Today I went to North Van w/ D to get her hair cut. The beautician was snowed in (we later learned she was just too lazy to come) so I didn't get my manicure but that was alright 'cause who was gonna see my nails anyway? I'll get it in the new year. D cut off over 8 inches and is donating it! Then we headed over to Central library where I tried studying (fell asleep for a while...) but managed to get 2.5 chapters read. Theeeen when it closed, we went to Urban Outfitters 'cause I wanted to see the quality of some of the boots I saw online. Yea I was disappointed but I saw a few things I liked from the store... like the sunnies I'm wearing above haha! The ones on the right are similar except the frames are a bit thicker and I think it's a purple or a brown... don't remember/can't tell. lol I'm so bundled up. The flaw is that I can't smile when wearing them or my cheeks push the frames up and off my nose bridge. Pretty expensive at $28.. who wears sunglasses in the winter really?... well apparently Koreans do -- at night, especially.
Oh yea - I found out that it's "Aux Champs Elysees" instead of OH haha
Saw a strange boy today. That guy isn't wearing anything under that thin American Apparel vest! It may seem so, but I clearly saw the many tattoos on his arms. Whoa.. in this weather... and he's pretty thin too! I think a ton of ppl were going to the Alexis On Fire concert tonight or something. The #16 was packeddddd and all the people looked the same -- wearing the same rocker sweatshirt/tee/black/jeans/skater shoes. Loud bunch.
My hair is so dry and awful now. Split ends galore. It needs to be hydrated like crazy. Doesn't help using cheap hotel conditioner all the time. I was gonna cut it shoooort (like a little below chin length) but some ppl have convinced me not to.... it did take a while for me to finally grow it out after my perm and I did tell myself I wanted to keep it long and straight for a while.. but hair is supposed to be fun! It grows -- do what you want with it. My roots are like 1.5 inches now... and my dyed hair is so damaged you can see the damage when it changes into dyed hair from the top of my head. Gonna dye it again over the winter -- dark brown this time.
Not much to write about today. Do have to mention the snow though. Our first official snow day of the season! A bit late this year compared to last, but it makes me happy. "Happy Snow Day!"**
I tried a K-restaurant in Richmond yesterday (today). Supposedly the best in Richmond (but there are only a few anyway). Anyway, the restaurant is called Kimchi Nara. On dinehere.ca, M and I learned that it's owned by a couple - Korean wife and white husband. The husband serves and the wife cooks -- but when we went, there was a young-ish Korean lady serving. Her service was alright.... not very amiable. Small restaurant but a lot nicer than I expected. We ordered BBQ Beef Kalbi Ribs (quite expensive at $15 for like 8 bites) and Kimchi Jjigae which was served hot and bubbly ($10). I enjoyed the Beef Kalbi Ribs - it had pretty good flavour, but M and I both agreed that they needed to change the grill. The Kimchi Jjigae tasted like the one from Submore xept it was saltier... a little disappointing 'cause Submore charges half the price! It came with (really yummy) seaweed soup and 2 bowls of rice and the usual 4 side dishes (super glazed potato that was a tad overcooked, seaweed/kelp (little salty), garlicy... green things, and kimchi). The menu was pretty impressive - it had a lot for such a small restaurant that probably only fits 30 people max... and it had almost all the Kfood I love! So to conclude, we learned to stick to restaurants where Koreans flock: Downtown Vancouver, Coquitlam, and North Vancouver.
Daiso has a lot of stuff ne? I like it, but when you actually think of it, $2 is pretty darn expensive to pay for most of the stuff there. I bought a thin-ish laptop case - fits my giant laptop perfectly! Now I don't HAVE to bring a big bag to carry it around. I only really care for some of their stationary, their plates/bowls, and makeup (fake eyelashes anyone?).
I learned that it really depends on what you order in a restaurant -- you shouldn't judge from your 1st experience (though it's natural to). B, M, and I have been to a small, cabin-like tea house across from Jang Mo Jib in Richmond for Asian-type drinks a few times in the past. We've all really like what we ordered... but today, M and I tried a couple of drinks that were not even close to the standard they serve. If we had ordered those drinks in our first visit there, I don't think we'd ever go back! But it was just for this case - sometimes the food/drinks are really all that way haha
I learned/re-learned some Japanese --> Korean from DBSK's Big East Station Radio show: CUTE is kawaii in Japanese, and guiyeowo (said like kgyowo) in Korean WEIRD is hen in Japanese, and isanghae (said eesahnghay) in Korean COOL/GOOD-LOOKING is kakkoii in Japanese, and meot jyol (said motte jeol) in Korean INTERESTING is omoshiroi in Japanese, and jaemitseo in Korean
Wonder Girls' style is so much nicer these days. Just a month ago, they wore these clashing "what-were-you-thinking??" outfits.
I rest my case. I did read that they were very reluctant to wear those types of outfits at first, but now they think it's fun. I'm actually getting quite used to it - the clash of their outfits do make them young, fun, and quite unique!
NOW:
All dressed in Fendi.I usually don't like girl groups... or I take a while to like them. So many of them can't sing - they just look alright, and their dancing is mediocre. I don't enjoy their voices as much as I like guys' voices... and girl groups usually don't last very long (or leave the greatest legacy...). I guess now I'm getting used to some of these girl groups and am even starting to like them! There were 4 or 5 Korean girl groups that all debuted within months of each other. Such competition! There's SNSD (aka Girls' Generation - a 9-member group under SM entertainment.. same label as DBSK), Wonder Girls (JYP), Kara (Daesung Entertainment), Black Pearl... uhh forgot the other one at the moment. I think SNSD and Wonder Girls are probably the most popular right now -- probably because their labels are most well-known so they are marketed the best. It's neat to see the concepts for girl groups these days. They're all pretty distinctive. SNSD has a super girlie + young image (crowns/doll-like)... Wonder Girls is more different and sexyish... Black Pearl seems more mature and classy: Kara has been pretty typical and none of their members stand out appearance-wise. They've been pretty well dressed from the start.
You can't really see it, but the girl on the left is wearing (really nice) short-alls. I like her outfit. Before the trip, when I think of short-alls, I think of the ones Nad and I used to wear in elementary school. I had a jean material pair and a navy Winnie The Pooh pair that I wore so often.... oh gosh. Anyway, these are totally different. They were quite popular when B and I were in Taiwan this past summer. I wanted a pair! Should have got one. Why didn't I again? There was one pair I saw that I really liked - I think it was the jean short-alls with gold chain straps.
I've been seeing a lot of holiday gift ideas for people who are stuck on what to get others. I think it can be hard - you think you know a person so well but you can't find the perfect Xmas gift. I'd say it's easy to buy for the typical girlie girl, but even they have preferences. Some ideas I've seen floating around... for the person that really has everything they want (clothes, mp3, accessories... etc). I wouldn't suggest these if someone asked me what I wanted, but I definitely wouldn't mind receiving :D For the girlie girl:
MAC 5 piece Basic Brush set [$159CDN]
GAP - High Collar Coat in Cinnibar Red [$128]
Kate Spade "Jane Street Passport Ticket Holder" [$65USD] (This is an absolutely perfect idea if you're surprising her with a trip!)Anthropologie Leather Weekender [$288] (I love Weekender bags! I have 3 :D)
Necklace Stand [$32] @ Urban Outfitters Earring Stand [$14] @ Urban Outfitters Chirp Bracelet Stand [$18] @ Urban Outfitters A soft pashmina [$20 @ Urban Outfitters]... or $5 in New York PLATINUM BY CONAIR® 1" Solid Ceramic Flat Iron [$60] @ Walmart Other Ideas: Black leather gloves [$30] @ Costco A really good blow dryer (with airflow concentrator) Something handmade (eg. photo album) Makeup case (classic black... from MAC)
Some things you shouldn't buy 'cause she really needs to try them on: - Sunglasses unless she specifically mentions a pair - Shoes (unless ditto) - Hats - Most clothes in general... (esp. jeans) unless she has a favourite store she buys all her clothes from. - Most types of make up
........ to be continued
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I'm becoming a big fan of big rings. Not diamonds or wedding-type ones, but ones w/ big stones/gems -- especially in black. The one on the left is from Forever 21 [$3.80]. I like it 'cause it looks like something a typical grandma would hand down to her granddaughter (who would hate it initially but grow to love it as she got older). I also like the ones with the vintage-y style rims. The one on the right isn't sold anymore, but it's a purple cameo ring also from Forever 21. I quite like cameo-style jewelry. haha OK - in short, I like large, un-blinged grandma-type rings.
A few things that caught my eye on Forever 21 (gosh it sounds like I'm so in love with this store, doesn't it?)
Slouchy Cardigan [$30]
Cable Knit Sweater [$34]
J Park Cardigan [$32] Grandmaaaaaaa - wish it had a different collar V Neck Sweatervest [$14.50] I'm a little iffy on this - I like it and I like how I've seen it on other people when it's layered a certain way, but I don't know about it on me.
Fish Book Ends
I saw this a little more than a year ago on Cool Gifts of the Day @ Surprise.com.. and again on my Style Feeder. Thought it was neat. I'm not really much of a fish person. My grandpa bought me and my cousin a Siamese Fighting fish for Christmas one year - I think I was 12. I felt so bad for it 'cause I didn't get a proper tank for it haha - it stayed in this small plastic container on my bookshelf in my room. Yea it died a few weeks later. I don't know if it's because of the location I kept it in, or if my little cousin overfed it. My cousin's fish lived for quite a while but he had a glass tank and the fish had company. Hmm come to think of it, I don't even remember what I named it! I name everything.
Did not get much done today yet. Thanks, M haha ;) Back to work, N
lolll so I didn't end up going up to school. This time it was out of laziness. I stayed home and worked on a few chapters of Accounting instead... 'cause it's my 1st final (6th). Hmm I'm all caught up in that class textbook-wise and did well on the online assignments but I don't feel like I know the material at all. Guess I gotta actually study now.
I just came back from The Keg -- family went there for my dad's bday (wouldn't usually choose this place.. had a gift card). Being 50 doesn't faze my dad - he's still young at heart and looks younger so I guess it's really just a number! Happy 50th Birthday Daddy!! Love ya Anyway, you know I can't go to these types of restaurants without some sort of review so here it is: This location just opened up 3 months ago so everything looked really new. Dimly light and warm atmosphere. It was yum 'cause we got to pick whatever we wanted from the menu. My family picked 3 entrees and 3 appies (I chose it: escargot, ahi tuna, and bacon wrapped scallops) and I got my Italian Pear cocktail yay They really like beans and mushrooms there... steak was great as expected. Portion sizes were pretty good. 3 of us got large Caesar Salads in the beginning, then our appies came (which were very appetizer-like portion-wise... but I had a little bit of each so I was pretty full by the time my parents & brother got their entrees). Service was pretty good. Waiter was friendly and outgoing, but seemed fake... like he has said the same jokes/lines all day.
30% off Guess GUESS? is re-opening in Richmond Centre soon. It's going to be the largest Guess? mall location in Canada at 7,000sq feet! There's a "party" (well, it's not really a party I don't think.. more like a family and friends event) on December 1st and 2nd (Sat and Sun) from 9:30AM to 9:00PM. All you gotta do is, when you pay, mention the Facebook Invitation and you'll receive an exclusive 30% off your purchase! I'm looking to see if I desperately want anything from there, but no. In the store, I like a few pieces once in a while, but not enough to buy it with my own money... so I think - what if I got a shopping spree - then it's fun to look through the website haha I don't really enjoy looking at it though. Who really has the models' silhouette? I don't even think most of the clothes look good on their models. Maybe that's why I like the store better - easier to think of how it'd look on me or other regular people. As for their handbags and wallets, I don't really like their cut out G logo so that eliminates a lot of the ones I'd choose. I do like their Guess stamped metal plates though. Ok I really don't see anything I like on their site that's in season haha I'd probably just get a pair of jeans and/or plain black pants. I need black work pants... everyone does. I don't like them.
I wanna be a ballerina.
Yesterday I decided that I want to take ballet lessons (and no, B, it wasn't from those scarily amazing ballerinas on Star King haha.. if anything, they've sort of turned off ballet for me). I've always loved how tall, flexible, and elegant they look so this is my attempt to become graceful and improve my flexibility and posture...... and to own a pair of those ballet flats :D haha Okaaaayy. I'll admit - the real reason is because I'm "insanely jealous of these precious little darlings":
Anyway, I can just imagine my clumsy self knocking down a whole line of ballerina wannabes... Anyone who's anyone is welcome to join me! Doesn't have to be for my reasons, of course, but I totally understand why if you do ;)
Hmmmm I've got a 7 hour cashier training session for the UBC Bookstore on December 7th..... smack in the middle of my finals. And that night, I'm babysitting my cousins, Erin and Kyle. Priorities a bit mixed up? Maybe. Well, my next final is on the 10th.
Spring 2008 plans: - School (3 or 4 classes) - Driving lessons - get N before I leave for Japan and Korea - Ballet Lessons (workshop) once a week? - Bikram's Yoga once or twice a month - WORK galore (2-3 days/week) to save up for the trips
OK back to studying. You too! N
P.S. Is Gossip Girl affected by the Hollwood writer's strike too??? The site hasn't updated their episode for 2 weeks now! I think I might need to find a new site...
I went to my GIS class today - it was finally interesting! We talked about our privacy (or prihvacy as my British prof says) and how it's taken away from us when we sign up for things such as the Safeway Card... and how the store then has your personal information and can track you down. You give away your privacy for discounts. Apparently some people have received e-mails from AE in the past saying "we've noticed you haven't dropped by the store since __(insert date here)___. Here are a few sales.." whoa. And how the CIA has all our information. Apparently they're in the process of making some system that can identify people by the way they walk b/c apparently, each walk is as distinctive as a fingerprint! Butchea - it all depends on how much you value your privacy. Scary. In a few years, you'll be able to zoom in really closely to see what people wear on the streets from Google Earth! Xept that info is from about a year before -- they'll need another few more years to make it more up-to-date. Cool eh? Then I photocopied my Jap flyer and skytrained out to Surrey Central to practice for my Jap oral... ended up going to White Spot soon after instead. Orals started at 4:50 I think. Mine was at 6:40! It was a 1 on 1. Oh well I sort of practiced and the ones that went before came back from their oral and told us what they were asked. A'course my sensei is smart and had 6 different sets of questions (20 each) so the exact questions wouldn't get passed around. I was lucky to get the ones that the previous people shared so I had a general idea. I did alright. 80%. Wasn't as nervous as I was going into it. Yay it's over! You don't know how worried I was last week about it. I finally got to sit down and study it for 2 days over the weekend. Hope to do alright on the final... not really gonna study for it. Really need to concentrate on other classes now... I don't remember what I planned to do after I got home from Jap, but M picked me up and stayed for a while. We watched her piano pieces and this guy play this Scherzo? on a concert grand! Wow. I have a lot of favourites when it comes to DBSK. Favourite songs, fav personalities... etc. Here's one of my favourite old school Junsu solos. The song is Chae Nhum, originally sang by Big Mama... never heard the original though. haha don't mind the hair. ** Se7en also sings the same song HERE -- a bit of a different feel - I didn't know he could go that high! haha
Here's a super recent Junsu solo (a day old?) at the Any Band concert. Sorry for the Korean fangirls yelling his name... how distractive. ** Can you see why he's sarang?
I think I have some sort of rheumatism in my forearms... time for bed. I'm going to school to work on my Badger GIS project... or try to.. for 5 hours. Oh my mom bought me a mattress heater! My parents have one for their bed... and I'd crawl in sometimes when I was cold. It heats my whole bed so it's all warm before I hop into bed. No more cold feet! Yay Oyasuminasai! N
Bright/hot pink is turning out to be my least favourite colour for clothes for those past 13 years of age. After seeing this dress on Jeon Do Yeon (who won best actress @ the 28th Blue Dragon Film Awards), I dislike it even more. Did she miss out on buying her dream prom dress or something? That dress just looks like a bad 90's prom dress from Mariposa or something.
Don't get me wrong, I still love brightness of pink for flowers and accessories like cameras, phones, pencils, pillows etc... just not blocks of it (more than a square foot) on pants, t-shirts, sweaters.... jackets... especially gowns. I still think it looks Avril Lavigne circa 2002 -- her Sk8er Boi days mixed with teeny bopperness. See - little bits are fine... like on JaeJoong. I guess it depends on the person wearing it.
This next one is a NO
Not bright pink, but still NO. To the duvet cover too.NO
Triple NO
I'm not a total pink hater -- I adore soft & pretty pinks. Not really pastel and not baby pink, but you know, feminine pink!
The weather is forcing me to decide not to go up to SFU to work on my GIS project. Darn. This project isn't looking good at all. I'm not even 1/4 finished and it's due in 8 days.... maybe I'll concentrate on the writing part instead.
17 day countdown until I can officially start my winter break! Eek that's scary.... kowai... need to start studying! Stupid project...
Coats! I'm obsessed with coats. They are great investments for Canadian weather.
Coats that are dying to be added to my wardrobe: - Short double breasted or toggle wool peacoat (hip length) in navy blue or black (brown toggle) - Long Korean (down) coat with the fur lining the zippers (non rabbit) + hood (a little above the knees) - Long dressy coat in dark gray or black (hard to find b/c of the shoulders...) - A trench - A down coat for the really cold days (quilted insides to keep the down in place) - smooth outside... haven't really seen a nice one - A light spring coat - DC black snowboard jacket (I think this should be 1st priority) - A regular peacoat that's a little longer than my hips. This is a pretty cool coat (YesStyle) - you can change the collar 3 ways! Don't like the material at all though.
The funnel neck is great for cold weather.
- A patterned throw-on-and-run-out-the-door coat. - a... coat dress?
Sartorialist took a pic of something similar:
I've also seen it on YesStyle. I like how you can just throw it on w/ leggings and boots and there! All set. Keeps you warm too. - Casual longish red peacoat type. More toggles? haha maybe not.. but I saw this Korean girl on the skytrain wear the cutest toggled red coat. I loved it. She was also wearing the Vintage Ralph Lauren Polo Bear sweatshirt I see a lot of Koreans wear. The bears are dressed up in different outfits and do different things like fishing + playing hockey. It's apparently hard to find these days. I don't get it. It's ugly. I remembered seeing JaeJoong wearing a sweatshirt with the bear on it. What was he thinking.
Today, or should I say "yesterday", was an eventful day compared to the school-homework-study routine I've been on. I got M to go on a light jog around Clinton park again w/ D's dogs in the morning. I got Gigi, the energetic Yorkie, and M got bigger and slower Hershey (the dai bao). This time we didn't do as much jogging as we did the 1st time. After showering, D and I headed out to Central library to study and finally found a pretty good spot together - it was quite crowded.. almost all international post-secondary students. I got quite a bit done. [Note to self: next time, suffer the shoulder pain and bring the laptop... those computers are so disgusting.] We were kicked out of the library at 6... forgot they closed so early on Saturdays. Then D and I browsed around PC -- Sport Chek + Holt Renfrew for a bit (while I could be doing some productive studying), waiting for M and B to come downtown so we could go eat Kfood --- met them @ the restaurant: Dae Bak Bon Ga on Robson next to Fogg 'N' Suds on the upper level. We've been there before and really enjoyed their BBQ. It was pretty happening compared to the last time we were there (at a weird lunch-dinner time). Unfortunately, that sort of affected their service (we had to ask for water/tea a few times...), but the food was still quite oishii. Not the cheapest place for Kfood. The bill came out to be around $15/person including tax and tip. We ordered BBQ Combo B ($35) and their seafood pancake ($15). The ajumma (Korean older lady) who we think owns the restaurant looks pretty amazing for her age. She's so thin and dresses so well and her hair and makeup looks perfect. We recognize her from last time - she was very nice too. Saw a ton of Koreans today at the library, downtown, and at the library. Gosh some of them dress SO well.... I'm so jealous of all their coats and boots! I want that Korean Coat darnit!
One thing about eating Korean BBQ is that all your clothes smell like it afterwards.
Theeen, M, B, and I went back to my house and made the night a little more Korean by watching clips and starting to learn the "Tell Me" dance by this new, young, Korean girl group, Wonder Girls. The song is catchy but the singers are quite bad (don't even get me started on the music video...... I'm gonna rate it mozzarella 'cause it's the cheesiest... and so was that rating haha). Apparently this song is super popular in Korea and many of them are trying to learn the dance. I'd post a clip of Wonder Girls dancing to it, but they're really awful and there are others out there who dance their dance better than they do... like these girls we've been trying to copy: ** haha anyway it may look pretty simple, but it's really fast and I'm having the toughest time with it right now! I think this is the first time I've attempted to dance to such a arm-leg coordinated dance. B is writing down all the actions and I'm trying to follow. M had a ball watching my rigid self hahaha!! Let's just say I need a LOT of practice. It's fun learning it and is actually good exercise!
P.S. Bern, we need to take another fur shot - it didn't really turn out.
Hmm Friday... I spent the whole day at school, working on my Badger (GIS) project. GRR. I'll try my best to do as much as I can before it's due, but I can't guarantee it'll totally be complete. Worth 20%. I'll just study really hard for the final. Easier said than done? Maybe... it's my last one and I have Jap the day before!
Winter Plans on the top of my head at 2AM as of Nov 25th: My last final is on Dec 13th. - HUGE sleepover @ Nad's for a few days where we will pig out haha - Xmas shopping!! + Xmas gifts - Help M bake - Do more baking - Work on my Asia Photobook - Learn this piano piece + Duets w/ M - Practice and learn the Tell Me dance... or Balloons dance. - Xmas dinners galore - Bright Nights - That glammy Xmas tree decoration thingy - Hang out with friends!! - Maybe an Xmas craft show of some sort - Family dinners - Get ahead in Jap! - Start reading some English... lol - Ski+snowboard a few times (get own equipment??) - M Flo + JJlin concert day w/ B - Bonjour! Paris day - Exercise - Haircut - Research Exchange to Japan/Korea - Start working - Do something with my room????
Whenever I need an instant smile, I play this short 2 min clip of Junsu, Yoochun, and Jaejoong singing their own made up song while in Paris. I just found this one with English Subs... had no idea they said "France", "Paris" and "Eiffel Tower" until I saw it in the subs! haha ** They're fun. I like.
Next week is gonna be stressful with my Jap Oral on Tues and that GIS project....................... Might have to go to school later today, Monday, Wed morning, stay @ school after classes on Thursday, and all of Friday. I'm really hoping I can finish it by Wed and start writing those 5 pages! I have to catch up in a couple classes too... yea I think I might just live at school next week. Might not blog as frequently until after exams.
I hope you're all slathering your lips with some sort of vaseline before you sleep, wearing a min. of SPF 15 sunscreen + moisturizer before you go out even if it's cloudy, and drinking a lot of water!! This weather can be brutal!
Xmas decorations are coming out next week! Will it be tasteful this year? We will see.
This isn't a place where I post long, serious essays about the meaning of life, it's a place where I can post things I adore - the things that make life a playground: friends, clothes, design, music, kids, fine dining, dreams, traveling, guys, and style.
Today I went to North Van w/ D to get her hair cut. The beautician was snowed in (we later learned she was just too lazy to come) so I didn't get my manicure but that was alright 'cause who was gonna see my nails anyway? I'll get it in the new year. D cut off over 8 inches and is donating it! Then we headed over to Central library where I tried studying (fell asleep for a while...) but managed to get 2.5 chapters read. 
Theeeen when it closed, we went to Urban Outfitters 'cause I wanted to see the quality of some of the boots I saw online. Yea I was disappointed but I saw a few things I liked from the store... like the sunnies I'm wearing above haha! The ones on the right are similar except the frames are a bit thicker and I think it's a purple or a brown... don't remember/can't tell. lol I'm so bundled up. The flaw is that I can't smile when wearing them or my cheeks push the frames up and off my nose bridge. Pretty expensive at $28.. who wears sunglasses in the winter really?... well apparently Koreans do -- at night, especially.
Saw a strange boy today. That guy isn't wearing anything under that thin American Apparel vest! It may seem so, but I clearly saw the many tattoos on his arms. Whoa.. in this weather... and he's pretty thin too! I think a ton of ppl were going to the Alexis On Fire concert tonight or something. The #16 was packeddddd and all the people looked the same -- wearing the same rocker sweatshirt/tee/black/jeans/skater shoes. Loud bunch.
Aren't we cool. Har. 
