lookrichbitch

tums

2011-01-06T12:08:00.000-08:00

I'm trying it out.

tah tah!

made for walking

2010-07-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

I recently had the opportunity to participate in a usability session. It was kinda fun - their researcher asked me a bunch of questions and I basically went through the motions of shopping on their site.

(Can I do this every day? Wait. I kinda already do.. Let me rephrase. Can I get paid to do this everyday?)

For my services, they gave me a $75 gift certificate!

I already knew what I wanted to get - been eyeing the Frye Carson boots for a while and was just waiting for the right moment.

As soon as I got the gc, I checked Bing to see what their rate for cashback was and YIPPEEE! It was 40%! (I'm really sad their cashback program is going away at the end of the month..)

Now I need your help. Do I love this color? I definitely love the style - mid-calf, a little bit slouchy. I checked out the dark brown version and I don't think they're really me.. But is this tan too light? Hunny Bunny likes this color more than the dark brown. What do you think?

let it burn

2010-07-12T09:12:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to score tickets to the Third Annual Burning Beast in Arlington, WA - just a quick drive from Seattle.

I'm a little disappointed in myself because I only heard about this magical food fest this year.. Not to worry though, I redeemed myself by eating 3 years worth of deliciousness, so all is forgiven.

For those of you not in-the-know, 10 Seattle chefs come together and get their grill on with local, sustainably raised animals during this event.

which way did he go?

the mascot (not me.. the wooden beast behind me!)

Robin from Top Chef

oysters!

moooooo!

what the cluck??

pork belly served on a steamed bun a la Peking duck
(I missed taking a photo of the "pork" station - not to worry, I didn't miss eating it! served with white beans cooked with what else? BACON!)

a little bit spicy and a lotta bit delicious - and cornbread... served with choice of jalapeno, honey or truffle butters (I had 5 pieces!)

he asked me if i wanted skin.. silly question

sadly, they ran out of their bison tacos before I could try it, but I snagged a bit of their bison sausage.

amazing lamb tacos

my kind of rack of lamb

sliced leg of bison was sooo moist!

Skillet's version of lamb

my first encounter with moose - farro with blueberries and english peas topped with moose confit and a side of moose with english pea and fennel puree.

gentleman from Coastal Rovers informed me that the sardines he was cleaning were freshly caught on Saturday. he drove all night from the coast to get them to the Beast! I thanked him for his efforts.

rabbit stuffed with rabbit sausage by Seth Caswell served with a tomato/sour-cherry/arugula salad by Robin from Top Chef!

goat served with white beans

(there was another goat station that i neglected to take a photo of... theirs was completely unadorned, just a hunk of meat. it looked dry and boring compared to the rest but i ate my words as soon as i ate that goat! it was so moist and tender and perfectly seasoned. beyond wonderful!)

and finally, the beast burns....

Who's coming with me next year??

the piggy is back and she's HONGRAY

2010-03-16T06:52:00.001-07:00

*high five*

I can finally eat again. And to celebrate we went to a neighborhood
joint for some shabu shabu.

Tender marbly beef with all the shabu shabu fixings. I got the wagyu
with soy milk broth. De.li.cious.

On a non-food note, our young waiter was trying to make conversation
and mentioned he started reading Twilight. I told him that we live
near Forks and he damn near crapped his pants - he didn't even realize
it was a real place!

He told me I made his life and that he couldn't wait to tell his
friends that he practically met Bella.

Ummmm.... Can't talk now. Eating.

City of Lights

2010-03-15T05:53:00.001-07:00

Still not feeling 100% since getting sick a couple days before
leaving Vietnam. Haven't been able to have the culinary adventure that
I was hoping to have. Barely eating at all and it sucks!

Who wouldve thought that I would be the one with the eating disorder
on this trip... HB has been getting his grub ON - eating both his and
my portion of each meal. Damn him!

Oh and he's also getting his SHOP on too! What the heck! I haven't
bought anything and so far he's purchased 3 shirts, a jacket and a belt.

I must be gravely ill.

This is a plane, not a bus

2010-03-12T23:07:00.001-08:00

When we arrived in Macau, a whole bunch of people jumped up and ran
for the exit before we had even taxied into the gate. All the flight
attendants kept telling everyone to get back in their seats and buckle
up.

They were all yelling at people that they needed to sit down and
finally one of the flight attendent yelled, "This is a plane, not a
bus! No standing in the aisle!!"

HB and I were dying.

breakfast

2010-03-09T19:52:00.000-08:00

Hui tieu (I totally butchered the spelling!)

must learn to make this

2010-03-08T20:24:00.001-08:00

I know it's now the trendy thing to drink young coconut juice straight
from the coconut, but this is on a whole new, and delicious, level.

The coconut water is made into a clear gelatin with a thin layer of
coconut milk on top, all served chilled in a coconut.

Omfg. I've had at least one every day so far. It's so magical and
refreshing and fragrant and yummy....

crunchy

2010-03-08T20:08:00.000-08:00

Hub's aunt took us to a famous Vietnamese gastronomy restaurant and
their signature dish was broken rice. It's basically the crispy rice
leftover in the pot - but way more delicious.

Served with fish sauce and scallions fried in pork fat. I think I just
died.

Hello Kitty terminal

2010-03-07T19:12:00.001-08:00

Trying the photo again. Sorry!

hot as pho...k

2010-03-07T18:45:00.000-08:00

It's never too early or too hot for pho! Especially when it's
delivered to your door!

Time: 7:30 am
Temp: 80s

Hello Taiwan

2010-03-07T04:31:00.000-08:00

(I have limited access to wifi in Saigon so my posts will just be brief snippets.)

Our flight on Eva air was fairly comfortable. Lots of movies to choose from - I watched New Moon, The Blind Side, and Fantastic Mr. Fox (cute and funny).

Hubs and I happen to be on the same flight as my cousin who was on her way to Taiwan. We had enough time to share a quick breakfast of hot and sour soup and shiao long bao (little dragon buns). Probably the best airport food ever!

During our brief layover, we also saw the cutest terminal! Hello Kitty all over the place! Loves! I wish SeaTac had one.

message from my iphone

www.lookrichbitch.com

gonzales

2010-03-04T07:56:00.000-08:00

Technically, I haven't purchased a new handbag in over a year. (The last bag I got was a gift from HB - a deliciously soft Halston hobo.) And according to my homegirl Serena, I'm due for a new (self-purchased) bag!

My latest obsession is the Louis Vuitton Epi Speedy 30 in Cassis. I love. love, LOVE the purple color. Going on vacation in a couple days will make the purchase even more justifiable - it's a souvenir!

Thinking about it now.

Mommy had a monogram Speedy back in the day, but she apparently threw it away because she didn't want it any more.

(I'll give you a moment to digest what I just wrote...)

Since then, she's learned her lesson - Louis Vuitton is never to be thrown away. EVER.

Speaking of Mommy, she mentioned that she's already over the bag she bought barely six months ago!

I think I need to borrow it. forever. muaahahahahah....

oh the shame...

2010-03-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

As a wannabe fashion blogger, I feel that I always need to be truthful with my purchases. All my purchase. No matter how embarrassing or shameful. I don't want to be one of those girls who only tells you about the designer finds. I mean, I do have my off days.

So here goes...

Yes. I bought TEVAS.

But they're not completely hideous, right? I chose the ones that look the least outdoorsy. They have a wedge, for Pete's sake! Give me a break! My justification for buying them was that I needed super comfortable sandals to take on our belated honeymoon to Vietnam, Macau, and Hong Kong! (Leaving Friday night! Eep!)

I promise to never wear them with socks. I'll even promise never to wear them should you and I cross paths in the future. And I promise to buy a pair of super high, uncomfortable heels to negate this purchase.

Please don't take me off your blog roll in disgust.

baby boy

2010-03-01T13:00:00.000-08:00

Heck no! I ain't havin' no baby! Has it really been that long since I last posted?

Anylazyblogger, I'd like you to our little Igor.

He's a stray that we adopted to from the Humane Society. Igor is the sweetest miniature pinscher! All he wants to do is play. (That giraffe he's gnawing on no longer has a neck.. We have just the head and body left! Crazy dog.)

Igor was super skinny when we picked him up. His ribs and hip bones were jutting out and both HB and I felt so sad knowing that he was wandering the streets alone. He also has scar on the top of his head. The vet wondered if someone was trying to do some sort of operation on him because it's right near the soft spot on a puppy's head when their skull isn't fully formed. I hope not.

He's fattened up quite a bit in the few months since we brought him home. And he's finally getting comfortable at our place. All he needed was a little bed and blankie.

This litte guy is smart and fearless. It took me about 3 days to get to shake hands. (He'll do anything for food!) And it took HB just an hour to teach him to roll over! Now if only he'd learn to not bark and lunge at other dogs when we're out walking...

This is the first time that HB's had a pet. I was a little worried that HB wasn't up to the challenge, but he's stepped up to the plate and is a great Poppa to our little one. I think we lucked out because Igor seemed to be housetrained so we didn't have very many accidents. (I broke a toe nail while trying to stop him from pooping on the carpet. Ouch.)

HB can't wait to get another puppy. Who is this guy?

ben dover

2009-12-07T15:32:00.000-08:00

For the last couple years, I was doing yoga at least once or twice a week during lunch at the office. Then I got laid off and didn't have the dolla-dolla-bills-y'all to pay for both my prewedding bootcamp and fancy-schmancy yoga.

Months went by and I went to a few random Bikram Yoga class but I missed my regular yoga class. I just can't get into hot yoga... I don't know why I torture myself. I keep thinking that I'll like the heat, but I never do.

Then one of my good friends, who recently began teaching yoga offered to teach a class to me and a group of my friends. It was perfect. I was sore for days! And it made me realize that I need to quit thinking about signing up for yoga, and just go for it!

So I did.

I signed up for the introductory series at my neighborhood studio. But now all I can think about is yoga clothes!

Salivating over these lululemon pantswith the scrunchy ankles and these hot pink reversible pants (they're black on the inside). If only I had a discount!

My new evening schedule: Bootcamp - M&W
Yoga - T&Th

Hunny Bunny's evening schedule: Warcraft - MTWThFSSu

*sigh*

shopbop giveaway: how much do you love kiki de montparnasse?

2009-12-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

Hunny Bunny and I decided to wait until January before going to on our honeymoon. Now that we're in the midst of planning our fabulous (and maybe even a little romantic) getaway, I'm thinking lingerie!

What do you think I should get? I've got a $100 Shopbop.com instant gift card reserved for one lucky commenter who tells me all about her favorite piece of Kiki de Montparnasse lingerie from Shopbop.com. There's only one winner, so get creative. The best comment wins!

Who was Kiki de Montparnasse?

Kiki de Montparnasse was a sexually-free, wildly-independent beauty symbol from the '20s. She was a cabaret singer, a muse for French artists, an actress, and a painter.
Known simply as "Kiki," her real name was Alice Prin.

What is Kiki de Montparnasse, the label?

Inspired by its sultry namesake, Kiki de Montparnasse (the line of women's lingerie) is all about capturing the same qualities of passion and sophistication. The brand is known for its decadent, lingerie-meets-luxury vibe, and the actual boutiques in New York and Los Angeles carry everything from "intimate accessories," to jewelry and home products. But, even if you can't make it to NY or LA, you can still get in on the action. Just leave a comment below letting me know which piece of Kiki lingerie from Shopbop is your favorite and how you'd wear it. Is it daring or darling? Would it stay in the bedroom or go public? The most creative commenter wins a $100 Shopbop.com gift card towards anything in the store, so start writing.

Contest ends on Saturday, December 12, 2009!

down the aisle... finally

2009-12-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

I could barely breathe knowing I was on the cusp of being married. FOREVER.

One of Hunny Bunny's groomsmen is a doctor and he made me take several deep breaths so I didn't pass out.

Here we go!

Leave it to me to be the one who started giggling while trying to repeat after the officiant. Teehee!

Cocktail hour went by in a blur. HB and I ordered the best hors d'oeuvres - pork sliders, harissa chicken wings and caprese skewers! Too bad I didn't have any! I couldn't eat a thing all day. But the kids, young and old, loved the sliders.

For the reception, we did the W's fabulous "May We Take Your Order" package. Each of our guests were given a menu with four entree choices. It was so elegant and all of our guests raved about the food.

Each guest started with a seared sea scallop with lobster sauce and a Cascade salad with house-made prosciutto, arugula and blueberries. For the intermezzo everyone had a tart and tasty lemon sorbet.

The entree choices were baked halibut with tomatoes provencal; braised beef short ribs with butternut squash and a plum mostarda; grilled beef tenderloin with creme fraiche whipped potatoes; and grilled eggplant ricotta lasagna.

I chose tiramisu cheesecake for our wedding cake.

The rest of the evening flew by - so quickly that I completely forgot to do the bouquet toss! Mommy keeps teasing me about it, even though she totally took my toss-bouquet home with her.

At one point, the boys kept me distracted while my friends snuck up to our honeymoon suite and decorated our room with candles and flowers petals.

I thought about taking a bath that night, but when I looked in the tub, there were smudges and bits of dirt in it!

Now I know why...

almost down the aisle part III

2009-11-30T10:56:00.001-08:00

It was a long day.
Thankfully it was easy to change from the Chinese wedding outfit to my wedding dress. A quick zip here and there. Voila! Done!

Hunny Bunny had a issues with my veil. He kept yanking it off (accidentally, I hope!) throughout the day. At least my hair was still intact.
I let the girls do whatever they wanted with their hair, especially since I pulled a bridezilla and asked that they all have similar makeup. Aren't they pretty?

(My niece is the one with the headband - she was a junior bridesmaid.)

My gifts to the girls were dangly pearl earrings. Since I knew I would wear my pearl necklace, I thought it would be a nice tie-in to have them wearing something similar.

I also wanted to give them something they could wear both during the wedding and also in their every day life. I didn't want to get them pearl studs because sometimes that can look matronly and boring. The dangly earrings were much more fun, and young, and definitely more me.

The guys all wore their own suits. We didn't want to have rented tuxedos and we also didn't want to burden them with having to a new matching suit. They all had black suits in their closet so we just had them wear what they felt comfortable in.

Hunny Bunny wore a grey tie to go with our yellow-grey color scheme. The guys wore black.
HB's nephew was our ring bearer and he took his job very seriously. He had that silly grin plastered on his face the entire ceremony. His little brother is just as adorable.

Loves!

We had been taking pictures around the W hotel lobby and bar. It had been raining all morning. Hello? November in Seattle? Of course it was raining!

But we lucked out. There was mini break between storms and we decided to risk it and head to the Seattle Public Library for a few shots.Several people in our wedding party had never been to the library and were in complete awe.

If you're ever in town, you must visit the library. It's absolutely amazing. The long escalator ride was perfectly matched with our colors.
Then we needed to rush back to the W before it started raining again. (Word on the street was that it was pretty miserable for the rest of the day!)

Glad there weren't any puddles to ruin my grey Pradas!
Just a few minutes before the ceremony and one of my friends brought up a bottle of muscato to hopefully quell my down-the-aisle jitters.

Cheers!

almost down the aisle part II

2009-11-17T09:53:00.000-08:00

Traditionally, the tea ceremony would take place at the bride's family's house. But because of time constraints and because my mom's kinda lazy, we opted to have the Chinese tea ceremony at the W Hotel, where our main ceremony and reception would take place.

My Gramma was absolutely thrilled that we were having a tea ceremony. She had that silly smile on her face all day long! (I pretty much had that smile on my face too!) It made me so happy to be able to make my Gramma so happy too. She's my favorite person.

My Grampa came from Hong Kong for the wedding. (He's my mom's dad; my Gramma's my dad's mom.) He cracks me up because the older he gets, the more childlike he becomes. All he's concerned about is where his next meal is!

During the tea ceremony, Hunny Bunny and I offered tea to our elders. My godmother (not the crazy fur lady - that's my crazy fur lady aunt!) led the entire ceremony, offering words of good fortune, success and health to those who accepted our offerings of tea.

In return, Hunny Bunny and I received gifts and red envelopes with lucky money.

On a side note, Gramma's got some great stems, don't you think? One of my (many, many) aunties kept trying to get her to adjust the slit of her dress because she was showing too much skin. Ha!

My mommy and daddy were beaming when it was their turn. My brother joked that instead of accepting the tea from HB, my dad would throw it in his face!

D'oh.

Luckily, dad was in a good mood.

Here are some of the gifts we received during the ceremony. The 24K gold ring was from my grandfather - I don't think he actually knew what he gave me. I have a feeling someone else picked it out and just told him to hand it to me. He was mainly concerned about the roast pork that everyone else was nibbling on!

The diamond tennis bracelet was from my parents. I couldn't believe how HUGE the diamonds were! Daddy said it was over five carats. Holy moly! The 24K gold dragon/phoenix bangles (there's a matching one on my other wrist) are also from my parents. They're traditional wedding bangles and are extremely delicate - not for every day wear. They're meant to be passed down from generation to generation.

My dad present HB with a limited-edition Omega Snoopy watch! It's super duper cute! Daddy's a bit of a watch collector and had this watch for several years. I think HB liked it.

My eldest auntie gave me a 24K gold bracelet (on my other wrist, sorry!) that my great-grandfather had given to her when she got married. I was so touched that she would give something so meaningful to me. I barely remember my great-grandfather. In my mind, he was a well-dressed man who always had candy in his pocket for me!

And finally! It's time for the snacks! My dad is serving up some wedding cookies or, as we youngsters like to call, "the pink hockey pucks."

Just another hour until the main ceremony... eep!

almost down the aisle part I

2009-11-16T11:43:00.001-08:00

Hunny Bunny is Vietnamese and I'm Chinese. That meant that we would have to somehow accommodate both traditions during our wedding day.

We started our hectic (and rainy!) morning (after hair and makeup for me and the bridesmaids) at HB's place for the Vietnamese ceremony.

We had to light incense and bow to his ancestors and provide offerings of fruit. His uncle took charge and led us through the whole process. Unfortunately, I had no idea what he was saying since he only spoke Vietnamese.

I just did what any other sensible girl would do on her wedding day - follow the groom's lead!

Then HB's mom and dad spoke and sadly, I still had no idea what was going on. I just smiled and nodded. Finally, his mom turned to me and spoke in English.

She welcomed me into the family and said that while HB is an only child, she had enough love to share with both of us and that she loved me like a daughter. *sniff* And then she presented with me with a gorgeous diamond necklace that she had made especially for me!

(I realized after the wedding that she even had our initials engraved on the clasp! How sweet and thoughtful is that!?)

This was all followed by more smiling and nodding on my part. HB's relatives greeted us and gave us gifts of money and cards and wishes of love and success and happiness.

And children. Lots and lots of children.

ACK.

tardy for the party

2009-10-19T11:09:00.000-07:00

Scottsdale was ah-mazing. My bff and I arrived a day earlier than the rest of the girls and just enjoyed a day of shopping, followed by an intense yoga class for me and a relaxing facial for her at the Phoenician Resort.

Another girlfriend arrived from LA that evening and we had a yummy dinner at Cowboy Ciao, where we also enjoyed a wine flight of bubbly. I think I enjoyed it too much because I damn near passed out. I blame my low blood pressure. Uh huh. Yup.

The next morning, two of my cousins arrived and we had brunch at the pool. (C/D-list Celebrity siting: Fantasia!)

Later, we check in to the W Hotel where we spent the rest of the weekend. That's also when we found out it was their 1-year anniversary and they were having a huge party - and we were all invited!

The theme was Alice in Wonderlust. ADORE! (D-list Celebrity siting: Malcolm from Malcolm in the Middle!)

Mushrooms!

We had an amazing time and even got little Bliss spa swag bags! The next day, we were all just a tad hungover... At least I was! (Lightweight!)

Lounged at the pool and took turns going to the Bliss Spa for our appointments. Just what the doctor ordered. After a day of relaxation, we had dinner at Mastro's steakhouse.

That place is reason enough for us to go back! Drool....

Following dinner, and unbeknownst to me, the girls had another treat up their sleeves.. A horrible, horrible treat.

A male nudey bar! EWWWWWWWWWWWW!

The icky boys got full on nekkid! *shudder*

There were twins workin' the pole when we walked in and later there was a guy wearing nothing but black socks doing handstands!

Needless to say, we left pretty quickly. And we do not have any photos.

I can't wait to be married.

at long last

2009-10-17T15:47:00.000-07:00

My bad. For real.

With the wedding exactly three weeks (eeps!) I can't concentrate on anything but. Not to mention my part time job has turned into a nearly full time now, though without the benefits. At least I'm getting paid though right?

Anyway, the winner of the Tolani wool/silk scarf is Persian Tea!!

Congrats! And please email me your name and address!

first chance at last chance

2009-10-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

For years I heard rumors about this mythical Rack for the Rack in Scottsdale, called Last Chance. I thought it was another desert mirage.

Ladies, let me assure you that it's the real deal. All the rejects from the Rack, all the worn/damaged/returned merchandise from the full line stores make there way to Last Chance - a fitting name for the doomed.

I suppose if you had the time, and you went often, you would be able to find some gems. But for those of us in a hurry, it was overwhelming and a little bit disturbing. A couple of my girlfriends couldn't stand the germiness of handling used merchandise so they waited outside.

The rest of us scoured the haystack in hopes of finding that needle.

I scored with this pristine, oversized clutch by Longchamp. The rest of the bags and wallets were majorly damaged.

Mango snagged these amazing sky-high marc jacobs shoeties in black and Veen scored some olive Pierre Hardy suede peep toes. Damn their small feet!

is that a hickey?

2009-10-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

No one would ever ask you that if you were wearing this amazing Tolani silk/wool blend scarf around your neck!

And lucky for you, it's up for grabs from
chickdowntown! I secretly wish I was eligible to win.

I could see myself wearing it with jeans and a boyfriend blazer or just throwing it over a LBD for a pop of color. The gal who wins must send me a photo! *jealous*

For those of you who follow
chickdowntown's twitter, you'll also know that Amy LOOOOOOOVES giveaways. Seriously. She has one every day, so be sure to follow her. Who knows? You might score one of the BB Dakota Bella jackets.

Here are the deets:

1. Contest open to U.S. and international residents. Note that international folks are responsible for any taxes or fees.
2. Leave a comment telling me how you would wear this scarf!
3. You must follow my blog, I promise I won't lead you anywhere scary.
4. Extra entries if you follow my twitter and also tweet about this drawing, just make sure you add @lookrichbitch.

I'll announce the winner on Monday, Oct 12th so get your entry in by midnight PST, Oct. 11. Late entries will not be accepted.

nice and naughty

2009-09-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

My darling bridesmaids threw me the most wonderful bridal shower ever! All of my friends, aunties, ang cousins came. Even gramma showed up - though she was antsy to leave because she wanted to go play poker!

I couldn't ask for anything better.

There were peach and raspberry bellinis! Yum! Limoncello! Yum!

Mini sandwiches! Yum. Egg salad! YUM. So thoughtful of mango to remember my favorite kind of sandwich.

We played games. Hello? Toilet paper wedding gowns? Love it!

Loved it even more after seeing Auntie Po! Had to choose her as the winner. Only at a bridal shower would you see a 70+ year old lady wearing a toilet paper dress with coffee filter boob holders!

And some sneaky-sneak snuck a little treat in my bag during one of the games. Candy-flavored condom anyone? (I think it's still in my purse.)

But that wasn't the funniest part. When asked who had a condom in her purse, Auntie Po said, "Oh all these young girls will have them!"

And then it was time for gifts! Got this lovely Cuisinart Griddler. It's like the Chanel of George Foreman Grills.

Then I opened the gift of all gifts. The Kitchen Aid Mixer. Not the little one. The big one. EEKS!

Can't wait to use it!

My silly 13 year old niece bought me a whole bunch of Victoria's Secret panties. Gigantic brief style ones cos she thinks I'm one of those old ladies.

One of the most useful gifts was a pillow case. One side says, In the mood. The other side says, Not in the mood.

Hunny Bunny got a gift too - a man-pouch made of candy!

I guess you could count this little pink number as a gift for him as well!

With matching pink furry handcuffs, of course.

So many underthings!

Off to my
bachelorette weekend! Wonder if I should bring any of this stuff...

here's a peek

2009-09-17T22:12:00.000-07:00

Bridal shower this weekend.. More to come!

Latest must-read!

and the winner is...

2009-09-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

Francine!

Please email me your contact info to claim you brand new Perricone MD Advanced Face Firming Activator. Be sure to tell me how you like it!

(And I'm so sorry for the delay in getting the winner announced. I was a sick girl yesterday! Fever, congestion, the whole shibang. Much better today!)

scoffs at 40% off...

2009-09-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

I wish someone would hire me to do this every day..

Spent the morning with my good friend Nicole from the Seattle Times.

Her assignment? Shop at the newly opened Neiman Marcus at The Shops at the Bravern. My assignment? Shop at the newly opened Neiman Marcus at The Shops at the Bravern.

Oh and tweeting about our finds!

We walked right into the cosmetics department and already I could feel the frenzy. Immediately, we were offered makeovers at the Chanel counter. They could feel the $50 gift card burning a hole in my pocket. Must.Resist. (I'm waiting for the arrival of the Noir Obscur collection to arrive before I make any hasty makeup decisions!)

Then we hit the shoes. Loves.

Then we hit the designer collections. Loves-Loves.

Then I tried on an Ali Ro ruffle windbreak. Loves-Loves-Loooooves.

I was a good girl today and didn't buy anything. (It probably didn't help that I just dropped my car off for repairs and am anticipating a hefty bill!)

And you know me. I prefer to shop when there's a discount involved. I'm more excited for future Last Call sales!

who/what/wear:

shirt - Hunny Bunny's closet
jeans - Rock & Republic
flats - Loeffler Randall
tote - vintage Chanel
sunnies - ray ban
...and a couple pearl necklaces I twisted up

just looking..

2009-09-10T11:00:00.001-07:00

It's been about two months since I was laid off and I've had to curb my spending. A lot. I used to work in the middle of downtown, just blocks away from Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack so it was easy for me to shop all the time. And for the first couple weeks of being unemployed, I still made a point to head down there just because I had nothing better to do. And when there's nothing for a girl to do, the girl goes shopping!

Am I the only one?

Now with the wedding less than two months away (eep), and with me not really looking for a full time job, I've had to really look at my finances and decide what I need and don't need - there are going to be a lot of things to pay for soon. Did I tell you I picked up my wedding dress? (double eep)

So here I am avoiding the mall and Target (because every time I go there I buy so much stuff!) And when I shop online, I only put things in the cart - never checking out. Blah. It's lame. I don't even remember the last time I went to Forever 21! See? I do have some restraint.

But when I went through my mail last week, I found a $50 gift card to the Neiman Marcus that is opening on Sept. 11! No strings attached. No "$50 off if you spend blah blah." Just $50. Plain and simple. A few of my friends also received one. (I wonder if they poached one of the mailing lists from Nordstrom...)

To be honest, while I'm very excited to have a Neimans in town, I'm more excited for the future Last Call sales!

I'll be at the opening tomorrow with a friend of mine and I'll be pretending to be a fashionista on a mission to find the most fabulous outfit for a most fabulous event.

Or maybe I'll just stop the cosmetics department and spend my $50 on a little something.

Retail therapy on someone else's dime. Count me in.

brrr.. it's cold in here..

2009-09-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

there must me some Clovers in the atmosphere!

Who else loves Bring It On? Missy's the poo, so take a big whiff.

Anyhoo, I'm starting to look for a new winter coat again. A while back, I scored this fun See by Chloe plaid coat at the Rack. It was only $60 (from $800+). I have no idea why it was marked down so much but it was in pristine condition so I think I was rather lucky!

But if you hadn't noticed, it's a red plaid, lumberjack coat. Not exactly something I can wear regularly. No, I'm looking for a nice black wool coat. Something I can pretty much wear all winter.

Last year, I settled on this grey Soia Kyo coat. I got a lot of wear out of it (and a lot of compliments!) but I still really want to find a good black coat.

There are two that I've been eyeing at J. Crew though I'm leaning more towards the "ribbon" one, stylewise. I haven't seen it in person yet so I don't know for sure if it's the one and it's not available until October.

I'm very particular about the lengths of my coats. I can't stand long coats. Midthigh is about as long as I can go. I just want it to be long enough to cover whatever top I'm wearing underneath, but I don't want it so long that wearing heels is a must.

The second coat that I'm considering is this ruffle one. I actually tried this one on in the store and really loved the fit. The wool is also extremely soft, which isn't always the case at J. Crew.

The reason I'm leaning towards the ribbon one is because it seems just a tad longer than the ruffle one, which just went past my tush, and it looks just a little more tailored. And somehow the ruffles aren't quite as ruffly as I would like. Did that even make sense? I think that if the ruffles were fuller, then I'd probably like it more.

What do you think? I have a little over a month before the ribbon coat is available so I'm not in a hurry. Maybe I'll be lucky and get a couple gift cards for my upcoming bday!

No pressure. *wink*

smooth as a baby's bu....

2009-09-04T06:49:00.000-07:00

In celebration of my return to the blogosphere, I'll be giving away one (1) Perricone MD Advanced Face Firming Activator (valued at $120). With Fall just around the corner (sad), it's the perfect time to change up your skincare regimen.

My skin always changes in the Fall so I'm constantly looking for new face skin care. Must take care of my face! It's the first thing people see and honestly, I freak out at any sign of a wrinkle. Hello? I wore SPF 70 the entire time I was in Hawaii!

Shallow? Probably. Real? Definitely.

So here are the deets:

US residents only. Sorry!
Must be following my blog. It's easy! Just click up there in the right corner! Voila!
Leave a comment and tell me a little something about your skin and how you keep it gorgeous!
Get an extra entry if you twitter this post (just let me know you did it with an @lookrichbitch !)

Contest ends on September 13, 2009 at midnight PST. I'll be randomly selecting a name so good luck!

flawless

2009-09-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

Hunny Bunny and I had engagement photos taken a couple days ago and I decided to have my makeup done at the MAC counter at Nordstrom.

I told the artist that I was having photos taken that day and that I didn't want anything to dramatic. She took it from there. And I'm so glad she did!

Normally, I prefer to either go barefaced or with just the sheerest of coverage. That's why I love using Smashbox's Halo. It's just the perfect everyday foundation/powder for me.

But it doesn't quite even out my skintone completely. I still get red and splotchy and who wants that to show up in photos?

That's where the MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation comes it. I couldn't believe how flawless and smooth my skin looked! I didn't even want to wash my face at the end of the day, it was that delicious...

I had sworn I would never be a fan of MAC foundations because my experience (10 years ago!) was that it was to heavy and cakey for me. Not this little guy. Maybe it's because I got better directions on how to apply it this time. I don't know. In any case, I went home with this amazing tube.

I love it so much that I plan to buy another one when my Hawaiian vacation tan fades.

some day.. you will be mine...

2009-09-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

I love my daddy for buying mommy a new Louis Vuitton bag that cost more than our entire trip to Hawaii. Isn't the Le Radieux Suhali bag so pretty? I'm absolutely infatuated with the gray leather and gold hardware.

Did you know that the Louis Vuitton prices are lower in Hawaii than anywhere else? And I mean the price before tax! Yep. The list price for this particular bag is $200+ more in the contintal US!

Daddy insisted that Mommy let him buy it for her and at first she declined but in the end we trekked back to Ala Moana so he could buy it for her. I need to figure out how mommy trained daddy to be so generous. Is that like playing hard to get?

I can't wait to borrow it from her... forever! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!

i'm so depressed...

2009-09-01T14:45:00.001-07:00

PFFFFFT.

Far from it! I know that's what some of y'all are thinking and I totally appreciate your concern! In fact, I love you for it! Seriously. The number of you who've been hassling me, I mean, checking in on me... It really means a lot.

And you're not the only one who felt sorry for me! Daddy (real, not sugar) felt so sorry for me that he treated me to my first trip to Hawaii! A mini family vacay before the wedding.

It was perfect! We visited the Dole Pineapple Plantation. I never knew how cute pineapple plants were! Who else thought pineapples grew on trees?! I was so surprised to see these little bushes on the ground topped with a pineapple!

Too. Cute.

Then there was a the food. Ono's, Rainbow's, Ted's, Giovanni's.... I ate myself silly! My parents are still raving about the shrimp truck. (BTW, if you go, see if you can find where I signed LOOKRICHBITCH! Here's a hint, it's on the fence where the cars are parked!)

I'm gonna try to recreate the shrimp scampi at home soon. I'll tell you how it goes.

One of the highlights of our trip was swimming with wild dolphins and sea turtles! My 13-year-old niece and I took a 4-hour cruise on the west side of Oahu. There were no guarantees about actually swimming with dolphins because they're, you know, wild. I was just hoping to at least seem some from the boat.

It took us a while to find them in the water (basically the boat drops you off in the ocean and they tell you what direction to swim and hopefully you find the dolphins!) We were really fortunate that day because the dolphins were extremely friendly and playful. They were jumping and flipping in the air as soon as we arrived.

After we slid into the water, I felt like we had been swimming for the longest time then all of a sudden we were surrounded by them! There were at least three baby ones too (the lighter dolphin in the photo was a baby)! They swam next to us and below us. My heart was pounding with excitement. I wanted to stay out there all day!

That is until one of them started pooping. No really. Actual poop. As in, all of a sudden there were a stream of browness. Ick.

Truly one of the best experiences in my life and I can't wait to do it again. It was that amazing. And no, I wasn't scared at all. *dreamy*

Since I'm still working only part time (and collecting unemployment!) I really couldn't take advantage of the low sales tax in Hawaii. But it sure was nice to shop vicariously through my mommy! Stay tuned.

I'm really just trying to enjoy the rest of my summer. I've been working a couple days a week, taking yoga classes, working out, and really just doing my own thing - trying not to watch too much tv, though I've really gotten into watch The Tudors.

I think Hunny Bunny is a little anxious for me to start working again but I'm not in a hurry. Just a little longer, okay?

what's your return policy?

2009-07-14T15:45:00.000-07:00

Because I just got laid off and am about to be bah-roke.

Well, not really. But still. It's kinda scary since for the last 9 months or so, I've been working so much and have been so busy. To go from working 50+ hours a week to napping on the couch at 2:30 pm (I woke up early to go to bootcamp this morning, okay?!) is a huge difference.

I was pretty much in a daze most of the afternoon yesterday. Did that really happen? Several people had already been let go that morning. But they're manager was kind enough to give them some notice. It would have been so much kinder and gentler had I known. Did they really think I was going to sabotage something? Instead, I look down at my caller ID and see the HR guy's name.

Oh f*ck.

My heart sank. I quickly sent some of my personal stuff on my hard drive to my personal email and went into the meeting.

Blah blah blah. Financial situation. Blah blah. You'll have 20 minutes before your computer is shut down. Blah.

Trying to stay positive. I still have my 2nd job and my manager there is going to see if they can give me more hours. I'm still hoping that this will eventually turn full time. Really, this could be a blessing in disguise.

In the meantime, I do need a break. I've been exhausted!

I filed for unemployment and have nothing planned. I guess I'll figure out later. This is the first time since I finished college nearly 10 years ago that I haven't been employed full time. I'm a little scared.. And even more excited.

Watch out!

the rundown

2009-07-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

I've been (guiltily/lazily) Twittering much more than blogging. It's just fast and easy. Instant gratification s'il te plait. I really haven't even been reading my favorite reads. I think in reading other people's well kept blogs, I feel even more ashamed that I'm not keeping up. It's like Rebecca Bloomwood hiding her bills in a drawer rather than dealing with the reality - minus the bad credit.

The last race that I did was the Furry 5K. Since then, I've unfortunately been suffering from shin splints and have basically sidelined my racing days. I did, however, participate in my favorite race as a walker with my dad!

Woke up early, picked him up and off we went to walk the Shore Run. My dad was really nervous about it and had been "preparing" for it by walking on his treadmill before taking the doggy out for his morning walk! Isn't that too cute? Afterwards, we went to brunch! That's always the best part.

Dad's eager to do the next 5K! Swedish 5K anyone?

On another note, I'm on my fourth week of bootcamp. Mostly they consist of:
lunges
squats
push ups
tricep dips
incline push ups
crunches
push up/side plank combos
squat thrusts
mountain climbers
wall sits
run 1/2 mile

and repeat 3 to 4 times in 1 hour for a total of 2 miles

It pretty much kicks my arse during the hour but I haven't been getting sore. Must work harder!! I'm bringing my dumbells this week.

I still haven't lost any weight at all. Muscle-schmuscle! I want to see a smaller number dammit!

Miss you.

so many jeans!

2009-07-09T14:33:00.001-07:00

And we have a winner! I know you've been all dying to find out who gets the glorios Current Elliot skinny slouch jeans!

All this excitement about jeans and guess who the winner is??

JEAN!

Seriously. That's so weird!

Darling Jean, please email me directly with your jean size and mailing address!

to jean or not to jean

2009-07-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

I can't stop thinking about getting new jeans! But I can't really decide what I want.

Normally, I prefer plain jeans with zero embellishments and no distressing or "whiskers". My favorite jeans are J Brand.

But lately, I guess since I've been hosting the Current/Elliot giveaway (have you entered yet??), I've been obsessing over those skinnies (ugh, can I win my own giveaway?) as well as the boyfriend jean.

Seriously, they're totally not my style and I totally thought Katie Holmes looked completely ridic when she started sportin' them.

Then I see Rachel Bilson and Reese Witherspoon wearing them.. And they look so darn cute! It makes me wonder if I'd look that cute wearing a scrubby tshirt carrying my dog around town!

Maybe I should get something less hole-y though - like these Rich & Skinny ones. They're a little cleaner, which is more me.

Or maybe I should just go out on a limb and be crazy.

And forget about suggesting that I steal my actual boyfriend's jeans. They'd be too small. *shame* He wears baby size 28 and they're loose on him - real boy jeans don't account for real girl booties.

These (birthing) hips don't lie.

what are you waiting for?

2009-06-26T08:47:00.000-07:00

I totally want to snag these Skinny Slouch Loved jeans by Current/Elliot ($215 value) for myself, but it's your lucky day!

Chickdowntown has generously offered to let me give away a pair to one fabulous lookrichbitch reader!

If you haven't checked out their website, go there now! Quick! They have an extensive collection of designers including Mystique footwear and Mink Pink clothing, not to mention favorites like Marc by Marc Jacobs and See by Chloe. (If you sign up for their emails, you'll automatically get a $50 gift card!)

So here are all the ways you can enter:

For one chance simply leave a comment!

You can get additional entries by following my blog and/or Twitter! You'll get one entry for each - just let me know when you've added me! (And if you're already following me, just let me know and you'll get those extra entries too!) Spread the word!

Contest ends on July 8, 2009 at midnight PST. US residents, please.

I'm so excited! Good luck to you all!

Smoochies!

hey stranger!

2009-06-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

pssst!

I know I've been MIA lately and there's really no excuse other than I've been busy shopping and not focusing on you, my darling readers!

First there was an Elizabeth & James top. It has a crazy deep V and Hunny Bunny suggested I wear something bright underneath.

Wow. Who would've thought he'd be into "a pop of color" too?!

Then came this Rag & Bone reversible top (you can wear it four ways!) It's a soft navy blue cotton on the flip side. I've been wearing it over my American Apparel racer back tank dress. Actually, I'm not sure it's even a dress.. Maybe it's just a long tank.

D'oh!

And I am in loooove with my new Marc by Marc Jacobs little jacket that I picked up at the Rack! It's actually cotton so I've been wearing a lot on breezy days. Can't wait to try it with shorts!

Anyway, to make up for being such a deadbeat, I wanted to let you know that I'll be having a fantastic giveaway soon! Here's it hint: It's sponsored by chickdowntown and it's actually something that I've been wanting for myself. See? I'm not completely selfish.

Smoochies my loves!

it's like the happiest (un)birthday!

2009-06-19T11:28:00.000-07:00

I'm ecstatic! I'm filled with glee! I'm bursting with joy!

What a wonderful way to end a stressful week!

I never thought I'd stand a chance to win my so called fabulous life's Little Black Bag Giveaway - filled with goodies from Sephora... Dreams do come true!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-06-18T09:36:00.001-07:00

Is this real? Is Jimmy Choo really doing a line for H&M? The answer is: YES!

November 14, 2009

FOUND: cheap alternative

2009-06-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

Okay, I still haven't returned to Momo for those crazy harem pants because I can't justify paying $200+ for such a novelty. I did however find these Silence & Noise cropped pants at Urban Outfitters.

While they're not exactly the same, they're more in my price range for trendy items. Don't you agree?

Besides, there are so many other things I could be spending my money on... like this Rag & Bone wool jacket.

I'm telling you. I'm obsessed with blazers.

OB-SESSED.

I hope I have enough willpower to wait until it goes on sale.. Pray for me.

should i join a harem?

2009-06-15T03:09:00.000-07:00

I've been on the fence about getting a pair of harem pants. Yes, I suppose I am rather slow to join this bandwagon - there are just too many memories of Too Legit To Quit for me to be so hasty.

That being said, I can't stop dreaming about these pants! They're by the French label Cop.Copine. Ugh. She had me at French. I found them at the most adorable boutique, MoMo, which happens to be across the street from my parents' jewelry shop. I can't believe I'd never stopped by! This could be a bad thing. *maniacal laugh*

Good thing I didn't bring my wallet.

AnywishIhadallthemoneyintheworldtobuycrazypants, they have a high elastic waist with ample pleating (in a non-pooch enhancing way) and a self-tie belt. The pants could almost pass for a skirt.

Dammit. They were pricey though. But I want them.

They're on hold until Tuesday.

HB HB!

2009-06-12T09:26:00.001-07:00

Happy birthday, Hunny Bunny!

To celebrate this joyous occasion, HB's office mates decided to hold a canned food drive in his honor because he's so damn skinny! (In case you can't read the banners, they all say "I am hungry, please feed me!") They're so thoughtful.

I sure hope he gets some nibblets and chicken noodle soup.

smoochies my darling!

not completely selfish

2009-06-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago, I received a coupon for a free haircut at Seven Salon in Seattle. As luck would have it, I now have three coupons to give away!

If you live in the Seattle area and want one of the coupons, be one of the first three to leave a comment and I'll contact you for your address.

The coupons say they expire on June 25th and are good Sunday - Thursday only, but word on the street is that they're pretty flexible with scheduling. You just have to go with the specific artist listed on the coupon.

Just remember to tip well since you're saving at least $50!

Good luck!

pearl vision

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

Read more about my new baubles here.

Love you gramma! XOXO.

blaze of glory

2009-06-09T00:02:00.000-07:00

I've come to realize that I've developed an addiction to blazers. I blame Tiffany at I Am Style-ish and my littlest friend em.

Compared to those two, I clearly have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to blazers. I just know that I like what I see (on them anyway) and am trying to follow in their itsy-bitsy footsteps.

I picked up this twenty8twelve blazer in a warm khaki color at the Rack. It was 85% off. My shoulders are pretty broad though so I think I'm going to have the shoulder pads taken out. They're just a little too puffy for my liking but otherwise a fun, casual jacket.

I think I'll be able to wear it a lot on cooler summer nights, if I go out... Which is like, you know.. NEVER. But still nice to think about, no?

UPDATE: Did you realize that they're the same jacket just buttoned up differently? *wink

even the flannel wearing guy liked it

2009-06-08T02:33:00.000-07:00

Once in a blue moon, I'll actually have free Saturday. I normally help my folks on at their store (yes, I pretty much have 3 jobs right now...) I decided it would be a perfect day to hang out with a couple couple of my cousins whom I hadn't seen in a long time.

We had breakfast and got pedicures and went shopping! If that doesn't sound like a perfect day, I don't know what does! I miss doing girlie things with my girls.

So during this outing, I spied this adorable dress by sweetees. Normally, I would wait until it was at least 50% off but I guess I was in such a sunny mood, I had to have it! Thankfully, my cousin had a coupon so I still didn't have to pay full price.

*laughs*

I wore it last week and felt so pretty and fresh and bright. I received so many compliments from other fashionable people. But the one that meant the most was from one of my managers who has seriously said things to me like, "Should I wear my blue fleece vest with my plaid flannel shirt or my Gortex jacket?" Or "Looks like it might be cold on the way home some I better put some socks on.."

He was wearing Teva sandals!!!

He said I just looked like summer!

blazy (busy/lazy)

2009-06-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

Don't worry! I'm still here! Barely.

Life has been a little crazy lately. This whole wedding planning thing is totally putting a damper on my (shopping) lifestyle. I've only been paying the deposits for all of our vendors but I'm seriously dreading the day we have to pay the balance! Eep! 5 months and 2 days!

And I've been working a lot and working out a lot. And I don't know what to do about Hunny Bunny's upcoming birthday.

But I do need your opinion.

I bought this Elizabeth & James blazer during the Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale. It was 60% off. Obviously I won't be able to wear it for several months still but do you like it? The ruffle scarf is removable so it's pretty much a normal blazer - tho the back side does swoop down, which I kinda like since it covers my bum.

I really want to wear it now, but I shouldn't complain about the great weather that we've been having, right?

early bird

2009-05-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

Ever since I started my morning workouts, it seems as though I'm not able to sleep in any more. Even on the weekends, the latest I can sleep 'til is probably about 7. Gawd. If that isn't the sign of old age, I don't know what is.

Anygeezer, this weekend was no different.

By the time it was 2:30 in the afternoon, I had already:

taken a long walk (with some lunges and high knee lifts thrown in the mix!) with little Napolean
showered and dressed
had brunch at Bario (yummy btw)
cleaned up dog barf in my car (don't ask)
bought coffee
gone canoeing
saw a man at the lake wearing a thong whilst canoeing
and got fitted for new running shoes (haven't decided yet)

I think it's kinda rubbing off on Hunny Bunny too because he was pretty much up and at 'em (or should I say bright-eyed and bushy-tailed? Get? Bunny? Bushy-tail? FAIL.) by the time I got back from the walk!

hot mess

2009-05-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

I finally got a new curling iron. But dammit if it wasn't the most trying shopping event ever. And you know I looooove shopping! Any kind of shopping.

I started researching my curling iron a couple weeks ago. I really wanted a large barrel one and decided that the Hot Tools 2" curling iron was the best value. Anyway, I found it online but it was only $2 off the regular price and I had to pay shipping. I hate to pay shipping but the only way to get free shipping was to spend $50 and I really had nothing else to buy.

So then I went to a local beauty supply store. They only had the 1.5" one. Ugh. I couldn't decide. Not to mention they'd end up costing me the same (about $40) because of the tax so really I wasn't saving anything.

Another week passed and I was still vascillating. Decided to go to the beauty supply store again and look at the 1.5" and finally came to the conclusion that I really wanted the 2". Then Hunny Bunny and I made a stop at the nearby Target. As we were leaving, HB asked me where my car keys were.

Uhhhh. I didn't have them. I didn't even have my purse to put them in.. Besides, he was driving my car.

Ummmm. We ran back to the Rack because he had tried on some shorts - maybe he left them in the dressing room. No luck. He ran over to the beauty supply store. Yay! He left them on the counter!

Boo. The store was closed and the gate was shut. Double boo. We could see the keys from the window.

Steam, then flames, followed by an unhealthy dose of cursing. Who knew I had such a potty mouth?

GODD*&)$*!&)! MUTHA%&)!@&#!)!!! SONOFA%&@*)&$">SONOFA%&@*)&$!!! I said.

Sorry. He said.

And being the lazy butthead that he is, he had decided to leave his own set of keys at home. With my keys locked in a cage and his keys locked at home you can't imagine how pissed I was.

Luckily, my brother was home and was able to bring my spare car keys. I was very tempted to make HB sleep in the garage, but instead he was condemned to the couch.

And then I found my curling iron on ebay for $25.

let's hear it for the boys

2009-05-19T14:50:00.001-07:00

Shave Swap at Kiehl's! This is what they said:

This summer, in celebration of our male customers, and to lead up to Father’s Day, Kiehl’s is honored to launch Kiehl’s First Annual Shave Swap! For 10 days, May 29 through June 7, men are invited to trade in their shaving cream (at least a 4 oz.-size, please!) for one of our best-selling Ultimate Brushless Shave Cream formulas—a full 5 oz. tube! Each customer will also be asked to participate in a 5-minute personal consultation with a Kiehl’s Customer Representative, after which he will receive three samples of the Kiehl’s products best suited to his personal skin or hair needs.

We invite men to visit their nearest Kiehl’s store, swap for one of our best-selling shave creams, and work with our representatives to explore our efficacious skincare formulations and our newest products such as Razor Bump Relief. The Shave Swap will take place at Kiehl’s free-standing stores only.

Kiehl’s Shave Swap details:

Shave Swap takes place May 29 through June 7
Shave Swap takes place only at Kiehl’s free-standing stores: visit http://www.kiehls.com/ to find the nearest Kiehl’s store.
Gentlemen patrons are invited to trade in a current shave cream, from any brand, at least a 4 oz. size, in exchange for a 5 oz. Ultimate Brushless Shave Cream formulation. Patrons can choose between Kiehl’s White Eagle, Blue Eagle or Green Eagle formulations.
Gentlemen patrons must complete a 5-minute personal consultation with a Kiehl’s Customer Representative, and will receive 3 complimentary samples of the Kiehl’s skin or hair care formulations appropriate to him.
· Kiehl’s welcomes our female patrons to trade and sample Men’s formulations on behalf of a special man in her life.
· Event is limited to one shaving cream trade per customer.

Our Ultimate Brushless Shave Cream is one of our much-loved, best-selling formulations, and we’re honored to give all of our male patrons a chance to try it, if they’ve not already! This will also be an opportunity for them to preview Kiehl’s Father’s Day gift assortments, which will be available in-store.

We look forward to your visit during the swap, May 29 through June 7!

dun dun duuuuuuuun

2009-05-18T14:57:00.000-07:00

And the winners are:

hanako of through the looking glass...

Diabolina of My Super Sweet Fashion Diary

Email me your mailing address and I'll ship it off to you asap!

Tell me how you like them.. smoochies!

keeps going and going and going

2009-05-13T05:54:00.000-07:00

I'm at my fifth race of the year though I'm only racing myself. Happy to report that I've beat myself every time!

This was the 5K Run that was part of the Kirkland Half Marathon. This run was one of the more difficult because there were several steep hills. I swear the first mile seemed entirely up hill.

*pant, pant*

I've been having some trouble with my old and creaky lower extremities. My arches were hurting for several days and I think I might be getting shin splints. Yikes. And the top part of my left foot has been giving me grief when I run up and down hills. I kinda think it's because my left leg is so dominate, it just hits the ground much harder than my right.

Or I'm just old and creaky.

Anyway, I have an 8K coming up this weekend. It'll be my first this year - gotta do it because I'm on the office team because it's a Nordstrom event and we do work for Nordstrom!

See you at UDub!

who/what/wear:
top - lululemon
jacket - american eagle
running tights - cw-x (They're incredible running tights and also incredibly tight! They're supposed to help support your muscles via compression so the fit is really important. All I know is that I nearly break a sweat everytime I have to pull those suckers on!)
sneaks - brooks

the sticky icky

2009-05-12T01:56:00.000-07:00

Since the fourth grade, I've always hated having dry hands. I have to apply hand cream right after I wash my hands. Everytime. I feel like my hands aren't grippy enough - things slip out of my fingers when I don't apply cream.

That's weird, right?

Anyway, I recently discovered Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula. I'd always seen it but never ventured to try it. When I was at Tar-jay the other day, I saw it on sale and decided to give it whirl because it claims that it's used by fishermen, whom apparently have trouble with dry, scaly hands. I don't know. Regardless, it was under $3 and I was out.

OHMYEFFINGGOD! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE IT!

It's so freakin' sticky and greasy! (Um, yes, I'm the only one on the planet that likes super-duper-calafragilisticexpialidotiously greasy hand cream.) It's so thick that my hands are white with the grease and I have to wait a couple minutes after I apply before I put my hands on my mouse because it'll get all sticky!

Even the label cautioned that I should only use a dab. My little 2 oz tube is said to have 200 applications. Not the way I'm using it. I need to restock every one of hand cream hiding places with this magical stuff!

not always about me

2009-05-11T03:28:00.000-07:00

A while back, I mentioned that I had several tubes of Living proof's No Frizz hair product. Well, I still have several tubes and I figured it's time I give a couple away! The packaging is different now but it's the same stuff inside.

I still use it regularly and I really like it. It's not greasy at all and it smells divine. I was even given the opportunity to test their upcoming shampoo and conditioner line recently. My hair was soooo soft and smooth - can't wait for it to be available for purchase.

Anyway, I'm giving away the styling cream formula for medium thick hair - one wave-shaping/curl-defining and one straight-making. They both work pretty much the same but the wave-shaping one just has a little more hold.

So, all you have to do is follow my blog and leave a comment telling me which one your want! I'll choose two names on Monday, May 18. US Residents only!

Yay for good hair days!

smoke and mirrors

2009-05-08T02:20:00.000-07:00

This is what happens when Hunny Bunny leaves me at home alone to watch QVC.

Once again, they were doing another Smashbox presentation and I got sucked in. I can't help it! I looooove infomercials in general.. Who doesn't love the Sham-Wow guy? *swoon*

Anysuckerformakeup, I bought the black plum shadow liner with brush. Holly Mordini did such a gorgeous and perfect smokey eye with one quick swish of the wrist. I had to have it!

And the fact that it's only available on QVC meant that I had to call in! Exclusivity is one of my many, many downfalls.

Can't wait to get it!

...and all i got was crabs.... part deux

2009-05-07T02:17:00.000-07:00

To end our culinary tour of San Francisco, we made reservations at PPQ Dungeness Island.

Garlic Noodles
Crab Meat Fried Rice
Roasted Crab

With our bibs on and our fingers at the ready, we scarfed two orders of everything in a mere 45 minutes.

*burp*

counterproductive

2009-05-06T04:35:00.000-07:00

Can I just vent a little bit today?

I just have to say that sometimes my family can be really lame. I spent Saturday evening being criticized for being fat. I'll be the first to admit that I've gained weight since I had my snowboarding accident a few years ago. But do I really need to be reminded by seemingly caring relatives?

Not really.

The criticisms ranged from "Wow, you look wider than your fiance" to "When are you going to start dieting?" Oh and did I mention the part where my aunt said I couldn't have any ice cream with my cake because I need to lose weight - in front of everyone? At least I know when to censor myself - I didn't tell all of them to STFU!

I cried in the car on the way home. *sigh*

It's not like I haven't been thinking about it constantly. And it's not like I haven't been working on getting in shape. I'm sorry I'm not wafer thin like I was when I was 12. I'm not exactly happy with where I am, but I'm not sitting on my arse and doing nothing either.

For the last couple months I've been doing yoga twice a week, pilates once a week, and running once or twice a week. I just started running to and from my pilates class too.

And with encouragement from my friend Jackson, we've been waking up early Mondays-Thursday and work out/run "together". We live pretty far away from each other but every morning around 6 am we text each other to get up and get out there! Knowing that there's someone else waking up and getting her heart rate pumping really forces me to not wuss out.

At least there aren't any more family gatherings coming up. I don't know if I can stand there and smile and be respectful to my elders very much longer.

Anyway, I guess it should motivate me more or something. Or make me want to go binge.

PS: The photo is from the 5K I did a couple weeks ago. I've got one coming up this Sunday and an 8K the following Sunday. Can I get a "GOOOOOOOO LRB"??

and after

2009-05-05T06:48:00.000-07:00

Ta dah (again)!

I finally got off my big, giant, wide, lard ass (that's a story I'll share another day) and had my beloved $32 Marni dress tailored.

I hope you can tell that it was tad too big for me. The natural waist of the dress was down to my hips and was too boxy for me to fake a drop-waist dress. Haha. And the hem hit me unflatteringly past my knees.

Three inches in and four inches up later, I've fallen madly in love again! I'm just besotted with the colors and the exposed back zipper (sorry, no photo!)

And I thought I'd finally debut my new Chloe sunnies! They're a little crazy but I absolutely adore them.

What do you think?

after

2009-05-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

Ta dah!!!

Being a cheapo paid off big time when my dearest lily.splendor sent me a coupon for a free haircut at the fancy schmancy Seven salon.

My last free haircut was done by a student who gave me a pretty blunt style. Cutie patootie Matt gave me tons of new layers and flat-ironed the heck out of my wavy hair! And I think I found my new hair bff. We totally bonded over our mutual love of the Puyallup Fair! He too enjoys YoungLife BBQ beef sandwichs and buys his fair scones as he's leaving so he doesn't have to lug it around the whole time. *sigh*

the bliss is back

2009-04-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

I've finally updated my wedding blog..

Let me know if you have any florist or officiant (preferable one that is familiar with pagan rituals) recommendations!

...and all i got was crabs..

2009-04-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

Spent a quick weekend in San Francisco with a few of the girls. Nothing was on sale so we pretty much just ate our way around town. Actually, we didn't even make it that far.. We ate at Michael Mina, which was in The Westin St. Francis where we stayed! Made it easier for the bell staff to roll us back to our room.

We started with a complimentary appetizer trio, nearly everything was served as a trio! (My apologies for the photo quality. I just used my iPhone... Didn't want to be a complete dorkus-malorkus and disturb the others enjoying their dinner!)

shrimp, a fish fritter and a stacked tuna nicoise salad bite

Dungeness Crab ~ Local and Seasonal
• Poached Claws, Endive, Aïoli
• Roasted Whole Leg, Beurre Blanc, Espelette
• Cioppino, Backfin Meat, Roasted Peppers

I was pretty much full at this point and we were barely even into the meal! The crab was so heavenly. There were three poached claws, each topped with a different aioli. A trio in a trio!

Pasta ~ Braise and Confit
• Fettuccini, Rabbit, English Peas
• Ravioli, Duck Leg, Radicchio
• Orecchiette, Pork Short Rib, Fava Beans

The pork short rib was melt in your mouth good.

Brandt Farm Beef ~ Spring Vegetables
• Filet Mignon, Sacramento Delta Green Asparagus, Sauce
Béarnaise
• Dry Aged Rib Eye, Wilted Spinach, Morel Jus
• Braised Trio, Young Leeks, Horseradish Vinaigrette

The Béarnaise sauce was dreamy. And the rib eye? Fuhgettaboutit. I heart morels! And what's this? Another trio? Count me in. This time it was tongue, cheek and... something else delicious. I can't remember!

Maine Lobster Pot Pie
• Brandied Lobster Cream, Seasonal Vegetables

Ah-mazing. Whole lobster with the creamiest, silkiest sauce. I could've bathed in it. Seriously. I want to. Getting naked now.

California Squab ~ “Peking” and Citrus
• Smoked Breast, Pixie Tangerine, Pea Leaves
• Consommé, Poached Breast, Shiitake Dumpling
• Foie Gras, Steamed Buns, Pickled Tokyo Turnips

Mmm... What's not to love about little birds? I could've eaten that foie gras all night, while sitting in a tub of lobster sauce.

Cheeses ~ Goat, Sheep, Cow
• Minuet, Pear Purée, Hazelnuts
• Pecorino Ginepro, Port Cherries, Juniper Balsamic Vinegar
• Pianoforte, Porcini Syrup, Puffed Wild Rice

I was soooo stuffed by this point, I could barely eat the cheese. The waitress mentioned that they were all local cheese made by an artisan near Napa. And then something about them being named after musical terms and being available at some rainbow grocer's.

Citrus ~ Herbs
• Meyer Lemon Marmalade, Basil Financier, Huckleberry
• Lime Curd, Shiso Meringue, Sablé Breton
• Grapefruit Gelée, Tarragon Ice Cream, Masago Arame

This was the only thing we didn't really care for. I guess our palates aren't so sophisticated because the combination of herb and citrus flavors weren't exactly harmonious.

Chocolate ~ Exotic
• White Chocolate Panna Cotta, Passion Fruit, Almond Crumble
• German Chocolate, Coconut Espuma, Candied Pecans
• Bittersweet Chocolate Cream, Rum Bananas, Macadamia Nut

Rich, dark, bitter.. Just how I like my men.

Our only real complaint about the evening was that the sommolier was not very helpful. He didn't ask what we were eating, which is totally weird right? All he asked was what we liked to drink and then he proceeded to point to random wines in the wine list and just say, "This one is good... I like this one.. Or you could just get this one.."

He didn't once mention the flavors of the wine or anything!

Anyway, I just chose something and it was good.

Twelve hours later...

French toast with sliced strawberries and coconut cream

Stay tuned for more crab.

splendid!

2009-04-14T10:54:00.000-07:00

Remember when I decided that instead of denying my shopping needs, I would curb my other expenses e.g. haircuts? Well imagine my surprise when darling blogger lily.splendor sent me an email with an offer a couldn't refuse!

She had an extra coupon for a free haircut and wanted to share it with little ol' me. How utterly thoughtful of Miss Splendor! And to send along a sweet card in my latest color obsession - fuschia!? I die! She certainly knows the way to a girl's heart, no?

Let's see what happens when I get my hair did on Monday.. Stay tuned.

i'm not good at math.. but i'm good at sales!

2009-04-13T14:28:00.000-07:00

I can figure out discounts super fast. Sad. I know.

Anyway, I made a random stop at the mothership, I mean the Rack, on Saturday and as soon as I walked in, I saw a giant table covered in Giorgio Armani and Trish McEvoy makeup!

Most of it was seasonal stuff like bright coral lippies and seafoam green eyeshadows.. But of course I managed to find a couple fun things. I picked up a Giorgio Armani high color cream lipstick in a punchy berry color. I'm more of a neutral lip kinda girl but lately I've been intrigued by the berries so what a great way to try it!

(That photo really isn't true to color. Stupid lighting... It's more purply-fuschia, less orangy-red.)

The funny thing is, no one was even looking on that table until I started rummaging. Then all of a sudden there were five or six other women digging for colors. Good thing I snagged a couple glosses too! Each was under $10.

Done!

Not really. After the makeup frenzy, I looked around the unusually crowded store and noticed signs that said nearly everything was an additional 35% off! (Including the items in my hot little hands!)

So I grabbed this too!

Hope you guys all had a lovely Easter with loads of chocolate bunnies and fake grass and baskets and plastic eggs that I can never open.

oh no she didn't!

2009-04-10T09:59:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again - time for the crazies to come out.

Sakura Con 2009!

Every year there's a convention in downtown Seattle for hmmm.. I'm not exactly sure what.. Anime? Video games? Whatever it is, these broads are definitely not Harajuku girls.

D'oh!

in and out

2009-03-31T08:22:00.000-07:00

I swear this was the fastest shopping I've ever done. Between Posh on Main and La Ree, it took me just 45 minutes total to do all that damage. I guess it's all that running I've been doing.

Everything I bought was 85-95% off so nothing more than $50. Including this Les Chemins Blancs wool skirt with side pocket. I normally prefer wearing shorter skirts but I really like the casual ease of this skirt. It's so comfortable. I think I'll wear it with flats and a hoodie.
(Sorry for my ghetto photos. I didn't realize it was blurry!)

Anyway, I had to have this Alexander Wang knit tunic. It's a bit on the sheer side, but I have an American Apparel racer back tunic that fits perfectly underneath.

Aside from that, I have no idea how I'm going to wear it. Ideas? My closet is so overloaded right now, I can't see/think straight!

I'd been eyeing this floral Christopher Deane dress for a looooong time. Even when it went down to 60% off, I didn't want to plunk down the dolla-dolla-bills-y'all. But at 90% off, it was calling my name! I like to think that it was meant to be!

I love the square neckline and the flutter sleeves actually make me look feminine and less errr... broad.

I tried it on at home with my new Pedro Garcia flats, you know, for that whole pop-of-color thing that everyone and their mom keeps insisting is a must-do. They were right! It's tres romantique.

Lastly, I grabbed this Jenni Kayne top. Can you guess why?

They're my, I mean our, wedding colors! Yay! Is that lame?

Probably.

But seriously. Why was that top originally $500? Who can afford that? Certainly not I...

I got it for $25.

only two feet

2009-03-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

I went a little crazy.. Okay. Not just a little. A lot. A lot a lot.

When I arrived at HB's house after my frenzy, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he opened the door to see my arms full of shopping bags.

It was the Duet Spring Warehouse Sale between two of my favorite neighborhood boutiques - Posh on Main and La Ree. I stood in line in the rain for this sale. And it was soooo worth it.

Do you not love these rosy gold Loeffler Randall Celery flats? $50 (orig. $400)

They'll be perfect for my trip to San Francisco in a couple weeks.

Next I have these delicious Marc by Marc Jacobs. So these aren't necessarily my style but I saw them from the window and knew I had to have them.

I had to have them even more after some Russian lady snatched 'em from behind when I was trying to squeeze through the crowds. I kept my hawk eyes on her while I continued hording shoes to try on. All was nearly lost when I overheard her saying that she really liked them. But minutes later, I saw her without them in her arms.

I quickly turned back to the racks and there they were! YES. MINE. $50 (orig. $400)

Simple and cute - really a staple in any wannabe fashionista's closet. Jewel tone Pedro Garcia flats! I grabbed the dark blue ones. $50 (orig. $325)

And finally my splurge. Chloe.

$150 (orig. $740)

Mango was there too and picked up the same Chloe heels and Marc by Marc Jacob sandals. She also snagged another pair of Marc boots too. Adore! (And a little bit jealous too because they were only $50.)

I'm hoping Veen will do a guest post because she found some gorg steals too! *hint, hint

So thankful we three wear different sizes! No fighting.

La Ree is next... Stay tuned!

back in form

2009-03-26T02:15:00.000-07:00

Oh goodie. It's not me. It really was the miserableness of last week's run that held me down.

Don't get me wrong. It still rained this time, but it wasn't snowing and I didn't need to wear fleece!

I completed another 5K run (part of the Mercer Island Half Marathon) this past weekend and am quite satisfied with my time. Still not as good as I want to be, but getting there! 11:07 minute miles and I finish 30 seconds faster than the 5K I did last month.

And I guess it feels so nice to come in at 115th place in overall women's. Hahaha! Thankfully that's out of nearly 250! I'm better than more than half. Yay! 17th place in my age group. Another thing for me to work towards. Dang, when I put it that way, it sounds kinda lame.

Thank you guys for all your support! It really means a lot to me and I appreciate all the motivation!

smoochies.

letter from reader

2009-03-25T09:55:00.000-07:00

Learning from the Master

Dear LRB,

I must be reading your blog too much because now I'm starting to find my own bargains. There was this sweet jacket that I found over the xmas holiday but I refuse to buy full price. Anyways, it's on 50% clearance right now AND I got a coupon for an add'l 40% off too. I just hope that jacket is still there tomorrow when the coupon is finally active. Haha. You're like the yoda of bargain searching.

Sincerely,
jackalope

Golly, gee whiz! *blush* Glad I could help!

little bunny foo foo

2009-03-24T04:16:00.000-07:00

Clearly I'm having trouble accepting the loss of a luxury item and have thus made maddening decisions in an attempt to relieve some of my grief. Retail therapy at its finest, or worst.

Behold.

My first pair of Christian Louboutin kitten heels - Miss Bunny.

I vaguely remember how it happened. I was that despondent. No really. I was. Next thing you know, I had the winning bid on eBay.

EBAY!!!!

They are cute though, aren't they? I'm not much of an animal print girl, but Diabolina swears there is one in all of us and I'm starting to believe her.

obit

2009-03-23T07:27:00.000-07:00

beloved, iconic, fabulous
Burberry
May 2003- March 2009
R.I.P. my darling

This was one of those pieces that I wanted to keep forever and pass it on to my future fashionista daughter so she would be the envy of all her friends.

And now all I'm left with is devastation. My dry cleaner destroyed my love, my darling, my Burberry over coat.

To be honest, I have no idea what happened. This wasn't the first time I had it cleaned...

The cleaner is sending it back to Burberry for inspection. I'm not really sure what that's supposed to accomplish. I really wasn't listening. I couldn't focus on anything but the horrible stains left on my once beautiful coat.

I didn't scream or yell. I was surprisingly calm when she broke the news. She too was devastated - said something about taking care of it... I don't know. I don't care.

I hadn't worn it for a couple years. For me, it had to be special. It had to be the star. I saved it for occassions that needed that je ne said quoi.

All I have left are the memories. I can still remember the exhilaration I felt when the salesgirl zipped the navy blue garment bag and handed it to me. My first. I was in Las Vegas at the Venetian. It was on sale and I was blissfully in love.

And now I'm heartbroken.

the ides of march

2009-03-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

The St. Patrick's Day Dash was m-i-s-e-r-a-b-l-e! Not only was I sore from too much pilates, yoga and snowboarding, but it was snowing! Hello?! Did you read my title? Ides of March? Not Ides of December. Seriously, ridic.

Thank goodness I still had my fleece in the car from the snowboarding trip. I normally only wear a light jacket and a tshirt for running but good grief was it cold!

And since I'm already griping, are my thighs really that humongous? How depressing. This was a tough 3.75 miles run for me. Definitely not my best time. I don't even want to talk about it.

I'm planning to redeem myself during the 5K run that I'm doing this Sunday. Wish me luck. Only 16 more runs on the schedule through the end of the year! Are you in?

who/what/wear:

jacket - Thakoon for Target (annoying that the hood doesn't have a drawstring so I had to tuck the edges into my ear warmer so it wouldn't fly off! only $12 though, so eff it.)
fleece - nike
tshirt - gap
mittens - jcrew
thunder thigh pants - nike
sneaks - brooks

talking mango

2009-03-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

Guest Post!

Little Mango just celebrated a quarter of a century and she agreed to share a little of her birthday splurge on herself at Last Waltz - the cutest little boutique that sadly closed its doors.

It's so sad to see this cute boutique not make it through the recession. I guess it wasn't too much of a surprise when I found out they were closing for good and selling everything - including the furniture. They sold a mixture of stylish vintage and new clothing, but they were located in the Central District next to a place that had pole dancing lessons and not in the good stripper way! And although I lived a mere two blocks away, I'd only been there a handful of times and never actually bought anything until now.

The first item I found was this khaki and black patent leather clutch from Hayden Harnett for $30.

It still had the dust bag and is cheaper than the Hayden Harnett bags at Target! (lrb commentary: How cute is this clutch? I love the 70s vibe.)

The first dress I tried on was this denim dress by Sublet Clothing for $28. I was really unsure about a full denim dress, but it actually looked really cute on.

Next, I picked up this shiny silver and black block dress by Allison Wonderland for $40. (lrb: Now this is quite a grown up dress! Color block is always the way to go. Adore the high waist! Tres chic.)

And the last item I got was this black skirt by Humanoid for $24. The skirt fits very low and I'm very short so I will have to have it taken up at least 6 inches and possibly turning it into a bubble skirt. (lrb: Way to be creative and making it work! I'm a big fan of taking my deals and steals to my lovely tailor and having her work her magic! It's a great skill to be able to envision how it could look!)

I had hoped that this neighborhood would pick up and more cute boutiques would open up nearby and kick out the seedy shops, but I guess I never really did my part to help.

Lesson of the day: Shop more and shop local!

HEAR HEAR!

hood rat stuff

2009-03-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

I've had a bit of an addiction to hoodies lately. I don't know what it is. I guess I'm just drawn to their coziness and how easy they are to wear. I need ways to keep warm! Seriously, the weather here is crap. Don't get me wrong, I love winter but IT'S EFFING MARCH!!

Good grief.

Anyway, I picked up two during a recent trip to F21, which I manage to wear at least once a week (though I'm kinda annoyed that one of them has already shrank - or is shrunk?) I know, I know.. Tacky. Whatev.

So that brings me to my new favorite. I am insane over this Kerrigan pod hoodie that I snagged at the Rack while meaning to only return some what-was-I-thinking shoes. This isn't your regular old Russell hoodie from your bball days - dolman sleeves, a couple studs here and there and buttons that can be snapped all the way up the hood to cover your face, in case you want to hide from the paps. I WANT TO WEAR IT EVERY DAY!

Thankfully it had an 'additional 50% off' the lowest price. Yay!

I had a couple Marc by Marc Jacobs hoodies in my paw too but I was able to resist... ish. (I'm thinking about going back to the Rack to look at them again. D'oh!)

On another note, I usually keep my shopping to a minimum when I'm with Hunny Bunny. He just doesn't understand that when I'm shopping I'm a whole other being so if he's with me, I'm usually discreet and fast. This time, there were just too many racks to go through and I ended up with an armload of clothes. When HB saw me, his jaw dropped.

After I scraped his chin off the ground, I reassured him that I wasn't going to buy all of it - it's just part of the frenzy! I had to grab any and all m by mj and dvf items that caught me eye, just to try it on.

He didn't get it.

seafeast

2009-03-10T01:15:00.000-07:00

Ever since Crawfish King opened last month, Hunny Bunny has been obsessed with those little mudbugs. He just can't seem to get enough!

We started with a mere four pounds (!) of spicy deliciousness..

I guess the season for crawfish season just barely started so they're not that big and juicy. But that's okay. We still got our grub on!

Can you believe we two hungry monkeys ate it all?

Savages.

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pays to wake up early on the weekend

2009-03-09T00:45:00.000-07:00

I skipped my Saturday morning run with my dad so I could go to the Nordstrom Cosmetics Trend Show in downtown Seattle. (I didn't feel too guilty because it was raining/snowing anyway!)

This was my second time attending this event. It's bad because I'm always a sucker for makeovers and new products!

I may not know what I'm going to do with it, but I'm still gonna buy it.

Anysomuchforbeingarecessionista, the Trend Show is basically a fashion show for makeup. During the show, they also have several drawings for random prizes...

I wasn't expecting to win anything. In fact, I was in the middle of digging in my bag when my name was suddenly announced. I'm pretty sure my hand just flew up and I just yelled "ME!" (Think Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde when she found out she got the final internship spot... Ha! )

And I won what I felt was the best prize - a Chanel cosmetics gift bag! Other prizes were simply creams and lotions and mascaras. This is what was included in mine:

a full size Ombre Essentielle eyeshadow in safari (gorg gray color)

a full size Rouge Hydrabase lipstick in aura (sheer pink color)

a deluxe sample of Precision Beaute Initiale Eye cream

a deluxe sample fo Chanel No 5

and a sample of Chanel No 5 fluid body gel

Even the lovelies sitting in front of me turned around to say how jealous they were!

more ways to save!

2009-03-06T15:50:00.000-08:00

Allegedly theoutnet is the outlet site for net-a-porter. Word on the street is that it'll be like gilt, but I'm not 100% positive. They're not open yet, just accepting email addresses.

I just signed up! Don't blame me if you go bananas.

Have a great weekend my lovelies!

Smoochies.

fashion funk

2009-03-05T09:04:00.001-08:00

Maybe it's the weather.. Maybe it's because *ahem* Martha is in town. Or maybe it's because HB and I had our first wedding planning disagreement and I'm still not over it.

I just haven't felt like myself lately. Just blah. Flats and leggings. Boots and leggings.. And god forbid, just wearing my work out clothes. For shame! I'm desperately trying to get out of my fashion rut - without breaking the bank. Must be a good little recessionista.

Unfortch, shopping in my own closet with fresh eyes is not one of my specialties but Diabolina inspired me as she styled the already delicious Sable Crow with his own wardrobe.

It can be done.

And then I came across the Stylish Girl iPhone app. It's like having my own pocket-sized Diabolina! Well, not really, but it's a nice idea. All you have to do is take pictures of everything in your closet and you end up with a delightful little database categorizing everything you already have! Mix and match and save your outfits for future use. There's even a Wish List category!

This could be a very good thing.

I love my iPhone. My precious...

i only sorta can't move my arms today

2009-03-02T09:01:00.000-08:00

Since I went out an bought all new gear for snowboarding, I had to get in at least one more day on the slopes before the end of the season.

Mango makes such a cute little fuzzy bunny. Why am I like the scary Easter bunny at the mall??

who/what/wear:
coat & pants - Burton (I love that they zip together in the back. No more snow up my back!)
fleece - nike
mittens - dakine
goggles - smith
boots - solomon
board - rossignol
bindings - ride

trying a little harder

2009-02-27T04:46:00.000-08:00

Because I have this little addiction to shopping and because I've been succumbing to every little urge, I've had to find other ways to be a recessionista.

Basically, I've been trolling craigslist for free services - specifically a free haircut.

I ended up getting a simple blunt haircut by a student at Seven Salon that turned out pretty well, aside from taking a really long time (nearly three hours!) It'll at least tide me over until I feel like actually paying for a haircut!

During my search, I also found another salon seeking hair models for a blow out class. Since it didn't involve any cutting or color, I volunteered and was glad I did!

The teacher apparently really liked the density and texture of my hair because it really holds the style and she asked to keep me on file as a hair model. She anticipates holding these types of styling classes for their employees about once a month.

Complimentary blow out once a month? Yes please!

thundering hooves*

2009-02-26T07:45:00.000-08:00

Dude. Are my thighs so thunderous that I can't even fit them in my new JBrand Lovestory jeans? I actually have to get down on the ground to pull them up!

When did I turn into one of those girls?

My gf she has a pair too and swears they'll stretch out. I really hope so.

Once they're on, the waist is fine if not a little loose. But those thighs.. I swear I may need to grease up my legs before trying them on again.

*Thundering Hooves is actually a meat biz. I've always been tempted to order from them... Prolly not a good idea since I can't fit into my new jeans.

long weekend part iv - you win some, then you dim sum

2009-02-25T05:31:00.000-08:00

Monday:

Woke up pretty early to start the long ride home. Got to Richmond just in time for lunch!

It's not a trip to B.C. if I don't get to stop at my favorite joint, Fisherman's Terrace. I always get a little overzealous when it comes to ordering dim sum - eyes are definitely bigger than my stomach!

At the top of the list was soup dumplings - filled with pork, fresh scallop and shark's fin in a rich and flavorful broth. I can eat these all m*thaf*ckin' day! They're so good they make me cuss.

And you can't have dim sum without have at least one variation of the shrimp dumpling - we had two! One had chives in it and the other had scallop with shrimp. Mmmmm...

Hunny Bunny and I ate a whole bunch of other stuff but I was too busy crammin' my face to bother taking any more pictures.

P.S. Will the lo fans please stop dousing everything in soy sauce?? Dim sum is not meant to be dipped in soy sauce. It's tasty enough as is. That is all.

long weekend part iii

2009-02-24T06:05:00.000-08:00

Sunday:

The rest of the group decided they wanted to get one more day of snowboarding in before the end of the weekend. Luckily, since I knew I would only be up for one day of riding and made plans to attend a yoga class and get a massage. Both were yummy and relaxing.

Sometimes I find spa massages a little too frou frou. Call me crazy but I like to be worked the hell out when I get a massage! This gal seriously knew what she was doing - none of that gentle, sweeping motion crap.

After stopping at Cows to get an ice cream cone, I made my way back to our condo. Bodies were sprawled out every which way. Everyone was exhausted though Hunny Bunny aka Mr. McBarfy was surprisingly alert so we decided to head out for dinner back in the Village.

Since the wait for a seat but 45 minutes away, we went down to the shops to see what they had available. Twenty minutes later, I was trying on this Burton Gore-Tex jacket. (I seem to always get caught up in blue whenever I look at new snowboarding gear. My old Roxy coat is also blue.)

Sadly, they didn't have my size.

Happily, I found it online for $50 cheaper when I got home. No tax. No shipping. No regrets.

Now I need new pants!

long weekend part ii - valentine's day

2009-02-22T16:32:00.000-08:00

Saturday:
HB is not exactly known for his romantic gestures. This Valentine's Day was no different. Spent the early part of the day attempting to revive my inner shred Betty. Not so much. I'm just thankful that I'm not quite back to square one. In fact, I'm definitely back to where I ended the last time I rode. Muscle memory? Perhaps. Refusing to let HB doubt my mad skills? Heck yeah.

Anyway, after several runs I wasn't falling. That much. Anymore. And by then HB was only yelling at me a little bit.

Not to be outdone by the morning's festivities, the rest of the day proved to be even more wondrous. During our stroll through Whistler Village, HB treated me to an artery clogging treat - poutine!

This mouthwatering load of smothered and covered goodness has truly mystical powers - I was in a daze after making mouth-love to fries covered in cheese curds and gravy and hot sauce.

Dinner was mostly uneventful. Because of V-day, all the Village restaurants were booked so we decided to stay in and make dinner in our condo. HB's bff's non-gf made a lovely roast that HB stole from me after I barely ate half.

All this was followed by a rousing game of Texas hold 'em. And lots and lots of drinking. Which led to this:

Not exactly HB's crowning moment.

He'll probably kill me after he realizes that I've exposed his weakest moment. D'oh! Not that he doesn't deserve to feel a little chagrin.. It's not like he didn't go barfing over the balcony. To be honest, I've never seen him that trashed before. And I never want to see it again. Icky.

P.S. At least he finally got his hair cut. I have no idea what his latest obsession with hobos is all about.

long weekend part i

2009-02-20T06:54:00.000-08:00

Thursday:
Made Hunny Bunny promise that we would stop at the Lululemon outlet on the way to Vancouver. Promised that I wouldn't take too long. *fingers crossed*

Friday:
Late start to a long drive. Went on a last minute morning run with my dad. Had a little breakfast with the folks and then went to pick HB up.

Can you guess what I was doing during the car ride? Texting Mango to order sale items from eLuxury on my behalf! It was an additional 50% off the sale price after all... Not to mention she had an additional 25% off discount too!

For under $60, don't you think the JBrand Lovestory jeans are a must have?

And I kinda love these Y-3 flats. I need comfy shoes after buying all those high heels during the holidays! I'm all about balance.... D'oh.

Two hours later later we arrived at Lululemon heaven and I spend a short (or long depending on who you ask) hour deciding if I really need another yoga top and calling Mango to see if she also didn't need another yoga top. I finally concluded that no, I didn't need a new yoga top but that I did need a new running jacket, sports bra top and yoga pants!

All were 50% off or more. Natch.

Stopped at the Duty Free shop as we crossed the border to pick up some tax-free booze. That's when I realized they now carry Smashbox! I had to pick up their primer and fan brush.

We finally reached Richmond, B.C. for a comforting lunch of congee and noodle soup. I also grabbed some yummy snacks at the nearby bakery including my favorite pastry of them all - Hot Dog Buns!

I know, it sounds totally weird but it's sooooo good.

No more shopping for the rest of the drive because my iPhone doesn't work in the land of Canucks.

Oh Whistler, my dahling... Did you miss me? I missed you!

...to be continued...

unsatisfied, now satisfied

2009-02-19T13:05:00.000-08:00

Lunch was uninspiring and small. And since I'm banned from shopping, the only walk I could take was to Top Pot Doughnuts.

It was beautiful and delicious and fattening and yummy and sweet and perfect.

And I only had half - Mango had the other half.

cherry go pop

2009-02-10T13:53:00.000-08:00

I am no longer a QVC-virgin.

Instead of watching the Grammys, I spent much of Sunday night being convinced that I absolutely need smashbox products to make my life better.

Twist my rubber arm and see what happens? I finally succumbed to buying the Halo Hydrating Perfecting Face Powder. The deal sealer was when they threw in a full size brush with it for a few bucks more.

I thought it was really neat because the product is actually solid and you have to turn the cover to shave off as much product as you need.

Gawd. I feel like trash because I even took advantage of their four month Easy-Pay. I pretty much just put the thing on lay-away.

LOOK AT ME. What have I become? Next thing you know, I'll be buying dolls and ordering jogging suits from them. The floodgates have been opened.

To be continued....

i did it!

2009-02-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

...cue Rocky theme song

I completed my first 5K run of the year in not-so-record time. (I can't believe the 1st woman to finish was done in 18 minutes!)

Anyway, I think I did okay - finished in 35:04 minutes. Although not very impressive, considering that I haven't been running at all it was quite a feat. I seriously thought it would take me a good 45 minutes!

Sure, I felt like stopping for a vomit break but I muddled through somehow and was a mere 30 seconds behind my short-legged cousin Mango. After picking up a bunch of post-run freebies, we headed off for a hearty breakfast - chicken fried steak with gravy on the side.. Mmmm...

who/what/wear:
pink jacket - Stella McCartney for adidas
top - lululemon
running pants - nike
running shoes - nike
neck gator - columbia

ack

2009-02-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

This has gone too far. I must be crazy! I just signed up for the Love 'em or Leave 'em 5K Valentine's Day Dash taking place this weekend.

Hold me. I'm scared.

who knows

2009-02-04T06:46:00.000-08:00

I'm not really sure if my outfit worked. But I have so much new stuff in my closet and I want to wear it all. At once.

who/what/wear:
hoodie - F21
cami - Lanvin
skinny jeans - J Brand
flats - Tory Burch
necklace - F21

I love my new necklace, even though it's a little more fabulous than I normally do... Most of my jewelry is understated but I just had to have those stars!

I tried channeling a little bit of Gwen Stefani's rock-n-roll queen style, but I don't think I'm quite there. It would've worked better if I had worn some glam heels in place of my flats. And maybe a more polished do.

Sadly, I think I ended up channeling Lindsay instead.

zzzzzzzz...

get in shape girl

2009-02-03T07:10:00.000-08:00

I'm really trying to get myself motivated. I kinda hate exercise. Yeah yeah. I feel good after I'm done but I still hate exercise. And while I do yoga regularly (twice a week), I've realized that I need to put a little more oomph in my routine if I want to shed some of the extra layers that don't come off with a little zipper.

Not to mention the fact that I'm tired of old Chinese hags telling me I'm a portly beast. STFU. Thank you.

Did I really gain 20lbs in the last year or so? Gawd, I hope not. I have 9 months to look aisle-walking-worthy.

So on Thursday, I have an appointment for my first private Pilates lesson at Club Pilates - they were having a special intro for newbies. I've done mat Pilates here and there but have always been interested in the machines. Maybe they're the magic bean I need to ignite my inner fox. Rowr.

In addition to yoga and Pilates, I've signed up to do two 5K runs next month. Yep. I've put it out there. In public. There's no turning back now. I have approximately 5 weeks to get myself ready.

Did I mention I hate running? I've only been able to drag myself out once a week for the last couple weeks - running about a mile each time. I hate running.

The goal here is to do at least one 5-8K run per month because running for the sake of exercise and health is not motivation. But running for the sake of not embarrassing myself by coming in last is!

I'm starting with the St. Patrick's Day Dash. Are you in?

it's really me!

2009-01-31T09:23:00.000-08:00

I couldn't believe my eyes as I flipped though the newspaper the other night. Looky looky who we have here!

That masked mess is me! I love file photos.

It was taken a few years ago when I was still working at The Seattle Times.

I happened to be working late that night and a photographer needed a model to wear the mask that I believe was actually made out of newspaper.

AnysomedayIwillbefamous, I thought it was funny to see myself in the paper, even though you probably don't believe me. Then again, it'd be kinda silly for me to lie about it.

I think I actually have a copy of that photo somewhere. I should frame it!

misty

2009-01-28T08:33:00.001-08:00

So the Seattle-area dog lovers have been all abuzz about the discovery of a puppy mill with hundreds and hundreds of little doggies crammed in squalid conditions. I guess a lot of the dogs are pregnant too so there are about to hundreds more.

You can read all about it in The Seattle Times. It really breaks my heart knowing that someone could be so cruel.

Anysweetheart, my thirteen-year-old niece has decided to donate her Chinese New Year red envelope money to help the dogs! I was so proud and moved by her gesture that I too decided to donate as well.

Hunny Bunny and I are thinking about adopting one too. We'd been talking about getting a dog for a while now and it seems like this would be a great opportunity.

I hope you'll consider donating to the animal shelter near you! And remember to spay or neuter your pets.

Love ya!

swift kick in the boot(y)

2009-01-27T07:42:00.000-08:00

It was an accident. You can't blame me. I had a cold that day - few weeks ago. I was sick at home.

And then I got sick of sitting at home. I needed to get some fresh air.

So I went Posh on Main, this fab shoe boutique near my house. And tried on the adorable Loeffler Randal Ivy snap boot.

The illness caused my lapse in wallet judgement. In my defense though, they were 60% off.

But don't you love them as much as I do? The low wedge heel makes them super comfy. And the snaps make it easier for me to get my jeans tucked in.

I mean, they pretty much go with everything. So really, they're an investment. And it seems to me that investing in shoes is by far the safest bet these days, no?

Did I mention they were 60% off?

hahahahahaha

2009-01-26T23:08:00.000-08:00

Did you totally laugh when Whitney got shut down by Olivia Palermo on The City? And not in the Rachel Zoe shut it down way.

"That's way too much information for me to be hearing. I don't want to hear any of it. You're what? 23? I mean you're an adult."

HAHAHAHA.

never too many dresses

2009-01-26T07:44:00.000-08:00

Hunny Bunny once looked in my closet and commented on how practically everything in there was either a shade of pink or a shade of grey. I have finally found the perfect dress that not only matches my wardrobe but also my sensibilities.

So this painted Marni dress is kinda ginormous. But it was $33. In pristine condition. And hello?! It's Marni. Oh fairy tailor, please shorten and tighten my new love.

As I mentioned in the title, I'm a firm believer that one can never have too many dresses and while you may not agree, you must at least acknowledge that every woman must have the one go-to LBD.

This Jil Sander is that dress.

It's a delicious jersey that can easily go from day to night, from Lanvin flats to Jimmy Choo heels.

But it gets better. The back is somewhat drapey so this isn't just any old black dress - it's the caped crusader version. It's hard to tell in the photo but there's just a hint of the cape/drape on my right.

And finally. My favorite of them all. Who knew that all it would take was four little digits to make me feel so glam.

How effin hot is this 6267 dress?

It's like the ultimate mullet - business in the front and party in the back!

I haven't had this much luck at the Rack, EVER. Has anyone else seen stickers for an additional 90% off the lowest marked price before? I did some calculations and I paid about 3% of the original price on nearly all the pieces. Un.be.liev.a.ble.

gung hay fat choy!

2009-01-24T23:15:00.000-08:00

Chinese New Year dinner with family. Ate too much!

who/what/wear:
vest - Gap
turtleneck - Old Navy
tulip skirt - Armani Collezioni ($17!!!)
tights - dkny
bag - YSL Muse
boots - Loeffler Randall