Lululemon Flashback Jacket

My boyfriend went to the Lululemon store and picked me up a Flashback Jacket today in dark classic sport gray / angel.  It's so pretty!  And on sale!

I kinda really like the contrasting color stripes and the lighter color gray on the cuffs.  I don't know why but they remind me of 70s work out gear for some reason, and for even more bizarre reason I love it.  I tried this hoodie on a while ago when it first came out in stores in light classic sport gray / passion and really liked it.  But at full price of $98 I did not think it was worth it.  I don't normally buy Lululemon hoodies or sweats that can't be used to work out in because they are usually selling at the same price as technical items so I think they are overpriced. 

This jacket looks extremely unflattering in this pic, but so much cuter on the dark gray pic.  Except it's the same jacket and fits exactly the same.  The light gray one in person is much cuter.  But I still prefer the dark gray and blue color combo, so I'm glad I held out on it back then.

I think this jacket fits pretty big.  In my regular size, the chest/upper arm area bags out and looks weird.  So I had to get a size 2.  I'm surprised they had size 2s left at the store actually (in all colors too), but very glad!  There's still plenty of room to layer, and the length is good.  I really like the fit, it's stretchy and comfy, and conforms to the body nicely.  I also prefer the lack of a gigantic Lululemon symbol design from the front view, as in the case of most of their other hoodies, such as this one:

I just don't need to be a big walking Lulu advertisement since they are not paying me haha... of course the Flashback Jacket has a pretty obvious logo on the upper left arm, but at least you can't see it from all angles and it's small!

The metal zipper on my Flashback Jacket doesn't work so well.  It kind of gets stuck sometimes so it's not a smooth zip.  I hope this will be fixed as I use it more.  I like the look with it half way zipped or all the way zipped up.  So all in all I'm very happy with it.  It's a much more acceptable price now that it's on sale for $59.  It might go on sale more but I don't think they will have any 2s left so this is probably the cheapest I can get it for.  But this price is comparable to or cheaper than hoodies of the same style from most other stores so it's still a good deal.

Another one that is also cute and I thought about getting it as well is the potion purple and white one.

I think it's a cute color for a jacket and it's different - will definitely stand out!  But I guess I don't need 2 of these jackets... or do I??  I did end up keeping both my Angel Blue and Foxy Plaid Jumpstart Gym Bags so why not the Flashback Jacket too!  Hahaha

Shu Uemura Precise Volume Mascara

I ordered another Foundation Powder from Shu Uemura because my current one that I love is running low.  Not bad, the small thing lasted 3 months of use almost daily.  I decided to also get their Precise Volume Mascara because I'm kind of obsessed with mascaras.

The description sounds pretty good - volumizing, no clumping, waterproof (this one is a biggy for me because I've found non-waterproof masacaras usually smudge after a few hours).  $23 is not a bad price either.  But I just tried it out today and must say I'm not a fan of it.  I'm surprised since I've come to love Shu Uemura products so much that I always assume they would just be amazing.  But this one is really underwhelming.  

First of all, the tube is really thin and small - much smaller than I expected.  At first glance I thought they accidentally sent me a sample size!  So that alone makes the price not worth it.  The brush is very thin.  I just don't think thin brush and volume mascara go together.  Again, I thought maybe they sent me the wrong mascara.  But nope, I double, triple and quadruple checked, they sent me the correct product.  

It definitely does not clump though, that's for sure.  I must have put on 5 different coats this morning and you can barely tell I have any make up on.  But I just expected it to be darker and go on thicker.  So I'm pretty disappointed with this purchase.  I guess I will only be using it if I feel like going for that "no makeup" look, but then what's the point of putting makeup on?  Wtf?  The Laura Mercier mascara is like 100000000 times better.  It's $3 cheaper too!

First Few Days at New Place!

I moved into my place this past weekend and finally got my internet up and running today!  It's funny because I had the DirecTV guy come bright and early the day after I moved in since I wanted to be able to record True Blood by 6 pm on Sunday.  So that was all taken care of.  DirecTV is so cool - I have three HD DVR Receivers, and they are able to link the DVRs together so you can watch any show recorded on one DVR from another, which means you can record one show in one room and watch the show from a different room.  And it's like having 3 times the memory of a single DVR!  I only have one TV at the moment though, but I still have the DVRs plugged into each room so they can all be recording!  The HD Dish I have mounted on my balcony is a little big though.  I sure hope the HOA won't tell me that I have to take it down!

So internet was put on hold because I was going to get Road Runner but they check new customers' credit before giving you service for some reason (super lame).  And since I was still at the end of my mortgage process, I didn't want it to get messed up from somebody else running my credit.  My boyfriend was here when the Road Runner guy came, and he got the fastest internet.  I guess I'm able to download a huge movie within 3 minutes!  Kinda cool but I never download movies or anything.  Road Runner price is definitely better than AT&T or Verizon though.  For less monthly fee, you get faster internet speed.  The only thing is you have to buy your own wireless router.

Since I moved over to Sherman Oaks, it doesn't make sense for me to go to Equinox before work anymore since their locations are all out of my way to work.  And taking traffic into consideration, it would add on way too much time.  I'd have to be at the gym at like 4 am and be done showering by 5 to be able to make it to work - I work in investment management so our trading days start on East Coast time, hence I have to be at work earlier than the usual 9-5 work day people.  It really sucks because I was so used to working out in the morning - it just makes me feel so much better and have much more energy all day!  I've gone to the gym in the evening the past 2 days and not only were they ridiculously crowded, but by the time I got home it was already like almost 9 pm.  Really not much time to just chillax and be up early the next day.  Ugh.  I have to figure something out.  Maybe I'll just go running in the morning or get a work out DVD to do at home.  Maybe try out that PX90 stuff that all my friends on Facebook are raving about.  And then maybe go to the gym after work 1-2 days a week and on weekends.  I know that I could just join another gym nearby - I think there's a LA Fitness, there's a Gold's right by my work too, but I just don't think that I'd go.  I'm pretty sold on Equinox, especially since most of the other gyms in LA are so ghetto.  The last thing I want to do is pay $200 a month for gym membership (because I will not cancel Equinox, like ever lol) and not go to either one.  But maybe the LA Fitness in Sherman Oaks is nicer!  Decisions, decisions... why can't Equinox just open up a downtown location and solve all my problems??

Another change in my life is that I started taking public transportation to work!  Yes, I'm actually riding the Metro!  It's pretty awesome too.  Since it's underground, I never have to deal with traffic anymore!  I get on, and 20 minutes later I'm at work!  I never knew so many people took public transportation in LA until this week.  Gosh they really should extent their system further so more people can get off the street and clean up the horrible traffic around here!  There's nothing that goes to West LA where I used to live, and if there was, everyone I know would be taking it.  The traffic in that area is horrid.  They've had the plan to put subway lines there for years but others keep delaying it since it means even worse traffic in the meantime while they are building.  These people are so short sighted and piss me off.  If they hadn't been such whiners 20 years ago, we would be enjoying it today!  Anyway, I'm glad I'm able to take advantage of it now.  It comes every 5 minutes in rush hour, so it's very flexible.  The people who take it are all normal commuter people.  Well, at least during the times I've taken it.  I haven't seen any crazies talking to themselves or yelling at people yet lol.  I saw lots of those when I was in San Francisco where I grew up, and also in New York when I've visited.  The stations here all have cops patrolling, which is a little weird but makes it safer I guess.  And there's no homeless people camping out like at other cities.  The weirdest thing though I've found with the system in LA is that ticketing is all based on honor system.  You don't need a ticket to get to the platform.  So weird!!  They do have people patrolling once in a while and would fine you if you don't have a ticket (I haven't seen it yet), but it seems like it's a system that would be so easily taken advantage of.  I got a monthly pass though.  They call it a TAP card that is a hard plastic card that you keep and you can load and reload money onto the card.  If you register the number, then they will give you your balance back if you lose the card!  How cool!  Environmentally friendly too, and they won't get bent like paper ones would.  And it's a pretty blue color!  =)

So yeah, kind of lots of changes for me this week!  I'm still getting used to everything, and I'm still unpacking.  After I live here a little while I'm going to put a list together of things I need to get.  I just want to get a feel of the place first to see what I really need.  Hopefully the house warming "fund" from parents would cover everything!  I still haven't had time to explore the area very much either, so there's still lots to do!

The Biggest Purchase Of My Life - My First Home!

Oh yes, today is the day that I've officially become a proud home owner!!  It's pretty crazy!  I started looking around in January for a place since prices have come down so much due to the recession.  I mean we are at the same price level as 10 years ago.  But it's been a long and sometimes painful ride.  I saw many places and they were either not right, or unreasonably priced and the sellers wouldn't negotiate.  I guess it's not just about finding the right place, there's also luck involved!!

I never thought I would be able to get the place that I did.  It was listed at the high end of my price range, and there were already 2 offers in when I submitted mine.  I just put in a reasonable offer compared to the comps in the area, and asked for seller to pay closing.  My realtor advised that it was probably not a good idea to do so since there were 2 other offers in already, but I thought if I lost it then so be it.  Well, as luck would have it, the offer form format was changed that day so we submitted the new form.  The listing agent didn't realize that the new form now had the closing cost as an addendum, and thought that I didn't ask for closing.  My guess is that another offer probably came close to mine, but asked for closing.  So since the listing agent made the mistake and already told us that I got it, she had to stick to her words.  And that's how I got my closing costs 100% covered!  My realtor said that she's never seen this happen!  Especially during these hard times.

And thank God I did because that saved me so much money, and I was able to put it all towards the down payment.  I honestly did not think that I would be able to own a home at the age of 26, especially because I have some shopping addictions and bad spending habits.  But I guess I somehow was able to save up enough money and bought everything I wanted at the same time!  A lot of it came from my big fat bonus check I received at end of last year.  I guess it does pay to be in the investment management industry.  I also started curbing my shopping impulses this year in order to put away at least $2000 a month since January so that made up about $12000.  Also, I have some other investment accounts that my mom opened for me when I was 18.  I've been putting a couple hundred bucks into them monthly for 8 years now so they were slowly building up.  So, as a result, I was able to put down everything without asking help from anyone.  Hooray!  Oh but now I'm at only a few thousand bucks left, so I guess I have to build up again.  What big ticket item should I save up for next?

The place I got is a 3 bedroom condo in Sherman Oaks and has everything on my wish list.  Yes it does mean I will be leaving my beloved Brentwood neighborhood though.  It's just way too expensive here to buy.  My current landlord is actually foreclosing the condo I'm renting.  He bought it for $1.1 million in 2007!  The bank wants to foreclose for $750k.  Still a little high.  But it's sad that almost $4000 a month of rent he's getting from us can't even cover his mortgage.  I guess that just shows how high the price point is over here.  Good news is, my own mortgage will be about the same or a little cheaper than my current rent!!  Sherman Oaks is a very nice neighborhood as well.  It's more family oriented rather than for young professional type.  But it's very safe and convenient.  It's centrally located, within 5 miles to the west side, very close to Hollywood, and not too far from downtown.  It is on the other side of the hill though so it will be at least 10 degrees hotter than over here right by the ocean.  So I will have to get used to the heat!  There is a pool there though!  I see a lot of tanning in my future.  =)

So anyway, since my landlord is foreclosing, we have to get out of here by June 30, which means this weekend is the moving weekend!  I'm excited but wow it all happened so fast.  I just got my key today, and that was very anti-climatic by the way.  Just like oh yeah, here's the key.  I looked at the little silver key thinking I paid that much money just for this?  Hahaha... but I am uber excited about the tax deductions I will be getting.  Seriously my tax bracket is pretty high being unmarried and having no dependents.  I hate seeing how much goes to taxes every year!  So now I have my deduction!  Plus I may still be able to get the $10000 California tax credit for first time home buyers if they don't run out.

The whole process of getting the loan and all was actually surprisingly really smooth.  I thought it would have been chaotic being my first time.  But I got a really really awesome realtor and loan broker who worked together and did everything!  I didn't do anything myself other than signing my name where they told me to.  But sometimes I did wish that someone would tell me something though, because I am interested in how the whole process works to a certain extent.  Oh well, there's always next time!  Hahaha... but it's great that I now have dependable real estate professionals to help me with whatever I may need in the future.  So glad I was able to get a great first place with an all time low interest rate!

So I guess from now on I might be writing about my air conditioning unit vs. my clothes!  Welcome to being a home owner right?

iPhone 4 & Mac OS X Snow Leopard

I got my iPhone 4 in the mail today!  A day earlier than the release date in stores!  I'm a big fan of the iPhone, and when I read about the newest version that was leaked a while ago, I was so excited to get it!  June 15th was the first day that you could start reserving it online.  I seriously considered staying up until midnight on the night of the 14th in order to get it.  But I ended up falling asleep early and had to fight with the massive internet traffic on the morning of the 15th trying to get the damn thing.  I tried so many times, on Apple's website as well as AT&T's website, Firefox and Internet Explorer, multiple tabs, over and over again.  I was at work so I had a PC there.  But if I was at home, I would have been on Safari as well.  But I guess since an unprecedented number of people were trying to reserve the phone, all the websites were crashing.  I kept getting error messages.  I think I tried for about an hour then had an all day meeting.  But during one of my breaks, I tried again, and AT&T's site magically allowed me to order it!  I was so surprised because I was reading so much chatter about how impossible it was to get due to technical difficulties.  I think AT&T even had some glitches where you would log into your account and see someone else's info!  So I must have just got in at the exact brief time that the system was running fine, because right after I ordered mine, it completely crashed.  Next thing I heard the phone was sold out, so the next wave of people ordering would not get theirs until July 11th.  Or they could line up at the stores beginning on June 24th.

I was still pretty nervous about it though, since I never got any confirmation email or anything, and never got an estimated delivery date.  Until yesterday, I finally received an email saying that my phone was shipped out!  Yay!!

It looks and feels so different from the older versions.  It definitely feels less like a toy.  I like the more streamlined look.  It looks more chic.  I love the option of having a camera on the front as well as one on the back, with 5 mega pixels and flash!  I probably use my iPhone camera more than anything else, since it's just so damn convenient.  So that is a biggie for me.  Of course there is also the video feature that I probably won't use much but is cool to have.  I'm really excited about the multi-tasking feature, because I like the option of running an app and also checking my email or text messages at the same time.  I also like how the background picture shows up now on the home screen.  The screen is so different looking too, much more refined and sleek.  You can tell that it's very high quality HD.  I really hope that the battery life is significantly improved because I can't even count how many times my older iPhone has died on me before for running apps too long (a couple hours).

Kind of sucks that there is no protective cover for the iPhone 4 on sale yet.  I hope they come out soon (preferrable Incase) because I don't want to scratch my phone since this one's got glass on both front and back.

I did have a hurdle after receiving my new phone today.  I was all excited and ready to connect it to my iTunes and activate it.  But since my MacBook was still running on an old operating system (Tiger), it would not let me connect!  Now, I understand that Tiger is sooo 2007 and most people are probably not using it anymore, but come on, I never upgraded it because the only thing I ever use my computer for is messing around on the internet and uploading pictures.  I just didn't see the necessity of upgrading so I never bothered with it.  Plus I figured I would just get a new lap top some time soon.  But now, I can't even use my new phone unless I upgrade my operating system (or buy a new lap top) first!  That is pretty BS.  Just another way for Apple to make more money! 

Well being the sucker that I am, I naturally went to the Apple store this afternoon.  The sales associate there was telling me that since I had Tiger which is "really really old" (paraphrasing him), I had to buy some package that includes upgrade to Leopard (a newER system), and then Snow Leopard (the newEST system).  The whole thing was going to cost me another $200 - same price as my phone!  I had a major freak out moment - to be sucked into buying an expensive upgrade, to just buy a new lap top altogether, or to return my much anticipated new phone???

However, there was another upgrade disc they sold there for upgrading from Leopard to Snow Leopard for only $29.  The sales guy told me that I wouldn't be able to use it because I didn't have Leopard.  I googled this dilemma, and asked some techie friends, and apparently you CAN use the $29 upgrade to Snow Leopard even if you are still running Tiger or any other Intel based Mac operating system.  Apple just won't tell you that because they want to make more money!  So, I bought the $29 upgrade and it was so simple to install and really worked perfectly!  If I had known that it would only cost me $29, I would have done this a long time ago.  Obviously it is a much better system, and it cleaned up my memory by 14g so my computer is running faster as well.

So now I'm running on Snow Leopard and using my iPhone 4!  Plus my awesome work out and blow out from earlier today, and dinner at my favorite restaurant SugarFish where I received some free food for their 1st anniversary, it was a good day!  I should take days off from work more often!

Kerastase Treatment at Juan Juan & Shu Uemura Essence Absolue

Today was my appointment for the Kerastase complimentary hair treatment and blow out. So I walked over to Juan Juan around the time of my appointment, expecting to have a long wait. But surprisingly there weren't too many people there. Everyone there was very friendly and didn't have any "uppity" attitude at all that one might expect from the way the salon looks. I was also pleasantly surprised that I didn't have to wait at all before they came to get me for my appointment which was refreshing.

The treatment itself was pretty fast. I don't really think it did anything for my hair. The ends still feel a bit dry. So that was whatever. But the blow out was amazing! The stylist was a man probably in his 30s named Octavio. He was very hip and nice. But not too chatty which is good - sometimes I just don't want to yell over the sound of the blow dryer to have an awkward conversation with a stranger just because they happen to be touching my hair. Anyway, Octavio and I chatted about our love for all kinds of hair and beauty products, especially Shu Uemura products. On top of doing an amazing job on my hair (I would say one of 2 greatest stylists I've ever encountered, and I've been to many many nice salons and dropped thousands of $$ in the past), he also recommended the Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue.

The packaging is so pretty!  I guess this product is like a magical elixir for dry hair. It just makes all kinds of hair look good - takes away frizz, adds moisture, adds volume, etc. etc. There was even a wait list when it first came out at the end of last year, because the product just flew off the shelves everywhere. They only had one bottle left at the salon today so I grabbed it. It's a 5 oz bottle for $71 after tax. Price is definitely on the high side. But the good news is that it will last a long time since you only would need one pump for each use. I don't know, mine will probably go faster because my boyfriend already plans on using it to style his hair too. He will probably get mad at me for writing this online but he even uses my Shu Uemura UV Under Base occassional to even out his skin tone and get rid of redness. I mean it's a very very light weight foam thing that's pretty much invisible. But it's just funny that he likes it being a straight guy.

So I'm extremely happy with the result of my freebie hair service. I did donate to the Locks of Love Foundation and gave Octavio a handsome tip. So I left the place over $100 later. But I do plan to go back and get a cut from him in the future. I can only imagine how great he will be! It doesn't hurt that he also gave me a 15% discount for my next visit. So I may be able to get out of there under $100. Lol. Unlikely though.

Pure Barre

I've been feeling a little sick the past couple days so I'm taking it easy with my work outs.  I only feel sick above the shoulders - sore throat, runny nose, and other "annoying" type of symptoms.  I like to do light work outs when I'm feeling this way, because I think if I sweat a little bit, I will sweat out the bacteria or whatever that's making me sick!  I have no idea if it's actually true or not, but I do feel better afterwards.

So today I took the day off work, and figured I'd try an "easy" work out at Pure Barre.  It's walking distance from where I live, and I'd been wanting to try it out ever since it opened.  That was at least a year ago, probably longer.  Since then Pure Barre has gained a lot of popularity all over the country.  It's basically a work out that combines pilates and ballet movements and uses the ballet barre.  I don't know why I thought it would be easy - I guess I always associate the level of difficulty with how much I sweat and how fast my heart rate goes.  But this work out totally kicked my butt!  I was literally shaking after barely 30 minutes.  I guess I'm not used to isometric movements where your muscles stay in pretty much the same position for a long time while adding resistance and small movement.  I've taken dance/pilates type of classes at my gym before and it's the same feeling - the little 2 lb or 3 lb weights feel like 100 after holding them out for an extended period of time. 

The class I took spent about half of the time on the floor doing different exercises with free weights and resistance bands and half at the ballet barre, usually involving standing on your tippy toes with a ball in between your thighs.  Ended with lots of core strength training.  It's different and I had to take lots of breaks.  I'm not used to being the least "fit" person in group fitness classes but I think I took the most breaks out of anyone in the Pure Barre class!  I hate feeling like the 2 lb weights (or even the weight of my own limbs alone) conquered me.  Haha.  It really does make me want to go back more and get better though!  This type of work out is undoubtedly great for toning up.

Some pictures from there... by the way, I don't think I've ever seen so many Lululemon outfits in the same place before today.  I guess the person that started Pure Barre - Carrie Rezabek is a Lululemon ambassador.

They don't have any free classes for first timers, but they do have the first 30 days $100 for unlimited classes.  So today I paid the first class of $25, and if I want to go back, I only have to pay $75 for the next 30 days and go as many times as I want.  It's a pretty good deal.  I think I just might do that.  Even if I just go 3 or 4 more times it will still be worth it.

I was looking at the prices for after the initial 30 days, and they are not bad either - very comparable to other private studios in the area.  There are many different packages, like the standard 10 pack, 20 pack, 30 pack, unlimited monthly, and some other "fun" ones like bridal package and $14 for 14 classes pm only.  I think the last package will suit me best since I work during the day anyway so why pay more.  

I have a feeling I'm going to be really sore!  Gosh it seems like I'm always sore nowadays.  But I guess it's a good thing since it means I'm pushing myself to do different things!

Sunday Funday and Some Martin & Osa Stuff

I had a pretty productive day - I cleaned the house, took a bunch of stuff to Good Will, walked around this vintage car show that was on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills (not that I know anything about collector cars), and shopped!

I went to Beverly Hills because I wanted to go to Jack n' Jills, which is a fun place to have brunch.  Didn't end up eating there though since the wait was so long.  I guess the car show attracted many people.  But the restaurant also happens to be right next to the Lululemon store so I returned my Gather Dance Strap tank.  Oh yeah, when I was in the store, I also noticed that the Run: Like the Wind Singlet was on sale there in all colors and sizes.  What the..?!?  I just bought it on Friday at the Brentwood store at full price!  Well, luckily I had my tank on me (with tags attached) as well as the receipt, so I asked for price adjustment.  They gave me a bunch of crap about how they don't do that because each store has their own price policy (seriously?), but that they would give me an exception and do it for me.  Hmm... that is BS if they don't do price adjustments.  Is it really worth it to piss off a loyal customer over a couple bucks?  It's really the principle of it.  I could have just returned the tank and then bought it right back at the sale price.  I don't understand why I had to be the "exception".  Whatever!

I was headed home after that but decided to stop by the Century City mall and have lunch at Pink Taco.  I love their Ahi Tuna Burrito - it's got everything one should have in a meal, the protein, healthy fat (comes with avocado), and carb.  It also comes with an awesome side salad.  Perfect!  Especially if you share it with someone else and only have half of the burrito (it's really big) which is exactly what I did!  It was a really nice day today to sit on the patio bar.  I had a yummy raspberry mojito.  I don't normally like to drink my calories, but I'm down for freshly ground raspberry and mint combined in a yummy drink. 

My boyfriend was with me so I didn't plan to shop - he gets really impatient because I'm really indecisive.  I prefer to shop alone.  But he wanted to go to the Martin & Osa store because they are shutting down their business and everything in the store was super cheap.  I love the deals you can get during a closing sale.  I've got some unbelievable deals before.  Even though Martin & Osa is not really my style, I was determined to find some stuff there.

I ended up with the Flyaway Tank in a magenta/purple color for like $12 (could only find pics of the gray one on their site).  It's really soft and light weight, and I could always use more tanks for the summer.

Also got the Splatter Print Scoop Neck tank for $10.  It's very soft as well.  I like the soft cream color and print, reminds me of wrapping paper a little though lol.

Then I got the Shawl Collar Cardigan Vest too which is a kind of interesting long sweater vest with racerback.  Could be very old man sweater like, or chic.  Depending on how it's worn.  I'm hoping for the latter on myself!  It was originally $70 but I paid $19.  The one I got is all white, but I could only find the striped color on their site so here it is...

I like the little tie on the back so you can adjust the waist.  I also like the square pockets on the front, which you can't really see on their pics because of the stripes.  The "suit jacket" type collar is kinda cool on a sweater vest too.  I'm going to have to figure out exactly how to wear this.

Lastly, I got a huge, beautiful, 100% Solid Silk Scarf for $30.

I absolutely love this scarf!  It's dimensions are 44 inches wide and 80 inches long so it's very big.  But it's so light weight and feels like it's barely there.  It's the softest thing, and it shimmers and floats as you move.  I can wrap it around me multiple times, or loosely once or twice and create different looks.  I love the grayish/silverish color of this scarf as well.  I like that it's not super shiny and slippery like some silk items can be, but a bit muted.  It will go with a lot of different colors and outfits.  I don't know how much cheaper you can get a 100% silk scarf this size than $30.  If I ever get tired of it, I can always give it to my mom.  Haha.

Group Interval Training

I had such a butt kicking work out today.  I tried out this new circuit training gym in Woodland Hills this morning, called Group Interval Training.  It's kind of the same idea as that Circuit Works place I tried out, where you mix cardio and weights intervals to confuse the body and in turn burn more fat.  These type of work out studios are a hit nowadays in LA.  But I thought the work out was much harder at Group Interval Training than at Circuit Works, and I did tons of things I've never done before!  That is always a plus with me.  I don't like doing the same work outs over and over again - it gets boring and my body gets used to it.

The max group size is 12 people, which makes it a very intimate work out.  Almost like personal training but at much lower price.  The instructor was good and very helpful, without being overbearing or intimidating.  There were 8 other people there at the 8:30 am class.  Everyone was trying really hard and doing their best and sweating a ton!  I love that because it motivates me to do even more. 

They have the top of the line Woodway treadmills - Desmo HP model.  WOW!  What a difference!  The rubber slate is the best running surface I've ever tried, I felt like I could run longer and faster without having any adverse effects on my joints.  Seriously, this beats Equinox's treadmills out the water.  And being a fancy gym that charges almost $200 a month, they have good stuff.  But I could feel the Woodway difference right away and I could even HEAR the difference.  There was almost none of that stomping noise one would normally hear at a gym near the treadmills.  I also did lots of high incline level, fast speed intervals, and side shuffling and running backwards.  The part that almost killed me was when we sprinted at incline 15, then 12.5, then 10, 7.5, 5, 2.5, and back to 0.  NON-STOP for about a minute each level!  When the incline level decreased, we had to increase the speed as well.  Oh my God, it was such a killer!  My heart rate went through the roof and my legs were like jello afterwards.  But it was amazing.  I ended up running 5 miles with all the intervals added up together.

Call me crazy, but after the class ended, I found out that the next class was a TRX class and decided to do it too!  They have the TRX Suspension Training system there.  I've been wanting to try that for a while.  It was developed by the Navy Seal.  It's such a simple idea but is so challenging!  It's basically these ropes that hang off of the ceiling, or a high bar.   You can get a full body versatile work out program out of them.

Looks so simple, but so effective.  Aside from the more conventional biceps, triceps, shoulder, chest, squads and lounges type of reps, imagine putting your feet through the ropes and doing a forearm plank with your feet suspended in the air.  Or a side plank with both feet hanging in the air.  Or a mountain climber without touching the ground.  Or doing a push up but with your hands inside the ropes suspended in midair.  You get to work on your major muscle groups as well as those balancing muscles and core strength.  We did so much with these, I was amazed!  It was such a killer!  Especially since the class had less attendees than the first one.

I found a sample of different things you can do with these... so cool!

I think a really nice thing about these is that you can adjust the intensity by adjusting your body position in relation to the ropes.  You use your own body weight so no need for dumb bells and also you get to work on those long lean muscles at the same time.  It's kind of like pilates in a way.  Be nice to just get a set for the home or to take with while on vacation!

Glad I found Group Interval Training.  There are so many different types of gyms and work outs out there, but it's hard to find something that you love and that works for you.  I'm excited to go back and try out more classes in the future.  The rate is really good - the first 2 weeks is $35 unlimited!!  Can't beat that really.  Then it's like $24 a class, and there are packages that you can buy that decreases the price per class.  Or a monthly unlimited for $199.  I think it's in line with most studios like this out there, and definitely on the cheaper side.  Next time I want to take the Balls and Ropes class where you swing around these thick, long and heavy ropes!  I've seen the Biggest Loser people do it on TV.  How fun!

Ok after 2 heart pumping, sweat inducing work outs, I am done.  Maybe it wasn't such a great idea to do two classes back to back!  I think I will feel it tomorrow for sure.  And for now, it's time for a nap!

Lululemon Gather Dance Strap Tank

Since I'm such a big fan of the older style Lululemon Dance Strap tank, I decided to order the new Gather Dance Strap Tank in angel blue from their website yesterday.  I saw this tank in stores the last couple times I went but was too lazy to try it on.  I didn't think the pictures online made the tank look good at all (they kind of make the model look fat or pregnant), but that seems to be the case for a lot of items so I thought it might turn out to be really cute.  There seems to be some similarities between this one and my beloved older version such as the pleats on the sides and the poof-ness.  The back looks very cute and unique.  I'm not sure why it's priced at $58 vs. $52 for most Lululemon tanks, but if it's a cute item, then it's worth the little bit extra.  The Dance Strap tanks were priced at $58 as well I believe.

Well, what a mistake this turned out to be!  This should teach me to try stuff on in stores before ordering them online.  This tank is hideous on me.  I would say it's the worst any Lululemon tank has ever looked on me, without exaggerating.  I ordered my regular size and it fits, but the front goes down very low, but is very tight that it cuts in on the top half of my boobs.  I am a 32B or 34A bra size, so I don't have very big boobs at all.  They didn't even include cup inserts with my order.  But if it had inserts in, my boobs would be pushed out even more.  This is such an unflattering look.

The poof is also way too much.  I love how the Dance Strap tanks have just the right amount of poof and don't make me look pregnant.  This Gather Dance Strap adds like 20 lbs on me!  If I look at myself from the side, I look at least 5 months pregnant.  Words cannot describe how horrible it looks.  I don't even think I would wear it if I was really pregnant, since my boobs would for sure be spilling out.  It's also a little bit too short as well.  The bottom of any pregnant belly would definitely not be covered.  Lol.  It's so bad that it makes me laugh.

The back is the only cute part about this tank.  Well I like the color too.  But there is no way I'm keeping this tank.  Saves me money!

Lululemon Run:Like The Wind Singlet & Problems with Run:With It Crop

I bought the Lululemon Run:With It Crop last Friday and wore them once.  I thought they were so cute and comfortable, and they performed very well during my work out and I never had to worry about pulling them up or anything.  However, this morning when I went to grab them again, I noticed that the stitching was coming out around the waist.  Wtf?  The only time I wore them, I worked out for an hour (running on the treadmill and weights), then went to have lunch somewhere and took them off when I got home.  For almost $100 after tax, that is really not acceptable!  But I was lazy and I figured ok fine, I will just snip off the thread that's coming out, and not deal with it.  And then, I noticed that the threads are also coming out in the crouch area!  Ok that was it for me.  Who knows what other part will come out as well.  Before I know it, my whole entire pants might fall apart!  Very disappointed.  So needless to say, I walked over to the store today to return them.  They were very nice about it since I shop there so much and they know me.  They told me that they have been getting more complaints lately about quality issues so I'm not the only one.  They gave me a choice of getting a refund or exchange.  I didn't feel like taking another chance on them so I got my money back.

Then of course I decided that I should check out the store since I was already there and was in no hurry.  Didn't really see anything new or exciting, but I saw a bunch of Ta Ta Tamer bras on sale for like $19 in bold blue - one of my favorite colors from the winter, so I decided to try one on.  Then I thought, hey why not grab something else if you are already going into the fitting room?  I spotted the Run:Like The Wind Singlet and decided to give it a try and also grabbed the Run:Empower Crop.

Hmm so the Ta Ta Tamer didn't work for me because it was too much like a regular bra vs. sports bra.  The rather heavy padding on the cups made me feel like it would be too hot to wear for the gym.  I pretty much only buy Lululemon for work out purposes, not street wear (even though I do wear my jackets around sometimes but they are still made of technical material), so that was a no.  I had tried on the Empower Crop a long time ago and thought they were awfully long on me (I'm 5'5").  This time they looked cuter than I remembered, but still just a bit too long.  I don't think it would be a good idea to hem these either because of the design near the hem, so that was a no again as well even though they were very comfortable and I could see how amazing they would be to run in.  What really surprised me though, was the Run:Like The Wind Singlet which I went home with.

I remember seeing this tank a couple months ago when it first came out in a lavender/lime color combo (I think?) and thinking it looked strange on the hanger with the weird flap.  It definitely didn't entice me to try it on.  But I'm so glad I tried it on today!  It's super cute!  First of, I love this color passion.  I didn't think I would like a red-ish orange-ish color this much - I'm more of a "cool" color palette type of person, but I really like how this color looks on me.  I have the Push Ur Limits tank in passion.  I don't normally buy different tanks in the same color, except for this one I guess!  

I also do like the flap part.  It's different, and I think it enhances my figure and gives an illusion of a smaller waist line.  The flap lays pretty well on me, I think flatter than on the model.  This tank is on the longer side and is form fitting, but a very flattering fit.  I got it in my regular size 4 and I think it fits pretty well.  I really love the circle mesh material as well - this is my first tank entirely in this material - I have a few others tanks/running tops with circle mesh here and there but not the whole thing.  It's very light weight and comfortable, and seems to stay in place well.  I can only imagine how awesome it will be to run in!  Or any other exercise for that matter.  I think it will keep me very cool, especially in the summer heat!  I also like the contrasting coal colors around the arm pits (great for preventing pit stains!) and going up the racerback.  I love how the back looks.  It's very unique.  Oh yeah, this tank also has a pretty good sized pocket on the side which is always a great feature to have.

This tank doesn't come with a built in bra, so when I got home I tried it on with a few different bras.  I have 3 types of bras from Lululemon - Flow Y, Scoop Neck, and Not So Deep V.  Unfortunately none of the 3 is completely hidden under this tank.  The Flow Y doesn't show in the front, but the straps show a little bit on the back.  The Scoop Neck is almost identical as the tank on the back, but the straps on the front are just a little thicker than the tank so it shows as well.  The Not So Deep V shows a little bit on the front and the back.  I think I prefer the look of the Flow Y the best.  That is always my "go to" bra anyways and I have a bunch of them.  The other two weren't bad though.  It's always good to have choices.

The store also had white and black in this tank - both solid colors.  I think the white one would be very cute too, but I have too many white tanks already and prefer the look of contrasting colors.  If I fall in love with this tank even more after I try it out during my work out this weekend, then I might consider getting it in white as well.  I think this tank was priced higher before, but it's been price adjusted to $42.  That is really a pretty good deal in my opinion.  

My only problem is, I have this rather weird/nerdy quirk (and I realize this may sound rather psycho) - I like to store my Lululemon tops in different drawers based on material and whether they have built in bra or not.  For example, I have all my luon tops with built in bras in the same drawer(s) - such as Power Y, Scoop Neck, Athletic Deep V.  Throwing in some luxtreme tops (Push Ur Limits, Swift Tank), and luon light tanks with built in bra such as Inner Strength.  Then, I have all my Swiftly and other silverescent tops together, all my Cool Racerbacks together, all my lullure Dance Strap tanks together, and all my organic cotton tanks together.  I stow away each item in the right place meticulous after each use/wash.  So my problem with circle mesh is I don't know where to put it!  I think it probably belongs best with either the silverescent tops for similar material or the Cool Racerbacks for similar style.  Hmmmmm... something to ponder on!

New Lululemon Dance:Strap and Inner Strength Tank

Bought another Lululemon Dance:Strap tank in black from ebay.  This marks my 5th Dance Strap tank!  I just love them.  But now I can slow down and only get more if I see awesome colors or prints pop up.  These are great for the summer, as they can be worn from the gym to the beach!  Very versatile.

The material of this particular tank is very very soft, not as thick or rigid as most the other ones I have.  It's so weird how the material can feel so different in different colors.  

I also got another Inner Strength tank, in lagoon.  I like this color fine but didn't really care for it in this tank when it first came out, but I got it for a really good deal this time at $29.  I can like a lot more things if the price is right!

I feel like this tank either looks so bad on this model or the pictures are taken at a horrible angle.  It makes her chest look small and squished down, shows the indent of the bra band on the back (looks like back fat even though she is very thin), and does nothing to enhance her figure. 

I am happy to report that it looks better on me... lol... it actually fits me well.  I totally forgot about my white Inner Strength tank until recently because it was buried under a bunch of other tanks in my drawer.  But when I dug it out and wore it again the other day, I remembered how comfortable this tank is!  Because of the adjustable bra band on the inside, I can make it just the right tightness for my rib cage.  The chest portion does give pretty good support as well since it is tight fitting in that area - but may be too tight for someone with bigger boobs.  The length of this tank is very long, but I don't really mind it as I can scrunch it up a little.  The front is longer and curves which I'm not really a fan of but since it's so long I can barely notice that.  If I was really picky though, I would take it to the store to have it hemmed straight across and an inch or even two inches shorter.  Thought last time I took a tank with curvature to get hemmed, it came back shorter but still with the same curvature... grrr... they had to damage it out for me and give me a gift card in its place.  Anyway, I will leave the Inner Strength the way it is and have the option of covering most of my butt when I wear it with my white groove crops (see through in that area).  I think that would be a cute outfit. 

Tumi T-Tech Pulse 22in Madison Upright Carry-On

Ruelala was having a Tumi sale last week and they had such great deals!  I love Tumi - once you use a Tumi luggage, you really can't use anything else anymore.  I've been wanting a black or dark colored Tumi carry on luggage (at a good price) for a while, and Ruelala happened to have the T-Tech Pulse 22in Madison for $139 - it really can't get much better than that!  I got a Tumi T-Tech series carry on luggage from Gilt last year and I spent $170 before shipping!  It was also a 22 inch, but in taupe color (like a light tan-ish color).  I have since found out that it is way better to have a dark colored luggage - that one's already got dirt marks and stains from only a couple uses.  So, I bought the one from Ruelala last week, and I already received it tonight which is surprisingly fast!

One of the reasons I love Tumi luggages is because they are very simple and classy looking with streamlined design.  I personally am not a fan of monograms or things with very obvious labels on them.  But even without the labels everywhere, you can spot a Tumi from a mile away because they are just always so slick and nice looking.  Of course I also love all the classic Tumi features such as the great quality, nice fabric, detail, the lock pad, cool luggage tags, GPS global tracking, many pockets/removable pouches for different uses, etc. etc. 

This luggage has all of the above.  The only thing is that I wish it came with a removable garment bag and hanger, like my other Tumi.  Not that I REALLY need that, but it's nice to have if I pack dresses or jackets, or take short business trips and can pack a suit.  And have the option to remove the garment bag if I go on a more casual trip.  

I've found that my Tumi luggages can usually fit a lot more stuff than they look.  I guess the designs are just great.  I don't like having to check my luggage unless I absolutely have to - I have anxiety issues about my luggage getting lost (happened before), and it also saves tons of time not having to wait for luggage after landing.  But I'm not a light packer either.  However, I've packed a week's worth of winter clothes in my 22 inch carry on when I went to Colorado for Christmas last year, including all the hair stuff, makeup, toiletries, shoes, hoodies and heavy pants and sweaters.  Though to be fair, I also had a duffel bag as well.  Still, it was very cool.  I'm so happy to have another one.  Now I just need to book a trip somewhere and I can travel in style!

On a side note, I also received my latest HauteLook order (I guess shopping on these sites is all I do now) of Matty M stuff - I don't like them and will be returning them.  I don't know what I was thinking buying them in the first place and spending over $100 on these.  I ordered size S in them which I should have ordered XS as they are way too big.  But the product pictures stated the model was wearing size S so I thought XS would have been too small.  Ugh.

They look way cuter on the model.  In person the material and quality seem cheap and the style nothing special.  Boooo... I thought the zip up sweater would have been cute and comfy for work during the summer business casual dress days when I don't have meetings.  But it's too sloppy and doesn't fit right.  It is soft and comfy though, but I know I won't wear it.  The gray tunic is way too big and the neck line goes down way too low, especially due to the heaviness from the chains.  Oh well, I guess I'll be getting credit back and most likely won't have a problem finding other things to spend it on!

Greenberg v Etrade Class Action Lawsuit Settlement

So around July 2009, I received an email from a seemingly scam like address stating that I was identified as a potential eligible person to join the class action lawsuit against ETRADE Financial Corporation that was pending at the LA County Superior Court.  I guess ETRADE was found to sometimes have recorded phone conversations without informing the customers at the very beginning of the phone call.  We all know those annoying messages we hear when we make a call to banks or brokerages... "this call may be monitored or recorded for training purposes" blah blah blah. 

The site stated that if you reside in California (among a few other states), and received a phone call from ETRADE between some time in 2003 and 2009 then you can join the class action lawsuit.  Well I know for sure I opened my account during that time frame, and definitely received a phone call from them confirming some account security information (I opened my account online).  But of course I can't remember if they informed me whether they were recording the conversation or not.  So I figured I'd just sign up and probably nothing will ever come out of it.  I made my boyfriend do it too because he also had an ETRADE account.

Well, I came home today and surprise surprise!  A class action settlement check arrived in the mail for $620!  My boyfriend got one too thanks to me so he can buy me some presents.  Sweet!!!  We totally forgot about all of this!  I then went online to read about it, and apparently they settled for $7,500,000.  Wow!  I can't believe it.  I wonder how the representative plaintiff even found out that they were recording conversations without notice in the first place???  Maybe they worked for ETRADE?  Well, that person scored $80,000 from this.  Omg.  I shoulda had this idea too!  From now on I will be paying CLOSE attention to all those messages regarding my privacy!  Hehehe

Hmmm... what will I do with my new found wealth??  I can think of so many ways...

Can't Wait For TRUE BLOOD Premiere!!!

I'm sooo excited that one of my favorite shows True Blood is premiering tonight!  I'm not really into the whole "obsession with vampires" phenomenon going on as of late, but I am a huge fan of this show.  It's kind of like my love for Harry Potter, I'm just really amazed at the fantasy world these authors created.  I love watching / reading about the supernatural beings, magic, good and evil, etc.  The story lines also really keep me on the edge of my seat! I guess I just like things that are way outside of my world!

True Blood premiers at 8:45 pm EST tonight - there will be a 15 minute pre-show before the actual premier episode.  But I have DirecTV so I will be able to watch it at 5:45 PST which is in an hour!!!  In anticipation of the show, I am wearing my Merlotte's T-shirt that I bought when I went to the HBO store in NYC late last year!

It's actually a really comfortable shirt.  I love how soft it is, and it's really a very flattering fit and length.  This was the only shirt I liked from the store.  The other ones had very blatant writings on them, like "Fangbanger", or "Team Eric", or "Fangtasia", with very graphic bloody prints.  I like that this shirt is very subtle, matches Sookie's shirt exactly and can only be recognized by true fans of the show!  I even considered wearing it on Halloween with some black shorts and tennis shoes.  Super easy and comfy.  They even sell Sookie's apron too at the HBO store which would make it a complete outfit.  Hehe.

I also got my boyfriend the Bon Temps Football t-shirt which I will make him wear for the show tonight too.  I do realize that kind of makes us brother and sister, but whatevs!  We gotta get in the spirit!

I also really like this shirt for the subtle message as well.  He actually wears it all the time.  The one I got him is a little different from the one pictured above.  The "True Blood" logo is on the bottom right of the shirt near the hem, not like the one pictured that has it right under the writing on the front.  Otherwise it's the same.  I like his better.  It really looks like a vintage high school football shirt.  Surprisingly not that many people have realized that it's Jason's shirt from the show, maybe that's why they have moved the "True Blood" to the front. 

Now I just wish I had some True Blood to drink!  I guess they taste like orange soda or something.  They were out at the store when I was there.  

I have read all the Sookie Stackhouse books so I know who took Bill at the end of season 2.  But I won't spoil it for anyone.  Besides, they could have put some twist in the show and made it a different person.  So far they already have some characters that the book doesn't have, and vice versa.  But really, who cares, I'm just giddy with excitement right now counting down to the season premiere!

Summer Party, Lululemon Jumpstart Gym Bag and Trapeze Show!

I had a long day today.  I went to my company's summer party at Santa Monica Pier.  They rented out the pier for half the day and all the food, drinks, games and rides there were complimentary for us.  I was so happy to get dipping dots!!!  And then cotton candy.  Those are some of my favorite things that bring me back to my childhood.  I also played many of the carnival games they had there, but I really sucked!  My boyfriend won like every single one of them though so I got lots of cute stuffed animals.  Hehe.

It must have cost a lot of money for my company to close down the pier, because that place is sooo touristy and is always very crowded, especially on a Saturday during the summer.  But my company manages hundreds of billions of dollars so I guess they have plenty of money to spend.  They also had some great raffle prices, like lots of flat screen TVs, ipads, computers, trips, etc.  I wasn't eligible for the raffles though.  =(  It was only open to Assistant Vice Presidents and below.  Since I'm a Vice President, I guess they figure there may be some conflict of interests, and they are already compensated well.  It makes no sense whatsoever!!!  So unfair... it's like getting punished for being successful at work.  My position is not nearly high enough to make key decision that could be considered "conflict of interest".  I also don't think my pay has caught up to what my title should be either, since I've only been working there for 3 years and got promoted fast.  Grrrrrr.... oh but I guess there was a separate drawing for high level execs to win golf lessons so I'm eligible for that.  I would be pretty happy if I won that too.  I love golfing!  I used to take golf classes when I was in college but haven't played in a while and would love to get better.  I will find out on Monday.  Fingers crossed!

Ok so after that was over, I walked over to Lululemon to see if they had the Run:With It Crop in Coal/Wee Stripe.  Well, they didn't.  I guess that one was sold out in every single size!  All the other color combos were there in most sizes.  Hmm... I wonder if they just got really little stock of it.  But I did see it on one of the girls that works there.  I like it, but I think I like my black/potion purple better and will keep them.

I didn't leave empty-handed, however.  I saw the Jumpstart Gym Bag and decided to get one.  I had a really hard time deciding between the foxy plaid and angel blue color.  I actually had the plaid one in hand at the register, and then changed my mind at the last minute and got the angel blue one instead.  I'm still undecided though and *might* go back and exchange it.

I like both for different reasons.  I love the angel blue color, and really like the blue and white stripes on the straps.  The plaid one is more unique because there's not many plaid gym bags out there, and the color combo is cute.  It would also show dirt less than the angel blue.  But I eventually decided against it because it seemed a little too young and seasonal for me (maybe b/c I was carrying stuffed animals in my hands?).  It's a print that I may grow out of fast when it goes out of style.  Angel blue will always be pretty.  I think.  I don't know?  I'm really indecisive.

This gym bag is very light weight.  It doesn't have as many pockets as my other Lululemon gym bags (but still enough for me).  None of the pockets have labels on them either which I always thought was a cute feature and try to put things in the "correct" pockets that match the labels.  And it doesn't come with a removable pouch for dirty shoes and sweaty gym clothes - that's one of my favorite features as well about Lululemon gym bags.  So I think this bag is a little over priced at $78.  But there are some redeeming details, such as the steel vs. plastic main compartment zipper, which I really really like.  And it's cute so oh well.  I plan on using it as a travel duffel, more for weekend trips or as a carry on so I think the size is perfect.  I would be able to fit plenty in there. 

They were having a pull up challenge at the Santa Monica Lululemon store all day today.  So the person that could do the most pull ups wins a $25 gift card - one female winner and one male winner.  They put the pull up bar across one of the dressing room doors.  My boyfriend had to do 24 to be the male winner at the time we went, and he ended up doing 30!  Apparently nobody was able to do more than him after we left so he won!  I didn't though, I've always found pull ups very hard for me to do.  I guess that's my next goal!  I wish I had won a $25 card too though.

Ok so after that I had to run some errands, then back to the Santa Monica Pier for the Lululemon trapeze show that they invited me to.  It was pretty cool.  There is the Trapeze School New York on the pier and I guess 9 girls from different LA area Lululemon stores have been practicing for the past 10 weeks so tonight was their show.  They also did a little fashion show in the beginning and showed off this season's latest designs.  It was good advertising for them because they attracted so many spectators.  They put on a great show too!  And they emphasized the whole "fashion and function" thing which was smart.  It looked like a lot of fun flying around and made me want to try it out as well!  It's pretty pricey though at $47-65 a class, plus a $22 first time registration fee.  I'm sure it's actually a hard work out and requires a lot of upper body strength and flexibility.  If I take the 10 week training course I might be able to do some more pull ups too!