Thursday, June 30, 2011

What I Loved This Month: JUNE

I can't believe summer is already halfway over! It's been going by so fast! Since returning from Europe, I've been keeping myself busy reading, writing, drawing, catching up on shows, watching movies, and teaching myself Swedish (thank you, YouTube!).

Here are just a couple of my favorite things from one of my favorite months:

TV SHOW: Doctor Who (Finally started watching the fifth season with Matt Smith, and while he can't replace my beloved David Tennant, he's certainly won me over!)

MOVIE: Midnight in Paris (Absolutely fell in love with this charming little gem of a film.)
BOOK: Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (Almost finished with this sci-fi classic, it's certainly an interesting read, but I definitely wouldn't want to live in this dystopian future.)

STYLE: Kate Middleton (She continues to amaze me with her fashion choices! Absolutely flawless!)
ACTOR: Peter O'Toole (One of the best actors of our generation! I'm obsessed with him and his films!)

FOOD: Sangria Cupcakes (I got these delicious treats at Lucy & Leo's Cupcakery during their Happy Hour. They were a little small so they gave me another for free - score!)

TRAVEL: Dublin, Ireland (My favorite city during my Eurotrip! I can't wait to go back!)


WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH... Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt 2 (7/15), Comic Con (7/20-24), and Captain America: The First Avenger (7/22)

What were you guys into this month? What are you looking forward to in July?

Monday, June 27, 2011

WHAT SHE WORE: Kate's Armed Forces Day Look

Move over, Rachel Bilson, I think I found my new style inspiration! At first, I didn't quite understand the public fascination with Kate Middleton... but I am now very much a fan of the new Duchess of Cambridge. Since walking down the aisle in that gorgeous Alexander McQueen gown, Kate has become quite a worldwide style icon. It's really no surprise, to say the least. On top of her beauty and grace, her style is absolutely impeccable, and her wardrobe is to die for.

Recently, on Britain's Armed Forces Day, Kate and Prince William attended a ceremony to pay tribute to servicemen and women, presenting medals to members of the Irish Guards. The event marked Kate's first military role, and, boy, did she do it in style! So classy and fitting for the occasion!

What She Wore: Kate Middleton's Armed Forces Day Look

Friday, June 24, 2011

Alexander Skarsgård in GQ Magazine

Shirt, $295 Burberry London. Tie, $98 John Varvatos USA. Chinos, $75 Dockers. Belt, $5 Kaufman's Army & Navy. Necklace, vintage from Melet Mercantile. Watch, IWC.

Honestly, I didn't see what all the fuss was about over True Blood's Alexander Skarsgård...until I saw the latest issue of GQ (June 2011). The star's Scandinavian good looks are amplified by his effortlessly sexy wardrobe. Props to the stylist, and, guys, take note. 

True Blood returns to HBO in two days (June 26th), but we can also look forward to Alexander in three upcoming films: Melancholia (with his father, Stellan), Straw Dogs (with rumored girlfriend Kate Bosworth), and Battleship (yes, based off the board game).

Here are some photos from the magazine, along with some excerpts from the cover story:

Tank top, Dolce & Gabbana. Pants, Dior Homme.

Difference between LA and Sweden:
"You walk into the coffee shop, and the girl asks how your day is. When I first moved here, I loved that. I know it's shallow and superficial and she doesn't give a f*ck about my day, but I still like it. It's difficult to get to know a Swede. But once you do, you're in."

Shirt, Armani Jeans. Jeans, Dior Homme. Shoes, Alden.

On his famous father, Stellan Skarsgård:
"I don't think I came to acting to compete with my father. But, you know, he wasn't around as much as normal dads, and seeing his passion...Maybe it was a way to get his attention...I mean, if anything, we're trying to take care of him. He's over the hill."

Stellan's response:
"Of course I'm threatened. They're younger, they're better-looking, and they're all trying to kill me."

On joining the military:
"It was my way of going off into the unknown... I didn't want to just be somebody's son."

Shirt, Armani Jeans. Necklace, vintage from Melet Mercantile.

True Blood creator, Alan Ball, on Alexander's Erick Northman:
"He does this thing with his eyes. It's like they become slightly unfocused and all of a sudden they're mirrors to this ancient, 1,000-year-old soul."

On love scenes with Anna Paquin:
"It's really clear to Steve (Stephen Moyer, Anna's real-life husband, and Alexander's co-star) and to everybody else what the deal is—which is that Anna is like a sister to me. Those love scenes take quite a bit of acting, actually. A lot of acting."

Henley, Gucci. Pants, Save Khaki.

When asked about his relationship with Kate Bosworth:
"He shuts down, smile disappearing, with a completeness and efficiency that could only come from growing up in the public eye. 'My father always kept the family out of the press,' he says later, almost apologetic.

Jacket, Polo Ralph Lauren. Henley, Gucci. Pants, Save Khaki.

On Hollywood: 
"Hollywood can be like kids playing marbles on the schoolyard. Everybody wants the shiny marble until one kid says he doesn't. Then nobody will touch it. So it's important that I make good decisions now."

Sunglasses, Mosley Tribes. Rest of outfit: See cover.

On his variety of acting choices:
"If you're an actor in Sweden, you do drama, you do comedy, you do action, you do film and live theater. You do whatever there is. Vanity is death to an actor."

Thank you, True Blood:
"The nice thing is that as long as I'm doing this TV show, I've got f*ck-you money. So I can say no to things. I never want to be in a position where I can't defend why I said yes."

Outfit: See cover.
Photo Credit: Carter Smith/GQ

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

EUROTRIP: MILAN, ITALY

Catherine and I in front of one of the many cathedrals in Milan.
The first stop on my Eurotrip agenda was Milan (although technically, London, was my first encounter in Europe even if only for an hour layover). I arrived around noon and the first thing I noticed after leaving the airport were the small cars and, of course, the fashion. It took some time before I finally met up with one of my travel buddies, Matt, because we couldn’t use phones and we hadn’t specified an exact meeting point at the large (and beautiful) train station. After about two hours of waiting and meeting lots of people who did not understand English, I finally ran into my friend at an internet café (thank goodness).

Grand Central Station
Hostel: Pop House
Having never stayed at a hostel before, I didn’t know what to expect. This place was, overall, a nice first experience. It was very small and cozy (5-7 people max), which I liked. I also liked the various pop art décor for which it was probably named after. The location was very good as it wasn’t very far from the train station and there was a grocery store nearby. My favorite accommodation was the laptop with free internet in the living room. What made our stay here even better was that we had some pretty awesome hostel-mates, two Swiss girls named Alice and Lea who were both so friendly and fun.

Beware of the owner (and her uni-brow), however. Make sure you checkout on time. She will try to rip you off.

The view from my room.
Food:
 By the time I had gotten settled at the hostel and was ready to eat, most of the restaurants had closed for the afternoon. Fortunately, Matt and I came across a cute, little place run by a guy who knew English (very helpful). Due to the time, the menu was very limited but I ordered the pesto pasta with some white wine, followed by some dry red wine (hey, it’s Italy) and tiramisu for dessert. Everything was very good. On our way back to the hostel, we found some super cheap wine (2 euro!) and grabbed some Sri Lanken food which I tried for the first time. I found it to be good, but a little too spicy for my sensitive taste buds. That first night, Matt decided to treat everyone to a cooked dinner that consisted of rice and sausage. While the sausage portion was delicious, the rice was a little off (he blames this on the fact that the rice was long-grain instead of short).

The next day, after meeting up with our third travel buddy, Catherine, and doing some shopping, we all stopped by a little café and shared a pizza. This was also my first encounter of having to pay for water in Europe which would become one of my least favorite things about this continent that I otherwise fell in love with.

Finally, the last place I ate in Milan was… McDonald’s! Chicken nuggets with Coke to be exact. I told myself I wasn’t going to eat fast food during my stay in Europe, but I wasn’t off to a great start. Fortunately, I wasn’t paying for my meal so I didn’t feel so bad.


Activities:
Both nights I went out with Matt and our hostel-mates, Alice and Lea, along with Lea’s sister and her friend. The cover fees for the clubs were outrageous, especially by American standards (10-15 euro to get in, but at least you get a drink). After your complimentary drink, however, be prepared to pay at least 10 euro for another. The music played was older pop music which was fun because everyone knew the songs and could sing along while dancing.

Once Catherine had joined us on the second day, we went shopping in Montenapoleon. Although I didn’t buy anything, it was fun looking around in stores like Chanel, Gucci, Lanvin, and Dolce & Gabbana. Matt did buy some pretty cool Hugo Boss shoes and a Guess watch.


Since Milan was our first stop and also our rendezvous city, we were just figuring out what to do which meant little time for sightseeing or tours. Not seeing more of the city and what it had to offer is my one big regret in Milan that I hope to remedy by coming back someday.

Unfortunately, I forgot to bring a charger or new batteries for my “glamour shot” camera that I had brought so I took very few pictures while in Milan to conserve what little charge I had. Being a big fan of taking pictures, this was pretty irritating.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Steel Blue

For this look, I used matte black shadow all over and winged out in the outer corner, with some Steel Blue on top and a little bit of teal and mint in the crease:

I'm turning 30 next thursday and am going to Paris over the weekend, so I'll probably be back to posting in 2 weeks time (:





Product List:
MAC Bare Canvas, Zoeva 88 Mattes Palette, MAC Steel Blue, Barry M. Dazzle Dust #83(?), MAC Cool Heat, upper and lower lashes by www.kkcenterhk.com, NYX Milk, CG Lash Blast

Saturday, June 18, 2011

EUROTRIP: A Look Inside My Euro Makeup Bag

A Look Inside My Euro Makeup Bag

I wouldn’t say I wear makeup often. Moisturizer is usually all I need for a day… unless there are cameras or meeting new people involved in which case I like to put my best face forward. And when you’re traveling in Europe for 6 weeks, you can bet there will be a lot of picture-taking and people-meeting so carefully packing my makeup bag was crucial. Like the rest of my packing, I only wanted to bring things I would most definitely use and were very versatile. These products fulfilled both requirements. Here’s what I brought and my recommendations for fellow travelers:
  1. Moisturizer - Elizabeth Arden 8-Hour Cream
    I absolutely love this stuff. I usually put it on right after I’ve gotten out of the shower when my face has that dry, itchy feeling. Yes, it’s very thick, but you really can’t beat how moisturized and soft it leaves your skin. One of my absolute must haves. 
  2. Concealer - Sonia Kushak Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette
    This kit is perfect and is such a life saver when it comes to dark eye circles or a surprise pimple. It gives great coverage without feeling greasy or cakey. (Edit: Unfortunately, it went missing while I was in Barcelona so it looks like I’ll be making a stop at Target soon.) 
  3. Foundation – L’Oreal Bare Naturale Powdered Mineral Foundation
    I definitely prefer powder foundation over liquid and this product is just as good as any of the higher end brands but at a fraction of the cost. I apply it using a Clinique brush since the one it comes with is pretty useless. 
  4. Bronzer – MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural
    For those days when I’m looking particularly pale. 
  5. Blush - NARS Orgasm Blush
    Not much to say here as it’s reputation precedes it. Classic. 
  6. Lash and Brow Mascara – Rimmel Style & Shine
    I hear it might be discontinued which would be a shame since this is a really awesome product, especially for the price. It’s great for keeping your brows in place as well as giving you natural, long looking eyelashes. 
  7. Eye Shadow – Rimmel SpecialEyes Duo Eye Shadow in Biscuit Box
    I go for neutral eye shadows in browns and taupes. If I’m going out, I’ll put on some purple. I’ve been using this Rimmel color for quite some time now. I love that it pretty much can go with anything. 
  8. Eyeliner - Maybelline Stylish Smokes in Charcoal and Maybelline Line Stiletto
    Eyeliner is a must for me. While I’m not partial to any particular brand, I can’t live without my MAC 266 brush. It’s perfect for applying eyeshadow as an eyeliner. I prefer this so much over using a pencil or liquid liner (although when combined with liquid liner, it creates an especially dramatic look). 
  9. Mascara - Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara
    I usually use Cover Girl Lash Blast but this came in a tiny little tube that was perfect for traveling. 
  10. Lipstick – Various MAC Lipsticks
    I like my natural lip color so I usually don’t wear anything but when I do, I love me some MAC. Especially in shades of light pinks.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Back From Europe!!



I'M BAAAACKKKK!! After a missed flight and a 7 hour layover in Chicago, I’m finally back from the most INCREDIBLE 6 weeks of my life! It seems like only yesterday that I was packing up my backpack, ready to venture outside the States for the first time in my life.  Being back home is certainly bittersweet. Of course, I missed my friends and family (and not having to pay for water in restaurants), but I definitely got bit by the travel bug and really did fall in love with Europe. Sigh. Here’s hoping I’ll be back sooner than later. Until then, I have plenty to write about to satisfy my Europe withdrawals. I plan on writing a series of “Eurotrip” posts (as well as various other travel-related posts), detailing my thoughts of what I did and saw in each city I visited. I’ll write about what I thought of the hostels I stayed at, the food I ate, the tours and museums I checked out, and other cool places or things I would recommend.  I hope you all enjoy reading about my lovely Euro adventures!

Oh, and here’s the list of cities I traveled so you know what to look forward to :)

Italy – Milan
Switzerland – Geneva, Lucern, Zurich
Hungary – Budapest
Austria – Vienna
Czech Republic – Prague
Germany – Berlin
The Netherlands – Amsterdam
Belgium – Brussels
Ireland – Dublin
Spain – Madrid, Barcelona

Been to any of these places too? How did you like it? Comment and let me know!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

The Copper Look

I'm back! Sorry for neglecting this blog for such a long time, I've been travelling and have had neither the time nor the inspiration to create any looks. I spent a lovely holiday in Florida and had a very interesting business trip to the UK afterwards, and hopefully the next weeks will be a little quieter (even with my 30th birthday coming up :S)...

To get back into the flow, here's a rather simple look whose main attraction is the contrast between matte and shimmering textures - and the SatC lashes, which I absolutely love!












Product List
MAC Bare Canvas, Pure Luxe Ecstasy, MAC Dusty Coral, Zoeva 88 Mattes Palette, NYX liquid liner, SatC lashes "Samantha", lower lashes by kkcenterhk.com, black kohl, CG Lash Blast