’s Caves to take an adventurous cave tour by boat! We saw HUGE rainbow trout swimming in the slightly translucent turquoise, mineral-rich waters. I had a blast and I’m all about softcore spelunking. This will be my 3rd cave tour, and I hope to go to many more!

 A surprising part of the tour led us out into a man-made reservoir and back into the narrow, dark depths of Penn’s Caves.

What a great Memorial Day weekend! I hope everyone enjoyed their time off!

Baroque Portfolio Clutch!

My newest love! I’ve wanted an envelope clutch for a long time now and I’ve finally found one that’s both gorgeous in looks and price! The vintage cutout pattern is insanely cute and the option of the long strap is kind of cute. Of course, I just tuck it inside completely and clutch it like a real clutch. The cross body look and messenger bags are too masculine for me. The white and gold palette ends up being a neutral for most of my outfits and outerwear. It is pretty flat and shallow so stick in a wallet, lipstick, keys and pill case and it’s filled. Used this baby on my recent St. Louis weekend roadtrip and it served its purpose well!