DIOR VERNIS 338 MIRAGE

My outings for makeup products always is a vicious cycle of DIOR vs. CHANEL. It's the pretty packaging, bold yet elegant colors, and the brand name itself - that almost arms me up like my power-suits do. It is also functional displaying "I am here" statement.

It must be the crisp fall/winter weather that draws me towards rich wine, rouge red, and lux purple colors. I personally like having different colored nails. A friend of mine was wearing violet, lavender, and slightly dark tone of gray across her 10 fingers and I thought that is the most perfect combination; wasn't too much nor any slight understatement. I really should have taken photos of her nails!

 More photos to be found after the jump!

Early Birthday Present

The last day of November is my birthday. Living alone as a student from a foreign country for years made me dislike my birthday. Although I have great friends who would always celebrate and share precious memories on my birthday, there was always this one spot that felt empty: my family (don't get me wrong beautifuls! I am always thankful of your friendships!)

As I married my lovely handsome darling in the year of 2012, that missing piece has patched up because now I am always with my husband and Richie by my side. To be honest, my husband was never a romantic type. As you may all know by now, I seek romance in everything I see and feel (even when I eat). I was often let down by his insensitivity or sometimes even shocked! But over the years he has picked up some of my traits and today I felt like I am the one who is actually lacking romance.  This is what "Romantic Ryan J." did today.

"Hint 1 - 1st floor or 2nd floor?"

On his letter he wrote several hints of where he hid the gift. It reminded me of the movie "Gone Girl" where the psychotic wife left hints to lead Ben Afflect to cellar full of gifts. Yikes..!

After several hints later, I found my gift inside the suitcase side table I posted about a few days ago.  (Refer to: http://natalieskirakira.blogspot.ca/2014/11/the-should-i-do-areas.html for details!) 

Disney On Ice 2014 Review

After days of nagging, my husband bought tickets to go see Disney on Ice. I remember being very excited & going to one as a child - and as a Disney fan, this was a necessary outing even on a week night. 

*** Watch the full video of Mickey & the Magical Brooms from Fantasia - Disney on Ice Version! :-) Apologies on the sound! ....***

Bad doggie!

So Richie thinks our king size bed is his.

Usually when I am downstairs Richie follows me along. However, this day I couldn't spot him. I tried calling him, luring him with snacks but he was nowhere to be found. I went upstairs to our bedroom and this is what I saw.

I have made up the bed (but was too lazy to clean the ipad heehee) before going downstairs. Richie, my spoiled dog, crawled into the duvet and messed the bed up and he sleeps as if he fell asleep while watching a show on 

Bad, bad doggie!

Oh... but this fluffy fellow is simply too cute to scold..

Anyone experiencing the same problem? 

xoxo

Vivian

The "what should I do?!" Spaces

A year and a half ago, Ryan and I lived in a small apartment in Burnaby. I couldn't emotionally attatch myself to the apartment because at the time we got married, 8 of our family members were cramped inside the three bedroom apartment - the family's renovation/home construction schedule some how overlapped each others...

It wasn't chaotic as it may sound; I actually enjoyed spending time with all the family members. However, as they left one by one, Ryan and I felt like that to live in a 1300sqft apartment paying for the strata fee seemed wasteful.  The strata cost was about $500-600/month which is close to monthly payment for $150,000.00 mortgage. As soon as we sold the place, we chose to move to a single family home where we don't have to worry about strata fees and possible future babies.

As the house we are living right now is our first ever home, I am in love with each and every space of it. Although I am not an expert home staging person, I try my best to decorate our home with love and care. When I finally figured out what to do with the two ambiguous spaces with a few articles, I have grown affection towards our home.

A space under our staircase wasn't an easy one; nothing looked good. I tried plants, chairs, and even indoor fountains but none of them satisfied me.

I finally found this unique side table from Craigslist for $110. The lady who sold this attatched metal legs to an old suitcase and coloured it in white. The height of it was a little low, so I got another suitcase and stacked it on top. 

I also got a round rug from Ikea for $10.

A picture of the Eiffel tower and a lamp was added to create a chic, warm look. 

And of course these cute little figures I bought in South Korea a long time 

Hi Genki Review

Hi Genki is a hidden gem of New Westminster near High Gate Mall. It is actually hidden inside the old folks home called Nikkei Home. It is within a peculiar neighbourhood with rich Japanese cultural influence. There also is Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre right next door and a cute little park area in front of it along the curvy driveway. 

MAC Paradisco

MAC Cosmetics was founded in Toronto 1984 and since then the company has developed its own empire in the industry. I consider one if the reason how they became so successful is because they have a wide range of colours to choose from. Walking into a MAC store makes your eyes wander into their colourful makeup products. To avoid that, I always make a shopping list before I go in the store so that I won't get hypnotized!

I picked up Paradisco from my last visit to their The Bay store. The eyeshadow was C$19 but they were having a 10% off Event for The Bay Card Holders.  I'll be sure to post any Bay Promotions going forward as well! :-) 

maccosmetics.com

Dior Addict Extreme 987 Black Tie

Seeing our blog's number of lipstick review posts, we look like lipstick addicts. Well, I will take that title happily! In fact I will shout it out loud; I am a LIPSTICK ADDICT! And to prove that, I present you another review of my lipstick collection.

Dior Addict Extreme 987 Black Tie

You can get this beauty for C$34 at sephora.

Burgundy is a must colour for fall and winter. It might feel too much to use as daily lipstick but Natalie says a bold lipstick is like a powersuit to woman.

Venezia Tour in 24 Seconds (Video)

This is a short one today. I've been wanting to publish this for some time but I needed to get consent from my dearie who appears in this short video. This pretty much / more or less / sums our trip to Venice from a month ago. Apologies on the quality of the file by the way... I'm not a super techy-techy person as it can be concluded from the iPhone photos I post. Anywho - Enjoy! xx 

For slight detailed version of my trip to Venezia, please follow the link below: http://natalieskirakira.blogspot.ca/2014/10/buongiorno-venezia.html

P.S. Please comment below if you can figure out what Ryan is mouthing ;-)
Hint: We're in Italy! 

Main Street Cafe Tour: Sweet Revenge

"Living well is the best revenge" - George Herbert 

Yes it is, and if you add some sweetness to that, it's undefeatable. Sweet Revenge on Main street Vancouver is one of those places that provides you sweetness and comfort helping you escape from all those stressful moments you had during day time. The opening time of the cafe is quite unusual; unlike most places, they open from 7 PM to 12 AM  during weekdays and 7 PM to 1 AM for Friday & Saturday.

DIY Needle Felting

From our last visit to Circle Craft Christmas Market (click here to be redirected for the posting on Circle Craft Christmas market 2014) - we had purchased 2 diy needle felting kits to try. We wanted to ensure this be a doable project, and Shima from Him Creations reassured us that even 7 year olds can complete this without any problem. 

Without further adieu, meet our outcomes! :-) 

Please read more for a review of our past 2 hours!

Favorite Starbucks Holiday Drink

I don't drink coffee. I am more of a tea-holic. As much as I enjoy various high quality loose leaf teas, Starbucks Chai Tea latte is something I cannot resist and also a treat helping to get through the day. We all know about the marketing and the tactics but the unique wholesome culture Starbucks stores provide for the customers is unbelievable every time.

If you are feeling festive and do enjoy their holiday red paper cups - try Chai Eggnog Latte today! (Oh, and you also have to be a sweet tooth!)

Eggnog is the traditional holiday drink in North America (although it really originated from England,) you will find the slightly thick (but not like milkshake) sweet vanilla milk taste. Turkey is always good too but given how easy it is to make a warm eggnog latte or even rum/brandy mix - although it's obviously a different story if you are making homemade eggnog... - cup of eggnog latte on my table represents holiday season. 

Guide to Perfect (Pan-Fried) Steak

I love steak. I have tried to become a vegetarian as an attempt to become a true animal lover - however, it was too hard for me to cut off meat completely from my diet.  Feeling guilty and all, instead I try to limit the number of meat in my family's weekly meal plan and also try my best to consume natural and humanely raised meat.  In addition to that, I also cook my steaks with perfection to satisfy the craving! Like Joey says from Friends, if you're going to do something bad, you've got to do it right.

Joey: Pheobe, what-what are you doing?
Phoebe: I can't help it. I need the meat. The baby needs the meat.
Joey: All right - look, you know how when you're dating someone and you don't want to cheat on them, unless it's with someone really hot?
Phoebe: Yeah, totally!
Joey: All right. Okay. Well this is the same kind of deal. If you're going to do something wrong, (he grabs two steaks from the freezer), do it right!

Anyways, so here is how I cook my steak.

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine 12 Coral Incandescent

Despite the colourful tights that fills up my bottom drawer, black is my favorite color. All black fashion is what I enjoy - although may not be as frequent - especially in winter. Specifically: black bodycon, black stockings, my favorite black purse, & black high heels.  The only color I insist on me is on my lips - and maybe the statement necklace. 

Yves Saint Laurent's Rouge Volupte Shine has such pretty case that itself is a fashion item. This #12 coral incandescent is my recent purchase and this will be my color for this coming winter. This almost looks tad bit fluorescent and brightens up this weather. 

Etsy Holiday Pop-up Shop

Vancouver is full of good surprises during Christmas season - especially for a person who loves cute, romantic things to celebrate the holiday!

My good friend who is well aware of my craze for cute things told me about Etsy Holiday Pop-up Store at 434 Columbia Street in Vancouver. A pop-up shop is a store that opens for a short term providing exclusive products to the customers to introduce the brand. Etsy being an online shop, and hence I don't get to see the actual products before I make a purchase, I thought this would be a great opportunity to see the products and local Etsy shop owners.

Cinque Terre - Riomaggiore

Italia is the one country that I have a special bond with in my heart. It was my first backpacked European country and I also studied at University of Siena as an exchange student. The following summer after graduation, I took my parents back to Italy as their 25th wedding anniversary celebration. And now, my husband and I went back as our honeymoon. Staying in Tuscany, we decided to take a spontaneous day trip to Cinque Terre.

These lovely towns along the coastline is uniquely colourful and breathtakingly beautiful. As one rides the trains in transiting between the 5 villages, the scene of sparkly water with sunlight reflecting is something you can never forget. My husband literally dropped his jaw at this majestic scenery.

Burger Heaven In New Westminster

Hillary Duff from Cinderella Story asks Chad Michael if he likes a rice cake or a Big Mac. Chad Michael should chooseme since I also am a girl who likes a hearty burger. Burger Heaven, located 5 minutes away from New Westminster Skytrain station, is THE best gourmet burger restaurant....obviously in New Westminster. 

I was feeling rebellious (or being a noob, really) that day had ordered a quesadilla at a handmade burger joint. My husban was smart enough to order the proper bacon cheeseburger - which I demanded few bites of. My dad also ordered a club sandwich which turned out to be quite good too.

An Evening with Joan Baez

Joan Baez

Born in 1941, Joan Baez is an activist, folksinger, songwriter, and an iconic figure of the anti-war and civil rights movements. There are so many names to call Joan Baez.

acerecords.co.uk

My parents used to play old pop songs at our home and in the car during road trips. We'd sing along together to the beautiful lyrics and it made our moments much more special.

Elton John, The Beatles, The Carpenters, Susan Jacks, John Denver, Nana Mouskouri, and Joan Baez..Since I was too young to understand what the lyrics meant, and my dad would tell me the precious stories behind their music. For those reasons, I love oldies over so-called Hot pop songs that are on the radio 24/7. The sound of the acoustic guitar, the voice of the singer which hasn't been filtered through mechanical instruments, and the poem/storybook-like lyrics feel like they unravel in my head taking me to the place & very moment when the songs' been written.

Joan Baez is one of those musician that warms up my heart - especially her strong and clear voice is something that I can never forget.

Watershed Naturals: Lavender Avocado Shea Butter

I take my skin care routine very VERY seriously since I am in my late twenties. My skin cells generate 80% less collagen than in my early twenties. And hence, more and more wrinkles and sun damages become visible. *Sigh...* Moreover, and especially in winter, my skin gets so thirsty! It dries up so fast even after treating it with moisturizing mask! I have the desire for the perfect silky smooth, however I still have my dignity to undergo any plastic surgeries or laser treatments. My only rock is to spend spend a lot of time & effort with my skin care routine. I will explain in more detail on another post very soon. Instead for today, I would like to share a product that I have been quite satisfied with for overnight protection from dehydration.

Natalie has already introduced you all with "Watershed Naturals" in her precious post about their bath salt (fyi: http://natalieskirakira.blogspot.ca/2014/11/potion-9-bath-salt.html.) At the Circle Craft Christmas Market, I picked up this little jar hoping it to saving me from dry morning skin.  It was only $18 and considering other brand name products at Sephora I cry for help with, I think it is a pretty good deal. It's been less than a week and yes I have already used it a lot cuz I love it so much! I should have taken a picture before using it if I knew I would be posting about it.  Please read more after the jump!

Homemade Lemon Tea (Nat's Attempt)

I thoroughly enjoyed Viv's homemade lemon tea and decided to try it myself. After all, we all need that squeeze of vitamin C! My first batch was of 3* 500ml containers. Realizing this is actually fun and the feeling of accomplishment this brought me, I decided to turn my evening into lemon tea factory to gift my colleagues and other important people in my life.
For Vivian's original post on how to make homemade lemon tea, please follow the link: http://natalieskirakira.blogspot.ca/2014/11/easy-recipe-diy-lemon-tea.html :-) !!

Read more after the jump!

Artist Island - Granville Island

Located under the south end of Granville Street Bridge, Granville Island was originally a industrial manufacturing area. Later when the factories started to move out from the area, the Canadian government invested $19 million and created exhibitions, theatres, parks, etc. Now Granville Island became Vancouver's top tourist attraction and earns $35 million per year!  My husband and I visited Granville Island a few days ago and I would like to share some stories and pictures I took.

I filmed a short video to properly capture the atmosphere from my visit. You can hear the street musician busking away and that really completes it all. More about my day in Granville Island after the jump! :-) 

Potion 9 Bath Salt

I am a ritualistic bath person. It is the time I devote for myself as a pat on the shoulder for the "hard work" of the long day. Whether it be fruity foam bath bombs from lush, or cheaper drugstore brands that I can wastefully pour into my tub, I love bath products. Vivian has been praising her l'occitane bath salt from her last trip to Seattle Premium Outlet thus far. And when I came across the pretty coloured coarse sea crystals from Watershed Naturals at Craft Circle Christmas Market, I knew this would be a well spent $18. For my posting about Craft Circle Christmas Market - please click the link Circle Craft Christmas Market 2014 to be redirected! :-)

Bath salts are developed to resemble the benefits of hot springs. Their specific benefits are the following: act as detergent, soften calloused skin, & aid in exfoliation. According to the Wikipedia page, research found positive correlation between bath salts & treatment to arthritis as well! 

Etsy: Custom Portrait

It is always hard to buy a gift for my mother. Since I am living so far away from her, want to give her something unusual and special. This year, I loved the custom painting I got for my anniversay so much so I thought I should give my mom a portrait as well.

My mom has lots of unique paintings decorating her wall already from contemporary artists. So instead of going with oil painting, giving her a classic water color painting with some wit would be a perfect addition to her collection. 

When I was hunting for my own, I have added "The Bazaar Studio" into my favorites list already, thinking I should get a portrait done from her in the future. 

Easy Recipe: DIY Lemon Tea

My husband recently caught a cold and I am not a believer of cold medicine. Don't get me wrong, I am not a cruel wife! ;-p There are more than hundreds of different kinds of viruses that cause cold so it is impossible to have a medicine that can actually cure the sickness. Rather than curing, cold medicines simply help you feel less painful/irritated while being Ill. That is why I think it is more important to eat well and drink lots in order to speed up recovery and there is nothing better than a cup of warm honey lemon tea.

Annecy Photo Journal

This Swiss city is located 1.5-2 hours away from Lyon. The clear crystal waters are always astonishing. You can look right through the water - I would think one could even drink it straight! Although it was in Summer that I was in Ansi for, the water was still quite cold. Obviously they are known for the beautiful lakes & delish ice cream! 

Paris Photo Journal

This post is literally to share random photos from Paris in Summer. Enjoy! <3 xx

 

I still remember the breeze against my cheeks from the park trail where used to be old train tracks. I long for the day I return to Paris!! 

Vancity Foodie: Tableau Bar & Bistro

Hope you enjoyed Natalie's Circle Craft posting yesterday. 

The Craft fair was certainly a pleasant surprise; we never knew we would be there for so long! Our unexpected excitement in craft hunting almost had us miss our reservation at "Tableau Bar & Bistro" and that would have been the end of the world for us. 

Tableau has been a "foodie's must" since their debut in 2011. From brunch to dinner, the restaurant is packed with people looking for casual french bistro.

Circle Craft Christmas Market Vancouver 2014

"Located on Granville Island in the Net Loft, Circle Craft Co-operative features the work of over 150 craftspeople from across British Columbia. As Canada's most successful craft co-operative, Circle Craft has been a major force in promoting craft in BC since 1972." 

Enjoying my day off in the middle of the week, Viv and I were delighted to see such variety of artisan goods! Today was exceptionally beautiful fall weather - getting somewhat chilly already but we are quite tolerable with anything as long as it doesn't rain here in Vancouver. We prejudged the market and thought couple hours into our parking meter would be plenty time to browse. But no no no! We ended up getting our hands stamped for re-entry. MANY MORE photos & vendors after the jump! ;-)

Label Maker!

Quite frankly, labels are tacky. They are definitely handy but unbelievably out of style - - except for this one style that I adore. I love using my DYMO label maker which gives the somewhat an edgy industrial look to whatever object I own. It is great way of labeling your homemade goods as well. More photos & product information can be found after the jump!

Watercolor Painting

We occasionally like to put our artists faces on for no particular reason. Ryan and I woke up super early this Sunday, both excited for our daily project of painting. Working in financial district, we were both feeling our creativity has lost its grip and the mundane routine was driving us crazy. Last inspiration was from Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Mesmerized in the unique pastel color tones and the brush strokes what almost seems too casual and not planned, we thought - why not? Here are the outcomes:

We used 2 x 2 canvases bought from Michaels. We had some brushes from our last art project (i.e. our DIY wedding props) and Ryan's Mom - who used to be a high school art teacher - donated us with the set of watercolors. More photos after the jump!