Monthly Archives: April 2012

NOTD – China Glaze Velvet Bow

Some time during (after?) the holiday season, Krystal gave me a mini bottle of China Glaze’s Velvet Bow, because she had a full size version. It’s a really pretty wine color and I thought it’d look cute with Essie’s Imported Bubbly.

Then, because its name is Velvet Bow, I tried a really simple nail art and painted on a tiny bow.

D’aww.

I added a gem at the last minute (this is Urban Decay’s Rocks), but it wasn’t tiny enough. It promptly fell off about half an hour after I took the pictures, too. Oh well.

I know my nail art skills need some work, but we all have to start somewhere, right?

Also, this is really old. Like, from months ago. In fact, it’s very holiday-themed, so I don’t know why I’m posting it in the middle of spring. BECAUSE I WANT TO, OKAY. And that’s always reason enough for me.

Cargo Safari kit

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I just checked Hautelook and it looks like both kits have sold out. It’s still available on cargocosmetics.com and beauty.com, at full retail price, $34. So, for that reason alone, I’m going to continue with this post (and because I already uploaded all the pretty pictures).

It’s so cute, I die.

Cargo BeachBlush Coral Beach. This is a nice coral bronze color, nice pigmentation and easy to blend. It does pull a little orange on me, so I have to apply with a light hand. Also, although minimalist, I love the tin packaging.

Eyeshadow duo. This doesn’t have a name. The khaki brown shade is gorgeous and buttery, and it looks killer layered over the khaki eyeliner. The gold shade is a bit flakey with weird chunks and patchy pigmentation, but blended out it complements the khaki nicely.

Khaki eyeliner. This is a really pretty color and it’s nice when worn alone, to define your eyes subtly. It looks a bit like Urban Decay’s 24/7 liner in Stash (and it’s an almost exact dupe of Smashbox’s Cream Eye Liner Artist Pencil in Antique Gold from their Spring 2009 Muse collection, but that was limited edition, so).

Lip gloss in Serengeti. This is a pretty melon pink, but it goes on rather sheer. I like to layer it over lipsticks, but it’s nice on its own. The formula is great, too, nonsticky and it feels comfy on the lips. I use it a lot because it’s low maintenance.

Cargo 3 Triple Action mascara. I haven’t used this yet, so I have nothing to say about it. I may or may not have tried it before, in one of the Sephora lash stashes a few years ago, but I don’t remember.

I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to be convincing anyone of at this point, being as both kits are already sold out on Hautelook. They are available at other online retailers, as I’ve already mentioned. They are limited edition, and as these are both from last year’s collections, I imagine they’re starting to phase them out slowly (hence the Hautelook sale). I still think these are a good deal, and I’ve been lemming the Safari kit for months on end before I finally bought it when it first went on sale on Hautelook. That being said, I personally wouldn’t buy these at full price, NOT because it’s not worth it, or it’s not a good deal, because it really, really is, but because I’m cheap and I’m broke and I’d rather buy things on sale. I will say this, though: I adore the Safari kit and I know I’ll get good use out of it (and that’s saying a lot, because I have way more makeup than I should, and there are definitely products that just sit in my stash).

But you can just look at the pretty pictures, if you want. I’ll try to post a look with these products… um, eventually. :P

Bicycle ring!

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I just bought this adorable bicycle ring from Eden in Love. I originally saw it a couple weeks ago when I was there with Krystal, but I talked myself out of it. I kept thinking about it, so today, because Jackie and I have to run an errand at Ward, I gave in and bought it 20 minutes ago. It’s so cute!

It’s $18 at Eden in Love in Ward Warehouse. They have it in a little basket at the register.

Also:

I only have two items from Eden in Love! :( And I shouldn’t buy more stuff anyway, but if a) you can and b) you have 3 items from Eden in Love and c) you’re free on Sunday, April 22, and d) you live on Oahu, obviously, then you should check it out! I love their stuff. Just spreading the word! :)

Cargo Cosmetics is back on Hautelook!

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Cargo Cosmetics is on sale until Thursday, 4/19 on Hautelook! If you haven’t already signed up for Hautelook, DO IT NOW. Seriously. They have fantastic sales on everything from clothes, shoes, handbags, home decor and my favorite, cosmetics. In fact, the reason I signed up for Hautelook in the first place was for bargain beauty products, and I think my first purchase was most of the Smashbox Muse collection (from Spring 2009).

Right now, they have both the Safari and Mediterranean kit from their Spring and Summer 2011 collections, respectively. I bought them both the last time they were on sale, for $20.50. They’re going for $18 this time and the original price was $34, so either way it’s a steal.

Cargo Safari kit

Also, the packaging is to die for. The Safari kit comes with a full size BeachBlush in Coral Beach, a full size khaki eyeliner, a full size eyeshadow duo, a mini lip gloss in Serengeti and a mini 3 Triple Action mascara. I’ve used this kit several times already and I absolutely love it. It’s a quick way to look pulled together without spending too much time on your makeup.

Cargo Mediterranean kit

Okay, let me just say that I bought this mainly for the name, because Albert is from the Mediterranean. Yeah. I know. But I never said I was reasonable. Still, this kit is also nice with a full size Mendocino blush, a full size eyeshadow duo, a full size Better than Waterproof mascara, a mini Swimmables waterproof eyeliner in Teal, and a mini lip gloss in Morocco. I’ve only used this kit once and I’ll admit that I like the Safari kit better. The eyeliner is supposed to be waterproof, but when I wore it on my lower lash line, it all but disappeared by lunch time and it felt like it had never set. It’s a beautiful color, though. Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in 12L is a perfect dupe, and definitely waterproof, so… just FYI. ;)

Overall, I think the blushes alone make both kits a bargain. Cargo’s Coral Beach blush retails for $30 and Mendocino for $29, and they are full size. I personally would recommend the Safari kit over the Mediterranean, but even now, I still would buy them both. The packaging is too cute, and I’m a sucker for blushes.

Check them out on Hautelook!

Escotlandia!

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Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

After New York, I hopped over the pond to London to visit my boyfriend, Albert. I landed in Heathrow on February 14th, Valentine’s Day. *collective “d’aww”* I swear we didn’t plan that, it just worked out that way!

The next day, we had booked train tickets for Edinburgh, Scotland. We planned to stay for two nights, three days. We almost didn’t make it. We left the house a bit late, dilly dallying with breakfast, washing up, petting the cat (this is not a euphemism, by the way. His landlady has a tabby cat named Merlin. Just so you know).

When we got to King’s Cross, we BOLTED. Sprinted up two eternally long flights of stairs, and believe you me, I am not a runner. Luckily, we made it with a couple minutes to spare, but I thought I was going to die. My throat was on fire and it felt like I was coughing up my lungs. It was probably the closest I’ve ever come to being mad at Albert, but I wasn’t actually mad at him, I was just annoyed that I couldn’t breathe properly. :P

The train ride from London to Edinburgh is about 5 hours long, and I learned something new about myself: I instantly fall asleep on train rides. I can’t help it. Even during the hour long ride to and from Edinburgh and Glasgow, I still somehow managed to pass out.

Anyway, when we got to Edinburgh, we took a cab to The Terrace Hotel. I can’t recommend this hotel highly enough; it’s quaint and cozy, the rates are reasonable, and the owner, a snarky British man named Michael, kept making fun of Albert and Spaniards in general, how their double last names always causes mix-ups with the bookings. Our room was huge, with a king size bed and a smaller twin, a nice big window overlooking the garden, and an ensuite bathroom (the shower stall was really tiny, though, but who cares? I didn’t come all the way to Scotland to take a luxurious bath).

We joined the Sandeman’s New Europe Free Tour of Edinburgh, which I really enjoyed. We were absolutely blessed with gorgeous weather, too! Sunny and warm, perfect for an afternoon walking tour! Apparently, I was the only Harry Potter fan on this tour (but we all know that I was simply the only one who admitted to it), but our tour guide added in a few Harry Potter trivia, which I totally fangirl-ed over.

Also, during our break, we were at the Grassmarket, and I did a little celeb spotting: they were filming the movie Filth, with James McAvoy, so I had to snap a crappy, blurry, extremely zoomed-in photo. I think I just felt my street cred go up. Don’t hate.

That night, after dinner, we went on the ghost tour, which was really fun and not very scary, just creepy. It was a very busy first day in Scotland, and we called it a night early!

The next day, we took a train to Glasgow. We arrived there quite late and unfortunately we didn’t get to see much, but Albert did show me around where he went to class and where he lived (he got his master’s at the University of Strathclyde) I did get to meet one of his friends, Korina. We had dinner at a bar/restaurant called Lucky 7 that had a really cool vintage store in the front called Postcard Limited. They have since moved locations, according to their Facebook page, but if you’re ever in the area (and you’re into that kind of stuff), you should definitely check them out! I bought Jackie a cute little teapot necklace. :)

Our last day in Scotland, we wandered around the city centre, then went to Edinburgh Castle (mostly to see the Stone of Destiny — oooh!). Then we caught the train back to London (that was another adventure. Ugh). Whew!

: Mercat Cross on the Royal Mile

: St. Giles’ Cathedral.

: St. Giles’ Cathedral entrance.

: Edinburgh Castle

: Celeb spotting: James McAvoy!

: Christmas in February. The scene they were filming is supposed to be during the holiday season.

: It’s official. Don’t mess.

: Lights!

: The entrance for The Elephant House, where J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book.

: The back of The Elephant House, as seen from the street below.

: George Heriot’s School, the inspiration for Hogwarts, as seen from Greyfriar’s Cemetery.

: The plaque where Rowling got Professor McGonagall’s name.

: Greyfriar’s Bobby’s headstone. People leave sticks for him to play with in doggy heaven.

: “Let his loyalty & devotion be a lesson to us all.”

: Greyfriar’s Bobby’s commemorative fountain

: It used to be an actual drinking fountain, with a higher one for humans, and a lower one for dogs.

: It sits in front of Greyfriar’s Bobby’s Bar, which most people get in the background of their pictures. But I thwarted your free advertising scheme!

: Funny chicken in a store display.

: Yeah, I don’t get it either.

: Edinburgh at night, as seen from Calton Hill.

: Caledonia Best, a Scottish ale.

: George Square in Glasgow

: Albert jokingly called the Ferris Wheel “The Glasgow Eye.”

: Albert and I in Glasgow!

: I know it’s blurry, but d’awww.

: Isn’t he handsome?

: The oldest house in Glasgow.

: Since 1471. Impressive.

: I wanted to visit the Glasgow Necropolis, but sadly it was already closed by the time we got there.

: I love that they call it a necropolis vs. a cemetery. It literally is a city of the dead.

: See how creepy and awesome it is?

: I don’t know why I took so many pictures of this. I guess I’m morbid.

: Yep.

: Glasgow Cathedral, also called the High Kirk of Glasgow or St Kentigern’s or St Mungo’s Cathedral.

: We walked past a place where they had strings of lights for a ceiling. So pretty!

: Albert and his friend Korina catching up while I played tourist.

: The old town of Edinburgh has some really narrow side streets, called closes or wynds.

: See how narrow?

: Another narrow street.

: I really like them, and I don’t know why because they also give me a feeling of slight claustrophobia.

: View from Edinburgh Castle.

: Edinburgh is such a pretty city!

: We spent our last few hours in Edinburgh visiting the Castle.

: I love this guy.

: They had a cemetery for soldiers’ dogs in the castle. Aww.

: An example of Scots language on the John Knox House. The whole inscription reads: Lufe God abufe al and yi nychtbour as yi self.

P.S. The title is deliberately the wrong word for Scotland in Spanish. The correct word is Escocia. ;)

New York City, center of the universe

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Times are sh**ty, but I’m pretty sure they can’t get worse.

Ha! Just kidding! I love New York City!

Times Square

I know this post is long overdue, and I’m surprised that my 7 followers haven’t unfollowed me yet. Looking at my monthly archives, I seem to post once every never. I’m sorry. This will change. I PROMISE. Look, it’s even in caps, so you know I’m not messing around.

So, for my 25th birthday (yay, quarter of a century old and I’ve accomplished nothing worth noting), I planned to travel. A lot.

First stop: NYC!

: Laurie’s neighborhood, Astoria.

: There’s a restaurant by the train stop called Chirping Chicken. What? Do chickens chirp?

: Inside the N train, home bound!

: Did a little pilgrimage to Macy’s Herald Square. It’s flippin’ huge.

: Macy’s on 34th (I think). This is only half of it. I gave up trying to fit the whole city block in frame.

: Had some pizza at Eataly with Laurie and her classmates.

: And beer. Of course.

: View from the Empire State Building at night! Lines were much shorter, but it was FREEZING.

: Bright lights in a big city.

: Laurie and I at the observatory deck.

: Subway at 34th Street. I really like subways for some reason.

: Train’s here!

: Went to MoMA for Target Free Fridays! (Target sponsors a weekly event where everyone gets in for free on Fridays, from 4-8 pm.)

: This was one of my favorites, probably because of the typography. It was a quote from a movie, street talk for saying the dirty deed is done.

: The sculpture garden at MoMA. It was really nice and quiet out there, near closing time. Unfortunately, this is right around where I lost my second glove. The right hand again, naturally.

: Another sculpture in the garden. After I crossed to the other side, I realized my glove was gone and spent some time trying to look for it, but it had disappeared into thin air.

: At the Corner Bistro, enjoying a Brooklyn Lager. Nice shaka, Laurie.

: Times Square! It was so cold this night, I kept ducking into random stores just to warm up.

: Trying to take a picture at Columbus Circle after helping Laurie with her class project. It was really cold and Paulo couldn’t figure out my camera.

: No flash. His hands were freezing by this point.

: Good enough! Let’s get some soup for dinner!

: Chessboard table in Central Park!

: I’m sure I must have visited Central Park before this trip to NYC, but I couldn’t remember. We didn’t stay long because it was my last day in the city and I wanted to see a couple more things before I left.

: Rode the Staten Island Ferry because it’s free!

: Passed the Statue of Liberty at Magic Hour.

: Bird attack on Manhattan!

: This is a disgusting picture of me, gross.

I was originally going to insert all the pictures in the post and ramble on forever, but then I realized the post would be outrageously long and boring. So I made a gallery instead. It took me forever because I’m lazy. Enjoy!

barely organized chaos

because life is funner that way.