Express Luxury Stretch 1 Button Jacket & Graphic Tee

Express Luxury Stretch 1 Button Jacket

 

I wrote about the Express Luxury Stretch 1 Button Jacket in Crosshatch a couple weeks ago.   I got it online but had to return it to the store, even though I got it for such a great deal at $30!  It was a size 00 and just a bit too small - they didn't have anymore in size 0 so I couldn't exchange.  So today I couldn't hold out any longer for the same jacket to go on sale again, because I need to wear it on Tuesday for a very important meeting for work.  I had to cave and get the black one at regular price of $98.  I hate getting things at regular price at Express because everything goes on sale so much there.  But I guess $98 is not horrible for a jacket. 

Anyway, the jacket was cute, but to my surprise, size 0 was a little bit small too.  This is unexpected.  I normally wear a 0 or XS at Express, lately have been wearing XXS since it seemed they vanity sized their line again.  But I ended up getting a size 2 in this jacket.  I liked how the size 0 fit around my shoulders and chest, but I didn't like how the fabric around the button was stretching when it was buttoned.  Size 2 was a little bit big around the shoulders and chest but didn't have any creases around the waist/button part so I went with that.  I don't want jackets too fitted for work.  It still looked very cute. 

I have the Editor Wide Waistband pants from Express in many different colors.  They are all I wear to work.  I'm very happy that Express started making matching jackets for a few pairs of pants that I already have.  They are exactly the same colors and fabric, so I only need to get the jackets to make a complete "suit".  Very nice.  All for $150.  I got the black one today because it's more versatile.  But I might just go back and get the charcoal one or maybe a grey one or something.  

I get Express discount cards in the mail about once a month or so.  They always send me cards that are "spend $100 and get $30 off", or "spend $150 and get $50 off", or "spend $200 and get $75 off", etc. etc.  So today I went in with a card that was spend $150 and get $50 off, or spend $100 and get $30 off.  Of course my jacket was $98, so it was just $2 short of $100, which means I wouldn't get $30 off.  It was definitely a better deal if I got something else for $10 or so, that way I would get 2 things for cheaper than just the jacket alone.  So I looked around the store, but of course nothing caught my eye that was around $10.  I liked some of their Graphic Tees though.  So I figured I would try to get $150 worth of stuff and only pay $100.

Express Graphic Tees

I really liked the look of the Burnout Graphic Tee - Butterfly print.   It's $29.99, so it brought me to within only $20 to achieve my $150 total.  The above picture from the Express site does not do the shirt justice.  It is way prettier in person.  First of all, this picture makes it look white, but it's really ivory.  And second, the model's big old necklace really distracts from the pretty print of the shirt.  Some of the print is studded and some shiny.  So you see different textures in person that you do not see in the picture.  Also, since it is burnout, you can wear different colored camis underneath and the color will show through.  I love burn out shirts!  So I decided to get this shirt, but the graphic tees were buy one and get one 50% off, so I had to get another.  Express always does this!  Everything there is ALWAYS buy one get one 50% off.  Makes me spend more money!

I can't find a picture of it on the Express website, so I had to take one of my other one.

I don't know what it's called, but the print is pretty cool.  I got size XS in both the Graphic Tees.  So I guess these run true to size!  

After getting this shirt, I was at a total of about $145.  I just got some argyle dress socks for my boyfriend.  He likes those socks, they are cute and funky and come in a whole myriad of colors!  So I bought my jacket, 2 shirts and 2 pairs of socks for $116 after taxes.  Not bad at all!  If I didn't have the discount card, I would have spent about $108 to just get the jacket.  I guess in a way I got 2 shirts and 2 pairs of socks for $8 total.  Hehe... that makes me feel good!  

On top of that, I got something called "Express Cash".  I guess it's like two $25 coupons that must be attached to the receipt.  So starting tomorrow until end of February, I can go into Express with my Express Cash and get $50 worth of stuff for free!  How awesome!  Hmmm so all things considered, I got all those things today for pretty much $70!  Me likie!  I might have to go back next week and get some more Editor Wide Waistband pants or bra camis.  I can never have enough of those!

Kiva.org

I made another $25 loan today to a group of teacher in Sierra Leone on kiva.org.  I discovered Kiva a little more than a year ago and it is such a great company!  Basically it helps working class people from all over the world, i.e. farmers, mechanics, small business owners, etc. who need money but can't get it from a bank by lending through regular people from all over the world, like me, on Kiva.  Micro lending is such a great idea.  These people would not be able to get the money that they need through other means, and all it costs the lenders (me) is $25 each time minimum.  Of course I can choose to give the whole loan amount that someone requests, or any amount in between, if I have the money.  Most of the time the amount being requested is only a few hundred US dollars.  Sometimes a few thousand.  But I believe most people lend $25 or $50 or so, so it takes multiple people to satisfy the total loan amount required.  I like to check out who other people are that also loaned to the same people I loaned out to, just to see where they are from and things like that.  The teachers that I loaned out to tonight required $2000 loan total, and 93 people from all over the world came together on Kiva, and now the teachers have the money they need!  Man I wish I could come up with an idea as great as Kiva, solving world's problems one little step at a time!

Since it's a loan, by definition, you get your money back at some point.  There's no set time line for them to pay back on Kiva, I suppose since most of these people are from such poor countries, it's hard to pay back within a specific time frame.  And there's no interest, so you are not receiving any compensation as a lender.  You are just doing it out of the goodness of your heart!  And it's only $25, which means wayyyy less to us than it does to them.

So when I first started, I loaned $25 each to 2 people.  One was a young kid in Cambodia who needed to help his family out by establishing his motor bike taxi business.  The other was a 70 something year old woman in Samoa who needed the money for her sewing business to buy equipment.   The Cambodia kid paid the money back super fast!  I want to say... a month or 2 only.  So once he completely paid the $25 back, I was able to either put it back into my bank account, or find another person to loan to.  So I loaned it out to a man in Azerbaijan who is a cattle raiser and also a teacher, who needed the money to buy 3 young calves in order to obtain better profits.  The 70 year old Samoan lady took a rather long time to pay back - about a year.  So I wasn't able to loan out to another person until today (unless I chose to deduct more from my bank account).  I plan to let the $50 roll and help as many as I can!

However slowly they pay back the money, it's great that they are paying it back!  So I feel like the loan really helped them to make enough profits to pay back the money.  Kiva works with local agencies that they contract with in each location, so the local agencies are actually the ones that the local people go to and pay back to, then they give us back the money through Kiva.  Basically Kiva is a one stop place for good hearted people all over the world to go to, instead of finding each local agency in each country on their own, which may not have the resources to put up a website specifying people's needs.

I think I may do another $50 or $100 once a year from now on.  The amount is so insignificant to me, well maybe more significant now that we are in a recession!  But still, that's less than $10 a month.  If I let the money add up year and year, I will be able to help way more people all over the world!  It definitely is rewarding.  I've got my boyfriend and mom to join too!  Since we are not in the position to give out life-changing amount of money, I'm glad that the little I can do is making a difference in someone's life!

Normal Weight Obesity

I came across an interesting article today from the Wall Street Journal - The Scales Can Lie: Hidden Fat quoting a recent Mayo Clinic study that basically classifies 30 million Americans as being "Normal Weight Obesity".  This means that their weight is within normal range, but their body fat percentage is high like an obese person.

I've been calling this phenomenon "skinny fat person" for a long time now.  I believe I was one myself!  My weight was fine, and I looked fine.  I worked out regularly.  I fit into a size 4, and I thought I ate healthy (scary!).  But when I got my body fat percentage measured, I was shocked to learn that it was definitely on the high side!  It wasn't until I went to see my nutritionist Allyson that I was able to get on a healthy meal plan and lose all the extra fat!  Well I believe there is always room for improvement, but I'm much leaner now with more lean muscle definitions showing!  I dropped 10 percentage points in body fat.  I feel great and I'm in the best shape of my life! 

So after learning what I know now, I feel for most people who try to lose weight by focusing on the duration of work out, or the number of calories consumed.  Working out and eating less will make you lose weight of course, but not necessarily body fat.  As the article says, you may be losing muscles and fat at the same time in the same rate, so your percentage of body fat to muscle mass still stays the same.  You will go from a fat person to a skinny fat person.  I think this is really the key here.  As Allyson said, it's 90% food and 10% work out.  So when most people focus on the 10% only, for an hour a day at the gym, they are neglecting the other 23 hours of the day when they may be pigging out on buffalo wings or a bottle of wine or what have you.  Hell, even if you worked out 2 hours a day, there's still 22 hours that you are not!  Eating the right food, however, will increase the metabolism and regularize blood sugar level, and the body will stay in burning mode all day, even during sleep!  I now have once a week cheat days when I can still eat the "crap" that just taste so good, and it doesn't even affect my body, but instead kicks up the metabolism even more.

I'm glad the Normal Weight Obesity issue has caught some attention and now people are realizing that even if their weight is "normal", they may still be in high risk of type 2 diabetes, or heart disease, or whatever.  It's tricky to know exactly what is "normal" body fat percentage for an individual, but I think if you are walking around with extra flab on your stomach area, then that's a warning sign.

So what is the solution?  Well it's good old exercise and eating right!  With emphasis on the latter.  I eat much more lean protein now than before.  I believe my protein intake is about 50% of my daily caloric intake.  The other 50% consists of about 20% healthy fat (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) and 30% carb.  I eat multiple meals a day, and I make sure each meal gets the right combination of the 3, or at least 2 of the 3.  No carb for dinner.  I also drink 3 liters of water a day.  Exercising is like a catapult.  Cardio, especially running, is probably the best.  Combined with strength training, it's the best way to burn fat and build muscle.  It takes work and discipline, but it's definitely achievable!  Gosh now that I think about years of working out just to have a couple slices of pizza cancel out all the hard work - what a waste of time and energy!  I wish I had known what I know now, it would have saved a lot of heartache.  But I'm thankful that I learned early in life so I will be able to live the rest of my life in the healthy lifestyle.

I can go on and on about this, and I have told people about this who have asked me how I lost 4-5 sizes.  But most people really can't hear it!  It's amazing.  It's like I'm talking to a wall.  They just nod and smile, and say that they understand and want to do it, but I see them eating the same crap day and day after that.  It's really sad actually.  I guess nobody really wants to change unless they somehow get shocked into it.

I think this is why I oftentimes don't have respect for fat people.  Yes I did just say that!  I'm tired of sugar coating it "oh you are not fat!", or the denial tactic "there are way fatter people than me!", or finding excuses to justify being fat "I don't have time to eat right and exercise because I have 3 small children to take care of!".  I don't know, shouldn't having children make you WANT to live healthier and longer for their sake??  Being fat is NOT the way to go, trust me.  The people that got fat but are doing the right things to get better, I think that's great.  But what I cannot stand is the people who half ass want to get healthier, but still want to keep their old ways.  Then they complain about not being able to find clothes that fit, or joint pains, or how tired they are from walking up a flight of stairs.  Please... Wake up people!  If losing weight was so easy then obesity wouldn't be a pandemic.  I feel like people who can't stop finding excuses to actually DO IT are just lazy and mentally weak.  And for that, I cannot find any respect for.  I'm a firm believer of being able to achieve anything if you put your mind to it.  Honestly, we all can do it.  And after you do, you will see how much better life is when you are healthy and fit! 

Urban Decay from Hautelook.com

I received my Urban Decay order from Hautelook.com today.  I placed the order on the 13th, so it's taken about 2 weeks to get here.  Not horrible, but not fast either.  Well websites like Hautelook, Gilt, and Ruelala always take forever to ship!  I ordered a Tumi luggage from Gilt once and it took over a month to get here!  But you are informed of the estimated shipping time at the time you order, so you expect it.  Doesn't mean you have to like it.  Good thing is they don't charge your card until they ship the item!

These sites somehow get their hands on many name brands and designer items for way cheaper than retail, and they hold a 24-48 hour sale for different brands everyday.  These sites are very popular nowadays, and you have to "know somebody" and get an invite to join their sites.  They range from very high end brands to more affordable ones.  And you can get literally everything - clothes, shoes, purses, accessories, jewelry, electronics, home decorations, even travel discounts.  When a sale of a brand or something you want takes place, you have to literally be on the site at the second the sale starts to get the good/most popular stuff, otherwise they will sell out very quickly.  I've definitely gotten some good deals from these sites, and have missed plenty of things I would have loved.  My Urban Decay stuff was on super sale for like $3-4 an item on Hautelook so I decided to get some and try it out, even though I'd never tried this brand before.  Hey I could always use more makeup!

It was my first time ordering from Hautelook.  What I don't get is why they charged me tax???  I've ordered from Gilt many times and from Ruelala once, and I've never gotten charged tax.  And I've always ordered from brands that do have stores all over the country, especially in California.  I figured since they sell through Gilt (not their own brand), that was why there was always no taxes included, since Gilt obviously does not have a store in California, to bypass the sales tax.  So I really didn't like that Hautelook charges taxes, AND shipping.  Shipping is always a bit high from these sites, but whatever, nothing you can do about that, and it's usually cheaper than paying sales tax (10% in CA now!).  Well I got 6 things from Hautelook for about $35, so taxes was only a couple bucks.  But still, it was an unpleasant surprise and I won't be inclined to order from Hautelook again because of it.  They probably have the least popular brands out of the 3 sites anyway.

Anyway, so I ordered 3 Smoke Out Eye Pencils from Urban Decay.  In black, olive green, and dark purple.

The description for these sounded really good.  It said that they were rich and creamy, color just glides on, blah blah.  So I thought for $3.5 each, I would just order 3 different colors, in case I fall in love with them.  If not, no big loss.  Well I tested them out tonight, and they are ok.  The color goes on fine, but not a rich color at all.  Very very average.  Definitely not as good as I thought.  The MAC one I have is way creamier, I just love it.  I guess after using that, the Urban Decay one just didn't live up to my expectations.  Also, the green and purple colors were not nearly as deep as they described.  I really don't think I'll be using those two at all.  The cool thing though about these eye pencils is that they come with smudge at the opposite end of the pencil, so it's easy to blend during application.  Whatever, for $3 I'm not too disappointed.  I would have a cow if I paid retail price for them though ($14 each)!  Better to stick with MAC for the same price.

I also ordered the eyebrow pencil called Brow Beater in Brunette Bombshell color.

The description also sounded amazing.  It's a 3 in one brush, it has the brow pencil part, a brush on the other end, and also a wax pencil on the other end.  Wow, this pencil pretty bad.  Reminds of something you can get at Target for $5.  First of all, the color for Brunette looks so light, it's like a blond color.  And it barely goes on!  I was jamming it into my skin and barely saw any color go on.  Very disappointed with this product.  The wax end is pretty cool though, it seemed to work and kept brows down and neat looking.  Maybe I will continue using my Shiseido eyebrow pencil (pretty amazing, very very natural looking and color goes on easy) and use the wax from this one on top of it.  

Next I have the Lingerie and Galoshes for Lashes. 

It's another 2 in one.  A trend with Urban Decay products?  One side is the primer and the other is the waterproof top coat.  Very interesting.  I tried some on, didn't really notice a difference.  Maybe this one needs to be tested more and with time we will see.  The primer is supposed to condition the lashes.  I don't really see any reason for me to use the waterproof top coat though, since my mascaras are always waterproof already.  Maybe this one will just make it healthier looking.  Or it's just another marketing ploy for a useless product...

Onto the Baked Body Glow... a tanning stick.

It's just that.  A stick.  It's supposed to go on super smooth and streak free.  But oh boy!  It's pretty hard.  I had to put it on over and over again.  Then some areas became darker than others, and it has a unnatural orange tint.  Not good at all.  Holy cow!  The retail price for this is really $25?!  Wtf??  I paid $6 and I'm regretting it.  I tried spreading the streaks out with my fingers and that didn't even really work.  And it has a lot of glitter in it too, so it definitely doesn't look natural.  Am I supposed to warm it up a little before applying??  Of course that is not in the directions, but maybe I will pop it in the microwave for like 10 seconds and melt it a little.  Ha!  This one is really a FAIL!

Lastly, I ordered the After Glow Blush in Exhale color.

It's a nice golden color.  So instead of a pink/red blush, you put this on to make your face look more sun kissed.  Or maybe you can also put it on over the normal pink blush.  It's pretty glittery.  But when you brush it on, the brush spreads the shine so it's not bad.  I guess it's supposed to be subtle and all.  So I think I will use this some time.   I always like gold colors on my cheeks when I'm going out at night.  I currently have the MAC special edition one from 2 Christmases ago.  I love it!  But I don't know when they will make it again and I'm running low!  I don't think this Urban Decay one is a worthy replacement so I will continue looking.  Maybe this one is better for use during the day. 

All in all, my $35 is NOT well spent unfortunately.  Disappointing since I was excited to get them and I thought I got such a good deal for quality products.  I guess I was wrong!  Would stay away from both Urban Decay and Hautelook from now on.

Coral Tree Cafe - Brentwood

After Sunday morning yoga at the Brentwood Lululemon store yesterday, I stopped by Coral Tree Cafe on the way home for brunch.   I had been to the Coral Tree many times before for dinner, but it was my first time there for brunch.  It was such a nice and sunny day, and I just couldn't resist the idea of sitting outside on the patio and soaking in the vitamin D!

It's one of those places that serves way over priced organic salads, sandwiches, coffee, smoothies, and wine.  Pretty much the same concept as the Urth Caffe.  For the big Entourage fans out there, the boys always go there to eat in the show.  I don't normally mind paying $12-14 for a sandwich and salad, and $5 for a vanilla latte since their portions are pretty big and the food pretty tasty.  Also it's one of those places that you can just sit and chill in.  Pretty nice to take guests to too, or to meet up with friends and chat.  It's in a prime Brentwood location, so lots of people go there.  I guess it's pretty trendy.  Supposedly the Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger loves it.  The restaurant caught on fire in 2008, and they were closed down for a year.  Must say it felt like Brentwood was missing something since everyone always went there.  Finally they reopened a few months ago, and it got immediately popular again.  People couldn't wait to pay for overpriced sandwiches I guess! 

Anyway, so I go there once every few weeks or so and get their turkey meatloaf sandwich - yum.  But yesterday I decided to try their brunch and have the breakfast burrito.  Ok so the description said it came with eggs, cheese, chives, avocado, sour cream, fresh salsa and black beans.  Not bad.  I figured it would come with a side salad as well like all their dishes do.  While waiting for my food to come, I noticed that everyone around me had amazing looking dishes on their plates, so I was excited for mine to arrive.  But when it got there, it was so sad looking!  The portion size is normal, but there were 2 tiny splashes of sour cream and soapy watered down guacamole on it.  When I dug into it, I found that it only contained eggs and cheese inside (I opted for no beans).  So basically the sappy looking green paste thing smashed on top of the burrito that they call "avocado" was it!  For $12, they couldn't give me a couple slices of REAL avocado???  WTF??  Wow, it was pretty gross.  The burrito itself was not bad, but not anything noteworthy.  Afterall, if you f-up eggs, that is really sad.  It didn't come with a side salad, but only some greasy looking chips that were not even crispy, and a tiny little cup filled with some salsa.

I was so sad about my food that I almost asked for my money back, and I've never done that before anywhere!  I kept thinking they couldn't have added some potatos either?  Or some meat?  I mean it would be ok if it was $4, but for $12, I expected way more!  It simply was not acceptable.  The other brunch menu items though looked pretty legit from the descriptions and from what I saw.  All for the same price or cheaper.  Me and my boyfriend both got the same gross breakfast burrito, so we were thinking we could have bought 6 months worth of eggs for $24 and cooked them up ourselves.  Oh well, what can you do.  I'm very wary of going back to Coral Tree for brunch again.  But I may just give it another try since 1. other people's food looked pretty decent, and 2. it's located less than 100 feet from where I live.  But I almost want to boycott it forever just to stick it up theirs.

SugarFISH Brentwood

Last night I went to SugarFISH for dinner again.  It's just too convenient for me to go there often, since I live within a minute walking distance from the new Brentwood location.  It's a pretty small restaurant, but decorated beautifully.  Service is always great, and it's always full of people ever since they opened this location about 2 months ago.  I would go there everyday for every meal if I didn't care about how fattening rice is.   But I go there very often as it is.  It's just soooo delicious!  Their fish is always so amazingly fresh and when it's served on warm rice, and drizzled with ponzu or whatever other secret sauces they use, it's just unbelievable. 

SugarFISH is not your average American Sushi restaurant.  They don't have stuff like "rainbow rolls" or "California rolls".  They serve real sushi, as in raw fish on top of rice.  You can order individually, or most people order their set menus.  The one I normally order is the most popular one, it's called Trust Me.  There's also Trust Me Light, and Nozawa.  But I think Trust Me gives you the best options for the best value.  For dinner, it's $27.5, and you get edamame, tuna tartare, 2 pieces of salmon, 2 pieces of albacore, 2 pieces of yellowtail, 2 pieces of halibut, 1 toro hand roll, and 1 blue crab hand roll.  It's such an amazing deal!  Everything tastes sooo good, and each one just keeps getting better than the last!  I remember the first time I had it, when I was eating the toro hand roll, I thought nothing could be better than this.  But when the crab roll came out, oh my God, I could not believe it.  In fact, I have never just eaten one crab roll.  I always have to order at least another one at the end of the meal!  Not that I'm still hungry, because believe me it is a lot of food.  But I just can't stop eating it because it's just that good that I force myself to over eat!  Of course nobody ever orders dessert there.  Do they even serve dessert?  I've never looked for dessert because I'm always so satisfied after the meal!  When you end a meal with crab roll, I don't know why anyone would want dessert.

I think no matter how much praise I give to SugarFISH, one has to go and experience it to understand.  I honestly think that people who don't normally like raw fish would love it as well.  Since each roll comes with its own sauce, you don't need to dip it in soy sauce either.  Although I think most people still do, because that is what they are used to.  But I don't.  First of all, soy sauce is so high in sodium, I don't want to eat fish with soy sauce and then blow up like a fish!  How Americans always manage to make healthy foods unhealthy is beyond me.  Secondly, it's an insult to the sushi chef when you dip their perfectly made fish into soy sauce and cover all the taste that he intends you to experience.

Anyway, so I was very happy to go there again last night.  I actually didn't over eat this time, because I split the Trust Me with my boyfriend, and we just got an additional order of crab roll at the end.  It was the perfect amount of food.  Of course I wanted more though.  We jokingly talked about going to the kitchen and stealing all their crab and run home real fast.  Hehe...  I really considered it for a second. 

Oh, this is the cherry on top.  Of course Brentwood is full of celebrity sighting opportunities since most of them live in the neighborhood or nearby (remember it's OJ-wood!).  You see them in restaurants, grocery stores, or whatnot.  Most celebrities seem to like sushi (remember Jeremy Piven claimed to have gotten mercury poisoning from eating at Katsuya too much down the street from SugarFISH), so if you are at a sushi restaurant in this hood, you are pretty much guaranteed to see one.  I don't even recognize most of them though, and don't really care if I see them.  But last night, as we were sitting there, in walks Mark Harmon and his wife!  A lot of people probably don't know who he is, but he plays Gibbs on NCIS.  It's supposed to be the highest rating show, but I don't know anybody else that watches it other than myself and my boyfriend.  So we were stoked to see him!  I almost wanted to say something to him, but he looked pretty serious, very much like his Gibbs character.  So I was a little intimidated.  But we thought we heard the server say "welcome back" to them, so he must go there often!  Hmmm even more reason to go to SugarFISH!  Maybe next time I will sit next to him.  Hehehehe

Conan O'Brien Show

I watched Conan O'Brien's last show and it was so sad!  I cried.  Yes I did.  Well I cry at everything, so that was no shocker.  But I have loved Conan forever now.  I feel like he's been a part of my growing up.  Seriously, who would watch Jay Leno over Conan?  Oh yeah... nevermind.  I just don't get those people.  What do they see in Jay Leno???  He is not funny, and he just looks like an asshole.  I saw him driving on the 405 once when I was on my way to Warner Bros lot, and trust me, he's an ass.  I do judge people who like Leno (and Ryan Seacreast) and try to stay far away from them.  We are not the same breed.  I was very disappointed to find out recently that one of my good friends likes both of them.  I had to reconsider our friendship.

Ok back on track now... Conan, on the other hand, seems like a genuinely nice guy.  He's quirky, and I can see how some people might not get his humor (that's their problem).  But at least he is original, and not just reading a script from his writers.  He definitely really cares about his crew since most of them have been with his show forever and he always shows them on air in different episodes.  He also made sure that NBC included them in their settlement contracts which is very nice of him.  Just shows his character.  He even picked the best neighborhood in LA to live in - Brentwood, also my hood.  So we are practically neighbors!

While watching his last show I was sad because since he moved to LA, I've watched like 2 shows only.  I used to record his show and watch them everyday, but I stopped for reasons I can't remember, probably because it's a lot of commitment to watch everyday.  But I should've been a better fan and watched it more!  Now it's too late.  =( 

Like Conan said in his final statement, nobody should feel sorry for him because he's one of the luckiest people.  I don't feel sorry for him per se, since he has been around for 20 years and is very well off.  He even got $40 million for being fired from NBC.  How many people can say that??  I just feel like it's somewhat a turn of an era.  It's like saying goodbye to an old friend.  It's just sad.  I know it's very odd.  The whole situation just reminds me of how things can change.  Maybe this is a sign of old age???  Only old people get nolstalgic right??  Oh no!

Trader Joe's Conacado Organic Fair Trade Cocoa

I am a big fan of Trader Joe's.  I think part of the reason I love it so much is because I went to college in Santa Barbara, where there is a Trader Joe's on every block and it's everyone's normal grocery store.  I definitely got spoiled there.  I didn't know how good I had it.  I mean, who doesn't love Traders??  They have all kinds of different and interesting products for way cheaper than say Ralphs or Albertsons.  I love their big wine selection too.   It's definitely an interesting concept for a chain grocery store.  Each store has a small community feel, and all the customers seem very loyal. 

It's been raining like crazy here this whole week.  I think something like the most rain in the past 10 years.  So when it's raining, of course I automatically think of having hot chocolate (and spiking it with Baileys).   I went to Trader Joe's to grab some the other day, and came across the Conacado Organic Fair Trade Cocoa.  I think it was the only hot chocolate they had there.  So I thought I'd give it a try, and Trader Joe's has impressed me yet again!

This is probably the best hot chocolate I've ever had!  I mean, it tastes amazing.  It has a very chocolaty flavor, but not too sweet or overwhelming.  You can just feel that there is not a whole lot of added sugar like the packaged hot chocolate packets you can get at regular grocery stores.  It's very creamy but not heavy, and you don't even have to mix it with milk.  I tried it with water as well as soy milk, and it tastes great no matter what.  You just add 2 tbsp of the mix like the instruction says, and voila!  Best freaking hot chocolate for reals.  It mixes super smooth.  After a few stirs, it becomes completely dissolved, and there's no remnants of the mixture.  I really am quite in love with this!  Adding a shot of Baileys to it is just the cherry on top.  It's like escaping to chocolate heaven!

Of course me being so health conscious these days, I have to add that I'm very impressed with the nutritional content of this hot chocolate as well.  The ingredients are all natural and organic.  None of that high fructose corn syrup crap.  2 tbps gives you only 70 calories, with only 60 mg of sodium.  It even contains 220 mg of potassium, 1 g of fiber, and 2 g of protein - all the good stuff!  13 g of carbs is not bad unless you are on Atkins diet (in which case you are kind of a retard but that's a different issue for a different day).  11g of sugar is unavoidable, not ideal but definitely could be worse. 

So needless to say, I've been having too many cups of this deliciousness this week.  But it really makes me feel so wonderful during the rainy days!  Sometimes there's nothing better than to sip on hot chocolate, cuddle in bed, and read a good book or watch a good movie, knowing that even though it's raining cats and dogs out there, you've got your nice and cozy little haven inside!

Lululemon Explore Short, Flow Y Bra IV & Not So Deep V Bra

Lululemon Explore Short

Oh I've been making way too many purchases on Lululemon's website because of the awesome deals!  I think I had like 4 different packages coming.  With free shipping, it is too easy to just keep making different orders!

Well I got the Explore Short in the mail today in "frisby chunk plaid".  I never saw these in the store, but they look a lot like these Abercrombie plaid shorts I used to have that were too big for me so I had to sell them on ebay.  So I decided that at $22, these were definitely worth buying.  They turned out to be pretty cute.  I got my usual size 4, and they fit perfectly.  I really love how all Lululemon stuff fit so perfectly.  They are brighter than they look in the picture, which I have found to be the case all the time.  So I came to expect the color differences now and it wasn't a big shock to me.  They are a bit shorter than I thought they would be - I figured they would fall right around the knee but they are actually about 2-3 inches above the knee.  Oh well, not a big deal.  Anyway, so these are cute little shorts to chill in in the summer.  It says that they having wicking ability, but I don't think that I'd ever wear these to work out in.  I would definitely wear them to go golfing though!  Hmmm the original price is $76.  Who would ever buy these for that much?

Lululemon Flow Y Bra

 

 

I got the Flow Y Bra IV in Chirp/ Dark Chirp Hippie as well.  They went down from $42 to $15.  So I couldn't resist, even though I have 3 other ones in this exact same style, just in different colors.  I love this bra because the style is simple and fits well under tank or shirts.  The back straps don't normally show through and sometimes the front peaks out a little from under the tank collars to show some color.  I love the back mesh for more breathability as well.  They are not a very high support bra, but I don't really need high support for my chest.  I'm not that well endowed.  I wear this bra to run in all the time, and it has worked very well. 

My other ones are all size 4, but I had to get this one in size 6 because they were out of size 4.  It fits pretty much the same in the back, but the front is a little loose.  So as a result, the fabric in the front is not as smooth as it could be.  But it's ok!  I can deal with it.  I think the print is pretty cute.  It will definitely be cute under all my Cool Racerback tanks.

Lululemon Not So Deep V Bra

India Ink/ Mood Blue

Caribe/ Gulf Undulation

The back mesh part is very pretty

Detail in the front is very pretty as well

Of course the Not So Deep V Bras were on sale as well from $42 to $9, and I decided to snatch two of them up too!  One in India Ink/ Mood Blue, and another in Caribe/ Gulf Undulation.  I had never tried this style on before, because I don't normally like bras that are not smooth in the front.  Sometimes when they are worn under thinner shirts or tanks, it just doesn't look so good.  But for $9 I will get over that.  Plus I do have 4 Athletic Deep V III tanks that are the same style as this bra in the front.  They are very flattering and definitely make the cleavage look good!

I originally wanted to get only one of these bras since I really don't need any more sports bras, especially in a style I haven't tried on before.  But after ordering the India Ink/Mood Blue color, the Caribe/Gulf Undulation showed up as well.  I really love the pattern in the back mesh part and the different colors in the front, so I decided what the heck, and got it in a different order. 

I have heard that this bra is more supportive than the Flow Y IV bra, and it's supposed to be awesome to run in.  Most people tend to size up like they do with Athletic Deep V tanks.  But I wear my regular size 4 in those tanks, so I wasn't sure if I should buy size 4 or 6 in the bra.  So, I got size 4 in Caribe and size 6 in india ink.  Ha!  Best of both worlds.  Hehe.

Well they both fit ok.  Obviously 4 is tighter, but 6 is not bad either.  But I do find that the cups of size 6 are longer, so the bottom band hits lower.  It's a little weird.  I'm used to my bras ending right at the rib cage.  But it's not a deal breaker, I would still wear it.  I don't think that I will be flapping around in it.

However, I find this bra a little hard to match with tops to go over it.  It looks weird with a round neck top, which just happens to be the style of all my work out tanks.  So I guess I could really only wear it under my long sleeve running tops or t-shirts.  I will have to keep an eye out for things that could work well with these bras.  But no matter what, I got both of them for half of the regular retail price of one so I can't complain!

Express Luxury Stretch 1 Button Jacket Crosshatch

My order for the Express Luxury Stretch 1 Button Jacket Crosshatch in Black came today.   I was so excited to receive it because I got it online for $30!  It was originally $148 - what a deal!  So I didn't even mind paying $8 shipping this time.  But when I opened the package today, I was disappointed for two reasons.

1.  The color code said "Black", the picture that showed up when I order was also black, so I thought the jacket would be black!  However, the name of the jacket says "Crosshatch", which I guess is a color rather than a pattern like I thought.  So it's actually a grayish color with, well, crosshatch patterns.  WTF?  I mean it's not a bad color, but I thought I was getting black!  I need a black jacket for the versatility.  My work is moving to downtown LA and becoming business dress Mon - Thurs (sucks big time), so I need a jacket to wear everyday.  To me, spending money on work clothes is kind of a waste of money (I rather buy Lululemon).  I want to look nice of course, but want to find cheap things that don't look cheap, aka sale items.  So I thought I'd just get ONE jacket, in BLACK, so it would go with everything.  Then maybe later I would get a gray one or a tan one or something.  Ugh, well, since the jacket was only $30 which was a definite steal, I was willing to overlook the color factor and keep it while searching for a cheap black one later.  Except....

2.  It is a little too small.  I mean what the hell?  This is what I was referring to in my earlier Express post about them changing their sizes.  Apparently I recently became a size 00 there, even though I used to be a 0.  So in this jacket I ordered 00, which was actually the only size they had left, so not that I had a choice.  But I figured it would fit judging from their recent merchandise!  But no, it's too tight and looks like the button is about to pop open.  Grrrr.... so now I definitely can't keep it unless I lose 5 lbs real fast.  Why do you do this Express???  Didn't you think that changing up your sizing would complicate things for customers that shop online???  Me no likie!

Maybe I will stop by the store some time this weekend and try to find a different size and/or color.  I doubt they have many left though since it's so cheap!  I'm not even sure if they were ever in stores at that price.  I have gone into Express quite a few times recently so you'd think I would have noticed if they did.  Well we shall see I guess.  I'm so disappointed!

Lululemon Stride Jacket, Luscious Luluthong, Luscious Hotshort & Sattvic Bra

Lululemon Stride Jacket White / Athletica Grey Teeny Stripe

 

I ordered the Lululemon Stride Jacket in White / Athletica Grey Teeny Stripe the other day and it came today!  I had tried this jacket on in the Santa Monica store a couple weeks ago when this print first came out in my regular size (I normally wear size 4 in most Lulu stuff), but the shoulder and upper arm part were a little loose.  I also wasn't sure about the fact that it has both a collar and a hood.  So from the front, you only see the collar, but you see the collar and the hood from the back.  Not that I disliked it, I just didn't know how to feel about it, plus at the price of $108, I decided not to get it.  Well, after that I kept thinking about it, because it's just so darn cute!  So I got the size 2 from the website.  I figured I would try it on for size (the store didn't have size 2), and could always return it to the store if I didn't want to keep it.

Well, the size 2 fits pretty well!  The shoulder and upper arm area is definitely more fitting.  I'm much happier with the fit now.  The rest of it fits well but not tight so it's actually pretty perfect.  I'm normally not a fan of horizontal stripes, but this jacket is surprisingly flattering.  So I wonder, since size 2 is the smallest size Lululemon makes, girls smaller than me probably can't wear this jacket?  Unless they like the loose fit?  I think it's supposed to fit a bit loose, but I like it better fitted.

Hmm... so I may have to keep this one. This jacket is made of luon, which means I can wear it out running and it will wick away sweat.  But since it's so cute, I can also wear it as an everyday jacket.  In that way it is definitely versatile (versatility is a running theme with me!).  It's also very comfortable since it's luon.  I like the length.  It is a bit longer, but not so long that it covers the bum.  It ends a couple inches past my hip bones, so maybe half way covers the bum.  I actually tried on the Lululemon Wear With All Jacket that everyone loves so much before.  It's a long jacket that completely covers the bum.  But I didn't like how it fit.  It was weird that it went so long, it definitely elongated the torso while making me look short and boxy - bad combo.  I looked like a straight line with no curves and two short sticks sticking out on the bottom.  I guess maybe that is why most women like that jacket - it makes the hips look smaller.  But I have small hips already so it just made me look less womanly I suppose.  And I hate looking short!  Anyway, the point is, the Stride Jacket fits much better on me.  It's a definite winner, so needless to say, the only thing that's making me reconsider whether to keep it or not is the price!

Lululemon Luscious Luluthong, Luscious Hotshort & Sattvic Bra

Lululemon has been updating their "loot", or sale, section of the website lately with lots of goodies at great prices.   For example, they have the Luscious Luluthongs and Luscious Hotshorts for $3 each, from original price of $12 and $14.  So I grabbed a couple of those.  They also have the Sattvic Bra for $5.  What awesome deals!!  I had never tried on any of the items before, but I got them since they are just so cheap.

 

Well I received them today, they seem to be nothing too special, just good old underwear.  Definitely a steal at $3.  I think the hotshorts fit almost too big.  I got size S in them, since they only come in S, M or L.  So I'm assuming S is the smallest they make.  But if they made XS in them, they would definitely fit me better.  Well I would only wear them to sleep in and hang around the house, not to the gym or walk around outside, so no need to worry about them falling down as I work out.  Though I believe they are made to work out in, as they are supposed to wick away sweat.

The thongs are very very comfortable!  They are more like V strings, not thongs since the straps are thin and makes a V shape at the back.  The size S fit really well - the sides don't dig in or anything.  Feels very comfortable like you are not wearing anything.  Maybe I should get more!  Too bad they only have white and pink.  How many pairs of white and pink thongs does a girl need?  I would definitely work out in them and try out their wicking ability.  It's funny though, I never thought about having sweat absorbent underwear before for working out.  My underwear selection is almost exclusively from Victoria's Secret, and they never bugged me as being too hot or wet or whatnot during work outs, who knows, maybe I never knew better!  I will test these out tomorrow in spin class and see if I notice a difference.

The Sattvic Bra is very soft and comfortable too, they are made mostly of Lyocell (Bamboo?).  I got size XS and it fits pretty well.  I almost got S because I was afraid it would dig in on my back too much and make lines of back fat.  But I'm glad I didn't because it would have been too big.  This bra doesn't have pockets for bra cups, which kind of sucks.  I love those things because nobody can tell when you are cold!  But this bra could be worn just around the house or during warmer summer days.  Not too sure how comfortable it is to sweat in, but hey nothing can beat a $5 sports bra from Lulu!

Juicy Coutour Midnight in the Garden & Steve Madden Xenonn Boots

Juicy Coutour Midnight in the Garden

The Juicy Coutour Midnight in the Garden line is really beautiful.  This line has bracelet, earrings, necklace, cocktail rings, hair clips, and a headband, as far as I've seen.  I've had my eye on them for quite a while now.  I first saw the bracelet at the Juicy store on fifth avenue in NYC last September, and fell in love with it. 

It's very romantic looking, and I love the colors and different flower shapes together.  I also love how it doesn't scream "Juicy" since it's quite different from their other stuff (i.e. not screaming "I'm 13 years old").  I didn't buy it though because it was $98 and I'm not really a bracelet person.  But after I got home, I went to the Juicy store in Century City to try it on, with the intention of actually buying it.  But it was WAY too big, I think it's supposed to be loose fitting, but it was so big that it would really bother me.  The chains can't be taken off either for adjustment.  So, I didn't buy it again.  But I bought the headband from the same line instead.  It's basically a thin metal band with the same flowers from the bracelet arranged on one side.  It's very pretty.  But I must say it is the most uncomfortable headband ever!  Because the band is thin round metal, it dug into my head way too much and I think made a temporary imprint on the side of my flesh... great.  My head started hurting from it so bad, and I never wore it again.  Should've returned it, for $50 it was definitely not worth it.  But I was too lazy to go back to the store and now it's been too long to go return.

Well, I got the earrings from the Midnight in the Garden line from my boyfriend as one of my Christmas presents.  They look sooo pretty too, and I would definitely wear earrings more than the bracelet or the headband!

But when I put them on, I was so disappointed!  The way they are made, I don't know why exactly, but when I put them on, the hoops turned sideways instead of staying straight on.  So from the front with them on, I saw two big circles hanging from my ear lobes instead of just the front part of the circles.  I don't know how to explain it really.  But basically the flowers are only on the outside of each hoop, and the way they got turned when worn, the flowers ended up facing the back.  So I had a hard time seeing them myself even if I looked at my own profile.  The only way anyone would see the flowers on the earrings was if they stood diagonally behind me.  How stupid!  So after a long time, I had to go return them to Nordstrom today.  Hey good thing Nordstrom has amazing return policy, since I've had these sitting around forever now, I'd be stuck with them otherwise!

Well, I found out that they actually had a price change from $68 to $46.  The bracelet also went down from $98 to $64.  It's very weird, because they are not "on sale", the prices just got adjusted.  I think I've noticed this a lot lately from different stores.  Everyone seems to be doing it.  It's weird though, because I thought retail sales were better in 2009 than 2008.  Maybe it's still not as high as the stores would like so they are trying to get more people to buy by lowering prices.  I guess.  I mean it's a good thing for us consumers!

Steve Madden Xenonn Boots

Anyway, I returned the earrings and got the Steve Madden Xenonn boots in black suede instead.

I already have these in grey suede that I order from Steve Madden.  I love them!  I had been looking for a cute pair of over the knee boots that didn't cost an arm and a leg for the longest time.  I was really glad when I got the grey ones on black Friday last year.  But grey is just not as versatile as black.  Speaking of price adjustments earlier, these boots were $169 at the time I bought them, and now they are $149, and not "on sale" either.  Well I had a 30% off coupon thingy on black Friday so I only spent like $110 or something.  But yeah, this price adjustment thing seems to be everywhere!

The grey ones I have are size 6.5.  I normally wear size 6 in shoes, but the 6.5 in these are still a bit tight in the upper foot/ankle area.  So I got a size 7 in black today, and they fit much better.  These boots are pretty hard to put on still.  They only have a little zipper on the inside ankle part about 3 inches long.  The rest you just have to squeeze.  The legs aren't very tight, but not much room there either, and my legs are pretty slim.  I don't think somebody with thicker calves can fit into these comfortably.  They may have to size up one more.  I really wish Steve Madden designed the ankle part of these boots wider so that they would be more comfortable and easier to put on.  But that would be my only complaint about these boots.  Otherwise, I love how they really go over the knee, and can be scrounged down too if you want them a little shorter.  The top portion of the boots fold down with a cute tie in the back for a more feminine look.  They are pretty thick too, there is a layer on the inside that makes them warm and comfy to wear.  I've worn them with a dress as well as over jeans.  They look really cute either way.  They would be cute with shorts too when the weather is a bit warmer.  They are very tall though, I think the website says 5 inch heels?!?  They are pretty comfortable all things considered.  I could stand in them all night without any problems.  But I've had a lot of practice with my high heels!  I definitely think the look of these heels would scare many women away before they would try them on.  They really aren't that bad!

So I'm excited to have the black ones now too.  I've found that when I really like something, I should just get multiples in different colors I want before they are gone.  Because even if you have the money, many times it is very hard to find the perfect whatever you are looking for.  Like I said, I had been looking for a pair of boots like these for a long time, and have finally found them.  I know I would regret it later if I didn't get the black ones as well.  Now I need to go find some suede spray so I can spray the sh*t out of both of them.  I wonder if my Koolaburra spray would work??