Up this week, yet another colour from the OPI POTC collection!

Planks a Lot is a darker, dusty purple creme. I love the colour, but absolutely hated the application! I'm thinking it may have been because I have this in the mini bottle, versus the regular 0.5 oz sized bottle. The smaller brush was difficult to maneuver, and gave me a sheer, streaky application. It took 3 coats to achieve the right colour (the furthest I've ever had to do with OPI polishes is 2 coats!), and I was downright frustrated that it took so long to do my nails! I might just pick up the bigger bottle to see if that is the issue, because I have read that this particular polish had the best application out of the entire collection.



For the accent nail, I tried out the Sephora by OPI blasted nail colour in Blasted Gold. I picked up this bottle while in Seattle, and haven't had a chance to try out the formula til now.



This metallic polish is sheerer and runnier than OPI's Silver Shatter, and I found that it didn't crackle as well as I hoped. With a thin coat, the cracks were narrow and few, allowing very little of the purple to show through. Using a thicker coat, the cracks were a little larger, but still not as big as I was hoping for. I ended up digging my own lines into the golden coat of polish to tailor it to my expectations, haha.

Mmmmhmmm. You know I love food, and when there's food trucks involved, I'm in.

A couple weeks ago, I found out about this neat event through Sharon's blog, Only Here For the Food. With her partner in crime, Mack, they decided to host an event with some of Edmonton's food trucks, in hopes to mimic a food truck event they attended while visiting San Francisco.

The aim was simple: bring some life and vibrancy back into the downtown core of Edmonton, and encourage Edmontonians to come out and enjoy the weather & good food!



While I am aware that Edmonton's food truck scene is well, not quite existent, I was still excited nonetheless. Their lineup was promising, with seven different vendors: Carnival Cravings, Eva Sweet, Fat Franks, Filistix, The Fork and Spoon Brigade, the Funky Pickle & the Lingnan.

The unfortunate downturn for me was that I had to get to work at 6:00 pm! I headed downtown with my boyfriend, and with Friday afternoon rush hour traffic, we didn't get down to the park until about 4:45.. giving us approximately 30 minutes to pick and choose what we wanted to eat.





I ended up choosing a liege waffle from Eva Sweet, and I regret not having two!! This was one of the best waffles I've had in a really long time. For $4.50, I received a warm, soft, fluffy, caramelized waffle topped with whipped cream and raspberry sauce. So. Good. I was so excited and ate half of it before I realized there was fresh fruit for it too! Whoooops.



Next up, Filistix. This little truck usually sets up at the City Market on Saturdays to serve patrons fusion food in the style of buns and biscuits. Not only did this vendor have the longest line, they also had the longest wait before receiving their food. I don't think they were expecting such a great turnout at their truck - with a wide variety of items to choose from & two people running the truck, I think they were a little overwhelmed!



But still, everyone waited patiently for their orders and the guys were very friendly :) I went with the Pulled Pork Filibun, and waited about 15 minutes before I held it in my hands.



Slow braised pulled pork, pineapple salsa, cucumber, slaw and cilantro was wedged between two grilled bun faces.. it looked really difficult to pick up and eat! The food inside was on the cooler side, making it not as appetizing for me. It would've been so good if the meat was still hot! The flavours were great together, but I couldn't pick it up. I ended up cutting it up like a lady, with my fork & knife.

I'd say this event was a huge success! There was a great turnout, and the weather was being cooperative. A big thanks to Mack & Sharon for organizing this event.. I hope to see another one in the future with more trucks!

Up first out of the POTC collection is Steady as She Rose. I love the witty names they come up.. so cheesy. I never get tired.

I would describe this shade as a dusty pastel shade of lavender. I really wasn't too sure of this colour in the beginning, but after a day or so, I figured I really like it! Colour was opaque in two coats, and I lasted up to 4 days without chips! Pure joy, the formula is a breeze to apply. :)

You've probably seen the swatches already, and perhaps fallen in love with the colours. When I first saw this collection, I was pretty iffy. I'm not a girl who polishes her nails other than a shade of pink, yet somehow, I was REALLY attracted to this collection.

Just how cute are the mini sized bottles??



I had to collect them ALL.

Thanks to the heads up from miss Steph over at DSK Jewelry, I found out about the upcoming collaboration between Swarovski & Sanrio to bring out the Hello Kitty collection!

While we have all seen the crystallized jewelry and accessories from various brands, like Kimora Lee Simmons, there has never officially been a collaboration with the famous house of crystal to bring forth this iconic character.

Looking at the press pics, I feel like a lot of this jewelry is going to be too childish, or rather blinged out for my liking. There's only one necklace I'm going to pursue:

In stores August 2011. Find out more & see more pictures here

Fiiiinally, today I got to go out with my girlfriends to just catch up and have some dinner! We went to Lee House, then finished off the night with some fro yo from Twisted!

I tried out the kimchi fried rice from Lee House for the first time, and I've gotta say I'm not the biggest fan. I found that the grains of rice were a little too dry, and the dish was a little oily. I'm a big fan of the rice at Ga Ya! Theirs features diced up kimchi pieces (versus the big chunks in this one), and the rice is softer, and slightly sticks together. See, this is why I stick to what I like, and don't venture away from it. I hate disappointment. Nonetheless, I still finished the whole thing ;)

Fro Yo was perfect after spicy Korean food! Crystal's bowl looked like something gross, I'll let you imagine for yourself. :)


Poo Yogurt


Fruity Yogurt

Just a look at what I picked up/ordered while I was in the states..

They're like a nail polish gang, haha.



Look out for them in upcoming posts! :)

Back in March, a reader named Jenn taught me a neat little trick that could be used when ordering online from Sephora. For Canadians, you must order a minimum of $120 for free shipping, pay higher prices than in the US despite dollar parity, and we don't get awesome freebies/samples. However, if you have a Sephora gift card, it can be used via the American checkout given that you have a place to send the package to! I was so excited that I sent an order to Andrew to bring home for me back when the VIB 15% event was going on. It saved me so much money, so thank you so much Jenn!!!

And now that I'm in Seattle, I've collected the rest of my orders. Let's just say I have a ton of things to try out & review!

All throughout this Seattle/Vancouver trip, I took the time to review this sunscreen that I picked up a couple months ago.

IQQU is the brand endorsed by YouTuber and blogger Michelle Phan. I believe that she was the creator of the brand, and had a very influential role in creating the makeup and skincare products that they currently sell. From watching her videos, I learned about the brand, and picked up a couple items back in their 2010 Black Friday promotion (told you I've had this for a while!)

All the products that I have purchased so far are manufactured in Thailand, where the company is based out of. Some of the skincare products have locally sourced ingredients, like tumeric, which is actually supposed to be really good for your skin!

Anyways, my all time favourite sunscreen that I use on a normal basis is the Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 60 PA+++. I love that it has a thin, liquid consistency which makes it easy to apply, and dries completely matte on the skin, giving a nice, smooth finish. It has full UVA/UVB protection, and is waterproof, which I love! This one was recommended to me for my combination skin, and is also ideal for oily skin. If you have drier skin, the cream version is a better alternative.



I picked out IQQU's particular sunscreen because it had so many positive reviews on the website itself. When it arrived, I was pretty surprised with the size - it was much smaller than I had expected ($25 for 30 ml)! But for skincare items, I do tend to splurge, and if it's a good product, the money is worth it in the end!



So over the past two weeks, I've actually enjoyed using this product. It has a mousse-like consistency, and spreads out evenly on the skin to leave behind a silky smooth, matte finish. However, it does seem to leave a bit of a white cast behind, which I wasn't too fond of, especially on days where I was putting makeup overtop. My skin did dry out a little bit, but I'm not sure if that was due to the product, or my skin adjusting to a more humid climate.. but shouldn't a place with higher humidity give skin more moisture? Because of this, I would probably use this sunscreen in the hotter summer months, like July & August!



The product will last a long time (expiring in 2014, wow), and feels nice on the skin. I would definitely check it out if you're looking for a mattifying sunscreen for the summer. It makes your skin feel oh so nice :) I am in no way affiliated with IQQU, but you can check out the products at their website here.

End of the trip already? Time really flies when you're just relaxing and having fun.. work days always seem to drag on forever. But I'm really thankful to have had this opportunity to spend some quality time with my family and see relatives that I haven't seen in 4+ years!

Kam Do Restaurant & Bakery - 8391 Alexandra Road - Richmond BC

I know that the drive back to Edmonton from Vancouver is approximately 12 hours, and with the time zone difference, it seems like it's 13! But yesterday night, we decided to get adequate sleep, and leave the city around 10 am, targetting to be home around 1130 pm local time.

Road trips with my family equate to driving long distances with as few stops as possible. We pack large amounts of food to be eaten in the car, and stop only when nature calls! That's why we found ourselves here this morning.

Good ol' Kam Do Restaurant.. back in the day this place was bustlin' full of people, we had to stand and wait for a table! Nowadays, the place is a little run down, and you can be seated at a table immediately. I suppose it's because more and more HK style breakfast places have opened up in the area, but we still stay true to this place. Plus, they have some of the best wife cake pastries around!



Vince and I ordered the big bowl breakfast to share - satay beef vermicelli noodle soup with a side of sirloin steak, eggs, and a bun. How could someone eat this entire meal?! Altogether this costs about $8, and a heck of a deal if you ask me. Both of us were full!



Although Kam Do is not the most exciting place to be anymore, it's still a nice place to visit time & time again. It's like that one shirt you keep in your closet that you always wear, even though it's worn out, sheer, and maybe with a couple little holes. It's comfortable, and something you go to! Well, that, and also that we will be able to last in the car for a longer distance before stopping, hah.

Today was about adventure & relaxation. Getting my favourite things to eat, and enjoying the beauty of Vancouver. Sea, sky, mountains, beach, good eats, this place has got it all..

Thai Son Restaurant - Richmond Central - 4653 Garden City Road - Richmond BC

Yet another one of those 'must stop' places for me. You must be getting sick of these. But trust me. If you tried any of these, you would agree.



BEST PHO EVER, HANDS DOWN. Enough said.



Okay, maybe not enough said. I have to elaborate a little on this one. This place is fantastic. It's a winner in my books for taste, service, price, and celebrity status. Yup, celeb status. They have so many pictures of Hong Kong celebrities coming to their restaurant just to have their pho!







And for a large bowl of steaming hot broth with perfectly cooked noodles at $6.35? If airfare wasn't so expensive, I'd fly down here more often just for this! (well, and my other must stop places too :))

The Boss Bakery & Restaurant - 523 Main Street - Vancouver BC



We headed into Vancouver for the afternoon, and after stopping for a quick haircut downtown, I wanted another bite to eat. What better than my fave pineapple bun with butter?



They had an assortment of freshly baked goodies, and all costed around $0.85 - $1.00. Very different to the $1.25 we have to spend at home. And if you buy six or more items, tax is waived!



Unfortunately, my pineapple bun was not all I had hoped for. The pineapple bun was perfect. Soft, with crisp toppings.. but the waitress definitely warmed it up too much before putting the butter into the center. Or maybe, she didn't let the bun cool down enough better putting the butter in? Either way, the butter was completely melted and made the bun all soggy! I like having mine warm, but with the butter still solid and cold.. mm, I can feel it clog my arteries. For something I have once a year though, I have no problems with it!

Stanley Park - Vancouver BC

It was a beautiful day in Vancouver, and I wanted to take advantage of the sunny weather by taking a walk by the English Bay, and over in Stanley Park.



We walked around, and took in the fresh ocean air. I just wish the beaches in our view were a little more sandy, and less rocky. With time, the rocks will erode and produce more sand, I guess :P









To have such a beautiful preserved greenery in the middle of the city is such a privilege! Stanley Park is one of my favourite places in the city, with the view of mountain, land, and sea. One of my dreams is to own a property facing the ocean! Someday.

Tsawwassen, BC

One of my aunts owns an amazing property out in Tsawwassen. On the drive from Vancouver down to Seattle, you will usually pass by this little area, and it's actually one of the last stops you'll find before getting to the US-CAN border. Nearby her place is actually the border, and there's always signs about trespassing into the US without declaring yourself to a border officer. I've always wondered if immigrants cross the border here into our country, haha. Thought I'd just share a couple pics I took from her backyard.. :) She faces the ocean, and can actually walk straight into it. My dream!











Shanghai River Restaurant- 7831 Westminster Highway - Richmond BC



Located right next to the restaurant I ate at the night before, we were up for Shanghai cuisine at the restaurant next door to Happy Sushi.



The restaurant was very full, with a long waiting line at the front for those that didn't make reservations for the night. An Asian restaurant bursting with business at dinner hours in Richmond is a GOOD SIGN.



Shanghai food is one thing I look most forward to when I'm in Vancouver. There are maybe 2 restaurants I can name in Edmonton that are classified as Shanghainese, and they are pathetic compared to what can be found here. Generally, I find that food in Edmonton is overpriced, and just mediocre at best. It might be a good thing that I don't live in Vancouver.. I'd be packin' on the pounds everyday!

Although we had a party of 8, we chose to go with the set dinner for 4 people, and add on whichever dishes we really wanted to eat as well.


Peking Duck


The necessity, xiao long bao


Stir fried egg with seafood


lettuce wraps


Deep fried dough pastry with condensed milk *favourite!*


Stir fried giant shrimp, given as a replacement dish because they ran out of the baby shrimps (I was devastated..)

The food was great, but I don't think this is my favourite Shanghai restaurant here in Vancouver. My favourite for food would still be Top Shanghai Cuisine (上海一只鼎), but I did find that this restaurant is cleaner, and much more spacious, allowing for a better dining experience. Top Shanghai is much smaller, with cramped seating, but I would recommend their restaurant for the food!


Hard at work making XLB!