Nordstroms Haul: Philosophy Purity - 7/29/08

Picture courtesy of Philosophy.com

I placed a pre-order for a Philosophy Purity a couple of weeks ago when I heard that it sells out fast. Today, I finally went to Nordstrom’s to pick up my order. I purchased the biggest size; I think it’s the 32 ounce? It was only $42!! The counter lady was extremely nice to me. I LOVE it when I receive GREAT customer service. It just makes my day!!

In regards to the cleanser, I truly swear by Philosophy Purity. It is the best I’ve tried. It gets all of my make-up off and leaves my face feeling clean! I LOVE this stuff! I buy it once a year and it lasts me all year until the next Nordstrom’s Sale! ;)

Nanette Lapore Outfit - 7/27/08

Nanette Lapore is one of my favorite designers. But her items are always out of my price range! I actually purchased an item from one of her collections a few years ago that I still wear to this day!!

Nanette Lapore’s collections are always so girly, flirty, & gorgeous! Super stylish! I love her items because it adds that extra “oomph” to my closet! Oh how I wish I had the money to purchase Nanette Lapore!! ;)

Nanette Lapore Outfit!

Nanette Lapore White Pants w/ Green Stripes – Forgot how much I bought this for =(
Wet Seal Sweater in Green! - About $5
BCBG Heels in White w/ Pink Details
Banana Republic Belt – Reptile-skin like texture.

Vacation Outfit - 7/23/08

Guess What? I’m on vacation!! You’ll have to tune back in to see where I am. It’s not a tropical place but it’s a nice place to visit. More info later!

I love this outfit that I wore. It is perfect from work to night-time! I also love me new belt!! It goes so well with this outfit.

I had a post (for more info on the post, click here) regarding what was HOT for Spring.This shirtdress made that list and I am still wearing it well into summer! I love it!! It is classy yet trendy! My perfect combination ;)

Vacation Outfit:

H&M Shirt Dress in Black - $35!
H&M Dark Tan Belt w/ Gorgeous Cheetah-like detail - $12.20 (More on purchase here)
Joey O Black Peep-toe w/ Plaid Heels - $12.99! (More on purchase here)
Ring from butterfliesdontlie on eBay

Review of Irvine Marriott Hotel - 7/19/08

I stayed at the Irvine Marriott for 2 nights during my “mini-vacation”. Overall it was a good experience. I would stay there again!

Price range: About $200/night for a king or 2 Double beds.

PROS:
Upon arrival, the desk clerk were very polite. The bellboy was extremely eager to assist me with my one luggage. Very pleasant arrival.

The room was decorated very modern, which I LOVED. I also loved all the RED!!

The beds (I slept on both!) were extremely comfortable, including the pillows! I kind of just melted in bed. It was so comfortable that I actually slept through the night. If you know me, this is rare since I wake up to every little sound I hear.

I really liked that the TV was a flat-screen! It proves that the place remodeled & is very in with modern times. I also liked the cable!! I don’t have cable because I don’t watch much TV but one night I ended up watching TV the entire night! It’s so addicting!


In addition, the TV was settled on a granite-top dresser. I noticed this detail & appreciate it!
I liked the lamps in the room! They were stylish & modern! They coordinated well with the room.

Both nights, I ordered Room Service & on both nights I ordered this dessert. It was soo delicious!! I forgot what it was called, perhaps.. "Raspberry Chocolate Cake"? I forget.




Second night's room service, I ordered this steak sandwich. Very tasty!! YUMMM! =D


On to the bathroom: I liked the bath set that was provided from Bath & Body Works. However, I never use the bath sets. I don’t know why but I just like using my own stuff! Anyway, I took it home for my little brother; he loves that kind of stuff.

And lastly, the view. I liked it. =P


CONS:
My first con is of an employee. I should have gotten her name but there was a lady working the concierge desk on Tuesday morning. I asked her if the Marriott shuttle could take me to a building down the street. She answered, “No, it only takes you to the airport.” LIAR!! I noticed a bunch of people asking the shuttle driver to take them here and there. As a result, I jumped on & asked him to take me to my destination, which he did with no problem. That lady needs to get her facts straight.

I reserved a king but the hotel ran out of kings so I was stuck with 2 doubles. I wish they would have “upgraded” rather than “downgraded”.

The bathroom, although satisfying, was rather small.
The first night, I ordered room service. I ordered Chicken Tenders. It was NOT good at all! I would have rather had McDonald's chicken nuggets!




On the second night, I ordered this "Fruit" smoothie. NOT GOOD Yuck! Not worth the $5.

The room wasn’t as sound proof as I would imagine. Being next to a freeway, it was loud at times.

Lastly, the desk was way too small!

South Coast Plaza & Irvine Spectrum H&M Haul - 7/18/08

I just returned from a "mini vacation" in Irvine, CA. I did some major shopping in Irvine. Hands down, H&M is my favorite store for inexpensive yet stylish clothes! I absolutely love their clothes & accessories. Below are some items I picked up from H&M (South Coast Plaza & Irvine Spectrum H&M).

Before I start with pictures, I would like to start with a review of the stores:

In both stores, I found the layout to be very useful in finding exactly what I wanted. Casual clothes were set on one wall, while swimwear was gathered in another. Both stores were extremely clean and well-maintained. Mannequins were dressed with items that were nearby. I was pleased with the external features of the stores.

South Coast Plaza H&M
PROS: South Coast Plaza had more of a selection when it came to “non-sale” items.

CONS: At South Coast Plaza, the cashier girl was just plain rude to me. I’m not sure why she was hired to be a cashier if she is not going to smile or be friendly to customers! I don’t expect much but that is the least a cashier should do!!

Irvine Spectrum H&M
PROS: At Irvine Spectrum, a floor guy was absolutely sooo nice! He offered to help me look for a belt I saw on a mannequin. We couldn’t find it so he took it off the mannequin! That is awesome customer service. I also noticed that the sale items here were far better than the ones at South Coast Plaza.

There were 2 sale racks, one at each entrance. This was a surprise to me because after I thought I was finished combing through the sale section, I wondered to the other side and found another!

CONS: The fitting room area was a little messy. Could have been the time of day I was there (5-6PM).

On to the pictures of my goodies!

From the South Coast Plaza store:

Green Cardigan - $19.90

I wanted this in Pink as well but I decided to be good & try to save some money! Btw, I LOVE cardigans, I wish I could have them in every color! Darn it, now I'm wishing I purchased the pink one...

Striped A-Line Dress - $34.90.

I love the dresses at H&M. Cute, chic, & inexpensive. The perfect combination!

From the Irvine Spectrum Store:

Dark Tan Belt w/ Gorgeous Cheetah-like detail - $12.20.

OMG, this is my new favorite belt. I usually say, "Whatever fits the mannequin, fits me," and this belt was looking so good on a mannequin. I searched everywhere for this belt & couldn't find it so a very nice H&M worker got it down for me. I love it because its a waist belt that actually fits me! It doesn't slide down to my hips like most belts that claim to be a "size small" does!

Floral Skirts - $10 each!

These skirts were so cute, I had to buy them in both colors!! Plus they actually had my size (which is very rare!) I am so excited! I can't wait to wear them.

Charlotte Russe Haul - 7/17/08

A couple of days ago, Charlotte Russe was having a 50% off sale. Naturally, I had to buy something! I usually don’t shop at Charlotte Russe. Nothing against the company however their website is not so organized nor is it easy to navigate.

In any case, I purchase this nice black skirt. It kind of doesn’t fit me!! I think I bought a small but feels like an XS!

I really like this "plain" black skirt. It is perfect for work. It is a high-waisted skirt and the quality is surprisingly well-made! I bought the skirt for only $9!! Yippee!

Big Brother 10 – Starts tonight!

Big Brother is returning for its 10th season. This is one of my favorite shows! I can’t wait for it to start!! I can’t wait to see what the twist will be his season. It’s going to be exciting!

The picture above (courtesy of CBS.com) reveals the housemates. It’s going to be interesting to see who will backstab who and who will get involved in a “show-mance”! Ahh, reality TV at its finest =)

Patent Red Joey O Heels – Ross Haul - 7/13/08

Another week, another purchase! This week I purchased these gorgeous Patent Red Joey O Heels for only $13.99!!

I love Red heels. I really can’t get enough of it! Did you guys know that there is a website that sells only red heels?

With Flash:

Without Flash:

View from top:

Anywhoo, I actually had time this weekend to go through some reader questions:

Q: Are your Joey O heels comfortable?
A: I will preface this saying that I wear high-heels 80% of the time and I feel naturally comfortable in heels. I feel very comfortable in these heels. I would say to someone who doesn’t wear heels as often, that it has a “moderate” comfort level. I hope that helps!

Q: Why do women wear heels?
A: This is a funny question. I guess I can only answer for myself. I love to wear heels because it makes me feel confident. It makes me feel like a woman. It makes me think I am taller than I actually am. In addition, I think most of my outfits look so much better worn with high heels!

If you have any questions, email me! ;)

Mariah Carey on the Cover of ELLE magazine!

I was at a market yesterday when I saw the cover of Elle magazine. It was Mariah Carey looking so fabulous!! She is my favorite singer and it’s nice to see her looking so great! I love the Versace dress that she is wearing! I wish that I had her curves to wear a dress the way she wears it!

In addition, have you seen pictures of her closet???!! Wow, that is my dream closet right there!! I’ll post pictures of her closet one of these days if you haven’t been graced by that image!

Lastly, I love this picture of her and Nick Cannon. She is wearing a $396 Gucci bikini! WOW! She looks absolutely gorgeous! Her stomach is so flat!

Labeled: Random

I am addicted! Outfit - 7/13/08

I am absolutely addicted to coffee. For some reason, I don’t like Starbucks coffee. (Sorry Starbucks!)

My favorite is AMPM. I know really weird, right??! It’s their Toffee coffee cappuccino that entices me! I try to limit my coffee intake but weekends, I get a large cup each weekend day! Very bad, but yet sooo yummy! I noticed that only certain AMPM’s have it too. So it’s hit or miss.

My second favorite is Baskin Robbins Mocha Blast. BUT I hate it when the employees don’t make it right. This tends to happen a lot. It kind of makes me MAD when that happens because it just ruins the taste!

From their website:
Mocha Cappuccino: “ BlastTreat yourself to real coffee blended with Vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup. But that’s not all-we top it off with whipped cream and cinnamon. Delicious!”

Makes me want one soo bad! YUMMMMM!

I am addicted! Outfit:

· Banana Republic Martin Fit Pants in Gray (Petite Fit!)
· Banana Republic Cardigan in Navy Blue w/ White trims
· Banana Republic Undershirt with a built-in bra! That’s why it looks like I’m showing cleavage! Not showing that much anyway! =P
· Belt from Ross (See more about this belt here)
· BCBG Heels in White-Pink Reptile-skin like texture. These heels kind of hurt when I wear them, so I limit their wear-age.
· Bracelet from Butterfliesdontlie on eBay

Gwyneth Paltrow on the Cover of Harper’s Bazaar! 7/8/08

I was casually shopping online, as I do 99% of the time I am on a computer, and found this great dress at Nordstrom’s for sale (below, more info here). I realized it looks similar to the one Actress Gwyneth Paltrow wore on the (subscriber’s) cover of this month’s Harper’s Bazaar!

Gwyneth Paltrow wore a Sequined T-shirt from Proenza Scholer that costs $825! The Nordstrom’s dress is a Sequin Sheath by Mary L Couture. It is on sale for only $80!! Wow! Too bad Nordstrom’s doesn’t have my size! It would be perfect for an upcoming wedding that I am going to attend!

I really love the sequin details & the shiny-ness of both dresses! I love Mary L Couture’s version because it is more fitted than Proenza Scholer’s. It is such a gorgeous dress! So classy and sophisticated.

Labeled: Random

Eva Longoria Outfit - 7/7/08

Some days I come home from work and think to myself, “What the hell am I wearing?!” It’s kind of funny because I get ready so fast and run out the door so it is really easy for me to mess up my outfit!

Anyway, I think this outfit is one of those “What the hell am I wearing?!” outfits. Can’t really change now, can I? ;)

Actress Eva Longoria always looks fantastic! (See my 'Top 10 Fashionable Celebs' here.) I saw this picture of Eva and wanted to recreate her look. I even had the similar Earrings! My pants covered my heels just like it did Eva’s!

I had to add the belt because the shirt was a tad too big for me. I think it looked better with the belt because it made the unflatter outfit a little more flattering by accentuating my waist =)

Eva Longoria Outfit:

BCBG Striped Pants in Black
Banana Republic Long-sleeve Button-up Shirt in White
BCBGirls Heels in Patent Black
Banana Republic Belt in Black
Earrings not shown from Butterfliesdontlie on eBay (pic here)

I am very sad! Outfit - 7/6/08

I am very sad! I lost my favorite earrings!!

I just received my Ruby Red Stud earrings (as posted here) & now I have lost it! I was getting out of the shower today and as I was drying my hair and it fell into the shower drain! =(

I am very sad! Outfit:

Banana Republic Martin Fit pants in Dark Gray
Wet Seal Sweater in Fuchsia
Boutique Nordstrom 'Marlo' Pump– $27 (As seen in this post)
Gold Bracelet from Butterfliesdontlie on eBay

Ross Haul: Floral Joey-O Heels - 7/6/08

On my “weekly” Ross trip, I found nothing. I was so disappointed that I drove across town to a different Ross just to get my “fix”. Fortunately, I found these heels there and it made my day!=)

Recently, Ross has been receiving many Joey-O heels. I’ve purchased a few so far. I’ve seen Joey-O heels at Macy’s in the $80-100 price range. I’ve been lucky enough to purchase them for less than $20 per pair!

These Joey-O heels were in the clearance aisle for only $15.99! When I first grabbed it, I only saw one heel! I had to search for the other heel and luckily found it on the other side of the shoe rack! I was soo happy!!

These heels are soo cute! The BF didn’t like them but I LOVE them! I love the floral details because it gives a boring outfit that extra punch it needs! In addition, the peep-toe allows me to show off my pedicure (that I do myself!).

These heels remind me of Gucci ones that I’ve seen awhile back. Of course, there are no comparisons! Gucci to Joey-O’s! Who am I trying to kid, right?! ;)

Btw, being a size 6 sucks! There are soo many cute heels available NOT in my size!

I got a new Sidekick LX! Yipppee! - 7/5/08

I got a new phone! Yipppee!

I upgraded from the Sidekick 3 to the Sidekick LX

Sidekick 3 pics:



Sidekick LX pics:



Things that I LOVE:
· The new themes that I can create. I am even able to change the icons & hinge sounds! My hinge sounds is Mariah Carey’s song “Love Story”! I’m not sure if this was available in SK3, being that I was only able to create a custom background theme.
· I heard that there is going to be an OTA update on the LX allowing me to take videos! I have not received the update but I can’t wait for it!
· The camera has FLASH! Although it is stated that the camera is the same, I feel the LX has better quality photos.
· There is picture messaging available & I can record sounds to the message. It’s awesome!
· The screen is soo much better than the SK3!! Larger & better resolution.
· It is less bulky! I feel like I have a “regular” phone rather than a brick for a phone.
· All 4 sides of the phone lights up in blue when something is received (phone call etc). This is so awesome! Looks like my phone is having a party! =)

Things that I HATE:
· I hate that all my applications & ring tones that I purchased did not transfer over! I had to purchase it all over again!
· The end of the call chime that both phones make! Seriously, if there was a burglar in my house & I was trying to hide & make a phone call. That chime would get me into deep trouble! Hypothetic, but I just saying! I HATE that chime!
· The camera, although better than SK3, is still not as good as other phones. Even the Motorola Razor has better photo quality than the Sidekicks. It’s just so grainy!

If you are thinking of upgrading, I would highly recommend it! I absolutely love my phone! I text & AIM so much that this is the best phone for me.

Purple Rain Outfit - 7/4/08

Happy 4th of July everyone!

This holiday is a great holiday. I usually go to the beach and camp out on July 3rd. Watch the fireworks and enjoy nature.

However, this year I have decided to forgo all of that.

Instead I am at home trying to get in the groove of studying. It’s so hard to get started but once I start its smooth sailing! I have even thought about disconnecting my internet just to get focused!

I hope you all have a wonderful, loooong weekend! Enjoy it & RELAX!

This is yesterday’s outfit. I wanted to wear my new BCBGirl pumps, so I had to put this outfit together!

Purple Rain Outfit!

Banana Republic Pencil skirt in Light Gray
Banana Republic Sweater in Rich Purple
BCBGirls 'Popiul' Pump in Raisin Pearl Nappa - $25! (More on this here!)