"Learning" and "Shopping" In The Same Sentence

Reading fast in Japanese takes a lot of practice - especially in Katakana (used for foreign loan words) for the following. It's supposed to sound like English.

クリンクルジャガードシャツワンピース
kurinkurujagaadoshatsuwanpeesu

Did you understand that?
It's hard 'cause they don't put spaces in between words.

How about if I put the spaces for you?
kurinkuru jagaado shatsu wanpeesu
lol even if you say that quickly in English, it's hard isn't it?

Did you read "krinkle jacket shirt one piece"??
I guess it would sort of help if you could see the picture:
How about this one?
メタリックドットシルクシフォンワンピース
metarikkudottoshirukushifonwanpeesu

I think this one is a bit easier.
With spaces: metarikku dotto shiruku shifon wanpeesu

It's metallic dot silk chiffon one piece.

Anyway, I'm practicing Japanese while online shopping so woohoo.
I got the following from www.fashionwalker.com - fun site with lots to look at. They've got some cute things but I'm studying so I don't have time to share har.

I Just Spotted...

an Andrea Brueckner Luxembourg Satchel!!
Love this bag!
It's really simple and casual and a total carry-all satchel.
The mini which is cute to look at but is too small for me.in Tobacco! I'm always in the lookout for a nice brown bag.
The original (which I LOVE!)
In Black Crackled Patent!
In pebble or eggshell
It has a zipper on the side so you can expand it if needed.

Lindsay Lohan carrying itJessica Alba

Doesn't it look so much better on a person than in pictures?

Hewn from oil-slick-shiny black patent leather, this bag is a true original. Measuring 17"L x 9"H x 5"D, it features a pair of brown leather-wrapped handles, a securely-zippered, double-compartment interior, and an exterior chock-full of cool zipper details and pockets. This purse is sensible and hot, with amazing shape; aka, the bag version of you. haha That last part is funny.

Anyway it's on sale for $470 right now.

J'aime beaucoup!!!
I can very much see myself wearing it and using it a LOT.
OK Geography time...

Ruehl No. 925

So there's this branch off of Abercrombie called RUEHL No.925 that I've never heard of.

It just looks like A&F - some styles are exactly the same with a different brand name sewn on... and the prices are pretty much the same... and they seem to target the same age group... but it's actually for post-college students 22-35.
Apparently they originally only sold leather goods.. and expanded. I'm not a fan of their leather products unfortch - had high hopes when I was browsing around.
I don't really know how I feel exactly about this... I think the fact that word will spread and almost everyone will know that it's a branch off A&F automatically gives Ruehl a handicap, but I think they've got some work to do to build up their reputation if the company wants to be as well known as A&F.
I don't know why they chose that name... it sounds like a dog's name. Maybe that's why they have a dog on one of their fleece zip ups. Oh.. I just found out that their logo is a bull dog...... what a turn off. Meeses are so much classier than bull doggies. The dog's name is apparently "Trubbles". I wonder if A&F's moose has a name. Bullwinkle?
Let's take a look at some things that I'd really consider purchasing:
This one is pretty. You can't see it 'cause it's white, but it has cut outs at the bottom! I love that.
This one is different. It looks like 2 pictures below from Chunzane# on YesStyle that I liked xept this is vertical than horizontal!
A&F has one almost exactly the same xept this one is a bit darker.
I'm surprised A&F doesn't have a short trench this year. This one is nice but it'd be even NICER if the tortoise shell buttons were bigger. I like how narrow the shoulders are and slim the arms are - no extra fabric.
A&F and Hollister both have striped bikinis but this one has a cute string (Hollister's is bright blue) and A&F's stripes are too thick. This one is perfect! Really love it. I figure it'd make my pear shaped body more proportional by widening the chest area ahha. Now I just need a navy blue bottom and I'm all set.
I'm curious what's in this book! I like the cover.
There are tons of other items.
All in all, I think Ruehl is alright - gotta remember that it's not really the brand, it's the look you're going for. If they have the quality and style you like, go for it! I think I do prefer Abercrombie a bit more though.
Why don't you check them out yourself here?

Designer Doesn't Equal Safe

Following lipsticks contain LEAD (cancerous)

• Christian Dior
• Lancome
• Clinique
• Y.S.L
• Estee Lauder
• Shiseido
• Read Earth (Lip Gloss) <>
• Chanel (Lip Conditioner)

Thank goodness the only brand I'd buy lipsticks from at the moment would be MAC... but beeeee careful!

Heart-Shaped

A lot of designers came out with their own heart-shaped purses for V-day.
Gucci Heart Coin Purse [$195]
These are alright - pretty cute I guess. It also comes in their classic colours: tan + white.
Louis Vuitton Vernis Heart Purse from Saint Valentine Bag Collection [approx $385]
The price is so much more ridiculous than other LV products! My goodness. Even $50 is pushing it for these puny things... but they're cute aren't they! I love every colour in their high-gloss, modern shine.
Luella Heart Coin Purse [$154-200]
Lulu Guinness Heart-Shaped Handbags [$150+]
I wouldn't normally put these up 'cause I don't think they're that nice, but partial proceeds go to the RED charity.
Pics for bag-bliss.

Make Me A Shiseido Model

Happy Valentine's Day!
ハッピー バレンタイン (happee barentain)

Today I was reminded of how beautiful Shiseido models are - especially for their Maquillage line. If I remember correctly, I saw the ad above in Hong Kong and was pretty taken away by her beauty (looks a bit weird in the picture 'cause of the angle). Below, another ad. I tried to take a decent picture with my cell... but the colours are distorted.
Of course, Shiseido didn't always choose such pretty models... lol
Just recently.
They have some weirdish commercials too sometimes...

Not really liking the model or the blue eyeliner, but I like the lip colour the model is wearing - looks really good on her.

Went for our Thursday sushi dinner tradition (might be the last night for a while 'cause I'm getting quite tired of sushi...) + then hung out @ Bern's house + then went to Richmond to eat HK style dessert! All on a school night! Whoooa lol

I got my YesAsia package today! My Tohoshinki T album, Tim's 4th Album, and Big Bang's Mini Albums!

Oh and PLUS Sarah got me one of the Bonjour Paris official photobooks from HK! I love it.

Semi-Maquillage

New make-up waiting to live in my make-up bag!

All of these products have been thoroughly researched. Quality first. Nice packaging is a bonus.

MAC SlimShine
It's a lip stick that is more sheer than a regular lipstick and looks like lip gloss on.
I haven't tested the shades but these have such great reviews (esp. on youtube).
I'm looking at Funshine (might be too bright), Missy, and Bare. Look here for the colours.
I'm hoping I can find a lipstick for me... 'cause I look funny (like a clown) in most colours ahha
Anna Sui Face Colour Stick
It's not out in Vancouver yet so I have to wait + test the shades.
It's a multi-purpose stick - you can use it for your cheeks and lips
It looks like it'd apply really boldly but apparently it's sheer and blends well, giving you a healthy, natural flush.

Shu Uemura Blush [$21 @ Sephora]
NARS Blush [$25]
OK.. it looks like I've hardly touched my other one (but really I have!! a LOT!!) and it's been over 1 year. I really like them though! The pigment is very subtle and stays on my cheeks for a long time. I think I want to try a darker, less shimmery shade.
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion [$16 @ Sephora]
Amazingly great reviews!!
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Face Cream SPF 55 [$38USD on YesStyle]
We gotta take care of our skin now before we get old, wrinkly, and sun damaged.
This apparently smells nice, is non-greasy, doesn't make your face white, doesn't clog pores, is a good primer for foundation, minimizes pores and you won't break out. Most importantly, it gives you excellent sun protection!!! Only con is that you need to remove it w/ an oil-base cleanser..which I don't have.
This is too big to fit in my makeup bag, but once I finish my huge Kiehl's face cleanser, I'll get this from Costco! Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser [$10 for a huge bottle?]
This is the most reviewed product on Makeupalley.com with 2,482 reviews.

Currently searching for:
A good eyelash primer (Clinique or Shiseido may be the best choice according to my research. All others like Shu Uemura, Urban Decay, and Smashbox, apparently don't deliver good results).

***** A good BB Cream. A quick history summary: BB cream stands for Blemish Balm Cream - the hottest thing in Korea right now. It started off as a soothing treatment balm dermatologists + surgeons used on patients who underwent laser skin treatment. It helps to shield\protect and regenerate delicate skin. Korean actresses and stars soon started using this cream and it sparked off a huge craze in Korea due to its excellent results. Beauty brands in Korea have since developed BB cream and made it more suitable for Asian skin and it's like a tinted moisturizer that eventually fades things on your face like freckles and acne scars. I'm looking into Skinfood Gingko BB Cream but they don't sell Skinfood here unfortch.

Eyeshadow Smudger

A good Eye Cream... b/c I rub my eyes waaay too much and they ain't looking young no more.

A good mascara. This is sometimes a life-long goal for some girls lol
I currently use Maybelline Great Lash in Blackest Black and I like it 'cause it separates my lashes and makes them long and it doesn't weigh them down, but when I blink hard, it sometimes leaves marks under my eye which causes me to rub... which is bad for my skin. This product has absolutely horrible reviews on Makeup Alley lol but that shows that your opinions of some things might be different from the reviews. Maybelline Full and Soft has decent reviews. I don't believe that expensive brands will make much of a difference in Mascara.

I found that it really doesn't matter on the brand name, their products might not be very good. I think a good example is Chanel. I haven't heard very many of their products having good reviews. Only their lipstick is apparently good. I've personally tried their nailpolish and to me, it's just a little better than Wet 'n Wild + Revlon combined (ie. not good). As for mascara, there are tons of non-drugstore brand name ones out there. I've tried Lancome and Estee Lauder and Clinique and I really despise them all.

Products I wish had good reviews but don't:
Anna Sui Thick Eyeliner
Alba Botanica Face Scrub (Pineapple or Papaya)
Kiehls Papaya and Pineapple Face Scrub

New brands I really want to try
NYX - apparently a very inexpensive brand w/ great quality products! Not available in Vancouver.. don't think
Shiseido Maquillage products - it's new I think. Not many reviews on MakeupAlley

I'm a bit curious about Inglot - but it doesn't seem too cheap... Nail Polish [$12], Eyeshadow [$16-18]... a bit less expensive than MAC... but MAC has that "good quality" reputation already... well, the quality is apparently decreasing ever since they were bought out by Estee Lauder. Inglot actually opened 6 years before MAC did - they just didn't choose to expand from Poland nor did they choose to advertise well... or at all?! They're the European version of MAC.

Ugh I'm trying to find a Kiehl's product I can exchange the toner I got for... but they all have terrible reviews on MakeupAlley! Don't blame them... I don't like a lot of Kiehl's products much. Hmm this Heat-Protective Silk Straightening Cream has pretty good reviews though... currently researching.

I re-ordered my Everyday Minerals. The company was nice enough to cancel my previous order upon request (within 3 hours!) b/c I didn't want that Kabuki brush anymore. It's a bit unfortunate how much shipping I had to pay for packages under 4 pounds ($7.91 for International), so I ordered more.
I bought:
Free sample kit (3 sample foundations, 1 blush, and 1 concealer) Free
Long Kabuki Brush (not available until next month) $10
3 Powder Eyeshadows/liners (lol and I don't even wear eyeshadow. These can actually be eyeshadows or eyeliners depending on if you apply them wet. I chose emerald green, smokey (gray), and In The Garden (this purple/brown) - all of which had great reviews) $2.50 each
Cosmetic Wet Wipes (these didn't get fantastic reviews unlike everything else but most ppl said they would repurchase it because it did the job well (took makeup off face) but it didn't take their eye makeup off. It smells great (mild Lavender + Grapefruit), can be used for kids, and is a great refresher for the summer) $3.75 for 80 giant wipes! How cheap is that.
I wanted to buy more blushes, but I wanted to test the one in my sample first.
I'll definitely write a review when I get them. Don't think it'll be anytime soon b/c my Kabuki Brush isn't ready. Maybe they'll send it separately... but I can't use the foundation or concealer w/out my Kabuki!!
AH I just checked my Visa statement and I have to pay 65 cents b/c of the exchange rate change! When I first bought Everyday Minerals, I had to pay $13.70... and when they canceled it, it refunded at $13.05. I hope my order goes through cheaper...
I think I'm going to look at Ebay for some future purchases.
Make-up lusts to be continued...

My Day

• Got to school (top of SFU) in 37 min (including walking down to the station!!)
• Was 15 min early for class
  
• Took neat notes for once in Geo lecture and understood everything 'cause I actually read the chapter thoroughly and took notes (shocking!)
  
• Geo lecture was quite amusing today
• Had a crispy chicken wrap from Chartwells' Raven's Cafe (haven't had one in so long) - Lunch w/ Becky
  
• English lecture was pretty boring - ended up finishing the article I had to read for Geo in it
• Got English essay 1st draft back. A bit disappointed - I thought I did quite well (was hoping for A-) on it but I got a B.
• Geo tutorial was alright - the presentation was well done and understandable (relieves pressure 'cause last week's was pretty intense)
• Got split into groups (which I like) to chat about whatever we wanted har
  
• Ended 1/2 early (it's a 2 hour tutorial) and got Op-Ed Idea (2 paragraphs) back worth 5%. I got 4/5 which I'm happy about. Just have to make my topic more specific now.
• Bussed home and got in the door around 5:55PM
• Took a shower and 3/4 through my shower, my mom knocks frantically on the door saying we have to go NOW 'cause my dad went to pick up my g'rents and they're waiting in the car 'cause it was 6:10 and our dinner reservation was at 6:30.
  
• I did a speedy nat and got ready in 7 minutes including half-blow-drying my hair! Ladies and gentlemen, believe it or not, this is very possible for me (if I know what to wear already). This was almost like getting ready to go clubbing in Taiwan minus the shower.
• Did makeup in car harr.. but b/c I couldn't do anything w/ my hair, it was a bit frizzy
  
• Got there RIGHT at 6:30! pssh and my parents were mad at me for being late
• Hart House for dinner (near the Shadbolt Centre) - my Uncle Henry (really my great uncle) treated (even though he's in HK) b/c my dad did some legal work for him and someone else bought some property off him or something... so it was my family, my g'rents, and the 2 ppl who bought the property
  
• V. romantic. It's fully booked for Valentine's Day!
• No pics of food unfortch, the lighting was too dim.
• The lady in the pic (below) in purple has such nice, smooth skin for her age. I should ask what her secret is. Anyway, she thought I was 16! lol I told her it was the cheeks.
  
• Bread: some super good rye bread
• Appetizer: Foie Gras (melt-in-your-mouth-fat) + Raw Oysters
  
• Dinner: Rack of Lamb ('cause my g'pa raved over it but since then, they've switched chefs twice so now he says his is better lol.) w/ bites of my dad's fish + mom's scallop and risotto
• Dessert: I shared a Dessert Trio w/ my mom (and had leftovers for dai dai): Creme Brulee, Chocolate Cake (v. dense made w/ Guinness), and New York Cheesecake w/ raspberry sauce. All very good. I have a new love for Creme Brulee again. All good presentation.
  
• Service was excellent - the server was very amiable and talkative and personal.
• My g'pa is so loud and blunt it's so funny. He had coffee after dinner and made it clear to our server that he wanted it fresh. "Don't give it to me if it's not fresh. If it's stale... it's like drinking dishwater!" lol.. there were tons of those that night... and you guys don't know how loud he can be loll Don't know why he looks so angry in the picture w/ his arms crossed.
  
• Aw you can't really see how romantic or nice it is in there from this picture.
  

TVXQ Update

Tohoshinki's fame is rising even more. Wow.

Tohoshinki tickets "40,000 Tickets to TVXQ’s Saitama Super Arena concert on May 3, which is one of the last stops in the group’s Japanese tour, were sold-out in just one second after the ticket sale was opened last February 10 at 10 am."

How in the world am I supposed to get tickets?!

Of course I want them to come to the Hollywood Bowl, but they might start some heart attacks in the youngin's..... and that's not good.

TVXQ is officially documented in the Guinness World of Records by having the World's Largest Official Fanclub with 800,000 official members... and that's just their Cassiopeia (Korean) fan club! That number doesn't even include me or Bern! They have a whole other fanclub for Japan called Big East and I'm sure there's others around the world. I think it's going to be documented in their 2009 edition.
You should have seen the amount and cost of the presents Yunho got for his 22nd birthday from his fans... and he rejected the presents and suggested giving them to the less fortunate. "Wouldn't it be better if the things the fans gathered with their loving hearts were given to others who needed a bigger helping hand. I think that if the presents could be distributed to those fostering their dreams under harder circumstances, (the fans') feelings will be used more nobly" He apparently rejects expensive presents every year. I wonder how many other celebrities do this? How sweet. Now that's a true leader =D
They all have new haircuts!
I think Jaejoong's hair looks pretty good - it's a nice, shorter, change. Junsu's hair is just spiked up more than usual and maybe a lighter chunk of colour in the back, Yunho's hair looks messy and permed maybe, Changmin's hair looks pretty normal, and Yoochun's looks like a mad scientist.

Junsu graduated from Oyagi gags (basically play on words... Japanese + English + some Korean) and doesn't do them anymore. He can't think of anymore content.

General McArthur.

Here's some somewhat recent Song Hye Gyo pictures (Full House girl).
Her beauty is envied by many.

A Night With The Kiddos

Although this is my 3rd post today, I can't help but post pictures from last night.
I went to my Auntie Eliza's house for dinner. Had (super yummy) Thai takeout.

When I came in the door, Kyle was super excited to show me his creation: his teddy bears strapped in. They were going on a trip!
In Erin's super girly room (side note: her bed is bigger than my bed!) with her Minnie Mouse hat
She made me try it on and wanted to take a picture but for some reason waved her hand in front while taking.
So here's another try with the kids-sized hat. This reminds me of hallowe'en when I was young. I was once Minnie Mouse and I had a hat like this from Disneyland.
She's pretty steady w/ my cell!
After dinner, she wanted to play Beach. I've never played that before. We cut starfish (on the ground) and waves (as you can see taped on the far wall) out of construction paper and made a really nice sun but I forgot to take a picture of that. She got her beach towels out and made everyone wear a hat (visor). Kyle wanted to play but here's Erin telling him he can't 'cause he's not wearing a hat.
So he got a hat lolll
That's his Chinese New Year coat from the g'rents and he's doing his partial kissy face.
lol he loves pictures and wants to be in every one so we took pictures together. I cut myself out for obvious reasons.
Here's another attempt at a picture xept he pushed my visor down.
Erin was showing Kyle how to be the lifeguard. Hm - I thought they were supposed to watch what's happening in the water? Btw, Erin made me a visor similar to the one she's wearing w/ a pink crown + a heart.
Head stands! Safe ones. Ready? Set?
Legs up!!
Always fun with these two!