Here Goes Nothing...

November 29, 2014 4:34pm
I just sent in my UC Application. My fate is now in someone else's hands. And the decision will come in five months. I am not sure how I feel. I got in as a freshman but I don't know if my application is strong enough to compete with everyone else's, especially since I'm coming from a 4 year college not in California. I feel like my personal statements were as strong as they could be and I made a final plea in the additional comments section. I just want to be accepted so badly. There's no use worrying about it now though so I'm just going to continue to live my life and do well in the school that I'm at.

Ulta, Papaya, Wetseal, JC Penney & Jessie Steele Haul: There's No Friday Like Black Friday!

Happy Friday everyone! Like I said, I was planning on going to go shopping today! Forget going to stores at dawn and fighting over a flat screen tv. Nobody got time for that.
My first stop was at Ulta where I was planning to pick up the little OPI trios (2 for $12!). I also wanted to pick up the Lorac Vintage Vixen palette but I couldn't find it anywhere. Probably for the best. The last thing I need is more eyeshadows.

These were the two that I got. I wanted the purple one but they didn't seem to have any. 

Their regular price is $9.95 so I saved about $8 when I bought them on Black Friday. I don't know if they have them in stock after today but if they do, I highly recommend them. 

OPI Be Bold. Be Dramatic 3pc Mini Set $9.95 $6.00

OPI In the Pink 3pc Mini Set $9.95 $6.00

After Ulta I went to the mall in need of some winter clothes for myself, primarily some boots and skater skirts.

It's was hard so find boots that were $20 and fashionable. I got these at Papaya where they had a 20% off sale. It's hard to tell from the photo but they are a dark brown. They are a little slouchy and they are knee highs. These will look great with the boot toppers I bought a while ago. I found a link here so you can see it better: http://www.papayaclothing.com/p/search/winter-essential-long-flat-boots1?color_id=249&size_id=11

Papaya Boots: Brown $24.99 $19.99

Like I said, I wanted to buy skater skirts so I went to Wetseal where they were having a buy one get one free deal. They are a cotton-y jersey material. I would have liked a more flow, silky material but I can't argue with the price. The one on the left looks red but it is more of a burgundy/maroon color. Also, I almost always buy smalls but for this one I could barely fit in a small so I had to get a size up. 

Solid Ponte Skater: Burgundy M $14.90 $7.45

Solid Ponte Skater: Black M $14.90 $7.45

If you don't know this about me, I have a major weakness for scarves. I walked past scarves all day at every store I went to. But as I was walking past JC Penney to get out of the mall these caught my eye.  JC Penney had solid and floral pashmina scarves for $5 that were originally $20! That's just not fair. So of course I had to buy them. I resisted the temptation to buy more. They had similar floral patterns but with white, blue, orange etc. I got the purple and black because they looked the most versatile. Sidenote: this was the only store where I had to wait in an extremely long line. 

Bloomsbury Floral Pashmina Scarf $20.00 $4.99

Falling Flower Pashmina Scarf $20.00 $4.99

And of course Black Friday wouldn't be complete without an online purchase. I bought this apron from Jessie Steele who has AMAZING aprons! Perfect for a mom, aunt, grandma, girlfriend who loves to cook.  This was originally $33 but I had a 30% off coupon which I will put here: JSFRIDAY30
If you want to take advantage of this amazing deal, act fast because it is only valid for Friday! If you get more than $50 then shipping is free.
Jessie Steele Venice Toile Viola Apron $33.00 $23.10 (plus $6.50 shipping)

Overall Total (with sales tax): $91.03
Overall Saved: $67.72 43% saved

I gotta say, it's been a good day!
xx

Also, three consecutive posts! You're welcome.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving y'all! I want to quickly say thank you all who click on my blog and read what I have to say. I just reached 3000 hits which is crazy considering I was only at about 300 this summer. Since my family is Vietnamese and my mom wasn't born in the US we don't "celebrate" Thanksgiving. But now that my brother and I are older, we are starting to take control and instead we make a home cooked meal for our family. My brother is making (or attempting) black bean lasagna and country quiche. I chose to make a healthy apple-cranberry crumble for dessert and some instant mash potatoes.  Update: I got mom's approval on the crumble!

I got this from Amy's Healthy Baking Blog which I will link here: http://amyshealthybaking.com/blog/2013/11/24/cranberry-apple-crumble/#.VFmTXYt4qmM

I will repost the recipe here to make it easy for you if you want to try this. I used honey crisp apples in this recipe which worked out nicely. I would say in the future I wouldn't use cranberries. They made the crumble I little too tart for my taste. I would sub them out with maybe blackberries or blueberries. I added a little dollop of cool whip but you can add vanilla ice cream if you want. I thought it would be a cool idea to drizzle chocolate in the top. Big mistake. The flavors just didn't mesh well. I like that it's also healthy. Just a little butter and sugar but also 6 cups of fruits and heart-healthy oats. Also, it's a crumble so it doesn't bind together well so good luck scooping.

for the filling
4 c diced red apple (about 3 medium)
2 c cranberries, halved
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
½ tbsp ground cinnamon

for the topping
¾ c old-fashioned oats (gluten-free, if necessary)
¼ c whole wheat flour (or millet flour)
3 tbsp brown sugar
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp butter or margarine, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat an 8” square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

1. To prepare the filling, combine the apple, cranberries, brown sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir until the cornstarch dissolves and the cinnamon is evenly dispersed.

1. To prepare the topping, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix in the melted butter until the mixture resembles a fine meal. 

1. Pour the fruit filling into the prepared pan, and evenly sprinkle with the crumb topping. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes for firmer apples, or 55-60 minutes for softer apples. (After 40 minutes. cover the top with foil if the crumble topping browns too quickly.) Cool completely to room temperature. Let the crumble rest at room temperature for 1 hour before serving to allow the juices to thicken.

Don't forget to take a minute and reflect on what you are thankful for, eat your weight in food, and trample each other over on Black Friday!

xx

LORAC Royal Collection Lip Lustre Creme Collection REVIEW

When I saw LORAC's new Royal Collection my first instinct was to buy everything. From the packaging to the naming, I love the overall Royal Theme. I already had their sweet temptations 4 quad eyeshadow set so I didn't buy their Royal Eyeshadow Collection even though I really wanted to. I decided to stock up on some lip products. I don't wear lip gloss too much since I'm in college and I tend to tone down my makeup but I couldn't resist the opportunity to expand my collection. I don't have any non-drugstore lip products and for $25 for 6 (about $4.16/each) full size lip glosses I couldn't say no. This set is an Ulta Exclusive. The cashier even complimented it and the one next to her said that she had bought the set too. This would make a great Christmas gift for someone. Or if you want to keep a couple and give some away as stocking stuffers, that would be good too. I plan to go back during Black Friday to see what else I can get.

I know the packaging has nothing to do with the quality of the product but I will say that Lorac's packaging is amazing. The gold tops of the glosses add a chic look. The box it came in has gold detailing and the maroon part is actually a fuzzy felt. If you buy the 4 quad eyeshadow collection, the packaging is also felt.

I will retype the description on the back:
LORAC rules this season with The Royal Lip Lustre Creme Collection. Give your lips the Royal treatment with our luxuriously creamy and delightfully smooth Lip Glosses that are loaded with antioxidants of Acai Berry, Pomegranate, Grape Seed and Vitamins A, C & E to protect and soothe your luscious, regal pout. This Royal family of Lip Lustre Cremes comes complete with 6 magnificent, high-shine shades that are fit for a Queen. Own the throne with The Royal Lip Lustre Creme Collection.

From left to right:
TIARA (Nude)
CROWN JEWEL (Cherry Red)
DEBUTANTE (Exclusive Warm Pink)
YOUR HIGHNESS (Hot Pink)
ENGLISH ROSE (Exclusive Pale Pink)
MAJESTIC (Exclusive Mauve)

The names are on the bottom so you know which is which. All the glosses are matte and not sticky at all. The nude one has a hint of shimmer but it is not very obvious. My favorites in this set are Tiara and Majestic. I haven't tried all the colors but from the swatches I would say that the pinks in the middle were not as opaque as the others. Overall I am in love with this set. There is a very diverse set of colors that will complement any look. For the price of a drugstore lip gloss and quality of a high end product you can't go wrong.

xx

WOW: Workout of the Weekend (sorta!)

I just wanted to share with you all my progress the past couple of days I worked out Thursday, Friday, took a rest on Saturday and went back on Sunday. I totaled over 24 miles in those three workouts. I cheated a little because a lot of it was cycling which I like so much better because it's low impact and now my calves are looking good. I also tried the stair master for the first time. It looked intimidating but I can definitely feel it working my thighs.

November 20, 2014
1.5 mi treadmill run 16 min
4.5 mi cycling 25 min
2 mi elliptical 27 min
Total: 8 mi 1 hr 8 min

November 21, 2014
2 mi treadmill run 20 min
0.5 mi treadmill walk 8 min
2 mi cycling 10 min
1.5 mi elliptical 18 min
Total: 6 mi 56 min

November 23, 2014
4 mi cycling 20 min
2 mi treadmill run 23 min
0.5 treadmill walk 9 min
55 floors stair-master 10 min
4 mi cycling 20 min
Total: 11 mi 1 hr 22 min

Weekend Total: 25 mi 3 hr 26 min

I don't know how to convert stair master into miles so I just rounded up my total. I am thinking of keeping track of calories burned too to be even more thorough. These aren't the most exciting posts I know. But if you get anything out of this, let it be that a month ago I never went to the gym. I ran outside for cross country in high school and would occasionally step on a treadmill or elliptical but now I am more serious about getting into shape. I stepped on a scale today and was excited to see that I had lost one pound since last week. Don't let anything hold you back. You may feel out of place at first. You may have trouble adjusting the seat on a stationary bike, hesitate on what buttons to push to start the machine, step on the boundary and a little trip on the treadmill (all happened to me) but I promise you, you will be a natural gym rat in no time silently judging those who put their machines on the lowest resistance level!
xx

Boutique Haul: Boot Toppers, Ceramic Measuring Cups, Knick Knacks and why you should shop at small businesses

It's late November aka Thanksgiving season aka almost Christmas season aka you better start thinking about what you're getting your loved ones for Christmas. Yesterday I went on a little shopping trip (not online) and although I can't post links to the things I bought, I hope I can give you some ideas for Christmas gifts or ways to treat yourself this winter.

Boot Toppers 2/$15 + tax = $16.24

These are the first boot toppers I have ever bought.  The Peddler Show was in town; it is like a Texas trade show of sorts (peddlershow.com).  It was pretty small so there wasn't much there that I liked that was in my price range except for these cuties. I bought dark brown lacy ones and blue buttoned ones because I wanted to get some variety. It also costed $6 to enter the show so I guess the boot toppers were more like $22.24

The next four things I bought at Spice Village. The best way to describe it is a collection of boutiques for the physical manifestation of Pinterest. They have such a variety that can't be put into words (spicewaco.com). I would say it was half clothing/jewelry, one-third home decor and the remainder, random stuff.  Side note: they had boot toppers 2/$25 so even factoring in the entry fee, the trip to The Peddler Show was worth it.

    

Ceramic Measuring Cups $16.00
I thought these were absolutely adorable.  They come in 1/4, 1/2, 1, and 1 1/2 cups. The largest one could even be used as a mug if you wanted.  I bought them as a Christmas gift for my mom.  It's an awesome idea for anyone looking to buy their moms a gift.  They had a similar set for teaspoons but I thought $16 measuring cups were enough.

Sing Scripture Sign $8.99
My favorite section of Spice Village was a corner boutique where they had a lot of Pinterest-y looking signs. I bought this one as a gift for someone. I also took photos of some that caught my eye that I didn't buy.

Tea Owl $8.99
This was in the same section. I bought it for my cousin who loves tea. I thought this thing was too cute not to buy. Even the check out lady liked it.

Biofreeze 4oz $14.99
This was a really random purchase for me. I started working out more and I love this kind of stuff to help with aches and shin splints. It also looked out of place in the store. There was just a small rack of about 40 bottles. They probably thought no one would buy them (they thought wrong).

This haul was a lot different from ones in the past. I didn't go to a mall or a place with an online store where I could post links of everything I bought. Everything I bought came from local, small business owners. And although they are not the most accessible spots and probably not the most aesthetically pleasing layout compared to a large shopping mall, there are benefits to buying from these boutiques. Shopping local helps boost the community and the budding entrepreneur.  In a way you are giving back to your city.  The merchandise is usually more expensive but better quality and more unique.  Do you want an H&M cardigan everyone owns, or one you bought from a small business?  With boutiques, sure some of it is hit or miss but you may find some quirky knick knacks that will end up making the perfect gift for someone you love.

xx

How I had my first successful workout

November 6, 2014
Thursdays are my favorite days of the week.  Not only because it is the day Vampire Diaries comes on but because I only have one 75-minute class to attend and the rest of the day is free.  So today I took a huge leap forward and went to my university's gym to workout.  I had been there before to take yoga classes and run on the track but this was the first time I would be in the big part of the gym where they have all the treadmills, ellipticals, weights, the whole 9 yards.

I had recently bought the Body Pop Active Draw the Line Leggings and I had made a comment that they were tight on me and that I would use that motivation to get in better shape. Since then I have been drinking water, eating tons of green, doing squats and calf raises and now incorporating cardio to help burn fat.  The leggings cost $80 so I told myself that I wasn't allowed to wear my leggings until after I ran a total of 80 miles.

Long story short, I walk in and head to the treadmills. I start running at a pace of 5mph. I went for a total of ~40 minutes 3.15 miles ran 0.65 mi walked. I don't have a lot of gym experience but I do have some tips if you are like me.

1) Listen to music while you workout. Seems a little obvious.  Music helps you forget the heart feels like it will explode.  The more upbeat, the better. Sidenote: I might make a workout playlist.
2) Don't come it with a specific goal.  If you come in thinking "I will run two miles and that's it." I had a number in mind but I had a "go with the flow" mentality.  I was running thinking I would run two miles and when I looked on the distance and it said 1.5 mi I thought to myself "I could do more." So I thought 3 miles, and then I thought 3.1 miles (5Ks anyone). Ultimately I went 3.15 miles.
3) Mix it up. Do more than one machine. Today I did my treadmill work and then I thought "Why not? Let me do the elliptical"
4) Do not compare yourself to others. It is your workout. It's not the workout of the girl who looks like a track star running 2x as fast as you. You can use it to motivate you but don't let people who look like they are working harder discourage you.

Photo summary
Post Workout Pic:

How you know you had a good workout:

Don't ruin all your hard work with a high calorie meal! Here I had wheat penne pasta with chicken and kale (that I was so eager to eat I did it before I realized I had to take a pic). And a salad with spinach, chicken, boiled egg, beans, croutons, cheese (and most importantly, no dressing). My healthy dessert is honeydew with strawberry yogurt topped with raisins and granola. Crushed It!

Music Mondays: November Playlist

I thought I would try a thing. Music is not my forte. I mostly listen to whatever is the most accessible/whatever play on the radio a.k.a. pop music. I like to mix it up every now and then though. This is some new/relatively new music I have added.

Take Me To Church by Hozier
I looked up this single on wikipedia and found out it's been around for about a year and a half. Hozier was on Saturday Night Live recently and I guess he's blowing up like Sam Smith now.

Riptide by Vance Joy
I am a sucker for songs with ukulele. Vance Joy is Australian which is a plus.

Try by Colbie Callait
I first heard this song on Dancing with the Stars. As a young female person, I think it is so important to have a song like this to listen to.

Jealous by Nick Jonas
A Jonas brother successfully goes solo. I hear this on the radio a lot which is good for Nick Jonas. His past efforts fell short but this single is a winner.

Got Love by Tove Lo
I pride myself of hearing (and loving) Stay High way before every one else did (around April/May 2014). This is my second favorite song of hers. It was free on iTunes for a while which was why I initially gave it a listen.

Style by Taylor Swift
Of course I can't get through a Music Monday without mentioning Taylor Swift. The album as a whole is mediocre but I do love this song, primarily because I'm sure it's about Harry Styles and I like imagining through Taylor's eyes what I must be like to date Harry Styles. I didn't even get it until about a dozen listens that the title Style must be an allusion to a certain curly-haired boybander.

Beg for It by Izzy Azalea ft. MO
I first heard this one, again, on Saturday Night Live. MO was off but the studio version is quite nice.

Reflections by Misterwives
I think I heard this song in a commercial. I like the singer's unique voice and the song's overall sound.

Dangerous by David Guetta ft. Sam Martin
I really just like the piano section in the beginning but the rest of the song is decent so I guess I like the song.