♥ Mishi à la mode ♥

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

2012-02-02T21:35:00.000-08:00

Egyptian Magic is all the rave with extremely great reviews online and given a lot of bragging rights for many bloggers with results of perfect skin...as for me.. quite the opposite. I have no doubt this is a great product because is very moisturizing and rich in natural oils but unfortunately my skin is too sensitive for it. After a week of using this at night, my face broke out like a teenager at the prime of puberty. *sigh*

But since this has really good natural oils and ingredients such as olive oil, beeswax, honey, bee pollen, royal jelly, etc. I have continued using it for my hands and feet. and the results are so far so good.

For more information... Click HERE

These are the ugly results of using this. I have combination to oily skin and really sensitive as well. These types of acne seem to be grown under my skin (same as when I used MAC products, yes I am allergic to MAC skin care and face makeup) Usually my acne are only on the surface but this time it was miserably stuck underneath it.

MY CURE

I started fixing my skin immediately with my army of acne fighting soldiers.

1. Neutrogena On-the-Spot

This is my default product and I can not live without having one at home as a guardian. I usually put this on at night on areas that I see blemish and works extremely well with fast acting results.

2. Etude House AC Clinic (Pink Powder Spot & Red Spot Balm + Whitening)

The Pink Powder Spot is exactly the same is Mario Badescu's Drying and I usually apply this for really stubborn pimples and I leave this over night for treatment.

Red Spot Balm + Whitening is a cooling gel/creme with a really minty feel after application. I like putting this on both morning and night to lessen the skin irritation and rid some of the redness.

3. Burt's Bees Herbal Blemish Stick

As the name says...this blemish stick has is a drying medication that has a hint of herbal medication smell. Because of this smell, I only use this at night. Application is on a roller ball at the top of the stick. I recommend using alcohol wipe after every use to avoid any contamination.

My Skin is a working progress and recovering but I hope it'll be healed within a month. WISH ME LUCK! I highly recommend trying out samples before purchasing a jar of the actual Egyptian Magic. Are there any products to cure acne that you recommend?

♥Mishi♥

Color Blocking Daytime Makeup

2012-01-29T16:31:00.000-08:00

currently obsessed with color blocking!! Love mixing and matching bright colors. Here is a color block day time makeup with Revlon and MAC goodies.

Perhaps I should have gone with Coral for my top lips?! Well either way, I thought this was a fun look for the weekend but probably not the best for work (depending on your industry). hehe How do you like to add color blocking to your routine?

♥Mishi♥

Don't forget to join my Giveaway... everyone's a winner!!! 7 Winners total~

Enter HERE: SNEAKPEEQ

Click here for more info: GIVEAWAY DETAILS

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR & Shop. Mishialamode

2012-01-22T23:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year! 2012 Year of the Dragon!!!

Wishing everyone a healthy, prosperous, and lucky 2012 ^_^

祝您：逢龍年，辦龍事，做龍人，走龍運，發龍財，龍氣沖天嗷嗷叫，生活幸福哈哈笑，去年的心情還不壞，今年的日子更精彩！

Today is also the official Launch of SHOP. MISHIALAMODE

I have over 50 items up for sale on my blog sale site. Hope you will find something you like ^_^

♥Mishi♥

Don't forget to join my Giveaway... everyone's a winner!!! 7 Winners total~

Enter HERE: SNEAKPEEQ

Click here for more info: GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Frugal Man's Gourmet Dinner

2012-01-18T22:07:00.000-08:00

As much as I love eating, I love cooking too! Not all gourmet meals need to cost you an arm and a leg. Mr. Raw and I stayed in during the weekend and made our own... "half cooked, half bought" linguine pasta and steak. It was super satisfying and even more tasty!

Ingredients

mushrooms

red onion

garlic

butter

Roasted Alfredo Sauce

Dry Gin

Linguine

frozen clams

steak

EVOO, Canola Sauce

salt &pepper

Cabranet

brown sugar

Worcestershire sauce

lemon juice

The Linguine

1. Boil a pot of water (add salt for flavoring)

2. Cook pasta for 13 minutes for al dente

3. rinse with cold water

The Sauce

1. heat sauce pan

2. add in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3. add in garlic

4. add in red onions

5. add clams

6. once its about 80% cooked, mix in sauce

The Steak

Omaha Steak is from Amazon deal and was home delivered to us

1. heat up pan to medium heat with canola oil

2. cook each side for about 4-5min for medium rare

3. add salt and pepper on for each side

The Steak Sauce

1. Using the pan that the steak was cooked in to make the sauce

2. add in some shiraz cabernet

3. mix with brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce

two beers to celebrate you cooking skills and enjoy your meal with

We also tried a really delicious Sushi place called SUSHI RAW (unfortunately, Mr. Raw doesn't own it) haha.

SUSHI RAW

901 Taraval St.
San Francisco, CA 94116

(415) 681-8866

sushi-raw.com/

sake salmon sashimi

lobster roll

yes! it was an entire lobster... crazy delicious!

Fuji Mountain Roll

This thing was on fire!!! Make the sides so hot and crunchy!

Spicy Tuna Maki handroll

♥Mishi♥

Don't forget to join my Giveaway... everyone's a winner!!! 7 Winners total~

Enter HERE: SNEAKPEEQ

Click here for more info: GIVEAWAY DETAILS

LASIK got me seeing 20/20 again!

2012-01-08T16:44:00.000-08:00

MY LASIK PROCEDURE:

We seem to take our eyes and our vision for granted and once we start wearing contacts or glasses, it becomes such a vital part of our lives that we forget how it feels like to be without them. I started wearing glasses around sophomore year of High School and a year later, I was attached to contacts like it was second to life. My vision got worse and worse until the later part of college when it started to stabilize. For the past 4 years, I've had about a -2.75 vision on both eyes with varying astigmatism degrees on each eye.

The reason I felt it was important and worth it to do this LASIK procedure was because my vision got in the way of a lot of things in my life; outdoor activities, exercising, staying up late, watching movies, reading books, swimming, etc. were burdened due to contacts because I would constantly get dry eyes, irritation, infection, and sometimes it would even fall out or get stuck behind my eyes. These experiences were all too bothersome. Let's not even mention the lack of ability to scuba dive, swim, or other water activities because any water sport would pretty much be a "NO" since you wouldn't be able to see clearly under the sea!

So I buckled down this year and gave myself the biggest Christmas gift! The cost of the procedure was around $5,000USD ($6,500 before discount) and damn worth every penny! I researched around and the average cost these days is around $4000- $7000. I was actually very lucky to have gotten two discounts from Dr. Scott Hyver. Who is he....you asked? He is the Harvard Graduated M.D. and the official eye doctor of the San Francisco 49ers (football team). This is my eyes you are talking about... of course I had to pick a doctor that a trusted and a team of eye doctors that really knew what they were doing!!! Yes, the entire experience was more than lovely, and I must say he has the nicest and most caring staff of any medical office I've been to.

For More Info: Scott Hyver Vision Care

~The Experience~

BEFORE THE PROCEDURE:

1. Free consultation to determine if you are qualified to be a LASIK candidate

2. You are not allowed to wear contacts 2 weeks prior to the consultation

3. Consultation consisted of a very thorough eye exam including 3D imaging, heat imaging, vision test, etc.

4. If you are qualified, make an appointment for the procedure.

DURING THE PROCEDURE:

1. one day before the surgery, start using anti-infection drops in your eyes

2. prior to the surgery, eye doctors will conduct a short eye exam to make sure your vision is the same and to do final measurements of your cornea.

3. various eyedrops including numbing eye drops are dripped in your eye so you won't feel any discomfort during the procedure

4. actual procedure lasted less than 5 minutes under the machine but I was in the surgery room for about 10min.

*The first machine used is called the ZIEMER FEMTO LDV Femtosecond Laser, the world's most advanced system (Dr. Hyver is only eye doctor in the Bay Area that uses this technology). This machine is used to create the flap on eyes. This machine is all LASER therefore, you will not bleed. Once this machine was placed over my eye to cut the flap, my vision slowly went dark and I couldn't see anything but slowly, my vision came back blurred as my flap was being opened in preparation for the vision treatment.

*The second machine used is called the ALLEGRETO WAVE Eye-Q Excimer Laser, used for treatment of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. While my eyes were being treated, what I saw was like a light show as if I was peering at the galaxy and seeing a light show. Let me warn you that there will be a slight "burning" smell, but nothing to worry about! It was actually a pretty interesting experience. After the vision correction was completed, the flap is then placed back on your eyes and viola you are done!!!

AFTER THE PROCEDURE

1. Dr. Hyver will put a pair of sunglasses on you immediately following the surgery to limit your exposure to light. Should keep eyes closed for the next 6 hours (sleeping is highly recommended).

2. Follow post-op eye drop guide, 3 eyedrops total.

3. Wear protective goggles to sleep for the next week (important not to rub your eyes for the next 2 months to ensure proper healing of the flap)

4. Do not wear eye makeup for at least the first week, and it is recommended to wear only light makeup for the next month to prevent infection.

5. Post-op check-up the next day, and a follow-up appointment 1 month later.

*By the way, this procedure has a life time warrantee and correction by Dr. Hyver*

*Take Home Kit*

*Eye Drops*

*Eye Drop Instructions*

I hope this was helpful and informational for you. If you are deciding if you should do it... DO IT! I think this was the best thing I've done for myself ever!

I will miss wearing circle lenses, but... I sure won't miss the dry eyes, irritation, and trouble of wearing glasses are contacts.

No matter what you decide to do... remember to always take care of your eyes!

♥Mishi♥

Don't forget to join my Giveaway... everyone's a winner!!! 7 Winners total~

Enter HERE: SNEAKPEEQ

Click here for more info: GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Organic and Natural is the way to go

2012-01-06T20:43:00.000-08:00

SF Ferry Building is not only a tourist spot since it is located along the Embarcadero but it also has a really awesome farmers market with a lot of gourmet food stands. I really recommend trying out Blue Bottle coffee for all your caffeine addicts and also Roli Roti for the meat monsters.

Click Here for more info: SF Ferry Building Farmers Market

Enjoyed macaroons and some dessert wine to celebrate Xmas 2011

Last but not least... One of my favorite sushi places is SUSHI HOUSE in Alameda!! I highly recommend their Baked Scallop Roll!

2375 Shoreline Dr

Alameda, CA 94501

(510) 865-0999

www.e-sushihouse.com

Don't forget to join my Giveaway... everyone's a winner!!! 7 Winners total~

Enter HERE: SNEAKPEEQ

Click here for more info: GIVEAWAY DETAILS

♥Mishi♥

Mishi à la mode X Sneakpeeq Giveaway

2012-01-03T22:36:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

This is my first entry of 2012 and I am so excited to introduce Sneakpeeq to all of you!

Ever been in a win-win situation? When it comes to the Mishi a la Mode and Sneakpeeq giveaway, everybody wins! Sneakpeeq is giving away 20% off your next purchase just for entering, plus a chance at the Grand Prize of $25 gift card to use on your favorite food, style, and home products. Plus, second place winners will receive a $10 sneakpeeq gift card- that goes a long way in sneakpeeq's amazingly low-priced boutiques!!! See below for more details.

WHAT IS SNEAKPEEQ?

Online shopping, with short sales, great deals, and new stores daily. Everything has a fixed price, that you can lower further by being more active on sneakpeeq and earning badges

WHAT KIND OF PRODUCTS DOES SNEAKPEEQ HAVE?

Housewares, Apparel, Accessories, Gourmet food, Beverages, and more. We're always exploring new categories, trying to bring you new daily discoveries.

HOW DOES SNEAKPEEQ WORK?

Every day, we put a new set of amazing products from new brands on the site. We then take what we know about you as a sneakpeeq shopper (aka "peeqer") and present you with 3 products that we think you'll like the most. The more you participate on the site the better we can predict your personal style. You can also browse through the other stores and like, love, share, and peeq to help us learn more about you.

By playing around on the site, and sharing, peeqing, and buying items you can unlock badges. Some badges have the power to lower the prices even further! Read more here.

WHAT IS A PEEQ? [EACH OF THESE ARE VISUAL WITH ICONS]

A peeq is the action of flipping over a price tag. As a new user you have a limited number of peeqs but the more you participate the more you'll earn. Every 24 hours the peeqs are refilled to your account. If you run out of peeqs, don't worry- we will give you opportunities to earn more peeqs.

A peeq is worth 5 pts toward that particular store's leaderboard, as well as counting towards various badges and teaching sneakpeeq more about what you love to shop for.

WHAT IS A SHARE?

On each product and store page you will find a share button. If you click this button you have the option of sharing your thoughts about a product on your facebook wall. Through the power of sharing, you can help your favorite brands become better known through social media chatter.

A share is worth 10pts towards that store's leader board as well as counting towards various badges and teaching sneakpeeq more about what you love to shop for.

WHAT IS A LOVE?

A love is a way to record your favorite products, and keep images of them attached to your profile after their sales end. Although loves are not worth any points, they are helpful in creating a more personalized shopping experience for you. In addition, your friends can browse through your loves and see what kinds of items you love to love. Just think of it as a way to express what you'd buy on sneakpeeq if you had endless amounts of money.

WHAT IS A BUY?

a buy is a completed purchase on sneakpeeq. At this point in time all buys must happen individually, but we hope to provide a shopping cart in the near future.

Want to read more about Sneakpeeq? Click HERE and HERE for featured articles

They have also been see in Vogue, Cosmopolitan, People, in Style, TechCrunch, etc.

***THE GIVEAWAY***

GRAND PRIZE: $25 Gift Card (3 Winners Total)

RUNNER-UP PRIZE: $10 Gift Card (4 Winners Total)

All Participants will receive 20% off on their next purchase

here is how you enter

*use this picture logo when posting this on your sidebar or blog entry*

STEP 1: Follow me on my blog with GFC
STEP 2: Make a post or Tweet about this giveaway

STEP 3: Sign up at SNEAKPEEQ

Rules and Restrictions

Giveaway is only open to NEW users and US residents

Giveaway will end on January 31, 2012 at 11:59PM PST

Winners will be announced on February 2, 2012

Good Luck!

♥Mishi♥

All that Glitter is Gold

2011-12-29T16:02:00.000-08:00

GOODBYE 2011!!!

New Year's eve Smokey Golden/Copper eyes for those fancy parties or just simply enjoying fireworks with your loved ones at home...

~Tools used~

Too Faced Sweet Dreams palette

Integrate eye palette in GY905

ELF eyeliner

Dior Iconic mascara

Panasonic heated eye lash curler

generic brand of falsies from ebay

I will be going on a short weekend trip in celebration of NYE and some R&R with lots of great food and even greater company. I have an exciting collaboration and giveaway planned for the beginning of January! I'm so excited... I just can't hide it! Come check back in 2012 to check it out!

BTW, my Lasik procedure went super smoothly and seeing the world now with perfect vision! I will do a detailed post about my experience soon! yay~

~Wishing everyone a happy, glamorous, and prosperous new year~

See you all in 2012

♥Mishi♥

Champagne and Crystals

2011-12-26T22:36:00.000-08:00

A great holiday event thrown by Mr. Raw's company... I was there to enjoy every moment of it! The food was acceptable but the most impressive part was the decor, atmosphere, and venue.

Not sure how many strings were pulled to reserve a night at the San Francisco City Hall, but they made it happen. Along with... professional photogs, characature stations, and fortune tellers. Did I mention the multiple dance floors and live band?!

The oyster shots were my favorite of the night (so adorable with the mini tabasco sauce).

OOTD: H&M lace dress, Jeffrey Campbell One-O-One-Fur booties, House of Harlow necklace. Kept it pretty simple for the night as I wasn't sure how "formal" it would be.

My first red carpet event... though we arrived late and missed all the hussle and bussle of making a glam entrance

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and holiday! New year is on its way.. I am so excited for 2012! I hope I can squeeze in a makeup tutorial before the new year... and i'm getting Lasik in two days! A little nervous but totally excited to get rid of my contacts and glasses...update you all soon! ^_^

♥Mishi♥

Let me light up your holidays!

2011-12-24T22:48:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Please enjoy the bright lights from my home to yours...

J/K, not my house but definitely a beautiful display of holiday lights in a blocks radius located in the hills of South San Francisco. The competition amongst these houses are an exact replication of those furious fights we see in the holiday movies. The work of art on these houses are amazing! Over the years, this neighborhood has become an attraction during the holidays.

501 Woodside Ct, South San Francisco, CA 94080

Don't forget to leave a cup of milk and some cookies for Santa tonight ^_^

♥Mishi♥

Wine Country...dreams and fantasies

2011-12-13T20:54:00.000-08:00

The everyday, repetitive life, has become more or less robotic in the last few months. Vacation times are hard to come by, but I am glad there are day trips that help me escape to a fantasy world...

Napa, the family wine country of California... beautiful and dream like; even more so with the aroma of wine everywhere you go and nature keeping you company.

We visited 3 wineries for tasting. After trying out red wine, white wine, and dessert wine; I have come to the conclusion that red wine is my least favorite. Especially super dry red wine. OF COURSE, being the girl that I am, I like something sweet. That is why my favorite is Dessert wine or Ice wine... and white wine as well. Sorry Red, you just don't taste as good to me.

V Sattui Winery || Castello di Amorosa || Sterling Vineyards

Where do you go for day trips and short weekend getaways?

♥Mishi♥

everybody is TOO FACED

2011-11-26T22:16:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Hope everyone had a fatty-licious Thanksgiving Meal(s) and a restlessly yet exciting black friday shopping spree. Since it's only Saturday night, I am sure many more will be battling the mall once again tomorrow. I, myself, have had waaaaay too much to eat during the last four days and very relaxed and lazy holiday weekend.

'Nuff of that, let's get to one of my favorite makeup lines TOO FACED products. I love their packaging, color intensity, and affordable prices! These were part of my haul from FF Sephora a while back and finally had the chance to review them. I also think they have one of the best eye and face primers out there.

TOO FACED Sweet Dreams Makeup Collection

Take this everywhere...everything you need in one beautiful packaging! eyeshadow, blush, highlighter, bronzer, & primer!

TOO FACED on the Prowl

I always love me some leopard prints.One of the nicest blush sets I have so far. I especially love the shimmer and multiple colors in one that creates a more 3D affect.

you can wear this separately or use all three colors at once, it'll have a beautiful and glowing affect ^_^

Share some of your holiday weekend stories and makeup hauls with me. Can't wait to see what goodies everyone bought during black friday weekend!

♥Mishi♥

Fall/Winter Naruko Skin Care Routine

2011-11-15T21:13:00.001-08:00

It is that time again... weather is getting cold, leafs are turning orange/yellow, trees are becoming bare, most of all... skin is getting dry! My goals for this winter?...moisturize and brighten (rid summer's tan). The weapon of choice for this season is... NARUKO's Raw Job's Tears and Narcissus series.

Naruko is a brand created by Niu Er (Taiwan's top beauty and Makeup guru). He has various lines targeting different types of skin concerns. This Fall/Winter, I will be using Naruko Raw Job's Tears that targets and gets rid of Melanin (pigmentation of skin). This is not because I want to look like a ghost or white but I want to have transparency and glow in my skin which was dulled by the summer heat and sun.

The other line that I am also using is Naruko's Narcissus Total Defense Series that uses the Narcissus plant for anti-aging, brightening, anti-wrinkle, and the environment (caused by stress). The BB cream from this series is super lightweight, almost feel like you're not wearing anything but unfortunately, the coverage is also very light as well.

Even with the addition of Naruko Products, I am still very much using my favorite Laneige & Origins products as well. Here is my skin care routine

DAY TIME ROUTINE

Face wash: Laneige multi cleanser

Refiner: Naruko Narcissus total defense Moisturizing Day Protector

Lotion: Naruko Raw Job's Tears supercritical CO2 Whitening Morning Yogurt

Eye Cream: Nuxe Contour des Yeux Prodigieux

BBCream: Naruko Narcissus Total Defense BB Cream Essence

NIGHT TIME ROUTINE

Face wash: Laneige Multi Cleanser

Weekly scrub: Origins Modern Friction

Toner Serum: Naruko Raw Job's Tears Supercritical Co2 Whitening Serum

Lotion: Naruko Raw Job's Tears Supercritical CO2 Whitening Night Gelly

Tri-Weekly moisturizing mask: Laneige Snow Water (Water Sleeping Pack_EX)

Eye Cream: Naruko Raw Job's Tears Supercritical CO2 Whitening Night Eye Gelly

BODY CARE:

Body Wash: Naruko Niaouli Body Wash

WHAT ELSE....one of my favorite element about Naruko products is that EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE of their cardboard packaging can be reused as makeup container and storage. Once you take the product out of the box, you will see instructions to fold and cut the packaging to DIY a small container and makeup storage. This is pretty cool and very environmentally friendly. *thumbs up*

Look how perfectly it holds all of my goodies! This is completely genius for branding and marketing!

Other great thing about ordering from the Naruko US website...They give you a ton of free samples!

Here are the AM+PM series and a bunco of travel sized goodies. You know we all love ourselves some freebies. LOL

Conclusion: I am really loving this brand. I have been seeing my skin get brighter in the past few weeks and more moisturized without feeling oily and sticky. If you are considering trying another skin care brand, try Naruko.

CLICK HERE: NARUKO USA

♥Mishi♥

Candy Vs. Food ..... I win

2011-11-03T22:22:00.000-07:00

I may be too old for trick-or-treating but perfect age for embracing life's little treats. Halloween just passed, hope you all had your fair share of sweets and slutty attire! I apologize for blinding you all first but I've got to show you Mr. Ironman and Ms. Ironette before giving you your well deserved food porn!

Attended Mr. Raw's companys Halloween party. There were some crazy costumes, but best of all, great food. These treats are a work of art, culinary artistry at its freakiest!

WARNING: Please strap on your bib nice and tight around your neck and place your saliva bucket conveniently under your mouth before proceeding ahead.

~Le Tour de Delicious Eats~

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*La Mediterranee*

2210 Fillmore St

(between Sacramento St & Clay St)

San Francisco, CA 94115

Neighborhood: Pacific Heights

(415) 921-2956

www.cafelamed.com

I have never had an authentic meal of Mediterranean food before (unless you count the Halel cart in NYC) but I have always been curious about the taste of the food. From this meal, it appears that their food consists a lot of herbs and cheese. I would have to say, I do not think I'm Mediterranean food material; it was good but I think the taste is a bit too strong for me. Maybe I will need to give another place a try before casting my final judgement. Any suggestions?

*Outlanders*

4001 Judah St

(between 45th Ave & 46th Ave)

San Francisco, CA 94122

Neighborhood: Outer Sunset

(415) 661-6140

outerlandssf.com/

Had a girls brunch here, one of the most relaxing and delicious American Breakfast I have had in a very long time. Atmosphere is great with outside seating but please be prepared that since it is in the heart of sunset in SF, you will probably see more fog than sunshine... but all the better to accompany your hot cup of latte with! Be prepared for the long lines and if you don't want to miss breakfast; remember to come here right when it opens!

*Oyaji Restaurant*

3123 Clement St

(at 32nd Ave)

San Francisco, CA 94121

Neighborhood: Outer Richmond

(415) 379-3604

The first time that I have had super authentic Japanese food since my trip to Japan last year. Apparently one of my classmates from middle school actually owns this place and he was actually sent to Japan for culinary training before working at the family restaurant. This place is pretty expensive but the small dishes are super super delicious! It was well worth the money. Perhaps, a trip to In & Out will solve the hunger problem after your meal.

Here are some chain restaurant favorites

*Cheesecake Factory*

925 Blossom Hill Road

San Jose, CA 95123

(408) 225-6948

www.thecheesecakefactory.com/

Who wouldn't drool over a delicious piece of cheesecake (Red Velvet) after a delicious meal of pasta. I know, some people have a love-hate relationship with chain restaurants... mine is the same too. After getting pass the billion of calories and the super oily dishes; the taste is actually not bad. LOL of couse, this is one of those "once in a while" grub places but it is also my default place when I want eat out but have no idea what to eat or where to go.

*Yard House*

300 Santana Row

Ste 101

San Jose, CA 95128

(408) 241-9273

www.yardhouse.com

My so-cal fix, totally reminds me of my college days in Southern California. This place gives me the reason to chug down a half yard of alcohol before 3pm. The food is great, especially their sliders! There is nothing better to wash your truffles fries down than their super crazy collection of beer on tap ^_^ Since it's located in Santana Row; you can walk off you alcohol by doing some shopping. This place is awesome as a date night, boys day out, girls day out, and watching any sports games.

This will conclude your tour of delicious eats in the Bay Area, you may now dump your over-flowing bucket of saliva in the nearest toilet and rinse out your bib in the adjacent sink! See you on the next food porn journey!

♥Mishi♥

Mysterious Violet-Black locks

2011-10-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is a post about how I dyed my hair from milk-tea brown/orange to violet-black.

Equipment: Hair dye, Developer, Mixing Bowl, Brush (total cost: < $15)--This is pretty good for a more professional approach than the box hair-dyes from the drugstore.

The ratio of hair dye and developer is 1:1. Since my hair is pretty long, I had to use the entire bottle for both but for short hair, you may only need to use half. After mixing, just apply it to your hair with the brush section by section. Once the entire head is done, wait for about 20 minutes-30minutes to let the color soak in.

Ta-da! You can barely see the purple indoors but in the light or outdoors, the purple is a lot more obvious.

The most important part post dying your hair is using the right shampoo and conditioner. I have been using and organic set from Nature's gate that is formulated specifically for color protecting- damaged hair. This brand is sulfate free which is extremely important when you want to preserve the color of your hair for a longer duration; sulfate will wash it out. This brand comes with a few scents but I have to say the Asian Pear & Red Tea smells soooooooo good! I have never even heard of this combination but it totally works.

Unfortunately, it has been about 3 weeks or so since my dye job and the color is washing already; purple is a pretty hard color to sustain. It is turning into a lil reddish purple now, I'm sure in time, it will turn into some mysterious shade of brown. LOL

Anyone have any tips on keeping purple dye in your hair for longer than 3-4 week? I would love to hear your feedback.

♥Mishi♥

Gothic Lolita Nails

2011-10-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

The Tools: Perfect 3D Rubber Nail Seal, Revlon Quick-dry Nail Polish in 810 Hazy, Top coat

There once was a little girl who loved and adored beautiful nails. She painted them, added gems on them, and even sprinkled magic sparkle dust on them. Sadly, her master pieces started taking a backseat in her carriage of life that became filled with unavoidable "adult" things and her work of nail art became a rare sight. T'was the week before Hallow's eve when she heard a whisper, a calling from the nail fairies, and quickly dusted off her treasure box full of rainbow colors bling-bling sparkles, and renewed her love for nail art deco.

Yes, it is so rare for me to paint my nails now but I am glad I finally found some time for it today. I hope you all enjoy my Gothic Lolita inspired nails for Halloween!

♥Mishi♥

The face shop EOTD

2011-10-10T18:59:00.000-07:00

I finally got myself some THE FACE SHOP goodies during my trip to NYC. Felt a like a little kid in a candy store because there are no more The Face Shop goodies near where I live anymore. I picked up an eye shadow palette, liquid eye liner, and a face mask ( I will review after a few more uses).

Idea behind this look was… GEM colors for the fall/winter season. I am loving color blocking with these rich colors especially purple! Purple is such a versatile color. Here I have used the purple for my upper lids and pink as the highlighter on my lower tear duct area. The black created a smokey effect but still very wearable during the day time.

The reason I love this brand is because it is very affordable, has great products, and is made of good quality. Check them out when you get a chance!

oOOh by the way I dyed my hair purple-black for the winter season. How do you guys like it?! I actually havn't had dark hair for about 4 years now… it honestly feels a little weird. Eventually I will try to stop dying my hair but for now… I am doing baby steps because I still cannot get used to black hair yet. LOL Hair dying is such an addictive drug! I'll do a tutorial on the dye-job another day as well! Stayed tuned ^_^

♥Mishi♥

BINGYU Masks

2011-10-05T22:29:00.000-07:00

There are Two Masks I'd like to share with you all today... both are from my mum during her recent visit to China. I have never ever heard of this brand but tried it anyway to test out the quality. I have no idea where you can buy them in the states but I believe they are online at taobao.com. If you plan on visiting China, you will probably be able to find these at Watsons. They go for about $2.20RMB per mask and the packaging is actually kind of cute because they are stored in a lunch box-esque packaging.

The first is: Red Wine Polyphenol Mask which is for moisturizing & Antioxidant purposes. This has a strong red wine scent, got me a little tipsy after 15 minutes of wearing it. haha I kid I kid. It has a very rich and moisturizing feeling. It is almost a little too perfect for using right before heading to bed at night. It definitely has a soothing affect.

The Second is: Balsam Pear (bitter mellon) Mask which is for clear detox and nourishing. I was thinking these would also have a bitter scent to it but surprisingly, it has no scent. However, it does have a very minty and fresh feeling to it. While the Red Wine mask puts you to sleep, this mask does the exact opposite by waking you up. hehe If i woke up early enough in the morning, I would probably pamper myself with this before heading to work.

Both of these masks have a lot a lot a lot of product in them. If you had an another DIY mask, you could probably soak it up with the extra product left over. Though I have only used this for about two weeks, I think the quality is OKAY. I still love my beauty diary masks but I will continue to use this to see if it'll work better in the long run.

♥Mishi♥

Beautiful Toronto

2011-09-24T21:55:00.000-07:00

Last leg of our Canada tour, we went to the CN tower and had a boat ride to tour the city. Toronto is so beautiful and I am glad I can capture the city in these photographs. I actually don't mind living in Toronto because everything seems so clean and new. Wish I actually had more time to experience the city life instead of just the tourist attractions. I realized how much the US dollar has depreciated because USD $ 18 = CAD $20. The exchange rate is terrible, but they do have some great BBQ rice boxes in Chinatown!

Last by not least, I am ecstatic to be given these awards by Jen from Jenwoonani She is such an amazing human being and I have been getting to know her a more and more and super touched by her life experiences. She is having a baby boy soon...miracle of life indeed. I can't wait to see this lil man arrive!

♥Mishi♥

Love the sound of waterfalls

2011-09-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

This was the perfect place to play with the DSLR, shutter speeds makes a huge difference when taking scenery pictures, especially with water. This place is said to have hundreds of water falls, we only went on one trail but nonetheless, the sound and feel of nature never seizes to amaze me.

Next Stop...Toronto

♥Mishi♥

Being one with Mother Nature

2011-09-06T21:45:00.000-07:00

Next Stop... Niagara Falls and Watkins Glen State Park

Admist our house arrest due to the hurricane, we were worried that our Canada tour would be cancelled. Luckily, the weather cleared up in NYC on Monday and we began our 3 days 2 night tour of Niagara falls and Canada. It was so beautiful experiencing and enjoying the fall up close in person... in so many dimensions. We saw the night view, morning view, behind the fall, atop the skylon tower, and maid of the mist. The weather was particularly nice and we managed to take some really spectacular pictures of the fall.

This was our first time touring via a guided bus tour so we didn't know where to save money and got tricked to pay a lot of the meals which were over priced and really poor quality. So for everyone that ever go on a bus tour, remember you are not obligated to participate in the restaurants they eat at and also the different attractions they do. If you are not interested you can simply eat on your own or walk around as long as you meet back at the bus at the indicated time. The Europeans who were on the tour with us were extremely smart because they saved a lot of money by grabbing food from local restaurants and buying sandwiches from a grocery store nearby instead of paying for a crappy meal. *sigh*... lesson learned! The last day of the tour, we got smart and decided not to eat with the group and went on our own. I wish we had realized this the first couple of days.

~ENJOY~

More pictures of my adventures in the Canada to follow.... next post!

♥Mishi♥

Hurricane Irene Interrupted my vacay

2011-08-28T18:44:00.000-07:00

It has been a super fun vacation so far until....Hurricane Irene's arrival this weekend! I spent a few days in Boston and ate to my hearts content! SUCH SUCH delicious food in Boston, especially seafood! The weather was crazy humid hot so it was pretty miserable walking around but it was well worth it.

Another highlight was meeting up with Winnie and her friend at Aquitaine for Lunch @Boston and shopping around. She was so sweet... and felt like we've known each other for years. So much to talk about! Wish she could lived closer to me so we can go on our endless shopping trips and food runs! Miss you dear!!!

Got back to NY on Friday night and have been stuck at home ever since...having indoors hurricane parties with family. I felt like the Hurricane was made out to be bigger than it was in the NYC area, I remember still going shopping during level 8 typhoon when I visited China. LOL. I guess I will start my planned shopping spree after returning from Canada on Wednesday. ^_^

Neptune Oyster

63 Salem St
(between Cross St & Morton St)
Boston, MA 02113
Neighborhood: North End

*I Highly Recommend this place!!! a MUST GO because the Oyster Shots and Lobster Roll is DIVINE*

We look so tired, red eye flight to NY, then 4 hour bus ride to Boston the next day.

Giacomos Ristorante

355 Hanover St
(between Bennet St & Fleet St)
Boston, MA 02113
Neighborhood: North End

Another highly recommended place by friends and family. The wait is extremely long wait (about 1hour) but the price is very worth the portion size.

Aquitaine

569 Tremont St
(between Clarendon St & Union Park)
Boston, MA 02118
Neighborhood: South End

*Delicious Lunch for Boston Restaurant Week*

Atlantic Fish Company

761 Boylston St
(between Exeter St & Fairfield St)
Boston, MA 02116
Neighborhood: Back Bay

*My cousin treated us here as our last meal at Boston before returning to NY. This is place is amazing! Food and drinks were delicious!*

Famous landmarks

will update again when I get a chance =)

♥Mishi♥

NEW YORK, BOSTON, TORONTO....east coast.. yay!

2011-08-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

Just got to New York this morning... took the red eye out last night. Super tired and running on 2 hours of nap time. But I'm so excited for all the food and shopping! I'll update as much as a can during my trip ^_^

Anyone know of great places to eat, shop, and visit? Please let me know.. would love to hear your recommendations.

♥Mishi♥

Eyecandy Lens review

2011-08-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

Summer semester is winding down for me... next week are finals! 2 more semesters of MBA school left...whoot! Anyway, I didn't plan on blogging until after but I received my new lenses today so.. of course I had to show you guys these beauties! I don't always wear circle lens because I have astigmatism and circle lens don't have corrections for that =(. I usually wear them on outings or special occasions.

This time, I bought my lenses from Eyecandy Lens. This is my first time trying them out because I saw some lenses on the website that I didn't see on the other sites I usually buy from. The two that I bought are Seeshell in Vivian 3 tone grey & GEO Forest Brown. Both are such pretty colors because they are multi-toned so when you wear it against your own natural colored eyes, it browns out all the colors... makes your eyes look even more 3D.

Since the items are shipped from HK, it took over 3 weeks to arrive. I'm not sure if that is really slow but since it's international delivery I won't complain. Both lenses are very comfortable to wear so far... I havn't had them on for more than 3 hours so let's see how they turn out after I try them out in full this weekend.

SEESHELL: VIVIAN 3 TONE GREY

The color doesn't look too vibrant against white but it looks much better when you put them on your eyes.

This is natural lighting vs. flash.

GEO FOREST BROWN

This design reminds me of the stripes on a tiger. Rawr!

The flash seems to drown out the brown/yellow color. nonetheless, I still love it!

Which lens do you like?

By the way, remember to ALWAYS clean your lenses and rub them with solution even if the ones you bought are "no-rub". For deep cleaning I use CLEAR CARE which thoroughly cleans your lenses and gets ride of protein build up really really well! You can get them at Target, Walmart, or any other drugstores out there. Lastly, don't wear your lenses for more than 5-6 hours. I always have my glasses with me so whenever I feel like my eyes are getting dry, I'll switch over to glasses instead. It's your eyes...take care of them ^_^

♥Mishi♥

Random Facts About Me...

2011-08-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I have not done something like this before to introduce myself to you all. It is finally time to show you my quirky personality through some random facts ^_^

This was inspired by Winnie's blog ^_^

The awards rules are:

1. Link back and thank the person who tagged you.

2. Post seven things about yourself and answer the list of favorite questions.

3. Pass these awards to 15 bloggers.

4. Notify the lucky bloggers who got these awards.

7 Random Facts About Me

1) I really like doing outdoor sports and soaking up some sun but I really dislike bugs and creepy crawly things and they tend to be everywhere!.. X_X

2) I have a really bad case of Wind-Burn. WTF is that you ask... Its when your skin gets really red, itchy, and irritated when the wind hits it too hard (that's why i can't walk swiftly or run outdoors) ...*this is absolutely legit even though hardly anyone believes me.

3) I am ambidextrous so I can write with both hands... it came in handy when I had to take notes in class and one hand gets tired, I just switch over and use the other one.

4) I love love love the airport. I think the main reason is that I associate airports with adventure and excitement... and I also love the feeling of an airplane taking off. It feels like your heart sinks a bit but then its like its floating in air too.

5) I really do not like traditional weddings... the whole church and banquet thing...probably because both are so routine and over done. I would much rather enjoy getting married while traveling to an exotic and beautiful country to wed. Love is about celebration! That being said... I would still want my traditional white wedding gown. LOL

6) I love animals, I have always grown up with family pets: dogs, turtles, fishes...NO CATS. lol so I can't imagine life without them. Especially dogs, they are such intelligent and caring animals.

7) I actually get sleepy from drinking coffee but I have to drink it every morning at work or else I'll feel like something is missing. The favorite part about coffee is the aroma! I am also a super big fan of Coffee milk tea (鴛鴦)...this is something I ALWAYS order when I go to HK cafes.

My Favorite Questions!

Name your favorite colors: Black, White, Pink, Neon Green

Name your favorite song: classic jacky cheung songs

Name your favorite dessert: Tiramisu

What pisses you off: People that talk down and talk behind others back. This world lacks genuine and sincere people.

When you're upset you: Very Quiet...I am the type that never stops talking.. unless I am upset.

Your favorite pet: My Shihtzu!

Black or white: Both

Your biggest fear: Giving up.

Best feature: Eyes

Everyday attitude: Embrace what you already have and stay optimist when the world around you seems gloomy

What is perfection: When everything falls into place... when all the planets align in your favor.

Guilty pleasure: Being lazy around the house...watch some drama while munching on some junk food.

OPEN to ALL but... I wanna tag the following amazing bloggers ...

♥Mishi♥

♥ Mishi à la mode ♥

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Color Blocking Daytime Makeup

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR & Shop. Mishialamode

Frugal Man's Gourmet Dinner

LASIK got me seeing 20/20 again!

Organic and Natural is the way to go

Mishi à la mode X Sneakpeeq Giveaway

WHAT IS SNEAKPEEQ?

***here is how you enter***

***Rules and Restrictions***

All that Glitter is Gold

Champagne and Crystals

Let me light up your holidays!

Wine Country...dreams and fantasies

everybody is TOO FACED

Fall/Winter Naruko Skin Care Routine

Candy Vs. Food ..... I win

Mysterious Violet-Black locks

Gothic Lolita Nails

The face shop EOTD

BINGYU Masks

Beautiful Toronto

Love the sound of waterfalls

Being one with Mother Nature

Hurricane Irene Interrupted my vacay

NEW YORK, BOSTON, TORONTO....east coast.. yay!

Eyecandy Lens review

Random Facts About Me...

here is how you enter

Rules and Restrictions