Posh Appetite

New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2013

2013-02-18T23:53:00.000-05:00

Last week concluded Mercedes Benz New York Fashion Week Fall 2013. The semi-annual New York Fashion Week, is held in February and September of each year in New York City. It is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world, along with those in Paris, London and Milan. As expected, the streets of New York were flooded with all of the top industry representatives, buyers, merchandisers, journalists, celebrities and all the fashion and social enthusiasts.

Here are the highlights:

FUR YOU & FUR ME...

Fur was seen in the runways this year in different ways, in the form of jackets, vests, cuffs, purse and mittens.

MILITARY CHIC

Military fashion has been a favorite trend for a while now and it shows that it is here to stay

SUPER SIZE IT

Oversize fashion is becoming a favorite trend in the runways. From the shoulder line to the lengths of coats getting longer to the matching of loose tops and tight bottoms getting more popular.

MAN UP!!

Immaculately tailored tweed herringbone wool jackets, skirts and suits are all over the runways this season.

LEATHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT

From jackets, to dresses, to skirts, to pants to all the accessories, fall would never be the same without our all time favorite trend, leather.

What have you done lately?

2013-02-06T10:47:00.000-05:00

In the beginning of January, I talked about my goals for this new year and beyond. Some call it new year's resolution, I call it a lifetime game plan. If one of your resolutions is to lose weight, you can't really go on a diet for just a few months. You need to change your bad eating habits and maintain and adapt this lifestyle to achieve your desired goal weight. That is how resolutions should be. You can't start something and not keep it up. In my book, that just doesn't work.... At all....

So when is the better day to check up on that list but today since technically it's the first week of February. I'm gonna start on checking mine (while you check yours, that is if you made one of course). I know I have done a few things to start achieving my goals, I hope you did as well. Always remember,

This was my list that I shared with you on January 3rd.

So far I have been doing good. I actually had started making a little time for myself. As proof I am sharing this picture of myself getting pampered a bit.

I have also picked up a book to read. I know, I know, it's not like a fictional novel or something. Hey, it's still a book. That's a start. I just moved to a new apartment about 3 months ago so I wanted to make sure that everything is in it's proper auspicious place so there's a good feel of energy when I come home. I heard Lillian Too's books are amazing so I'm checking it out right now.

I have also made an effort to make phone calls to some good old friends that I haven't seen in a minute. Some I actually had met out for either lunch or a drink or a quick meet. Traveling is in the horizon too but that costs money so that can wait. Although I had been checking out tickets to see my bestfriend in Barcelona this coming summer.

I actually have added a few things to these goals but those are somehow personal and that is not looking too bad either. So I'm doing pretty good with my list, how did you do with yours? If you haven't started, now is the time to start. DO IT!!

New Year, New Me, New You

2013-01-03T15:43:00.001-05:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone! It's been a couple of months since I've posted here. The holidays really took a toll on me. I think the last time you guys saw me here was a little before Thanksgiving. But I'm back... FOR GOOD!

As I say goodbye to 2012, I am welcoming 2013 with my arms wide open..

and with that comes with a list of goals that I want to achieve:

etc... etc... etc.. etc..

I am not the kind who make new year's resolutions but this year I would really like to work with the saying ----------------------------------------------------------------------------->

----------------------------------------------------------------------------->

I actually have more than 6 goals but I'd keep the rest for myself. I want these to my lifetime goals and not just because it's a brand new year. I would most definitely be adding more to this as days, months, years come but for now I will try to take baby steps to achieve them. So make your list now and together let's all start working towards what we think seemed impossible to possible.

Miracle Cream for Asian skin

2012-11-02T13:58:00.001-04:00

My post about the best concealer for Asian skin has caused a lot of traffic.. Lots of readers wanna know more about it... First I was like "Oh WoW"!!! My blog is getting a lot of following and then I realized DUH of course! Everyone wants to know what makes them look better, what keeps them looking fresh and flawless.. So I figured I will post more about different products that are good for Asian skin since I can test the products myself. I definitely would add other products too for other skin types and use my friends as guinea pigs but we'll postpone that for later. For now I will stick to what I know....

Today I wanna talk about BB cream, an abbreviation for beauty balm or blemish balm or beblish balm. I actually call this a miracle cream since you only have to use this one cream as opposed to using 3 or 4 or 5. It' a concealer, sunscreen, moisturizer, and foundation in one bottle. The best BB Creams will depend on your skin type (oily, dry, normal.... ) so you should check what your skin type is before buying this product.

To my readers who live in Asia this cream probably isn't new to you but for everyone else this beauty trend has now spread from Korea to Japan to South East Asia and has now made its way to Europe and North America. BB Creams were first developed in Germany for patient who just had plastic surgery not only to cover and heal the scarring but to also improve the skin overall.

So I tested about 5 BB Creams and so far these are my top 2. You can go ahead and decide on your own but I think these are the best choices for Asian skin, well my Asian skin. I don't have fair skin so this is for my skin tone. I consider myself to have a light to medium tan complexion with warm undertone and these 3 worked best for me. I have attached a current picture of myself. I didn't wanna attach a close-up picture (was a lil camera shy when I took this pic) but you can basically see what my skin tone is. I'm in the medium golden tan category.

1. Too Faced Beauty Balm ($32) - this is the number 1 on my list. I know I should have posted a before and after picture but I guess at this time you just have to take my word for it. I promise I will get better next time so you can see the full effect.

This gave my face a pretty dewy glow. I normally don't wear makeup so I wear this alone which works perfect for me because of the coverage it has but you can wear this under makeup as well. I was recently complimented on how even my skin looks and how it has a natural glow. That is on a 4 hour sleep!!! And all I was wearing was this miracle cream.

This BB cream comes in four shades. Another great thing about it is that it has anti-aging ingredients. Put anything infront of me that says anti-aging and I'm all about it. LOL.

2. Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF 35 ($39) - this was the cream I used all summer long. It was my go-to primer during the hot weather and with its SPF 35 it provided me with great sun coverage. Also for some reason my skin gets a little sensitive in the summertime so it being fragrance-free helped alot too so all of you who have sensitive skin this would be a must try. I recommended this to a lot of my model friends too and they all loved it. They said that they're ready to face the camera just with this alone.

This BB Cream comes in 5 different shades. I used the light/medium shade. What I so love about this product is it helps inhibit oil to prevent the complexion from getting shiny throughout the day without the typical chalky matte finish so it looked even great at the end of a long hot day.

Since BB Creams originated from Asia, there are far more than these two that I have posted but like I mentioned earlier these 2 are the best so far for my skin tone. A lil bit pricey I know but you're really saving a lot of money since you only have to use one product as opposed to 4 or 5.

If I were you, I'd go to the nearest Sephora store and try it for yourself. You don't need to get married to any of their products anyway. You can ask for a sample (or two) and decide later. Let me know how you guys made out.

Wordless Wednesdays

2012-10-17T13:28:00.000-04:00

and it has Christian Louboutin's name all over it...

Hey it's OKAY......... Sunday.....

2012-10-14T14:07:00.001-04:00

Hope everyone had a great week... Mine was very hectic.. What else is new? That's my life But what's a better way by ending it with something that you've been dying to do... I normally post this on Saturdays but for some reason it didn't post as I scheduled it to do.. So here it is.. It's that time again where we can do whatever it is that we feel guilty of doing... Don't worry I promise I won't say a word..

HEY, IT'S OKAY........

to plan on calling in sick on Monday..... Plan ahead on what you want to do on your "day off".. Drop off the kids at school (if you have any), get a mani-pedi, go to the spa, go window shopping... When was the last time you had a whooooole day for yourself?? I know it's been a while for me..

to go to your fave makeup store with a blank face & leave fully made up... I don't know where your favorite makeup indulgence store is but mine is Sephora.. Isn't everybody's? Go in, try on every makeup product you had been dying to try, ask for samples (you do know that they will give you samples of ANY product they have in the store right?), even ask one of their makeup experts to use your face as a canvas. Leave the store looking like a million dollar.. Just make sure you had made prior plans so you can show off the newest shade of blush you're wearing.

to eat breakfast for dinner... Sometimes pancakes, eggs, bacon and breakfast sausages downed with orange or apple juice taste so much better at night.. And sure you can wear your pajamas while you're at it..

to wear a totally mismatched outfit... this is the season where you can get away with wearing anything you desire.. You can wear a totally grungy pair of shoes with a very formal dress, or different prints from head to toe, or totally spice it up and give Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, and Rihanna a run for their money.. Chin up, walk tall and glide...

Jacket anyone??? I got one for every shape!!!

2012-10-02T13:17:00.000-04:00

Jacket Season has arrived! There's no if's and but's about this... The temperature is decreasing by the minute... Ahhhhhh!!!!! I'm really not ready for this season... I haven't worn some of the summer dresses that I wanted to wear.. I also still have a lot of brunch parties to go to, more all-you-can-drink mimosas and bellinis, more trip to the Hamptons but I guess that's the joy of being a mom. I can't really do all these things anymore. Don't get me wrong, I'm in NO way complaining.. I love spending time with my lil diva. It's just that I have all these cute short skirts and dresses that I wasn't able to wear yet.. Ughhh, fine!! I'll keep them for next year.. Hopefully I still like them by next summer..

Okay so on to the necessity of life right now --- JACKETS!

I'm not sure if you guys know but there's no easier way to pull an outfit together once you know the right style for your shape.. Whether you wanna hide any bulges, slim or shrink some parts of your body or show some curves, there's a jacket for everyone..

a FITTED BLAZER looks good, actually let me correct that.. It looks GREAT on everybody.. whatever your shape or size is, a good fitted jacket would make any outfit look good..

if you want to shrink your hips, wear a FIELD JACKET... it hides all the side bulges...

Slim your middle with a BOXY JACKET...

Show some curves, or if you're like me who has a boyish shape, create your curves with a
PEPLUM JACKET

a simple peplum which is an untraditional shape adds so much feminine flair to otherwise boring outfit like the unpolished tees and jeans

Wear it over a sexy party dress

Exotic prints look so chic on sharp jackets

slim jackets plus fuller skirts equals unexpected chic

streamline curves with a bright blazer..the color draws attention upward....

make your legs the emphasis by wearing a jacket and tailored shorts

My Fave Fall 2012 Fashion trends

2012-09-25T08:49:00.000-04:00

Today I will mainly focus on my fave Fall 2012 fashion trends... So go ahead walk to your closet and see if you have the necessities for this season. We will also try to incorporate your summer looks so you don't have to spend a lot of moolah on your current wardrobe.. Otherwise head to your nearest favorite store (new or used) and treat yourself to one new wardrobe... Or two...

SUMMER SHORTS & SKIRTS..... You can definitely recycle your favorite pair of cut-off denim shorts or skirt or your summer floral skirts, pair them with boots and/or tights when it gets a little too chilly for you out there and you have yourself a cool fall wardrobe..

LEATHER............ This season you can wear any part of your outfit in leather. Shorts, skirts, pants... No matter what you wear, it's totally acceptable this fall..

PRINTS, PRINTS, PRINTS........ Gone are those days that you would hear that your prints clash or what you're wearing is way too busy..... So go right ahead and wear your tops and bottoms with mismatched designs, whatever color or prints... We promise, we will not say anything about it...

FUR....... whether you're a PETA supporter which means you prefer to the faux version or you love to wear and can afford the real thing, fur always takes your wardrobe to a whole new level... There's just something so chic about it when a woman wears fur.. Real or not....

RIPPED DENIMS.. Denim nowadays are taken into a more, way more, sophisticated level.. They said that the irony of ripped jeans is that it takes care to engineer something that is so careless but it's actually that careless factor that keeps it on the fashion radar...

Hey It's OKAY............ Saturday.......

2012-09-22T13:00:00.003-04:00

So it's been a while......... A looooooooong while since I have posted here.... It has been a crazy 2 months, yes I said two, well give or take, since I last posted here.. But I'm back... I am also updating Couture Cupcakes website and starting a blog about it as well so stay tuned guys...

Starting today, we're going to have "Hey, It's OKAY......... Saturday.....

What this means is we can say YES to anything our little heart desires. This is a way for us to end the whole week (that's Monday to Friday for you) with something that will make us feel good about ourselves. Well you don't really need to just do this on a Saturday... Anytime you feel you need to do it, just do it... Isn't this the essence of this blog? Memba????!!?!?!??

Posh Appetite... A brief delve into self indulgence WON'T harm you... So today let's say

HEY, IT'S OKAY........

to skip the gym.....

dial your friend(s) # that you haven't seen for ages... have brunch and chat away... go ahead w/ those eggs benedict & down it w/ your fave bellini, mimosa or rose'..... did i hear all you can drink?

courtesy of YELP

to say yes to that guy who had been asking you for a drink.......
whether he's your type or not... what's the worse that can happen??? you enjoy a nice conversation?? if not, hey it's a free meal right??

courtesy of Social Moms

to go inside the bakery you pass by every single day....
choose the moistest, chocolatiest, most decadent and biggest pastry you see...... just up your cardio on Monday.. LOL

courtesy of celebreaty4recipes

to stay in bed till noon.......
you can get up to check on your kid(s) (if you have any) BUT ask someone else to take care of them so you can go right back to bed and do absolutely nothing.......

courtesy of Nutrition Post

to wear white after Labor day....
or Columbus day... or Veteran's day... or Thanksgiving day... Go ahead wear your white any time you want.... Who said rocking those whites have an expiration date?

Your toddler misbehaving? Try these TWO tried & tested tips..

2012-07-30T14:01:00.001-04:00

When the troublemaker in your toddler insists on misbehaving even after you give her chance after chance to behave, you may need to start instituting some consequences. The good news: If there are immediate and real consequences for bad behavior, your toddler — even at this young age — will quickly start to realize that naughtiness does not pay off. So whichever toddler-discipline approach you choose—positive reinforcement or consequences—act swiftly.

Here are two tried-and-true options to consider when doling out consequences:

A sentence that fits the crime. A common (and basic) toddler-discipline technique you may want to try first is to take away a privilege that’s related to your little devil’s offense. And make sure the consequence comes quickly — after all, you want to make sure your child connects the crime with the consequence so she learns from the experience. That means you don’t want to deprive your toddler of dessert in the evening for an unrelated infraction (like taking her brother’s coloring book) that happened in the morning. By the time supper rolls around, both the infraction and its looming consequence might have been forgotten — which means you’ll have to endure a fresh set of tears when your child suddenly remembers it’s no-ice-cream-for-you-young-lady night. Instead, right after your tot takes her brother’s coloring book, immediately take the book away from your toddler, and take away her crayons for a limited period of time to boot. Once you get the hang of this toddler-discipline tactic, you’ll be surprised by how easy it is to master. For instance, if your tot won’t stop pouring water out of the tub, bath time (and bath-time play) is over — immediately. If she throws her food, whisk her out of the high chair and call it a meal. If you’re able to see a link between the rules your kid breaks and a consequence she won’t like, go for it.

Time-outs. One of the most used (and sometimes overused) toddler-discipline techniques is the good old time-out — and even at this young age, your child should be ready to start learning from it. The theory behind time-outs is that they allow a child to cool off and get back in control after misbehaving. Plus, it has the added benefit of depriving an attention-loving toddler (and what toddler isn’t attention loving?) of attention. What’s more, it can be easily modified to suit both a child’s maturity level — as well as the offensiveness of the particular crime — by making it longer or shorter. Still, the time-out isn’t perfect. It works at home or on the playground but not so much in, say, the car, or at the grocery store. And without a modicum of cooperation from your child, time-outs can be hard to enforce.

Here’s how to make them work:

Choose an appropriate time-out spot. Pick a place that’s safe, away from toys and distracting activities, and within your view. Don’t use your child’s crib or room as a time-out spot because you want your child to have only positive associations with those places.
Act, don’t talk. Saying, “If you don’t stop jumping on the couch, I’m going to give you a time-out, I really mean it, stop right now or it’s a time-out for you, you know you hate time-outs,” means nothing to a toddler. Instead, give your toddler one warning to stop what she’s doing (you could even count to three or so — but not, you know, 100! — to give her a chance to stop), and if she doesn’t obey, swoop in, speak minimally, and follow through with the time-out. Escort her to her time-out spot, where she should sit in silence until you “release” her.
Don’t cave. If you said one minute in the corner of the living room, stick to it. Set a timer so that both you and your toddler know the clock is ticking. If your child puts up a fuss, gets up from her chair, or moves from the corner, calmly return her to her time-out spot and reset the clock. You may need to repeat this process several times before your toddler figures out that you’re not budging
Modify the time-out spot if needed. If you’re not at home, it can be trickier to make time-outs work, but it is possible:

At the playground. The time-out means your child sits next to you, while you ignore her for the duration. Think that doesn’t seem like much of a punishment? Think again. Sitting on a bench with a boring grown-up while happy children frolic all around will probably make her think twice before throwing sticks again.
In the car. A time-out becomes The Silent Treatment. Turn off the music and ignore your child. You may need some deep, cleansing breaths to help you through this one, but do not turn around and do not speak till time’s up — even if your misbehaving tot is throwing a fit in the backseat. True, she won’t exactly be following the rules of the time-out if she’s screaming at the top of her lungs, but she also won’t be getting any attention from you in the meantime — which can be consequence enough.
At a friend’s house. You can remove your toddler to a different room if you like, but stay with her (being locked away in unfamiliar surroundings is very scary for kids this age and pushes the time-out too far). While in the room, sit with your little rebel in silence.
Anywhere. For drastic circumstances, simply pack it up and go home. This functions as an Extreme Time-Out — save it for serious infractions like biting, hitting, or running in the street. It will make quite an impression.

No matter what you choose to do when your child misbehaves, be sure to explain to her why she’s getting a consequence. That’s how she’ll learn (you hope!) what not to do. And remember, when it comes to toddler discipline, there are as many effective consequences as there are toddlers. It’s a parent’s endless challenge to find what works best for her and her child at any given time.

Then, once you do figure out an effective toddler-discipline strategy, stick with it! Consistency is key. Without it, you’ll send your child a mixed message, which will confuse her or encourage her to push your limits to see what she can get away with next time. So, if you give a consequence on Monday because your little gymnast is jumping on the couch, don’t ignore her split leap off the sofa on Wednesday. And make sure your spouse knows the rules, too, and is prepared to enforce them. For toddler discipline to work, everyone has got to get on board.

HAHA.. Please don't do this :P

(source: What To Expect)

MOM is the word...

2012-07-10T17:26:00.000-04:00

There is never a dull moment when you have a 2 year old, especially if you’re a single mom with no help from friends or family. Just imagine my chaotic but fulfilling life. As I’m writing this post right now I’m on the train back home now without my little one. Earlier today I was thinking, hmmm it’s kinda nice that I don’t have to lug her stroller around while trying to meet my deadline or go to a meeting. If you’re a parent(s) who live(s) in the city you probably know that the NYC subway is not geared toward those on wheels and how hard it is bringing the stroller up and down the stairs of the subway.

I actually know every subway that has elevators but there are a lot of times that I need to go to places where I have to pick up the stroller all 15 or more steps of them because there's either no elevator or escalator for that matter. I have to say though that New Yorkers had been very helpful (both men and women) who stop to ask if I need help. Of course there are those occasional commuters who pretend they don't see you even if you look like you're about to tumble down the stairs.Thank goodness Aavah can walk now. I just unstrap her and she goes up the stairs like it’s a game, who gets to the top first.

But as I am writing this post now I’m on my way home and I miss her climbing next to the seat next to me and saying hi to everyone in the subway. At the end of a very exhausting, long and stressful day, the smile on her face is what would make all the difference. Things just get a little better when I pick her up from her daycare and she runs towards me like nothing else matters and yells the word Mommy.

A Park in The Sky

2012-06-26T12:06:00.003-04:00

High Line park is a park transformed from abandoned elevated rail tracks that were used since early 20th century to transport meat from the New York’s meat-packing district, and unused since 1960s. This is New York city's hottest creation to date, the reinvention of the Urban Park. An elevated park in the sky built on top of the skeleton of an old rail system, 25 feet above ground.

Opened to much fanfare, it’s probably the first project in a major city that was conceived through the power of the “new breed of city folks” – empowered citizens. Who took on a collective interest, and mustered up a stronger voice – via social media network sites (read: The Blogosphere), creating a non-profit organization that lobbied the city government not to demolish the old elevated train tracks. And utilizing grass-root called Friends of the Highline support to make High Line Park a reality.

Pebble-dash concrete walkways unify the trail

naturalized plantings that are inspired by the self-seeded landscape that grew on the disused tracks

A set of “tiered benches”, that over look 10th Avenue for a view of the city

Railway like seats

The elevator and stairs of the park

Benches and Lounges

The lawn

This High Line is located on Manhattan's West Side. It runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th St, between 10th and 11th Avenues. The 1st section of the High Line opened on June 9, 2009. It runs from Gansevoort St to West 20th St. The second section, which runs between West 20th and West 30th Streets, opened on June 8, 2011. It's open from 7am to 11pm daily. Access to the High Line is possible via any of the access points listed below. The High Line is fully wheelchair (or stroller for moms like me) accessible possible via any of the access points listed below. The High Line is fully wheelchair accessible.

Gansevoort Street
14th Street (elevator access)
West 16th Street (elevator access)
West 18th Street
West 20th Street
23rd Street (elevator access)
West 26th Street
West 28th Street
West 30th Street (elevator access)

Basic Essentials - summer checklist

2012-06-20T17:17:00.001-04:00

Today is officially summer!! YAYY!! I don't know about you but summertime makes me SO happy! I'm the kind of person who never stays home, whatever the weather is outside, even when it's snowing out in the winter time. I'm always doing something, I like keeping busy.. So what else can you expect from me when it's nice out. I will be going everywhere I can possibly go. It won't be the same kind of activities when Aavah wasn't around yet like traveling to different places, different countries for that matter maybe when she's a little older, but to wherever I can possibly go with her and doing things she can enjoy as well. With that said I will share with you my SUMMER BASIC ESSENTIALS..

Here's my summer checklist:

Maxi dress -This is definitely the #1 on my list. They are tailored for different age groups, can be dressed up or dressed down so it can be worn during the day or at night and has a very laid back vibe.

Denim Vest - When I said essential I really meant it. Denim vests can be paired with anything - dress, skirt, shorts, skirt, pants, and the list goes on... Sometimes it's all you need to change your look.

White Jeans - Contrary to what a lot of people think white denim jeans can be flattering on everyone believe it or not. White is the new black this summer, ladies! Wearing white can be just as slimming as wearing black sometimes, as long as you do it right.

Sunglasses - What is summer without owning a pair of trendy sunnies. Doesn't matter what style you choose, so long as they look good on you and compliments the shape of your face you'd be trending.

Day to Night platforms -- These shoes can be worn to a brunch or to a dinner date or a night out. The colorful hues make them oh-so-summery

The panama hat or the straw fedora - I love LOVE hats! Whatever season it is, this is one accessory that I never go without most especially in the hot summer days. Not only can you conceal your bed hair, it actually adds a lil twist to your outfit.

The colored jean -This is one of the trends this year that is my FAVE! I think I bought 5 different colors. It is SO fun and stylish at the same time.

Flowy Top - Nothing is more comfortable than wearing a flowy shirt with your favorite shorts, pants or even skirt.

Printed Scarf - The last thing you need this season is something heavy coiled up around your neck and make you sweat so pick a scarf that is as Light as air and absolutely effortless. It's the finishing touch that takes your summer style from basic to brilliant

Colorful crossbody bag - This is a MUST especially when you have an active toddlerlike me. No more huge diaper bags, this stylish bag can have your easy necessities like lipgloss, sunnies keys angd IDs.

Cut-off shorts - Here's a trend that is to stay. We paired them with tights and boots in the fall/winter season now we can pair them with sandals or sneakers to dress them down or our highest heels to dress them up.

Fashion Fridays

2012-06-15T13:20:00.001-04:00

June 20 is the official start of summer but I definitely can feel (and see) summer everywhere. Everyone is wearing a lot of colors and I LOVE IT! It makes me feel so happy and giddy inside. Today we're only featuring the colorful and bold men we found on the streets of New York. Enjoy!

a peek inside the Celebrity Closets

2012-06-08T12:37:00.005-04:00

It's been a minute since I've posted here.. It's just been SO hectic especially after Aavah's birthday. She just turned the BIG 2. I promise to post pictures of her 3 Minnie Mouse themed parties sooner than later. Meantime let's focus on the less important and more superficial stuff LOL.

Once upon a time I was a proud owner of my very own shoe closet. I know I took a picture of it but can't seem to find it anywhere. It was a 12 shelf closet purely for my own shoe indulgence but nothing can compare to these closets that I'm about to post. I would be lying if I tell you that I'm not jealous of all the extravagance.. One day... One day.... Enjoy and drool if you must :)

Desperate Housewives' Eva Longoria

Black Eyed Peas' Fergie

Paris Hilton's closet

Khloe Kardashian's shoe closet

Highschool Musical's Ashley Tisdale

Supermodel Kate Moss

Mariah Carey's department store like closet

Christina Ricci

Ralph Lauren

a fraction of Kimora Lee's closet

Cristina Aguilera

Paula Abdul

(her accessories, shoes and clothes have identity tags to easily match them up to help her pack)

Elton John's sunnies collection

Oprah

and the origin of all these shoe closets.............

Imelda Marcos

It's okay to be jealous, actually it's quite alright if you hate them coz I do. LOL. Not only do they get their stuff free from the designers they get to keep them too!!!

Bra Bulges... Anyone? Okay let's get rid of that!

2012-05-24T12:56:00.000-04:00

Bra bulge is one of the most common fat problems many women encounter today. Sometimes even skinny girls like me become candidates for this. It occurs when the back of the bra digs in, showing the distinctive outline of your underwear. Bra bulge is caused by your flab, creating as much as three rolls of fat: one below the bra, one above, and another one that shows through the center of the bottom and top elastic bands.

Photo Credit Jupiter images/Polka Dot/Getty Images

Unfortunately this is the hardest part of the body to target but here are some methods to do that:

Let's first go the easy way..

1. Buy the right undergarments to hide those bulges.

All it takes is the right underwear. Get a brassiere that doesn't put any stress on your back, or one that doesn't cling too tightly and press down on your fat. There are also shape wears that you can wear to make your back look smoother like the pictures about. If you want, you can ditch wearing a bra altogether. Opt for nipple concealment strips or nipple covers. Or try Spanx for a smooth sexy back without bulges, bra lines, hooks or wires.

2. Eat right!

All the fat on your back didn't get there overnight so PLEASE don't expect a miracle for them to be gone when you wake up in the morning. They came from all the snacking and overeating you've done throught the years so now you have to counter the unbalanced eating habits you acquired by going on a healthy diet!

NEVER skip breakfast. Not only do you not get the required nutrients you need for the day, you also throw off your metabolism and you retain weight instead of losing it.
Have FIVE small meals in a day, instead of three large ones. It keeps your metabolism on a continual cycle.
FRUITS & VEGGIES They give you the nutrients you need, like fiber, which aids well in digestion.
SNACK healthy Avoid chocolate, chips, and candies since these contain empty calories. Opt for healthy treats instead, like nuts, yogurt, and fruit smoothies.
Watch what you drink. Avoid soda and lessen your coffee consumption. Switch to water, and drink at least eight glasses a day.

3. Move it!
To eliminate bra bulge, you should take steps to reduce your overall fat on the body and build muscle in the back to tone the back. Here's one easy way to do it. The exercise is called 'The Saw'. I promise you will see results in just a month if you do this religiously!

4. Opt for Surgery

Here's the last thing I would tell someone to do but if you don't want to diet & exercise and don't want to rely on special bra styles anymore this is the one and only choice you can turn to. Make sure you find a reliable plastic surgeon and ask him for a liposuction. But this can be painful, costly and side effects can occur. Another popular surgery option today is the bra line back lift, since it leaves the final scar underneath the bra line, hiding it perfectly.

Nothing can ruin a good pair of sexy lingerie than lumps of fat rolling over the strap. If you have this problem, don't fret. Try these tactics and you'll soon get rid of that unpleasant and annoying bra bulge.

Trying to stay positive...

2012-05-09T14:02:00.000-04:00

Being positive isn’t always easy. We all have things that happen in our lives that drag us down and make us feel helpless. Sometimes instead of just focusing on the bad and negative things, if we focus on the positive, things turn around. This week especially today is one of those days. I just feel like the world is crushing down on me. Everything I try to do seems to have a huge hurdle that I couldn’t jump over. I feel helpless and like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. They said, if you only look at the negative, nothing good will happen. Focus on the good, have faith and good things will happen. It is so hard to think about this at this moment, but it's just very difficult for me to do this right now. They said think positive, even if there is an obstacle, keep going along and things will work themselves out. Everything happens for a reason….right? Maybe the obstacles I am facing today is really opening the door to something greater tomorrow. I really sure hope so.

To help me try to re-focus, I researched for some great positive and motivational quotes. Hope they help you too!

Get your dream body without working out! Pinky Swear!

2012-05-07T09:32:00.006-04:00

I promised that I can give you your dream body without lifting a pound of weight. I will make you look like you lost a size or two by just finding out what kind of body you have and following the steps below. Just a little tweak on your dress style and you can achieve this. Really, pinky swear! Both my left and right :) Moms are you all ready?

1. For the petite

Lines that zigzag elongate more effectively than plain vertical stripes. Piping at the seams punctuates a slight frame, giving you more dimension and presence. I love this print especially in knits. They hug just the right amount to make the most of petite girls' subtle curves.

2. For the thick waisted

As it crisscrosses your torso, this dress makes a V that tapers to a littler-looking middle. Delicate three-quarter sleeves and drapey silk add feminie flourish to a boyish figure. The black band creates a waist, avoiding that shapeless paper-doll effect.

3. For the long & lean
Swaths of color keep a straight figure interesting from any angle. The bright sash helps break up a tall frame.

4. For the curvy body types
Eyes go where contrasting textures meet, which , in this dress, happens to be at your svelte waist.

Best concealer for Asian skin!!

2012-04-27T22:00:00.000-04:00

Today was a shopping kind of day. I'm wearing something comfy and cute, my ultra favorite denim long sleeve shirt, topped with my vintage three quarter sleeves short sweater, American Apparel wet leggings, and cream Calvin Klein boots. As usual my hair is braided on the side which I do a lot to get that beachy waves on my hair. I'm wearing my beanie hat and Dolce & Gabbana aviator glasses. I hate wearing make up so I wear sunglasses alot aka "I-look-like-a-ghost-underneath-these-glasses". Good thing I didn't put all my boots and jacket in my storage coz New York city was SOOO cold today. I was freezing! I had to buy another one of those plastic covers for Aavah's stroller so she wouldn't get all the wind and breeze while we were strolling.

We walked around China town and the little boutiques around Soho but didn't really find anything good. Well good for my budget that is. And like any other day when I'm shopping I always end up at the nearest place where I can peruse at the make up aisle. In I went in Sephora in Broadway between Prince and Spring. Although I hate wearing make-up, I love finding good concealers and mascara that would make my invisible eyelashes pop out. I don't think I've ever found a concealer as good as this one. It's called Time Balm. It comes in about 5 or 6 different shades and let me tell you, this concealer is SOO good especially for Asian skin! Find your match and tell me if I'm kidding! I actually took a before and after picture when I put the concealer but my cute little Aavah decided to delete the pictures from my phone so you just gotta take my word for this. Isn't she cuuuute?

The concealer comes with a sponge which makes it so much easier to apply. One tip from me to you, try not to use your fingers when applying your concealer. Use either a brush or a sponge. I like using a concealer brush coz it blends really well on your skin. For all my Asian readers out there, check out this concealer and please leave me comments on how you liked it.

Wordless Wednesdays

2012-04-25T13:04:00.000-04:00

As I get her juice box and left her watching her favorite Mickey Mouse tv show while eating her Trader Joe's Gorgonzola crackers, I came back with this....Gggggrrrr!!!! Oooohhhh, Aavah Rhae!

Here fishy fishy fishy.....

2012-04-23T11:50:00.000-04:00

So in between yo gabba gabba repeats I was able to squeeze in some "me" time, for a total of 22 minutes and 13 seconds to be exact, before Aavah jumped on my lap to ask for something to snack on. But within those 22 minutes and 13 seconds, I was able to paint my nails. YAY!! I have this favorite OPI nail polish that's called "I'm not really a waitress". Reviews said it doesn't look good on yellow skin tone which is my skin tone coz I'm Filipino but I've been using it forever and I get compliments every time I do.

Does the color compliment my skin tone? Si or No?

Well speaking of nail care, have you guys ever heard of fish pedicures? They were first used in Turkey but are now very popular in alot of Asian countries. I believe this was banned in a lot of states here in the US because it has been deemed as unsanitary. A lot of spa owners want to jump on this but were disappointed when it was declared illegal. The fish they use for this is called "Garra Rufa, also known as Doctor Fish or the Surgeon fish amongst other names which had been used to treat psoriasis, eczema and other skin disorders for years in their homelands of Turkey, Iran, Syria and Iraq.

I don't know about you but this is kinda gross. I want my fish to be infront of me as my dinner rather than my stinky feet being theirs.. Yipes stripes

April is National Volunteer Month

2012-04-16T16:18:00.001-04:00

If you don't know, now you know. April is National Volunteer month which is dedicated to celebrating others to gift-giving and helping those who can't possibly help themselves. There is no better feeling than devoting a few hours to support others in a community. This month, people all across the country will walk away with the feeling that they've helped advocate for something positive and beneficial to society.While it may seem a little underhanded to volunteer because you need the hours, you never know what that may lead you to. Some are just too busy in their lives to have time to volunteer regularly which is completely understandable but volunteering even just once a year will do you and your soul good. If you don't have a platform that you are really passionate about, there are several places such as Volunteer Match that allows people to sign up and view various openings in their communities.

As for me, I volunteer at a few different places. One is a living pantry that serves clients who are HIV positive and their family members and the second one is to a group of single moms where I cook and/or bake for the moms and their children. This month I donated my time to YRTA (Youth Reacting to Aids).

YRTA first began in the fall of 1993 as teens from several Connecticut high schools gathered to plan a World AIDS Day program. During the second meeting, they chose to become an organization. YRTA was born! The mission of this organization is to:

Increase AIDS awareness

Fight ignorance of the disease

Help those who are HIV positive or have AIDS

Do things for and with people who are HIV positive and have AIDS

The kids that participated in the program ranged from middle school to high school. They were all a good sport and took part in all the activities. They put together collages of what their idea of HIV and how it affects people and how they can help.

Another activity was to blow up a condom to establish the face that you don't really need different sizes for different people. The one they used for this activity was just the regular size that they give out as samples. It blew up as big as an oval balloon which proved the point that anyone can use it.

The AIDS Chair was also predominantly used during the whole program which was designed to stand as a steadfast symbol of the urgent need to re-engage and re-energize the AIDS movement. It's emergence comes at a time when the domestic agenda has shifted its focus away from the AIDS crisis, even while the destruction of human lives and communities continues unabated. The Red Ribbon shape pays homage to the iconic symbol of solidarity, pain, struggle, commitment, and shared sense of urgency which typified the early years of the AIDS movement, and is intended as a visual reminder of the critical social dialogue and hard work still needing to be done to end the crisis.

The singular role of the 'chair' as a time honored place where people can sit face-to-face to engage, discuss, and debate serious social issues inspired its design and development. Over one hundred AIDS chairs are now being produced and will be made available to community groups, schools, and AIDS organizations for community re-engagement Red Chair events.

The AIDS Chair campaign's purpose is twofold: to re-engage those that have been involved in the past but have dropped out, and to engage those that have never been involved in the struggle. We hope that these chairs will provide inspiration and motivation to bring the AIDS issue to the forefront of media attention, discussion, or dialogue. Details on availability of campaign materials and ideas for community events can be found within their web site (www.aidschair.org).

Check out the napkins we had for this event too. How cute and clever are they? And also the chocolate lollipop giveaways.

Well I hope all you guys would give at least a couple hours of your day to volunteer for a good cause.

Aavah's 1st REAL Easter Egg hunt (well sorta)

2012-04-11T15:20:00.003-04:00

A few days before Easter, Aavah's daycare had an Easter egg event for all the kids that go there.. They put together different fun activities for all the kids like egg coloring, egg painting, Easter card making and one activity that they put frosting on hard boiled eggs and covered them with sprinkles. My poor baby is allergic to eggs so she just participated on the face painting and Easter card making. I'm not sure if she would have bad reaction even just touching the eggs but I tried to be safe than sorry so I didn't even take a chance.

She was so funny when they were making the Easter egg cards. Instead of putting the stickers on the paper, she would put them on her nose or her forehead as you can see on the pictures on the right.

They saved the Easter egg hunting activity last. First they they divided them to their age group so everyone can have a fair chance of hunting for the eggs. Aavah of course belonged to the 1 to 5 year old group . Notice how she's the littlest one in the group. She was so good though following everyone to their classroom, holding her little pink basket.

When they all reached the classroom where all the eggs are hidden, the teacher asked everyone to gather around in a circle and sit on the floor. Then music was played for them to sing and dance together... My little Aavah found a chair next to the boombox next to the teacher, and sat there when everyone started singing and dancing. She couldn't be bothered. She did participate with everyone but she remained seated and she was only moving her arms while everyone was singing and dancing. I guess she felt she was better than everyone else LOL

After singing about 5 to 6 songs the egg hunting began. While all the kids couldn't contain themselves in finding where the hidden eggs were, Aavah could care less. My little diva found this little couch in the corner of the room and decided to just hang and chill there while everyone else was looking for eggs. Actually I was the one doing all the dirty work while she just sat there looking all pretty and being all so busy checking out a toy she got. The other kids were so aggressive that I actually just got 3 eggs LOL. Then after all was said and done, she took the basket from me and stood with the rest of the kids. All the teachers were hysterically laughing. I swore to them that wasn't me, that was all her.. LOL

At the end of it all, she had a great time. I mean why do all the dirty work when someone can do it for you right? There's always mommy to save her day. :)

Christening cupcakes

2012-04-06T15:20:00.000-04:00

Couture Cupcakes & Bakes had the pleasure of putting together christening cupcakes for the cutest baby boy I've seen in a while, his name is Aiden Benway. He was so cute that I had to contact his mom if I could put him on my blog.. Look at the outfit! The light blue pinstripe blazer was absolutely adorable. This is something I actually would wear :)

His lovely mom had asked me to make 3 different flavors for the occasion. She requested for the Red velvet, the Triple Chocolate and because there would be lots of Filipinos there she had asked for the Pandan which is the all time Filipino favorite. She wanted the cupcakes to follow the theme that she chose for the party which was dark gold and white. I decorated the cupcakes using white chocolate melts that I used to make the crosses, his initial, his name and the word love. I also used gold dust and sprinkles, white pearl trimmings and white and gold liners. It seemed that everyone enjoyed since nothing was left on the dessert table.

Here's a picture of Aiden, his mom Belle Jaye and dad Gary. Welcome to the Christian world Aiden!

Finding THE perfect work shoe

2012-04-05T16:00:00.004-04:00

Finding that perfect work shoe seems to be an easy thing but ask anyone who has a 9-5 office job, especially those who are on their feet a lot it's not quite that easy. You want to look professional but you need to have that comfort as well. I love wearing heels but you can't wear the really high platform ones that you look like about to bust a move coz you look like you're going to a night club. You want something comfortable but you don't want to look SO comfortable that you look like you're at home. Here are some do's and don'ts of finding your perfect work shoe.

Do wear Mary Janes.

Don't wear this kind of Mary Janes. They're meant for dancing, pole dancing that is.

Do wear heeled loafers

Don't try to wear men's loafers.

Do wear kitten heels. They're comfy and go with everything

Ummmm Don't... Just Don't

Do wear pumps that are work-appropriate

Don't wear this kind. Didn't I say "work-appropriate". Oh I guess it depends what you call "work"

Do wear pumps that are about 3 inches high.

Don't wear sky high heels, not very business-like. Actually on second thought, why don't you try it and lemme know how that goes for you.

Do wear ankle strap heels

Don't wear clear heels ankle strap, unless of course a pole is a requirement in your job.

Do wear very comfortable shoes when you're in the medical field,
especially if you're on your feet for more than 8 hours a day

Don't wear this unless you're going as a nurse on Halloween

I think you get the idea. As for me, here's my outfit today for a business meeting. I opted for a gray pair of heels to match my gray outfit. Sorry, I'm a lil camera shy today :) LOL