DSK Steph

Chanel Trunk Show Bags and Tet (Lunar New Year)!

2012-01-23T09:21:00.024-08:00

We had such a busy, fun filled weekend! Van and Tony came up to Seattle. I made banh pate chaud for the first time for my family and friends. :) We met up with more friends for lunch at Din Tai Fung in Bellevue. We shopped, we ate, and we moved!

Chanel bag and shoes my friend was wearing on Saturday for lunch. :)

Minh and I met up with our two friends yesterday at Chanel in Nordstrom Flagship.
She loves her bags!

My girl friend's Hermes bag of the day.
She's a Hermes, Chanel kind of gal. ; )
I am so in love.
Did I mention she's the most successful twenty something woman I know?
She's a true business woman, and I'm blessed to be learning from the best! #blessed
I love her.

We've been hanging out often at the Chanel in Nordstrom Flagship because she's a Chanel addict in the best sense. ;D She picked up three new Spring bags including this Lavender Jumbo (that isn't supposed to be shown at the boutique until February)!
You saw it first at DSK Steph's Blog! ;) Well..I posted it yesterday on Twitter and Instagram..
so follow me there for the latest fun pics of my day!

www.twitter.com/dskjewelry
Instagram screen name: DSKJewelry

Brand new Spring Lavender Chanel Jumbo
(Lambskin, Silver Hardware).
Her husband was telling Minh and I that the whole waiting list thing is bs because they always favor their "VIP's" like his wife. lol She was able to get me my black Chanel Jumbo with one phone call to her SA in Houston while there was a waiting list of 40 in Portland, and 38 in Seattle's Chanel boutiques. He says he's about to move a couch into Chanel because he's there so often. Her hubby asked if Minh goes Chanel shopping with me and man friend replied, "I don't often let her buy them." Haha, please...as if he can tell me what to do. I just choose to save that's all! : )

The guys are both happy because now we have each other to go shop and they don't have to be dragged along!! That's right!
Gorgeous patent cherry red color bag!! I would love this in my collection some day.
I actually lovee the classic jumbo version of this bag. I wonder if I will ever meet it in person. *day dreams*

My girl friend has a very large collection of Chanel bags, and she will be selling a few bags from her collection in the following months. I will definitely share them here on blog just in case any of my readers are interested. :D Stay tuned for those!
If Cinderella had a Chanel bag, it would be this one!

I'm super happy to be moving closer to them at the end of this month. They have two Maltese doggies which means Timmy, and Wally will have new friends! We have so much planned for this year already. I'm going to introduce her to all the dog parks in the Seattle area! Even though, her back yard is a reasonable dog park in itself, but still. It's the friendly dog filled environment which makes the public dog parks fun! I can't wait to introduce her to my favorite Summer hobby with the dogs. : )
More pretty things at Chanel. I really liked seeing all the new items. :)
The store looks completely different since I saw it last week. It makes me want Spring to come sooner!

We helped Minh's youngest sister move out of her loft over to West Seattle.
She lives near Alki beach now! : )
The Uhaul was parked at the base of a steep hill, and our Toyota Tundra was parked further up the hill! It was a great workout for us all yesterday! Haha
We still have to pack and move still!!

On Saturday, around 4-5pm we were at the Seattle Center (near the Space Needle) to celebrate Tet with the Vietnamese community. It's a free two day long event! There were several famous Vietnamese ca si (singers) performing and lots of games, delicious Viet food, and more!
I donated $3 to play this gold fish game! Tony, Minh, and I won 5 goldfish total, but only 3 survived. I named my 3 new fishies Gem, Amber, and Topaz. : )
We have a new koi fish pond in the backyard at our new house so I'm definitely going to be raising some fish this Spring! I cannot wait to share the pond with you! I've ALWAYS wanted a fish pond in the backyard. My best friends in college have a koi fish pond building business, and I've always envied those who had ponds built in their yard!! Dreams do come true. :)
The fish!
Last night, we were at Tony's mom's house for a Tet get together. :)
They're playing this Chinese/Vietnamese game with crabs, shrimp, deer, chickens, and gourds. lol This game is why little Vietnamese kids grow up to love gambling! We teach them young! Minh says as a little kid he would always look forward to Tet (Lunar New Year) because this game was his way of doubling or tripling his lucky li xi money. Ty and Penny were also there enjoying the festivities. :D

Single, unmarried people always get li xi during Tet from generous family members and friends. : ) Thank you Van & Rosie!

I baked 36 pastries to share with friends and family. :)
My aunt and mom would be so proud of me!
I told you I baked banh pate chaud! It's a crispy, flake-y, buttery meat filled pastry.
They're so good!
We had our locks changed at the house, and we made some new fun house keys. :)
This way it won't take us a year and half to find the right key to get into the house!

I will leave you with photos of the Chanel Spring 2012 Trunk Show handbag samples.
I can give you the SA's contact if you're interested in buying anything from their Nordstrom Flagship store. E-mail me at nguyenst@msu.edu if you'd like his contact!

^ Girl friend bought this one. :)

^ Girl friend bought this one too. ;)

What do you think of some of the new Chanel Spring bags?

Check out my friend Mai's makeup blog sale (mostly MAC cosmetics!)
Click here.
She just welcomed her second baby too! ; )
Congratulations Mai!

Starbuck's "Vietnamese Coffee"

2012-01-20T18:04:00.012-08:00

Hi everyone! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed my last blog entry! ^_^

I'm so happy to be back in Seattle and back at work!

One thing I missed about Seattle were the friendly baristas at Starbucks! Everyone is just extra nice here in my opinion! I also feel like they make the best coffee drinks out of all the non-Washington Starbucks I've visited.

While I was at home I introduced my dad to what I call Starbucks "Vietnamese Coffee."
I order a Grande size regular iced coffee with milk (which comes sweetened) with an additional 2 shots of white mocha syrup. It taste just like delicious Vietnamese coffee!
My barista gave me a Venti size cup because she was generous! After all the ingredients with the white mocha syrup, there wasn't enough room for ice! She gave me a larger cup with lots of ice free of charge. : )

My dad was impressed and he enjoys a cup of traditional iced Viet coffee every morning! You could also order iced espresso instead of coffee, but my body can't handle espresso. lol
I'm more of a tea drinker, but I do enjoy my occasional Vietnamese Coffee, or Starbuck's "Viet Coffee" like I got today. : )

My friend Jenny on Twitter mentioned that she reached a new level on her Starbucks card.
I was so intrigued and I researched how to earn rewards from Starbucks. Over Christmas, Minh and I received a couple Starbucks gift cards from family, and friends. *Shout out to Chi Kimmy, and Mikie for the generous gift cards!* Thank you! *hugs*

I learned about the Starbucks app from my good friend Marisa. She said I can use it to pay for my drinks with just my phone! I downloaded the Starbucks app on my iPhone and registered my Starbucks card. My gift card amount appeared on my phone, and I was able to have my Starbucks barista scan the bar code (after touching the "touch to pay" button on my phone to pay for my Starbucks drinks today! I was blown away! Where have I been all these years? Being an iPhone user just gets better and better EVERYDAY. I am beyond impressed and will continue to rave about Apple products forever!

Our new fun goal is to compete with one another to earn the ultimate gold Starbucks card (it's a personalized Starbucks card with your name on it!)!!
LOL, can you tell I have a small interest..well obsession with earning gold cards?
I will keep you updated on my Starbucks rewards here on blog. My quarter of a century birthday is coming up in April family and friends! Starbucks cards are always appreciated! ; )

My other favorite drinks at Starbucks include the Shaken Black Ice Tea, and Ice Water! ; )
What are you favorite drinks from Starbucks?

Do you have this fabulous Starbucks app that allows you to buy a drink from Starbucks without bringing anything but your smart phone?!

If you have never tried Vietnamese coffee, I encourage you to break out of your shell and try something deliciously new. I hope to hear from you after you try your first Viet coffee!
Our giant Toyota Tundra truck for the next month! Thanks to Minh's Dad who is on vacation in Vietnam on a long vacation! :)

Have a great weekend everyone!! Stay safe, stay warm, stay incredibly awesome!

Hello from Seattle! I'm home!

2012-01-18T01:07:00.010-08:00

Hello from Seattle! I'm home!

My very first FOTD on Instagram! My screen name is DSKJewelry, surprise surprise. Find me if I haven't found you yet! :)

I love Instagram so far! It's effortless to add a film to any photo you take with your phone! It makes your photos look so cool. I also think it makes everyone 2x more attractive than they could get away with in raw photos lol just like the Japanese photobooth photos! #justsayin'!

Oh! My lashes are growing super long! I am so in love with my natural lashes these days thanks to Maximum Lash, and L'Oreal Lash Serum. : ) The L'Oreal Faux Cil Fiber Mascara is still my current favorite too. :)

Minh and I switched over to the iPhone 4S from Blackberry Bold while we were in Michigan. :) I can't believe how much we've been missing out! The iPhone is amazing! Blackberry were great for e-mail, but that's as good it gets for the Blackberry data plan. We both couldn't be more happy with our iPhones on the Verizon network. : ) It's SO much easier to share photos and communicate with everyone with an iPhone! You definitely will be seeing me more active on FB, Twitter/Instagram and Blogger! ^_^

View from my parent's house in Michigan. Now this is what snow looks like!
You can't even see the road. lol

Minh and I bought my parents a surprise gift while in Michigan. : )
We have this same TV, but last year's model and we absolutely love it! It's a Samsung 55" LED 8000 series. It's the best SmartTV ever! It's so cool because the 2011/2012 model fixed all the "flaws" consumers complained about! The remote is also a keyboard on the flip side. The TV comes with 2 pairs of 3D glasses. The bundle deal at Best Buy got us a Samsung 3D Blu Ray player, and an extra two pairs of 3D glasses! You can't beat that!
My dad is so happy! lol My dad really loves Minh because he teaches him how to use the TV, computer, etc. Minh's a great teacher. :D We also switched my parent's Direct TV plan to HD. They didn't know they weren't getting the best quality! I don't like it when sales people "trick" my parents. I always call and correct their error. Minh's parents got "tricked" also into signing up for the non HD Direct TV box. There's NO extra charge for HD. It upsets us so bad when things like this happen to our parents. Good thing they have American born children who can speak to any customer rep supervisor and explain the situation! : )

My Dad, Minh and I went to test drive the new Acura RDX. My Dad wanted to surprise my Mom with one when she got back from her trip. : ) She currently has a Honda CRV so the RDX is a great size car for her. My Dad is getting her a silver or graphite grey color after she test drives it. :D We love Mom!

I took Minh to meet my favorite cat cousin Nunu for the first time! :) He also met my Dad's older brother and his wife. It was his first time meeting them too. Nunu is even more of a cat-dog than our family's Tobey! Nunu will force you to play with him. :D I probably have over 50 pictures of Nunu on my phone! (My aunt says Nunu is a French name so it's okay that he's a boy named Nunu). lol His sister is Nana, but she's super shy, we just left her alone.

Minh and I went to get our annual teeth cleaning with my cousin Dr. T.
Someone had two cavities! It's great that Dr. T gives us a generous family discount. :) He rocks!
We're trying to get him out to Seattle to meet one of Minh's single cousin. ;) Minh knows my cousin is a great guy from a great family. And I know his cousin is a great girl from an amazing family as well. It will be perfect! I trying to get him to visit us in March!
On the last day in Michigan I earned my Gold card at Gun Lake Casino! I was in Michigan for 1 month and probably visited the casino 5 or 6 times. I earned 20,000 points in days! Play big to win big!! lol My dad has the Gold card and I was always jealous. Precious is finally mine! The next and final level up is the black card..which no one really has according to their Rewards center. I'm happy with my Gold card and flaunt it proudly at Gun Lake. They know you're big time if you're wearing the Gold! ; )

Gun Lake Casino is near my parent's house and everyone pretty much knows them there now. lol They frequent so often since both of their baby birds have flown the nest. One to Seattle, and one to Boston! : ) Anyhow..Gun Lake is such a fun casino! Minh won $1k minutes in, it was definitely pay out time that night. :D
Here's my latest picture of our family's 12 year old dachshund Heidi. She's such a sweetheart. She slept in my bed every night I was home. :) I miss her! I don't spoil Timmy or Wally like I did Heidi growing up. I don't want them to become too dependent emotionally on me. It was super hard for my Mom to leave for her trip because she knew Heidi would be sad. That's a big reason why I flew back to Michigan for a month's stay. Heidi's a big part of our family, and we want her to be comfortable at her age. ^_^

After we got back to Washington from Michigan (where we suffered a 7 hour flight). lol We met up with Minh's siblings and cousin for Korean BBQ at Blue Ginger in Bellevue. I've been here once before and it's pretty good. I think it's a tad bit over priced for Korean BBQ, but overall delicious. :)
Minh and I went home and passed out after dinner while everyone else went out to party. We heard all their fun drunk stories the very next day at Hue Ky in Viet Town. We all had their famously delicious Braised Duck Soup. :)

Minh's super sweet cousin Loan was visiting from Denver, which meant so were all of Minh's siblings and significant others. What's a more perfect time to use my Groupon for a dozen of Seattle's delicious Trophy Cupcakes (University Village location)! :) It was also Nikki's birthday (She's Minh's brother's adorable gf).
I'm so blessed to have so many new friends who I already consider my family. ^_~
I love them!! I think I finally grew up and realize how forever important they all are to me. They're my Washington family!

I went bowling for the first time since the 5th grade and I scored 2 strikes in a row! It was an amazing experience! I'm going to go bowling more often now! :)
Those first two strikes did come with a price! Each time I would be up to bowl, I'd break off a piece of my thumb nail. How am I supposed to nail blog now? lol Must take more Biotin!
This is Minh's new Dad Toyota Tundra. He let us borrow it since we're in the process of moving. :) His parents are also vacationing in Vietnam right now. This truck is incredibly hard to park in our building garage! All the spaces are so compact. lol Trucks aren't meant for city life at all.

Maxi Lambskin $4700 (The Maxi's were the only classic available at Nordstrom Flagship).

Maxi Caviar $4700. He brought this one out from the back for me. I guess they have to call back to get approval to bring out a new bag. It's interesting. Frederick told me the price increase on the small classic flap is $500, m/l increase is $600 and $700 for jumbo and maxi.
The WOC (wallet on chain) usually only increases by $100. I don't know if it will increase on February 1st. He says they don't increase too much on the WOC's.

$4700 for the Maxi. He almost convinced me to buy one, but my friend stopped me and told him a firm no. lol My goal is on the Chanel Jumbo Black Caviar Silver Hardware which they didn't have, of course. The wait list is 38 names long at Nordstrom! Fortunately, for me my friend was able to have her Neiman Marcus SA locate one for me from Houston, TX. :) She's big time, and I love it!

She busted out her monthly Nordstrom Notes to pay for her purchase and my jaw dropped. lol
The SA helped me arrange the notes so I could take a picture! She says this isn't the most she's gotten in one letter. lol You get a $20 note for every $2k you spend (sometimes you get double or triple points). But still..that's a lot of notes! : )

I really fancied the Mademoiselle clasp. But my friend reminded me my eye were only to look at the Classic Jumbo. :) She's such a great friend!

I was so happy to see the Camellia WOC and wallets! I've always thought they were super cute.
The WOC is $1600 if I remember correctly and the zippy wallet is $1000. I was debating between this WOC and the PST for my mother.

I left with the PST for my mom. Before I went into buy my bags, I called in to Nordstrom to make today my Triple Reward Points Day! It's so cool they offer this now to their card holders. You can pick the day you want to shop and get rewarded for shopping in Nordstrom Notes! I'm officially a Level 3 at Nordstrom out of 4. I get $300 worth of alterations and 3 personal Triple Reward Points Days!

I'm going to save this bag until her birthday in September! The light blue film on the hardware means it's new because it hasn't been peeled off and touched yet. :)
I am a lil bummed I can't use my triple points on my jumbo, but I'm really grateful that my friend is helping me get a jumbo from NM in Houston, TX shipped to the Pacific Northwest. *hearts*
I also picked up a pair of pearl drop CC earrings I know my mom has always wanted too. :) They will be her Christmas present next year. I love my mother and father! :D They really are the best! Minh's parents are amazing as well! I feel so blessed to have them in my life.

That's my friend's grey patent leather jumbo. Isn't it dreamy? She was wearing it the first day I met her and I knew we'd instantly become the best of friends! ^_~V

The Chanel pearl necklaces were gorgeous! I would love to own one someday!

Pearl-licious!

The sparkly blue WOC was super cute too!
I did pass on the enamel stud earrings because they just didn't feel high quality. They felt like a light plastic toy. The enamel was clear with a black background. They looked like toy plastic earrings on. They were priced at $300 (which is on the higher end for studs).
Studs currently are $265-$300 from my experience buying them today. I picked up 3 pairs in total. I will share pictures of my haul soon! : )

*iDrools*

I picked up the pair of earrings that are hidden in this gorgeous display.
They're an elegant silver crystal studs with black pearl drops (~10mm size). They're really cute! I love them!

Do you like Chanel jewelry? I think the designers there are amazing! They do such a great job at creating fabulous fashion jewels. My lifetime goal is to collection 50 pairs of Chanel earrings by age 50. I love and adore Chanel jewelry. I don't think I will ever get into fine jewelry apart from my engagement/wedding band. However, I do want the biggest and prettiest ones we can afford since I won't be asking for more in the future. Hint, hint! lol

Minh (on the left with his drink) and I came home after meeting with our friends to learn that the fire alarm had just went off in our building (again!) I felt so bad for all the food delivery guys! They all had to wait. The doors, the elevators were all "frozen." One of my neighbors told me he was locked in the parking garage the last time we had a fire alarm (real smoke/fire on my floor). The parking garage door wouldn't open to let cars leave! Isn't that crazy? The only way out was to take the stairs down to the street.
But yeah.. the building automatically locks all the access doors into the elevator lobby so we all were stuck waiting until the fire department came to save the day. We had the option of waiting outside too, but since we all knew it was a false alarm we all stayed warm inside! It's frigid out in Seattle tonight!
I love our current home. Can you believe we've lived here for nearly 2 years?
They always have something for us at the concierge desk. Today it's boutique dog biscuits from Scraps! I love that doggie boutique. It's 2 blocks from our place next to Whole Foods. They sell price-y pet accessories, and treats but it's still super fun to visit and browse. :) My neighbor bought his dog Cody a $100+ Swarovski crystal collar. He once asked if I got Wally a similar Swarovski collar there and I said no..I found it at TJ Maxx for $10-$20 and watched his jaw drop. lol He didnt' look like he's the type to even know what TJ Maxx carries. lol I bought Nickel a coat and harness there for nearly $60! lol They do give you a cute punch card though. I do like to support the local businesses. : ) That's how I justify paying higher prices for a specialty (probably unnecessary) item for the dogs.
I will miss you free fancy doggie treats and random coupons on the counter. I will miss you random free massages in the lobby. I will miss you the smell of free freshly baked Otis Spunkmeyer cookies everyday even though I never eat you. I will miss you building summer BBQ's and free random wine & cheese. I will miss you daily bulletin that tells me what's going on in Seattle. I will miss you community bulletin of what my neighbors are selling in building. I will miss you Met Tower's version of FB that allows me to know exactly who lives in what unit, and their occupation if they chose to share it. But most of all, I will miss hoarding all my neighbors recycled Bed, Bath, and Beyond coupons. LOL

Anyhow...the men in uniform came to our rescue! (We live two blocks from a fire department and one block from the police station). Sirens have become a part of my sleeping life. I won't miss you sirens that wake up my dogs and encourages them to howl in unison in the middle of the night. lol There have been so many struggles living in a building with furbabies. There are just too many furbabies in one building! Everyone has 2 dogs..the dog restroom area is always used. Doggies can't potty when other doggies are present. Sigh. They just want to sniff each other and play! It's a lot of work to be so dog owner social. I won't miss all the time I've wasted waiting with my dogs on another dog to poop in the designated doggie terrace area!!

But back to the local Seattle heroes!

Firefighters! Aren't they sexy? Minh LOL-ed so much at my "oh yeahhhh" commentary around our neighbors. It's okay, we're moving! You have to admit though..men in uniform are hott!
Get to know your neighbor time because the real fire alarm went off even though it was a false alarm alarm. Apparently, we all like to wear black at Met Towers. We're moving soon and we will be writing a review about our building and end unit Space Needle view living experience. I think we will be posting it on an apartment review website to help those who want to move here get the best for their buck. A few of our friends have inquired about living here, and it will be a great way to guide them into this building, or not. : ) Overall, I really enjoy our downtown living experience. I love the people who live and work here. I love the location, the views, the city. I will miss it very much.

Today I officially became a "home owner." lol It's a long story, but we're both very happy and moving forward! It's time for us to settle down and move away from the city to start a more calm life together with the dogs. I will be living down the street from my amazing new friends! They have two Maltese doggies and I know we all will have many future play dates with our doggies. My next big attainable goal is to become the president of my home owner's association (HOA!) Or at least be a member on the board of directors eventually. I'm completely into this stuff! I guess you can say I enjoy to spend my time in odd ways. I like to do things rather than leisurely do nothing. Granted, I spend most of my time at home, but I spend it all networking online and meeting new friends. I know Timmy, Wally, Nickel and I will be the best neighborhood watch ever! lol Chihuahua Penny might move in with us too if Minh's Mom lets her. :)

Yay! This year has started off on the right foot for us! Fo' sho.
Bow chicka wow wow. jk. lol
They had to bust open the door to the elevator lobby. I think it's a magnetic door.
It was quite exciting to watch them at work. But yeah..we're safe and comfortable now in our apartment unit. : ) The dogs are asleep. Minh and I are tuning into Late Night with my older man crush Craig Ferguson. Minh thinks I have weird taste in "celebrity men." I also find Alec Baldwin might attractive. lol But to keep it young, I do like Ryan Reynolds and Ryan Gosling! I'm a normal American girl!

Who are your celebrity crushes?
Leave a comment below and I will pick my favorite and gift you with a DSK Fresh Water Pearl, 14K Gold-Filled Necklace! I will ship anywhere!
: ) Thanks for reading everyone! I'll talk to you soon!

Iconic Chanel Bags (February 1st Price Increase)

2012-01-17T09:49:00.005-08:00

The Chanel Jumbo and Chanel Maxi are increasing by $700 each!
I don't believe there are any other increases by February 1st.

I'm getting my first Chanel bag tonight!! :)

Want

Want, lol

Chanel Cruise and Spring 2012 Jewelry/ Accessories!

2012-01-17T08:33:00.009-08:00

Special thanks to the wonderful Downtown Seattle Chanel Boutique SA at Nordstrom Flagship for the wonderful photos of the new Spring pieces. : ) I also have a few photos of the iconic Chanel bags that are available now at Nordstrom Flagship. Would you like to see those? The prices increase on them February 1st, 2012. :/

I'm going to walk over to Nordstrom after this post. It's my last 2 weeks living 2 blocks from Nordstrom Flagship so I'm going to enjoy it!!

:D Can you guess which two pairs of earrings I'm loving?

Enjoy the video I put together or scrolling through the photos below! : )

I can give you the SA contact if you're interested in anything that's available at the Nordstrom Flagship. He's help me before and is really nice! I also love his honesty. :D He won't let you leave with something you don't completely, absolutely love! But trust me..there's always something you LOVE in that boutique!

^ Tried them on. They're super light, look cute, but you can tell they're very cheaply made. It looks like clear plastic with a black backing. I passed!

^ I bought these! They're a bit larger than the Classics CC earrings. The black is leather.

^ My girl friend picked up these! The teal / blue is a bit darker in person. The photo isn't true to color. They're also made of leather. : ) Same size as the black one!

^ These were giant in person!
Very flashy!

I picked up a PST today, and 3 pairs of earrings at Nordstrom Flagship. I'm getting my Chanel Jumbo from Neiman Marcus later this week. : ) I will share photos soon! Thanks for reading!

Current Favorite Eyelash Products, L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm

2012-01-10T09:50:00.017-08:00

My lashes didn't get too damaged from the Brow Art lash extensions. (It's probably because they all fell out after 1.5-2 weeks.) Some of the extension took out my natural lashes, other just lost adhesive and feel off which I prefered in this case! lol You can still see the gaps from the lashes that fell out. But overall, not to bad thanks to the lash serums I've been applying every morning and night!
My latest favorite eyelash products. ; )
I've been using the Maximum Lash Serum religiously. (Google it! You'll find amazing reviews.) It works, however I did notice my lashes getting more dry and stiff. My natural lashes were shorter, but much softer than they are now.
I bought the L'Oreal Lash Boosting Serum and started applying it as a conditioner on my lashes. It really helps with the dry lashes.

The mascara I have on right now is the Voluminous False Fiber Lashes (Faux Cils) Waterproof Blackest Black. I really like it! It works great for my lashes. I didn't mean to purchase the waterproof version, but I don't hate it. : ) I'm a big fan of it's dryer formula and skinny mascara brush. I also bought the L'Oreal Million Lashes Mascara, Waterproof and I absolutely hate it! The brush is horrible, and the formula does nothing for my lashes. I'm glad I picked it up when it was on sale. Haha : )

I am also currently obsessed with my one and only L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm SPF 15! I've been wanting to share this since I've bought it on December 31st.
I found it at Target for around $6. It's very comparable to the Revlon Lip Butters but I like it more! It's more moisturizing and longer lasting than the butters. I feel like the makeup industry is setting us up to spend money with all these fun new lipstick, lipbalm products!

I picked out #118 Pink Satin because I love pink products. :)

I'm waiting for a Buy 1, Get 1 50% off sale at the drugstores, but I haven't found any yet!
I want to collect them all because I like this one so much. If I had to pick between L'Oreal Balm & Revlon Lip Butters, I would take the Balm! It's the first L'Oreal lip product that I don't mind smelling either. It lightly smells like vanilla bean. All other L'Oreal lip products drive me nuts because of the fragrance. All in all, I'm happy with my latest drugstore buys! :)

I leave you with photos of our family's favorite feline.

Tobey lives a good life with my parents. =^_^=

ZOYA Nail Polish Fans! Read!

2012-01-09T13:25:00.003-08:00

I almost forgot to share this code! I just realized it ends today.
Which Zoya polishes should I order?

"From now through 1/9/2012 11:59 PM ET we are going to let you try any* 2 bottles of Zoya Nail Polish for FREE on ZOYA.COM.
All you pay is the standard shipping charges.

As a bonus, you can purchase an additional $25 or more of Zoya or Qtica products and get FREE Shipping Too!..Bonus!"

Use Code: ZOYA2012

I love when Zoya has these promotions. :)

Chanel "May"

2012-01-08T19:27:00.003-08:00

Chanel "May"
I like it!

Favorite Flat Iron, and Lip Scrubs

2012-01-07T10:13:00.022-08:00

My best friend growing up introduced me to the hair flat iron when I was in high school. She changed my life forever and I thank her for it whether she knows it or not. : ) I have naturally wavy frizzy hair which is kind of odd for Asian hair. I'm pretty sure I grew up a little bit right after I learned how to straighten my hair. I find the flat iron is the easiest way to achieve a fast, polished look.

I have owned, and still do own many hair flat irons and I wanted to share with you my thoughts on three in particular. The CHI, GHD, and KQC. If DSK every makes a flat iron, I'll let you know! jk
(I went through the $20-$30 flat irons you can find at Target phase as a teen, and I wish I had a little bit more guidance at the time. I fried a section of my hair with a drugstore flat iron. And that was a bad experience..don't let it happen to you!)

Hair tools are an investment! Don't cheat your hair.

1. The CHI, found this one year at Costco. I have also found it at TJ Maxx, Marshalls as well. Price range: $60-70 (If you search online you can find this starting at $40.)

2. The GHD (limited edition white) from Sephora (similar here) during a 20% off Friends & Family sale last year. Price range: $185-$225

3. The KQC compliments of Flat Iron Experts (here) Price range: $100-300

They all are ceramic plated, and all have a similar body.

The GHD was my biggest splurge for a hair tool. I do love the limited edition white & pink butterfly packaging, but the CHI & KQC do the same job for a better value.

I currently have the red plated KQC traveling with me in Michigan. I do love the black and red because it reminds me of the classic pair of black Louboutins. : )

They all have the swivel cord which is a must! It just makes life easier when you style your hair.

The GHD does not have temperature control. It only has an on/off switch like the CHI.

The CHI on/off switch.

The KQC does have a temperature control which I really like. I like having the option of changing the heat setting. I find the GHD and the KQC heat up the fastest compared to the CHI.
I gave my CHI to Van since she lost hers on vacation. I have more flat irons than I know what to do with! However, I still would like to try out the T3 flat iron. :D I've heard great things and read great reviews on T3. I do have another flat iron in Seattle by Hana that I will be writing a separate review for when I get home. ^_^

I'm more of a flat iron girl rather than a curler girl. I still am in search of the perfect curling iron. Do you have any recommendations for me? I currently have a 1" and 2" Hot Tools curling iron from Ulta. I am in the market for an amazing 1 1/2" barrel curler. I need your help for that one! :)

Now, let's talk affordable shampoos and conditioners!
I'm pretty easy when it comes to hair products (apart from my favorite Morrocanoil Hair Mask).
I like to try new brands, high and low. I notice the more affordable products work best for my hair type. I have light thin/fine hair, but wavy? It doesn't make much sense to me either. lol

Kirkland Signature is Costco's private label brand. I believe each giant bottle was around $7-8.
They lasted me well over 3 months. I like the shampoo, but I'm indifferent about the conditioner. It does nothing for my hair. I'm really loyal to the Moroccanoil hair mask that can be used as a conditioner.

Let's talk about the John Frieda products my friend Marisa and I hoarded off the Target clearance shelves. lol I think we paid $2-4 for each product.
John Frieda Full Repair Full Body Shampoo. I can't really say I have that damaged of hair right now because I've been growing it out for the past 2 or so years. I do like this shampoo a bit better than the Costco shampoo.
The John Frieda Full Repair Conditioner is just okay. It's nothing special, I'm glad I paid clearance price for it! : )

The John Frieda Full Repair Hair Mist is awesome! I am a big fan of spray leave in conditioners and this product does the job. : ) It makes my hair feel really nice after I wash my hair.
Out of the JF products I've tried in the past and present. I really like the "Blonde" glossing hair gel/cream and this hair mist! I don't even know if they make the gloss cream anymore, but it was amazing for flat ironing your hair.

The hair set below was a gift from the ever so kind Van.
She uses it and she loves it. I will be trying it out after I get home!
I don't have thick/coarse hair, but hopefully it will give me thicker hair! lol My significant other man friend does have thick hair so I'm sure he can use this too. Or maybe..she gave it tous so she can have her shampoo/conditioner ready when she visits us on the weekends! That sneaky Van, I tell you. lol jk, we love her!!

Does anyone use Joico products?

Joico Shampoo
Joico Conditioner
Bonus treatment hair cream! I'm really looking forward to trying out Joico products.

Now onto my favorite lip scrubs! I have not suffered from chapped or dry lips since I started using a lip scrub in the shower.
The Lip Strip (Cooling Sugar) by Laura Geller came in a lip kit from Sephora. I am so in love with this scrub! I just did a quick search on it and I found it at Macy's (here). It looks like Ulta also carries Laura Geller products too.

It retails for $19 for 1 oz, but mine has lasted for well over 6 months! I have not had dry, chapped lip since I started using this product. This is the first Laura Geller product I've tried and I'm really impressed. The Lip Strip leaves your lips feeling fresh (probably because there's menthol in it). :D I'm sure anyone can make their own sugar, honey lip scrub a home, but realistically for me..it's just too messy. I cringe at the thought of dealing with sticky honey on the kitchen counter. 0_O lol

The CO Bigelow Lip Buffer can be found at Bath, and Body Works. It can't be more than $10. I like it too, but I love the Lip Strip so much more. I keep both in my shower rotating accordingly ^_^.
The Lip Strip looks like a thick lip balm with a little bit of oil, and sugar like grains (it's probably sugar). I'm sure we can research it on the web to get the facts!
I just get a little bit on my finger and exfoliate my lips, and rinse it off with water.
The CO Bigelow lip buffer conveniently comes in a tube which is a plus! There's no sugar like grains in this, it's more of a gentle scrub like texture bead (but not really). It's hard to explain because I got dumber watching too much reality TV at my parent's house.

All I can tell you right now is if the Laura Geller Lip Strip came in a tube, life would be that much better. : )

I'll catch up with you all later! I'm going to head to the grocery store with my dad. I'm going to impress him by cooking Vietnamese congee! And the pork spare ribs recipe Minh's mom taught me. : )

Michigan Living!

2012-01-06T09:12:00.005-08:00

I feel like my old self when I'm in Michigan since I grew up all my life in this mitten state.
I really like getting to be the old me at home with my family and relatives. I guess you could say life is a little bit more carefree for me when I'm around family. There's always someone taking care of me here. My dad insists on doing everything for me! I feel like he still doesn't remember I'm 24, and not 14 anymore. lol My aunt cooks me delicious Viet food almost everyday. I feel really blessed to have such an awesome family. :)

I'm spending as much time as possible with my cousins before they head back to university on Monday. I've been back to school shopping with them, and I can't help but shop for myself, my dad, and Minh!

I came across the prettiest pair of Ugg slippers! I've always wanted a pair of these fuzzy things, but never felt like I needed them until..I saw them in red sparkle! lol

They were $100 at this small sporting goods, shoe store called Merell's in Woodland Mall.
I'm going to research them online to see if they're available anywhere else. I don't want to buy too much here and have to pay to ship everything to Seattle.

The other day in my parent's neighborhood. lol
Ice! The main roads were all clear, but it seems like they're cutting back on the city salt trucks and skipping over the neighborhoods. The snow and ice have all melted since the sun has been out the past few days. It's incredibly nice here right for winter.

They had 50% off sale items at Banana Republic! The 50% sale started yesterday so check out your local BR's! I bought so many pieces for Minh and my Dad! I did snag a few things for myself. : ) I even got a nice sweater for one of my cousins who's a math teacher. The deals were just too good! For example, I got Minh a light peacoat for $34.99.
I did give in and signed up for a BR cc, and got another 15% off my purchase.

Look at the grey hairs on the top of Heidi's head!
I gave myself a manicure and painted them with Chanel "May."
I love it!

Pink nails, pink glitter TOMS : ) I was so happy yesterday.

Tobey's been my bff reading blogs. He loves to chill with me at home.

He's a giant sweetheart. I love him so much!

I also came across this crazy looking fruit called "Buddha's Hand" at Meijers (popular Midwest grocery chain).

I'm still sick with the common cold, but I've been taking Muxinex. It's really does help!
I'm trying to stay home, but it's just too hard to go out and play with my cousins. I did rent "I Don't Know How She Does It" with Sarah Jessica Parker to watch.

I'm currently watching The Wendy Williams Show. lol I don't know why I never watched it before, but it's such an entertaining talk show!

Happy New Year!! and Chanel, "June"

2012-01-03T11:46:00.003-08:00

Happy New Year!

I'm so excited it's 2012. : )
Bf and I celebrated our 5 year (we think) anniversary. Woohoo!! We didn't get to spend it together this year, but he'll be here next week to celebrate with me. :) He got to enjoy the Space Needle fireworks from our place in Seattle, Washington with the dogs. I rang in the new year at Firekeeper Casino in Battle Creek, Michigan with my Viet family, relatives, etc. It's was insane.so.many.people. We didn't end up leaving until the next morning at 9am. My relatives are so passionate about poker. lol

I've been spending all my time with my dad, relatives, and friends!
My mom and sister call and text from their vacation in Vietnam almost everyday too. :D
I'm glad my sister went so she can tell me how it is over there in the "motherland." It's pretty cool that she met some of our cousins and now we're all FB friends! The internet rules.

I love being in Michigan (minus the brisk cold weather). It's SO incredibly comforting to know that everyone I know lives within a 25 mile radius! lol
My Aunt, and her family literally lives down the street. It's awesome! She's been teaching me how to cook a few Vietnamese dishes. When Minh arrives on Jan 10, she's going to teach both of us how to make Banh Bao (Vietnamese/Chinese pork bun). Yay!!

It's been icy out on the roads for the past 3 days so I try not to leave the house. Driving on ice is always a little thrilling..because when your car slides it's super fun unless you're about to crash into someone else or a lamp post, etc. Many Grand Rapids, Michigan drivers (especially the younger population) are really brave when they're out and about in the snow. They're fearless!! "We" still go to the grocery store when it's 20 degrees and snowing outside. Everyone needs to go to work, so we brave the elements! :D

Anyhoo, I'm just super excited to be home. Now it's time for the new polish!
I picked up Chanel "June" and "May" from the counter in Macy's. In my hometown..Macy's is as fancy as it gets for our two shopping malls. :) I do love the 6% Michigan sales tax!

Pretty plastic Chanel tops justify our purchase? It probably does.. lol

I painted my nails with 3 coats of "June" because I felt 2 was too sheer. I didn't get even coverage with 2 coats. My friend Angie *Shout out to my fellow 2o something-crazy-dog-lady-favorite- Oregon-friend ever!* said she felt it was streaky. We were both not impressed. *sad faces*

The color is just not flattering to me once applied. It looks pretty...not cute with my skin tone. I'm going to give it a second chance and try it with two coats on short nails. I have a feeling I will like it more when my nails are shorter. I do love the finish of this creamy polish though. Chanel rarely fails at delivering a quality polish. I've had this on for the past 5 days at least and it still looks perfect.

As for right now..it's not one of those colors to get you compliments in my opinion! I almost want to hide my fingers when I pay for something at the store. lol Harsh..I know. Sorry June!

The glitter is Essie's "Set in Stone." It also didn't look good with Chanel "June."
She look gorgeous in the bottle and shouts Spring happiness. But that's about it for me!
I passed on "April" even though it's my birth month because the red color didn't impress me at the counter.

I am looking forward to wearing "May" later this week. : )

I was really disappointed in this pretty in the bottle apricot-peachy polish. I had such high hopes for it. lol I wonder if I will feel this same sadness with "May."

I'll keep you updated. Let me know your thoughts on "June" if you picked it up, or your thoughts on it from research online. I do plan on trying "June" again with two coats, but if I don't love, it's going on my blog sale! If you're interested at all (US only), please let me know through e-mail: nguyenst@msu.edu

Also! To update you on my Brow Art (Seattle, WA) lash extensions..they all fell out after 1 and half weeks! The set I got at Swink lasted for a good 3 weeks before a fill! You really do get what you pay for ($99 full set lash extensions), but at least they were nice for the few days I got to spend with my mom and sister before they left for Vietnam. :D

Thanks for stopping by everyone! My dad is almost home from work so I'm going to chill with him. : )

Tobey cat, Tobey cat, I love you.

2011-12-27T16:08:00.007-08:00

Tobey is our family's cat. He's 9.
We adopted him from a farm feed store called Home Acres when he was a kitten.
He was the runt of his litter and grew into a giant house cat. lol
Well, he is more of a cat dog. He's super outgoing and loves people. :) I love it when house guests are caught off guard when Tobey jumps up and paws/massages their behinds begging for attention. Haha, it's the best!!

Hi, I'm Tobey.

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas!

The winner of my secret blog mini Revlon Lip Butter (Cotton Candy) giveaway is Tiffyama!
E-mail me with your name and address girlfriend! : )

Thanks for visiting everyone!

Michigan Haul Part 1!

2011-12-23T06:37:00.012-08:00

Firstly, I woke up this morning to a picture text of my mother getting her eyebrows tattooed! lol
She's a brave one. She even has her eyeliner tattoo (which looks really pretty!)
I had an eye exam appointment yesterday at 3:40pm at Walmart! I absolutely love my eye doctor that I've been going to for years and years. The opticians are also super duper friendly awesome people. : ) I can't wait to see them again when I pick up my new contact lenses in a few days. : ) Eye doctor gave me a sample of the new Opti-Free Pure Moist contact solution to try out which is super awesome! My official new contact prescription for contacts are -6.50 in both eyes! Woohoo, they finally evened out. :) I ordered a year supply of Acuvue Oasis and the total was $219 (in case anyone was wondering what a year supply of regular lenses cost). My Michigan eye exam for both contacts and glass was $75, which is a great deal for someone without vision insurance, like me!

I also picked up a $4.47 box of 5 Minute White Teeth Bleaching Gel! I also grabbed two Youth Mouth Guards to use as my teeth bleach trays. : ) Works like a charm! I also grabbed a Neutrogena Naturals face wash since I'm without my Peter Thomas Roth face cleanser here in MI. I'll let you know how I like it in a minute.

Lime Twist Carmex? Yes, please (while I was at the store). I came home, tried it out and wasn't really in love with it. At least it was only two bucks.

The two nail polishes you saw yesterday from Target. :)

More Revlon Lip Butters!! I already gave some to my mom to give to her friends in Vietnam.
These are what I picked up at Meijer since they're having a buy 1, get 1 50% off deal going on right now. :D I really do like these lippies. I plan on sharing them with my friends.
I'm also going to be giving my favorite Cotton Candy away to one of you!
Leave me a comment in this post with your name, where you're from, and what you're doing this holiday season! :) I wanted to hide this mini giveaway inside my post for my favorite readers. I love you girls!

I also found my way to TJ Maxx! I grew up wearing a lot of clothes from TJ Maxx since my mom loved to browse there. :) I found so many cute Crystallized Swarovski dog collars!

They're XS and S, so they're for Nickel and my dog nephew Ty!
The small might be able to fit my little Wally bear monster too. :)
I miss my little guys so much!

The pink one is for Heidi, and the one with studs is for Timmy!

I also stopped by Pet Supplies Plus (my high school teacher's husband owns the chain!) to pick up a few things for Heidi. I need to give her a nice bath and clean out her ears. Heidi is an old lady now at 12 years old (84 years old in dog years!). I picked out some Senior doggie vitamins for her. I hope they will help her give her a little energy. If you have an old timer at home, what do you recommend they take for joint health?

I later found myself at Nordstrom Rack! lol We only have one Nordstrom Rack in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area. You know I had to browse that!! What I love about a small town..is the fact that many people don't care for designer shoes. Which means..more for me to look at and browse through! I found another pair of the Tory Burch glitter flats! I found them in the grey I already had and this gorgeous black with blue sparkles!! I think I know which pair I'm going to keep!
Tory Navy/Avatar Blue Katie Shoes!
Nordstrom Rack price: $149.99
It wouldn't be a lie if I told you I'm going through my glitter phase.

Thank you for carrying my lovely new shoes Nordstrom Rack, Grand Rapids!
You are so pretty sparkly blue color glitter!!!
Yup, they're keepers. The other black pair can go back to Nordstrom Rack, fo sho.
I wear 7 1/2 in TB flats which are very true to size for me.
Pink glitter TOMS! Yay!! My first pair of glitter ones. :) I love them!

I wear size 8 in TOMS leaving room for socks! I had a pair of 7.5 in TOMS, but I found them a bit too snug. Is that odd? Reviews always say TOMS stretch out and are pretty true to size.
A little childish, but hey..when in Michigan. ; )

I woke up early 8:45AM to go on a trail hike with my dad..but now it's 10AM and he isn't even ready to leave yet. The man showers before he exercises..now I see where I get it from! My dad!

Talk to you later!

Essie "Play Date" and Luxeffects "Set in Stones"

2011-12-22T15:44:00.010-08:00

I saw Essie "Play Date" and "Set in Stones" on my Target trip the other night. I passed on them even though I really wanted them. I couldn't stop thinking about it when I was about to redo my nails in my mom's salon...so I went to Target! lol
I love that my parent's house (well neighborhood) is literally across the street from a huge shopping center. :D Don't worry Marisa, it's not a crazy busy traffic area because they live in the suburbs of Michigan. : )

Essie "Play Date" with flash. : )

"Play Date" is a cream bright lavender purple. It's more on the pink/red side of purple rather than blue. I love this polish because it matches my blog layout!!

Add some flair with Essie Luxeffects "Set in Stone."

Can you believe that's one coat of the glitter? I didn't know Essie made such amazing glitter polish! I'm really impressed Essie! :D

I am in love with this combination! Each polish was $7.79 at my local Target.

The following are photos taken just now (at night) without flash.

You must get the glitter!! I can't get over how amazing this glitter applied on my nails.
One coat was magic!

Let me know if you picked up any polishes from Essie Luxeffects!

Why Wally, Why??

2011-12-22T09:55:00.004-08:00

Minh text me this picture just now...he asked if it's normal that Wally plays with my leopard print shoes that say AGL.

My heart dropped when I heard this news from Seattle! I went through so much to get this pair of shoes!! First they sent me a mix-matched pair..then I went through three different price adjustments in stores!! :-(

Minh cannot be trusted to watch his own dogs!

He then sent me a picture of "the perpetrator."
Now how can I stay mad?

Shoes!

2011-12-21T12:35:00.006-08:00

Nordstrom Exclusive Leopard Fleece TOMS!
I order these a few weeks back and they arrived just in time for my trip home. : )
They're so comfortable! I love them! I ordered the leopard sequins pair too but my order got canceled the multiple times I tried to order when they were in stock. They look so cute too! They also have a different sole which I am really curious about. If you can still get your hands on these fleece leopard print TOMS, go for it! They're awesome. :D

Bf and I browsed Nordstrom Rack at Factoria Mall in Bellevue the other day and I found these super comfy (and cute) Torby Burch flats! I found the grey pair first, but later saw a black pair on the other side of the shoe rack. I couldn't decide on color so I snagged both. Which pair do you think I should keep? Or should I return both? They were $149 each (regularly $260). I thought it was a fair deal for leather comfy flats. : ) I like the sparkle too!

I do have a lot of pairs of flats already, but I wear them often. I like to rotate my shoes daily so I don't wear down one pair too quickly.

I tweeted about this gorgeous pair of Valentino bow pumps and got so much feedback!
They were size 37 which is half a size too small for me. These beauties were priced at $299 which is a really good deal for such pretty pearl, and gold hardware shoes! They're the definition of princess shoes. : ) I love the Nordstrom Rack at Factoria. I used to browse every other day when I lived nearby. Good thing I'm moving back to that side of town! lol I can leisurely stalk the designer shoe rack and share my fun finds on twitter. :D

I was tempted to go back to Nordstrom Rack before I headed to the airport, but we ran out of time. I was thinking about picking up the princess shoes just because they're so pretty!

I just googled the shoes....and...whoa...they're still available at Nordstrom online for $995!
I knew I should have picked them up! I wonder if it's too late to send bf out to get them. lol

My Two Favorite Skin Care Products

2011-12-20T16:49:00.007-08:00

Greetings from Kentwood, Michigan!! Mom made me a nice hot bowl of bun bo hue when I got home from the airport. Yum!!

It feels amazing to be back in my hometown. : ) I got to spend two days with my mom and sister before they leave for Vietnam tomorrow morning. I've been visiting my relatives and hanging out with my cousins. I love being home! I love spending time with our family's cat Tobey, and dog Heidi too. :D

My dad and I are going to be buying a new small SUV for my mom while she's gone! It's going to be so fun to test drive a bunch of mid size SUV's this coming week. When you live in MI, it's more comforting to have an all wheel drive vehicles to navigate through all the winter snow! I won't get to see my mom and sister when they get back because I need to get back to Seattle to pack up my crib. I'll be back to visit with Minh in February. : )

Now on to the fun beauty related stuff! I've been loving the two following products so so much!
I wanted to share my latest switch up in skincare with you. :D

Peter Thomas Roth Anti-Aging Buffing Beads
A nice size bottle came free with my purchase of the Clarisonic last year and I just started using a few months ago. It's a gentle exfoliating face cleanser. I absolutely love it!

Lancome Genifique Youth Activating Cream Serum

I had the 7 day sample, and I'm sold! It has been keeping my skin soft, smooth, and hydrated this winter. :)

What are your favorite skincare products? I would love to hear them!

Nicole by OPI, "Kourt is Red-y For a Pedi" and OPI, "Gettin' Miss Piggy With It!"

2011-12-18T15:00:00.004-08:00

Nicole by OPI, "Kourt is Red-y For a Pedi" and OPI, "Gettin' Miss Piggy With It!"

OPI, "Gettin' Miss Piggy With It!"

"Kourt is Red-y for a Pedi" is the perfect red orange polish! If I had to pick just one regular polish from the Nicole by OPI 'Kardashian Kollection' it would be this one!

"Gettin' Miss Piggy With It" is as pretty as it looks in the bottle. I wasn't able to capture the sparkle and glitter in photo. I gave bf's mom a glitter-y manicure last weekend with this polish and she really liked it. It's adds the perfect holiday sparkle to the happy holiday season. : )

This is my weekly manicure, what's yours? :D

EOTD: KATE Select Eye Colors 01

2011-12-17T10:21:00.003-08:00

Good morning, good morningggggg!
I am enjoying my makeup routine with these lash extensions!
It was so fast I had extra time in my morning to snap a few photos to share. :D

I just dusted my eyes with a few soft eye shadows and I'm pretty much done. : )

I also quickly rimmed my waterline with my favorite Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes 01 Pencil.
I didn't apply mascara to the lower lashes.

This fabulous KATE Select Eye Colors 01 palette was a gift from my friend Lara! Thank you Lara! She always spoils me with fun Asian makeup. :-)

This palette is everything you would need for a neutral look!
I don't know too much about the KATE brand, but I do know I love their eyeshadows.
I never have any issues with eye shadow fall out.

The simple look with flash! I love how the lashes are long enough where I don't need to line my eyes to look alive!! haha
I'll post more FOTD (Face of the Day) soon!!

I need to go do my hair and then I'm off to explore Pike Place Market with the best friend forever bf!

Have a fantastic start to your weekend everyone!!

Nail Polish Haul!

2011-12-16T22:03:00.003-08:00

You all know I love my glitter polishes. : )
I can't wait to display them on my future nail polish rack after the move!

Essie "As Gold As It Gets"

Sephora by OPI "Flurry Up!"

Sephora by OPI "Traffic-Stopper Copper"

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

I Got Lash Extensions!

2011-12-15T16:19:00.003-08:00

I went to get my eyebrows threaded for the first time at the new Brow Art in Westlake Center (Seattle, WA) last night. I have a Brow Art membership to get my eyebrows and lip threaded so I wanted to use it up before I left for my month long trip to Michigan. I overheard some ladies at the salon talking about the $99 lash extensions. You know I booked my appointment ASAP! lol I made my appointment for this morning at 9:30am. I walked Minh half way (one full block) to his work too..or more like he walked me to get my lashes done. lol

I came in at 9:30am and left at 11:40am. :D Lutmi spent a full 2 hours working on my extensions. She even gave me a blanket so I wouldn't get cold. lol Usually, I just fall asleep since they tape down your eyes anyways. Her and I spent the full 2 hours talking about different Asian cultures. She's originally from Nepal. I've never met anyone from Nepal so it was really fun to learn about her country. ^_^

She says lash extensions will soon be offered at most of the Brow Art locations. Many of the Brow Art locations are found in the middle of big shopping malls in Washington, California, and Florida. They're known for their eyebrow threading. I learned a lot of about the business and the owners from my lash girl!

I couldn't believe they offer a full set for $99! Fills are only $40! At most places, the price ranges from $150-$200 for the full set and $50-$75 for fills. Brow Art pays their employees hourly so she took her time. I loved that! If you would like, you can read about my very first lash extension experience last year here. :D

Lutmi suggested I get my lash fill in 2.5-3 weeks, even though the lashes can last up to 4 weeks. After 4 weeks they start falling out and you end up needing to pay full prices to get a new full set (2hrs). In the past, I've gotten them filled 2 or 3 times. The first time I waited too long and the girl yelled at me. lol She says she can only fill as much as 1 hour would allow.

I've been using Maximum Lash serum (and Lashem serum) and they really has lengthen and condition my natural lashes. They work quick too! I love my natural eye and eye color (above), but I have to rely on my prescription circle lenses (below) because I'm out of my clear contacts. I haven't had a chance to visit the eye doctor for a new prescription. Hopefully, I can get that taken care of in Michigan. : )

The Hana Iceye Brown lenses have been my favorite pair so far. They're incredibly comfortable and do not look too crazy for daily wear.

I'm not exactly sure which circle lenses I'm wearing, but I do know that they're from Kiwiberry1 Collection. Kiwi is my go to girl for circle lenses. :-) If she sees this picture, she'll be able to tell me which pair these lenses are ~ she's just that good!

The lash serums have helped lengthen my lashes, but I never find my natural lashes to be full enough for me. I guess that's where awesome mascara comes into play. I've been using Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash. I think it's a great mascara for girls with thinner lashes. I love the dry formula on my lashes. I have the waterproof version too, but I haven't used it yet. :D

My sad sad natural lashes. lol Minh's lashes are so full and dark!
It's crazy!! My cousin Ryan's lashes too! He has gorgeous lashes. It's never any fair when boys in your family have prettier lashes than the girls!

What a difference, right?! ^_~

The After, talk about an upgrade! LOL

Long lashes instantly glams up the eyes. Don't you think? :)
I wasn't planning on getting lash extensions, but I couldn't resist the $99 deal at Brow Art. Plus, I figured it's nice to have maintenance free eyes during my holiday break. All I really need is some black eyeliner for a polish eye look. I really recommend trying out lash extensions if you're curious. Do they damage your natural lashes? They do since you're adhering fake mink hairs to your lashes, but your natural lashes shed anyways. I like that I can rely on my favorite lash serums, Maximum Lash, and Lashem eyelash serums to grow out my lashes after.

Go back and take a look at my very first set of extensions, let me know which set looks better to you. Regardless, you can't beat the $99 price for 2 hours of patient work. lol The lashes feel a lot more natural this time around. I think it's because they use mink hairs at Brow Art.

I'm so happy they opened a Brow Art at Westlake Center! I love the girls who work there too. They're so incredibly nice. I'm going to take Van here to get her first set when I get back.

Speaking of Van..our Chicken Wing Battle 2011 Smackdown was such an embarrassing fail. Her wings came out overly salty because Minh's Mom cooked (fried) it wrong (she cooked both of ours for us since I was doing Van's practice engagement makeup).. lol Mine (baked) came out overly sweet because I went crazy with the brown sugar and honey in my marinade. Sigh. It's sad when the people eating your wings have to get a bowl of plain white rice to offset the intense flavors...

After a day of shopping, we came home to find one of my wings left on the plate. : ( All of Van's wings disappeared (I bet she threw them all away to look like someone ate them all). JK lol

In movie news, Minh and I watched "The Help" last night. It was such a great movie! I highly recommend it!

I have another giveaway (makeup related) coming up! There will be 5 winners too! ^_^

I'll give you the details next week from Michigan. I booked my tickets 4 days before my trip..I fly out on Sunday, Minh's 29th birthday. *sad face*
At least I get to spend the morning with him before I fly out at 3:16pm. : )
I'll be gone from December 18, 2011 through January 14, 2011! Distance makes the heart grow fonder, right? ^^ I hope that's the case!

I'm going to spend some quality time with my dad and relatives since my mom and sister are going to Vietnam for a whole month. When I get back to Seattle will be the time I need to pack up and move! I'm going to miss out on New Year's fireworks at the Space Needle this year, and our anniversary too! lol January 2012 is also our last month in our cozy Downtown Seattle apartment. Can you believe we've lived here for nearly 2 years? January and February will be a very exciting month for us. We finally found that perfect house in the suburbs! :D

Talk to you all from hometown Grand Rapids, Michigan!

Toffee

2011-12-13T17:02:00.006-08:00

I picked out toffee brown when I got my hair done. :)
I also finally got my hands on the House of Harlow 1960 Necklace!

Nicole by OPI, "Listen to Your Momager!" "Kendall on the Katwalk"

2011-12-10T10:00:00.002-08:00

The Kardashians have invaded the nail polish industry!
I do like their "kollection" of Nicole by OPI nail "kolors" quite a bit! (14 shades in total!)
I think the women in their family have great taste in everything beauty. :)

I paired "Listen to Your Momager" (midnight blue) with "Kendall on the Katwalk" glitter (aquamarine, midnight blue glitters).

I really love these two polishes paired together because they're mother-daughter!! lol
But really, I like the hint of midnight blue glitter in the fun aquamarine, turquois-y glitter polish.

"Kendall on the Katwalk"

"Listen to Your Momager!"

This is what the colors look like on shorter nails.

Completely cute in my opinion! I loveee midnight blue polishes ever since I was a little girl in my mother's nail salon. :D

It reminded me of the Swarovski Crystal color "Bermuda."
Don't you think? :D

This is my fun weekend manicure!

I'll keep you updated on the chicken wing battle between me and Van. :D
She had the nerve to tell me over the phone to make 2-3 wings because everyone will be eating her wings..Plz...we'll see about that!!

I'm confident in my "secret" (well..secret from Van) recipe, and I can't wait to impress the bf's family!!

I'll document the recipe for you next week just in case you ever have a chicken wing challenge to attend!

Have a fantastic weekend everyone! Happy holiday shopping! :)

NARS Danmari All About Cheeks Palette!

2011-12-09T15:59:00.013-08:00

I like the box it comes with! It looks like it would be very easy to gift wrap. : )

NARS packaging always look so sleek when it's new. After a few uses it becomes so blahh.
It's a magnet for dust!

The back has a sticker of the name of the palette and all the colors.

My friend Lara totally talked me into getting this palette! I wasn't planning on getting it because I have had 3 of the 6 colors. lol
I do love the fact that it's compact! :)

I snagged one from Sephora for Lara too!

You can find the names of this palette at Sephora (click here).
I don't want to write out inappropriate words on my innocent blog! lol

I'm going to be using this palette this weekend so I'll post pictures soon. :D
We're going to practice Van's engagement, wedding makeup this weekend so we'll experiment with the colors for sure. : )

The size in comparison to a regular full size NARS blush.

It's quite a bit smaller than the full size, but how can you resist a NARS cheek palette?!
I recently bought my first full MAC blush palette from a blog sale! I can't wait to share that one too. I am so in love with it! : ) I don't know why, but I'm all about blushes right now. Maybe it's the chilly weather that's causing me to lust after rosy cheeks!

Random: I got my hair done on Tuesday and it's a different color! :D
More on that later. ;)

You can find this Danmari palette at Sephora online, or in stores. It's usually sold out so stalk the website or your local Sephora! The palette retails for $65 which is a really great price for NARS blushes in my opinion. Can you believe they're going on Ebay for around $100?

Did you get this palette?

Random...

What I did today: Stalked a bum 4 times on my walk (we had 3 hours to kill in Renton because I got my car detailed through a Groupon). I talked to the man with the sign 2 times asking about his dog that I don't even think belongs to him!! I wanted to offer him money for the dog, but Minh says it's mean of me to take away his only friend../man's best friend. Sigh. :(
I can totally tell the man with the sign was not a dog person, he kept pointing at it and talking to it.. it was sad.
The dog kept barking at the bum too! I have a feeling it's not his dog..and he just found it.
Do you think the man dressed up his dog? That was a red flag!
I did see that he had a bowl of water for the dog. :/
What do you do in situations like this? My big issue was the fact the dog was freaking out and barking at the man with the sign. I pet the dog, he seemed pretty well fed, and healthy.
He says the dog's name is Brown Bear. He's a pom/dachshund mix, and not even a year old.
I'll be back to check on you Brown Bear and Mr. Bum Man. I'm not cool with that short leash either!

OPI "Meep Meep Meep"

2011-12-05T21:44:00.004-08:00

"Meep Meep Meep"
OPI The Muppets Collection

Hey everyone! I had on "Meep Meep Meep" over the weekend, and I realized that it's not a very photogenic red. It's prettiest in person, fo' sho'
"Meep Meep Meep" is also a very wearable holiday red with a hint of shimmer. I think this would make a wonderful stocking stuffer!

In life news, M and I went to his cousin's baby's Viet "day thang" (full month birthday) party. I got to me some of his relatives I've never met before. : )
We hung out with his siblings the rest of the weekend and made some new friends too!

Van (his sister) and I are already planning next weekend's chicken wing battle. I have a secret marinate recipe, and so does she..so we're going to see whose wings comes out supreme!!

We've been seeing a lot of his family more since his cousin's baby came into the world. It's been really fun getting to know his family better. I couldn't be happier!

I'm also going to be doing Van's makeup for her engagement and wedding!! She's getting married in August which gives us a good amount of time to prepare.
We're going to be playing around with different looks whenever we see each other. The plan is to collect inspiration for her wedding looks, and practice them in different variations until her wedding day. :) I'm taking photos along the way and if she's cool with sharing them on blog, I will post for you to see!

We're all very excited for 2012. : )
Minh and I are going to be moving!