Sunny n Blue

I was first introduced to a great eyeshadow primer that enhances my eyeshadow colors when I was in Vegas last May. The makeup artist at Sephora used it to give me smokey eyes. Too Faced Shadow Insurance is a must have for anyone who loves primers. More info: Too Faced Shadow Insurance - http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P202625&categoryId=C10480

I am such a product of marketing. I read about Clinique's Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss on Sephora's blog and had to have it. The Black Honey color is a nice sheer burgundy shade and perfect for my winter skin. More info: Sephora's blog Clinique Gloss - http://blog.sephora.com/2009/12/new-incarnation-of-clinique-classic.html

I found a beauty supply store near work and needed some new eyeshadow brushes. Nigel's has a great selection of brushes at all prices. I got a nice wide brush for highlighting and two slanted brushes for deep crease. They both work wonderfully well with my eyeshadows. More info: Nigel's Beauty Emporium - http://www.nigelsbeautyemporium.com/Home.html

I haven't had a chance to watch Top Chef Las Vegas this season, but I do remember Fabio from Top Chef. He had such a great personality - so spunky. His new restaurant opened up. LA Times claims people are flocking but not for the food. More info: LA Times review - http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-review16-2009dec16,0,5582075.story

Thank you, Daily Candy! Now you know where we'll be this Saturday. Oh, how I love their ultra soft tees. :) --- What: James Perse Sample Sale Why: Fifty to 80 percent off men’s, women’s, and kids’ cashmere sweaters, pants, outerwear, dresses, skirts, T-shirts, and more. When: Dec. 18-20. Fri., 2-9 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Where: Siren Studios Orange, 1050 N. Orange Dr., b/t Santa Monica Blvd. & Romaine St., Hollywood

By entering code "779" at check out, you can save 25% off at the Limited. Offer expires 12/16/09. Hurry!

My brother and I headed up to LAX yesterday to pick up my mom from vacation. We were so eager to go to our favorite vegetarian Filipino restaurant only to be disappointed it closed down and got replaced by a bbq place. Boo! To counter our disappointment, we cruised down on Sepulveda. We found the Habit Burger Grill. It looked like a popular joint and everyone was coming out with milkshakes. I ordered the charburger w/ fries while my pescatarian bro got the albacore tuna grilled sandwich. Muy bueno! If I'm ever in El Segundo again, I'll visit again. More info: http://www.habitburger.com - www.habitburger.com

Free treatments and discounts on Dec 9 6pm to 830pm. I'd love to go to Trilogy Spa for their complimentary massage. Too bad I have plans next Weds. Enjoy!

Drinks, treats and a raffle. Go check out Stila's event at Fred Segal on Saturday Dec 12 12pm to 5pm. Have fun!

The Stila and Joie sample sales coming up this weekend look pretty cool. I'll be in LA on Saturday and might check them out. More info: Daily Candy Sample Sales - http://www.dailycandy.com/los-angeles/article/78173/December-Sample-Sales

This weekend's 5th Annual Fil-Am JazzFest is fast approaching at the Catalina Bar & Grill Jazz Club. My favorite Jazz vocalist will be performing, the lovely Charmaine Clamor. Go check it out! More info: JazzPhil-USA - http://www.jazzphil-usa.com/

I'm looking forward to watching Point Break Live! tomorrow night at the Dragonfly Bar. The reviews call this improv spoof really funny and entertaining. More info: Point Break Live - http://theguide.latimes.com/performing-arts/point-break-live-event

Got this from a girlfriend... Every time you buy something online from participating retailers (such as Best Buy, Apple/iTunes, Macy's, Oriental Trading Company, PetSmart, Flowers, North Face, and hundreds more), a percentage of the amount spent comes to TRLA. It's an easy way for Texas RioGrand Legal Aid to earn a little money- especially since so many of us shop online now! How it works: Visit the GoodShop.com webpage and select TRLA as your charity of choice. Then select the store and you will be automatically directed to their site to do your shopping. (The prices at these online stores do not change if you use GoodShop.) Here's the link: http://www.goodsearch.com/goodshop.aspx

My inbox is bursting with info on Black Friday. Here are some helpful links. Happy shopping! More info: Lucky Magazine Black Friday Best Sales - http://www.luckymag.com/shopping/2009/11/black_friday?showall=true DSW - Save $20 off w/ online purchase of $99 or more through 11/29. Use promo code THANKU Nordstrom Rack - Plus, here's another helpful link - http://www.blackfriday.info/

A girlfriend passed along this event... Kiehl's in Santa Monica (1516 Montana Ave) will be having an evening of shopping where patrons can receive 20% off all purchases. 10% will be donated to benefit Lifeworks mentoring program at the LA Gay and Lesbian Center. Enjoy complimentary drinks, hors d'oeuvres, and caols performed by a special youth chorus. Saturday, November 28, 2009 5pm to 7pm

My friend forwarded me an email about TassaTag. It's a luggage tag that makes a difference. The TassaTag project raises funds to end child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking of children for sexual purposes. TassaTags cost $12 plus sales tax. More info: http://Tassatag.org - http://Tassatag.org

I got some aquamarine sweats from American Eagle ($13.95) and sweat shorts from Hollister ($12.90). What perfect bottoms to lounge in and watch Days of our Lives.

I bought a cardigan and cords at Old Navy the other day and received a coupon to use on Thanksgiving. I can't wait for Black Friday sales. Yay! More info: Use "10SET" at checkout to save $10 off a purchase of $50 or more. Valid 11/26/09 at 12:01am ET through 11/26/09 11:59pm ET at oldnavy.com.

Pictured on the left is a rose colored cowlneck sweater from H&M ($24.95) and on the right are black leggings from Nordstrom's Brass Plum department ($16). I can't wait to wear this outfit when it gets cold. Maybe w/ some suede chestnut boots or black slouchy boots.

Last weekend, my girlfriend visited from out of town and requested we go to Venice. I, of course, obliged and after some people watching at the Venice boardwalk proceeded to go to Abbot Kinney for boutiques. We went to our favorite store called Principessa. I got two dresses. Hooray! I'll wear this black and gray bubble dress for Thanksgiving. Can't wait! I'll wear this when I want to be comfy More info: Principessa, 1405 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291

Paul Frank will be having a holiday warehouse sale. Happy shopping! Here's the details: Dec 4 10am to 6pm Dec 5 9am to 4pm 686 Warehouse 20 Goodyear, Irvine, CA 92618 No checks. Cash, Visa and M/C accepted w/ ID. All sales final. No returns/exchanges.

Had to share a dress I bought at Urban Outfitters in Las Vegas' Mandalay Place. I scored this lovely beauty for $15. Ya gotta love 50% off sales.

Here's a sale worth mentioning. Thanks Daily Candy! --- What: A.P.C. Overstock Sale Why: Up to 75 percent off past seasons’ women’s and men’s clothing, shoes, and accessories. When: Sat. & Sun., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Where: 715 S. Los Angeles St., b/t W. Seventh & W. Eighth Sts., Downtown (323-297-0414).

If you're looking for a weekend getaway, check out Harrah's Rincon. I've stayed here a couple times and love this place. The Fiore restaurant is superb and Fortunes serves up yummy Chinese food. My mom loves their spa and dad loves the pool. Ooh! More info: Harrahs Rincon - http://www.harrahsrincon.com/casinos/harrahs-rincon-san-diego/hotel-casino/property-home.shtml

I have to rave about my local car wash. I've been going here for years. The manager is super friendly and they always do a great job when I get a super wash w/ jasmine air freshener. It's a nice splurge for $17.99. More info: FV Touchless Car Wash, 9063 Warner Ave, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, (714) 843-0910

I read last week that Top Chef will be doing another show called Just Desserts. Pastry chefs will compete to make the best dessert. How do I sign up to be a judge? More info: Showtracker blog - http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/10/bravo-orders-top-chef-spinoff-just-desserts.html

Body Shop's Aloe Body Butter. It's great for my dry skin. The Body Shop cashier was nice and even scented it satsuma so it's very orange and citrusy smelling. Mmm! Right now, there's a 2 for $30 sale. More info: Body Shop - http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/body-butter-sale?cm_re=Tyra_LoveBodyButter-_-MainPane-_-BodyButter

Their LA sale is this weekend. November 6 and 7 @ Petersen Automotive Museum. Labels include Oliver Peoples and Michael Kors. More info: https://www.billiondollarbabes.com/events.aspx?cid=bdbover&r=18069

I got my South Coast newsletter recently. Here are some highlights I'm looking forward to: Nordstrom Women’s Half Yearly Sale November 4 - 15 Doors open at 7:00am on November 4 H&M Jimmy Choo for H&M November 14 Complimentary Hot Cider and Cocoa On Weekends from December 5–December 24 Garden Terrace More info: South Coast Plaza - http://www.southcoastplaza.com/

Hubby sent me a link to a Grilled Cheese twitter. Too bad the truck doesn't stop near my work or house. More info: Twitter.com/grlldcheesetruk - http://twitter.com/grlldcheesetruk

My co-worker and I were talking about our love for burgers. He named some places I should try. Umami Burger: http://www.umamiburger.com/ Ford’s Filling Station: http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/10/burger-review-fords-filling-station-culver-city-los-angeles-ca.html#continued I can't wait to check it out and report back.

My Tasting Table LA newsletter announced: "Firenze Osteria - This North Hollywood restaurant from Fabio Viviani, the Top Chef contestant with funny Italian zingers, is now open in the former Barzac Brasserie space." Do you remember Fabio? He was that great chef with the accent and cut his hand during one of the challenges and kept going. He was so entertaining to watch. I'll have to check out Firenze Osteria soon. Mmm!

Whenever I'm at Irvine Spectrum, I love getting Veggie Grill soup and salad combo. My usual is the baja fiesta salad and chili. Yum! I always feel so healthy after eating a meal there. More info: Veggie Grill - http://www.veggiegrill.com/

A few weeks ago, I treated my friend Bev to a birthday lunch at Malbec in Toluca Lake. This Argentinean restaurant was delicious and had great service. We really enjoyed the empanadas especially the spinach and cheese flavor. I ordered the milanesa steak sandwich and fries. Really tasty, except I should have ordered it without mustard. My friend got the sorrentinos - a homemade ravioli w/ ham, mozzarella and asparagus in a pink sauce. Yum! More info: Malbec Cuisine - http://www.malbeccuisine.com/toluca/

Lookie, Filipino designers in the news! I was skimming my fave blog and saw what I thought looked like a barong. There it was, a model wearing clothing inspired by Filipino traditional wear. How cool! More info: All the Rage blog - http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/alltherage/2009/10/passionrevealed-pops-up-during-la-fashion-week.html

I got my Lucky newsletter the other day and saw this link to a great video on how to wear a cardigan. My work wardrobe usually consists of slacks, blouse and a cardigan. I own a brown Old Navy one, black BCBGirls one, black Gap one, grey American Eagle, and cheapie fuschia one. I think cardigans should be a staple in any woman's closet. Now, if only, I can find my black skinny belt... More info: The basics video - http://www.luckymag.com/style/video/2009/11/cardigan_basics

I'm a big fan of Padma and feel bad for not keeping up w/ Top Chef Vegas this season. I've been reading about her a lot in magazines though and think she has an amazing story. She said some fashion designers wouldn't use her as a model unless it was winter time so her arm scar won't be seen. She's written books and is a total foodie. Her twitter has been recounting what meals she eats too. How cute! I checked her Web site and she has a nice collection of jewelry. The pictures of her are beautiful too. I wish she sold her jewelry online but they're available at a few stores. More info: Padma Lakshmi's Website

I'm trying to look for a new natural scrub since I'm taking a break from Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant. Here are some contenders: Body Shop Vitamin C Cleansing Face Polish Origins Never a Dull Moment Alba Pineapple Enzyme Facial Scrub Ole Henriksen Walnut Complexion Scrub I tried the Origins one way back and remembered I liked it. Hmm, decisions decisions...

The news stations are on weather watch 2009. Luckily, in OC, I haven't seen any major rain storms but just a few rain drops last night and early this afternoon. I am eager to get some new warm boots for the season. Check out Target's selection and ooh ahh w/ me. Suede Boots Rain Boots

I went to Vegas last weekend (my hubby's second home, haha!). After lots of rest, relaxation and eating, we hit Primm outlets on our way home. In an hour span, I bought some new flat (I'll do a post on my cute shoes soon), Hollister casual wear, and Bath & Body Works soap. Check out what I got at Hollister for a lil' over $20. A cute blue tee and comfy sweat shorts. Unfortunately, they didn't have any sweat pants. I love Hollister and AE sweats. So comfy!

I can't live without my Alba lip balm. I have the pineapple quench and passion fruit nectar lip balm flavors. I think I love it for the yummy scent and because its organic. I have several that I keep at work, in my purse and my makeup bag at home. More info: Alba lip balms - http://www.albabotanica.com/?id=304

The hubby wanted to take me to a burger place in Ceasar's Palace. I didn't know what to expect and thought he was talking about a diner. But, when we parked valet and he said Bradley Ogden and I saw the sign in the parking structure From Farm to Table, I was intriqued. I got the prix fix dinner of farm greens, cheeseburger and fries, butterscotch pudding and snickerdoodle cookies. Mmm! So much food but delicious! The burger is so good and named best burger of the year by GQ magazine. I'll definitely return again to try their butternut squash soup and their smore pot dessert. Mmm! More info: Bradley Ogden - http://www.caesarspalace.com/casinos/caesars-palace/restaurants-dining/bradley-ogden-detail.html *[Updated on 10/07/09 w/ photos]

Nordstroms has a promo code for free shipping on shoes. Use promo code "SHOES" at checkout. Offer ends October 26, 2009.

Watching the Emmys the other weekend made me love the style of one shoulder dresses. I soo want to get one to wear to a Vegas wedding next month. Here are some contenders: Urban Outfitters Silence & Noice One Shoulder Dress Victoria's Secret matte jersey one shoulder dress

I've been addicted to Orange Dream Machine smoothies w/ calcium or daily vitamin boost recently. Here's a coupon I'll use before Sunday. Second smoothie for $1. Whoo hoo!

I've been thinking about content for my blog and love how the fashion magazines always do articles on "I can't live without my < fill in the blank with fashion, shoes, food, etc. >". As they say, imitation is the biggest form of flattery, I'd like to blog about some of my favorite things. Here goes.... I can't live without my DiorShow Mascara. Even though I already have thick long lashes, I want them to stand out even more. This mascara doesn't disappoint. First, I heat my Shu Uemera eyelash curler with a quick blast of my hairdryer. Then, I swipe two or three brushes on my lashes and I'm all set. I do notice this mascara smears easily if I sleep on the train, but that just means I can swipe off the smears in the work bathroom before I start my workday. More info: DiorShow Mascara - http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P40404&categoryId=S10510&shouldPaginate=true

On Saturday, I took a cupcake workshop at Sur La Table in Newport. I was twenty minute lates, oops! Chef Rochelle Taylor was explaining the recipes to the group of woman. When I sat down, it was time to split up into groups. The Smores cupcake and Black and White cupcake group. I chose Smores of course.The recipe was interesting. You get graham crackers and put it in a food processor to make into a fine powder. You put that on the bottom of the cupcake tin and put dark chocolate on top. Then, you bake for 10 minutes. The rest was a blur as I was watching the other women in my group mix the dry and wet ingredients separately. The icing was a marshmallow frosting. Mmm! I even learned how to frost. The strawberry cone cupcake was cool. You put ice cream cones in a tin and put aluminum foil to hold it up in place. I learned how to beat egg whites in an electric mixer with a Days Of Our Lives Marlena lookalike. She was very encouraging and approved my egg whites. I remember the other

Two weekends ago, my hubby decided to go to the Marketplace so he could go to Loehmann's Mens while I go to Old Navy. I've realized that the clearance rack at Old Navy never disappoints. For a mere fifty eight smackaroos, I scored a bunch of work and casual tops. A green tank, a purple spaghetti strap tank, green medium length tee, pink short sleeve cardigan, and two tanks in dark grey and yellow. What's funny is my hubby spent the same amount and only got jeans and a long sleeve shirt.

A couple weeks ago, the hubby, brother-in-law and friend suggested we meet up at Pena's in Santa Ana for tacos. Mmm, how can I resist that after driving in traffic after work! How do I describe Pena's? It's a quaint and humble Mexican restaurant that serves yummy tacos, has saddle bar stools, and a juke box with all the cool Hispanic artists. I wanted to play Celia De La Cruz or Enrique Iglesias but boo, the machine ate my four quarters. Sadly, I don't remember the names of the tacos since my bro-in-law ordered. Lemme tell ya, the carne asada tacos w/ the green salsa was delicious. The pork ones were ultra tasty too. More info: Pena's - http://www.yelp.com/biz/penas-santa-ana

My friend Francois invited me to Billion Dollar Babes, a site selling designer stuff at 48 hour flash sales. I've been to one of their sales events in Hollywood way back when and remember buying some comfy Eberjay pajamas. They will be having a holiday soale this November 6 and 7 at Petersen Automative Museum in LA. Better save the date! More info: Billion Dollar Babes - http://www.billiondollarbabes.com/events.html

Got this link from my friend Bev. 7 for All Mankind Warehouse sale at the LA convention center starting this Sept 26 to 27. More info: 7 For All Mankind Warehouse Sale - http://www.7forallmankind.thewarehousesale.com/la/

I think I'll be staying in more this fall. On Tuesday nights, there's 90210 and Melrose Place. Last night, I watched The Beautiful Life. Imagine fashion and drama. Reminds me of Models Inc, that popular show in the 90's. Mischa Barton plays a good supermodel and a real supermodel Elle Macpherson plays the owner of a modeling agency. Looks like I have another guilty pleasure this fall. Yay! More info: TBL - http://www.cwtv.com/shows/the-beautiful-life

Every Tuesday from 9am to 1pm, there's a Farmers Market in Tustin on Jamboree and Irvine Blvd. I love going when I'm in OC on Tuesday. Last time, I got plums, yellow peaches, brocolli, tabouli, pita chips, falafel, and corn. My $20 went a long way. Mmm, I love fresh fruits!

Saw this offer from a Laguna Culinary Arts email. Mmm, how I love queso and bread! --- The Wine's On Us! A Complimentary Glass of Wine With the Purchase of a $12.00 Cheese Plate (cheese plates include, dried fruit, nuts, olives and bread) Offer Valid Tues 9/15/09 -Thurs 9/17/09 Dine in Only 845 Laguna Canyon Rd 949-494-4006

Yay, Gossip Girl premiere is tonight! I saw a commercial for Anna Sui for Target. I browsed on the Target site and saw a lot of cool dresses. Too bad some of them are sold out. I'll have to check out a Target store in person. More info: Anna Sui for Target - http://www.target.com/gp/browse.html/?node=1294293011&ref=sc_iw_ss

My brother-in-law's girlfriend and I are planning a double date w/ our men to go apple picking at the end of the month. The choices are Oak Glen or Julian. If we go to Julian, it would be great to reminisce my last visit there. They have the best apple pie and apple juice ever. Mmm. Here are some choices: Oak Glen area: Riley's - http://www.rileysapplefarm.com/pick.html Willow Brook Apple - http://willowbrookapple.tripod.com/id10.html Julian: Julian orchards - http://www.julianca.com/orchards/index.htm I'm sure I'll post about our apple picking adventure.

I saw an email in my inbox about great deals from Los Angeles to New Zealand and Australia. One great fare is $798 from LA to Auckland. Deals end September 15. More info: Quantas international flights - http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/international-flight-specials/global/en?departureAirportCode=LAX

My sister-in-law's Xanh Bistro will be participating in next week's Orange county Restaurant Week. This restaurant week is perfect for foodies like me. Restaurants will be offering specials at great prices. There will also be free in-store demos by Orange County chefs at Bloomingdale's Home Store at South Coast Plaza. More info: Orange County Restaurant Week - http://www.orangecountyrestaurantweek.com

The last cooking class I did was at Laguna Culinary Arts to make thai food. This time, I wanted to learn something new and found a cupcake workshop at Sur La Table in Newport Beach. The menu includes Lemon-Raspberry Cupcakes - Black and White Cupcakes - Strawberry Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes - S'mores Cupcakes. Ooh, I can't wait! I bet I will devour the lemon raspberry cucakes. More info: Cupcake Workshop -http://cookingclasses.surlatable.com/browse/classDetailPage1.jsp?classId=0790912

On Sunday night, I tried Tulsa Rib Company with the my hubby, nephews, bro-in-law and his girlfriend. My bro-in-law and girlfriend went the night before and liked it so much we had to return. This restaurant in Orange was really good. I shared the baby back ribs with the hubby. I liked that the meat on the ribs fell off the bones. Mmm! The side of bbq beans, cornbread muffin, and cole slaw were really tasty too. I'd definitely return for seconds! More info: Tulsa Rib Company - http://www.tulsarib.com/index.html

My hubby is helping his sister by taking photos of homemade organic cookies she is selling. I don't have those pix handy, but a friend mentioned two sites with awesome food photography. Check out these sites for food eye candy: foodgawker - http://foodgawker.com/ TasteSpotting - http://www.tastespotting.com/

Yesterday, after church, the parents, hubby and I went to Mitsuwa so I can get my karu miso ramen fix at Santouka. Outside the supermarket, there was a vendor selling taiyaki. I was first introduced to taiyaki at Mochilato. It's a fish shaped pancake sweetened with a yummy filling. I ordered 3 for $5 and got the custard, red bean and chocolate. Mmm!

Every Labor Day weekend, the Orange International Fair comes to town in Old Town Orange. Each street features different ethnic food and entertainment. As in any outdoor fair, the booth selling wristbands and beer is always popular (especially with the frat boy species. Haha!). Last night, the hubby and I decided to brave the crowds and get dinner down there. Though I felt like a sardine walking through the crowds, it was worth it when I got to Denmark Street and got my favorite pastry in the fair called abelskivers. Imagine fluffy round donuts topped with strawberry jam and powdered sugar. Yum yum! The other food (spicy bratwurst with saurkraut, beef taco, and cheese quesadilla) I ate didn't compare to my abelskivers. I think the fair ends today, but do check it out next year for the abelskivers. Mmm! More info: Orange Street Fair - http://orangestreetfair.org/index.php

I first tried Frosted a few months back and love this place so much. I think it has to be my favorite cupcake place so far. To beat last Sunday's heat, I asked the hubby if we can drop by Frosted where I happily ordered three cupcakes. I think that three is the magic number. Orange Cream Cheese, Lemon Cream Cheese, and Royal White Nutella were the lucky ones I walked out with. All of them were perfecto! My hubby liked them too. He likes cupcakes for the cake part and doesn't like frosting that much. That's saying a lot for someone who doesn't have a sweet tooth like me. I highly recommend this place if you are ever in the Long Beach area. More info: Frosted - http://frostedcupcakery.com/

If you read my blog, you probably know I'm obsessed with cupcakes. In my Google research, I came across a bakery in San Diego that does cupcakes in the shape of a square. How cute! I definitely gotta try on my next visit to the 619. More info: Cupcake Squared - http://www.cupcakessquared.com/

I was researching date ideas and came across these two. Check it out! * Cinema Under the Stars - http://www.topspresents.com/schedule.htm * Kayak Photo Shoot - http://www.beachshootsandiego.com/Site/kayaking-snorkeling-lajolla-sandiego.html

My Tasting Table newsletter gave me a great hint this week to check out the ExperienceLA.com foodie category. This Web site names different events, festivals, and activities happening in the LA and OC area. More info; Experience LA Calendar - http://www.experiencela.com/calendar/ > Select Foodie when sorting by category

When my mom and I went to Laguna recently, we overheard some guys talking about how great the food is there. I decided this should be the restaurant where the hubby and I will celebrate our three year wedding anniversary. Last Saturday, I tried making reservations but they were booked and taking walk-ins. When we arrived at the restaurant inside La Casa del Camino, I put my name on the list and took the hubby to the rooftop bar. This bar felt so Miami with the cool ocean breeze and relaxed vibe. I loved that they even offered soft blue blankies in case you get cold. How sweet and cozy! Thirty minutes later, it was time for dinner. The menu is tapas/small plates style so we decided on three dishes. Lobster macaroni and cheese, shimp and sausage gumbo, tomatoe mozarella salad, and ahi poke. Of all the dishes, I fell in love with the lobster mac and cheese. Maybe it's my love for cheese! I do recommend this place but with a little caveat to get ready for the noise. I think with

Ever since I was a little girl, I saved this Mabuhay magazine of this woman wearing a gorgeous wedding dress. When I got married three years ago, I dreamed of wearing a traditional Spanish style type of dress just like that magazine cover from a Filipino designer. However, budgets and timing didn't work out so I got a nice Princessy ivory Jessica McClintock dress instead. Now brides don't have to worry now. Oliver Tolentino, famous for his wedding and evening gown designs, now has a store on Melrose in Los Angeles. Even though I'm married, I'd love to check out his new space to see what he has to offer. More info: Manila Meets Melrose - http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/alltherage/2009/08/manila-meets-melrose-avenue.html

I was on Lucky's Web site and saw an article on how to get young looking skin. Two things that popped out that I'll have to try are: *Bioré enliven cooling eye gel, $10, drugstores - this one claims to bring down puffiness. *Kiehl's creamy eye treatment with avocado, $25, kiehls.com - this one is praised for his antiaging properties. More info: Lucky how to - http://www.luckymag.com/style/howto/beauty/2009/07/younglooking_skin

After watching a movie at Metropointe in Costa Mesa, it is a ritual for me to go window shop at the DSW store. This discount shoe store has an awesome selection of flats, sandals, flip flops, heels, boots, and sneakers. The place I like hitting up first is the clearance section in the back, particularly the size 5 1/2 and 6 area. Surprisingly, there is never a lot of women there. Maybe they don't know about this back room. On my visit last Friday, I tried on a bunch of different shoes and fell in love with these Steve Madden Luxe heels in taupe on my visit. The price tag said $64.95 with an additional 30% off. Ooh la la! More info: DSW Shoes - http://www.dsw.com/

My nephew sent out this link to the family last week. Guess he says hipsters are biting his style. I have noticed hipsters with little bellies. Ewww! More info: NY Times article - http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/fashion/13POTBELLY.html?_r=3&em

I used to go to Kean a lot when I carpooled with friends in Newport. Last week, I've been going to Kean in Tustin. I tried the Acai Energy Bowl filled with granola and fresh cut bananas. Way yummy! More info: Kean Coffee - http://www.keancoffee.com/

I've been going to Cha For Tea since high school. It started at their former location in Asian Garden Mall in Little Saigon, followed by Irvine at University Center and Long Beach. Last week, I picked up a friend at the Long Beach airport and had somet time to kill so of course went to Cha For Tea. Oh, how I love their passion fruit green tea! Of all the boba places in the world, they are the only place that make my tea just right. Not too sweet or syrupy and perfectly balanced. More info: Cha For Tea - http://www.chafortea.com/

Tuesday equals Friday or maybe I like any excuse to go out. My hubby, bro-in-law, and friends met up in Thai Town to get our grub on at Palms. Oh, how I love that place! Too bad the singing Elvis had the night off. After pigging out on pad kee mow, shrimp fried rice, fried fish, and crying tiger beef, we wanted dessert but they had no mango and sticky rice. Boo! We yelp'ed a dessert place and found Bourgeois Pig a block away. This place was very Colorado bohemian like. They served hot drinks like coffee, tea, mochas, etc. and had an array of desserts like crumb, carrot, and cheesecake. I tried the Pirate Chai tea, which is a mixture of green tea and chai tea. Pretty good, but not spicy enough. The morrocan mint tea was fragrant and tasty though. I digged the carrot cake too. They even had this cozy back room that reminded me of a forest with blue lighting and overhead Christmas lights. After our fun there, we went to The Daily Planet. This store is a newstand with cutesy item

I'm soo looking forward to the Downtown Fashion Walk! There will be 30 boutiques and businesses open for this monthly event. It starts tonight 5:30pm to 10pm. It looks like it will be a great night for shopping! More info: All The Rage blog post - http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/alltherage/2009/08/downtown-fashion-walk-changes-its-location.html Downtown Fashion Walk - www.downtownfashionwalk.com

I first tried a Crumbs cupcake on my New York trip last May. I was stoked to find out there was a Crumbs Bakery at Americana at Brand. Ooh la la! Cupcakes top my favorite food list, followed by egg burrito and cheese quesadillas. That's why I had to order three cupcakes. I got the lemon, boston cream, and cookie dough. I've been munching on the cupcakes and so far I'm really digging the boston cream cupcake. The chocolate icing is dark chocolate and the custard in the middle of the cupcake gives it a good texture and flavor. The blondie cashier was really nice. We talked and I found out there are plans for another Crumbs store in San Diego. Bummer, no OC location yet! More info: Crumbs - http://www.crumbs.com/