Lululemon Run: Ambition Pullover & Some Shorts

My Lululemon order that I placed the day after Christmas finally came today.  I actually planned to go to the store that day, but when I woke up, I decided to check online instead and I ended up getting what I wanted and didn't have to go fight the crowd!  Then I stayed home and played with my Apple TV all day. 

Since I missed out on the Post Run Pullover, I was really happy to see the Run: Ambition Pullover.  They pretty much look the same, minus some trim details.  Except the Ambition is a technical top made of brushed power luxtreme.  Even better!  I liked the snorkel blue one, but I already have my Spirit Pullover in bright blue, which is very similar so I didn't want another.  I liked the white one also, but I know it would get dirty fast.  I have a white Energy Pullover and the part of the cuffs right under the wrists kind of turned a little greyish and I can't wash it out.  That's just what happens to white long sleeves I guess.  So those two colors were out for me.  Then I couldn't decide between passion and black, so I ordered both.  I have a few tanks in passion.  But this top showed up more orangey than I thought.  I actually compared it with my Push Ur Limits tank in passion side by side because I know that the same color in different fabrics or batches can look different.  I found that the colors of my tank and the Ambition pullover were almost identical, with the Push tank being a tiny bit more red.  I'm not sure if I like passion being a long sleeve top.  It's kind of too much.  The black one is just black.  I don't know if I'm 100% happy with that either.  Most of my bottoms are black, and I really don't want to sport the ninja look.  I only have 2 tanks that are black and I never wear them.  I always think that I would feel like wearing more muted tops one day, but that almost never happens.  I'm a bright and colorful girl!  Hmmm.  I wish the Ambition Pullover came in the very violet color that the Post Run came in.  That would have been perfect...

Ok my fiance is not home tonight, so I had to resort to taking pictures of these two pullovers with my iPhone.  Ignore my messy closet behind me.  =)

Passion on me

black on me

Here are the stock pictures from the Lululemon website of these two colors:

Other than the colors, I really do love the way this pullover fits.  It fits on the looser side, but I think it's supposed to be that way.  So I would say it's true to size.  The cute kangaroo pocket is pretty roomy, and it has a little mesh card holder built on the inside.  Like a pocket within a pocket.  I like that a lot because I'm always afraid I'd lose things I put in my kangaroo pockets.  This way I can keep a credit card or some cash in it without having to worry that it would fall out.  The length of this top is on the longer side too which is great.  At first I was worried that the big collar and hood would be bothersome while running, but I found a continuous drawstring inside the collar that you can tie the hood around.

The cuffs are interesting.  I guess they are called "tuckins" which is like inside out cuffins.  Hard to explain so I took a picture.

See, you can put your fingers inside the "tuckins" and still use the thumb hole.  Or you can choose to not use the tuckins, then it would just be an extra piece of fabric against the sleeve.

Then of course there's the reflective details on the arms as well as the back pocket, which is about the same size as most Lululemon run pullovers.

So I think I will definitely keep one of the colors.  Unless a new and better color comes out before the return period is up.  I think this is one of the more versatile pullover styles, because I can use it running as well as casual wear.  I mean, it just looks like a hoodie!  And it's soft and comfy.  I just really have to decide which color I'm keeping.  

The shorts I'm wearing while taking these photos are actually new too.  They are the Effortless Short in heathered clarity gray that I bought off of the sale section for $19.  That's the most I'd pay for a pair of cotton "hang out at home" sweat shorts.  I think they look kind of ugly on the model.  But I just really needed some shorts to wear around the house.  They turned out a lot cuter than I thought.  But I did have to fold them up to make them shorter.  Otherwise they are kind of an awkward length.  You can't see in the pictures, but there is a zipper pocket on one of the butt cheeks. 

And lastly, I also got a pair of the Boogie Short in static charcoal / wish blue.  I've been wanting to get some Boogie Shorts for a while now, but didn't feel like paying $48 for them at regular price.  I like the color combo of these, and they were on sale for $29.  I bought them in size 6 because they didn't have a 4.  But it's pretty much the same as how a 4 fits - I've tried on both sizes in store before.  I don't plan to wear them outside of the house, unless I get into fighting shape then I might consider lol...  I just really wanted them as pajamas actually.  I wear Cool Racerbacks (my fav is the static very violet because it's sooooo soft) to sleep in every night, and they are great.  So now I got a whole outfit!  I don't look as booty-licious as her though.  Hahaha.

I was kind of hoping for more stuff to hit the sales section though.  Like I really wanted either the purple or pink Inspire Jacket which I tried on in store and loved.  But did not think I would use it enough to pay $158 or whatever.  Well of course it's been raining here tons and that jacket would've come in handy.  And now it's nowhere to be found.  I seem to remember last year during the holidays Lululemon had great sales on their website.  I got bras for like $5.  And there were tons of $3 underwear, $19 tanks, etc.  So I was rather disappointed this year.  Maybe more will be uploaded later.  I can always hope!

These are a Few of My Favorite Things... in 2010!

Well it's that time of the year again when everyone picks their favorites!  By the way, how did this year go by so fast??  It's hard to believe that it's almost the end.  I think 2010 has been a good year for me overall.  I bought my first place this year which is obviously my #1 purchase.  And I got engaged!  (The ring is obviously my fiance's #1 purchase.)  Other than buying a whole bunch of other stuff, my work has probably changed the most this year.  We moved our office from the beach to downtown, and I moved like 3 different times between different floors since then, and now even my job is pretty much completely different.  I then spent the last 3 months or so studying for the CFA exam.  So I guess 2010 was really an eventful year! 

I was going to pick top 10 things I bought this year or something like that, but I really couldn't narrow it down to 10!  I'm the queen of indecisiveness after all.  So I'm just going to pick them without counting.  I only picked things that were new to me in 2010, and the ones that I've gotten the most use out of.  These are not in any particular order.  I guess I will try to group them by category.  So without further ado, here we go! 

One of the earliest purchases I made this year were my Koolaburra boots!  I've been getting a lot of use out of them, pretty much daily.  Best money ever spent!

I found a couple winning items from Shu Uemura - the Essence Absolue and the Foundation Powder.  I absolutely love them.  The Essence Absolue makes the ends of my hair so healthy and shiny.  And I use the Foundation Powder daily.  It has great coverage but at the same time makes the skin look natural and radiant. 

While we are on the topic of makeup, I have a few other favs that I found this year - the Laura Mercier Waterproof Mascara - makes the lashes dark, thick and long - amazing!  I tried out a few different mascaras this year, and have come back to this one.  It's definitely my favorite!

I also finally branched out this year and tried out a new face wash - the Ole Henriksen On The Go Cleanser.  This face wash is great!  It really makes me feel cleaner everyday I use it.  It makes my skin feel smooth - not dried out.  This is a sure winner!

Oh yeah, on the hair side, I really like the Babyliss Hair Dryer I bought.  It's definitely on the heavy side, but it minimizes the flyaways, and I love the results.

Hmmm ok now moving onto clothes.  This is a big section!  I definitely bought more clothes than anything else.  Lots of Lululemon, for sure.  As far as Lululemon tanks go, I think the and the Push Ur Limits and the Light Up Tank are the best tanks I bought this year.  They are both luxtreme tanks, and I've worn them both to various activities where they've performed beautifully.  Well I also think they look very sharp too. I bought multiple Push Ur Limits tanks.  I love the thick and supportive straps on them, and the contrasting colors make them stand out.  The Light Up Tank had a high price tag, but I'm very glad I ended up buying it.  I really like how it fits, from looser fitting body, to the ruching on the back with the huge pocket, to the tiniest detail of the glittery gripper on the hem.  The reflective details on the straps don't really do much for me, as I never wore it outside the gym.  But I guess it won't hurt if I ever decide to.

I have an obsession with jackets, hoodies and outer wear.  Out of the ones I bought this year, my absolute favorite is the Journey Jacket from Lululemon.  I love the shorter length, the military-inspired style and the way it fits.   I've worn it so much, it's the perfect weight jacket for the SoCal weather pretty much all year long.

Another Lululemon hoodie that I wear a lot is the Flashback Jacket.  It's super comfy, and I wear it all the time as well.

One of the newest items I received - the Diesel Fluvy hoodie, has become one of my favorites too.  I'm in love with the graphic print on the back.

My two Kitson hoodies have turned out to be worthy companions as well.  I wear them a lot inside the house and outside.  Every time I wear them out, people go crazy over them.  I've had so many strangers stop by and ask me where I got them from.  Pretty funny.  I'm glad I got 2 of them.

Does a running pullover count in this category?  Hehe.  Well I didn't buy too many Lululemon running pullovers this year.  But I'm in love with my teal zeal Inspire Pullover!  I'm so glad I returned the senorita pink one from the first batch.  Because the teal zeal one is so soft and without the rough ribbon edging.  I really like the fit of the pullover.  It's similar to my Hills Pullover and Energy Pullover, but I really love the high ruched collar on this one.  I also love the bright and cheerful green color.  It's definitely become one of my favorite running pullovers.

Another one of my absolute favorites from this year for working out is the Fast Shorts.   Unfortunately I don't think they sold very well so they probably won't be making a come back.  I wish they had at least come out with more colors so I could have stocked up!  Super sad face.

Ok I think we're near the end.  Just a couple more things!  Maybe now I should move onto my work wardrobe.  Earlier in the year, I stocked up on the Express Editor Wide Waistband pants.  I own many pairs of them now, and they have lasted beautifully.  They are all I wear to work other than my dresses and skirts.  They are the most comfortable and flattering pants for work.  That's pretty much all you can ask for. 

I also really like the Express Sweaters for work.  I bought like 4 of them.  They are awesome!  

Surprisingly, my most recent purchase - the Abercrombie Josey Sweater has been a great, great buy for work as well.  It adds just the right feminine touch.  It's super soft and comfortable.  And looks great too.

I also use my mom's silly mug present all the time at work too.  For tea or coffee.  Really, sometimes simple things are the best things in life.

I can't end this list without mentioning my Lululemon Bon Voyage Duffle.  I've used this duffle extensively for the gym as well as for traveling.  I love the many labeled pockets and the roominess.  Not to mention the color ivy in the satiny material is just gorgeous.  I don't ever use the camel shoulder strap though.  I just use the handles and wear it like a purse.

Ok, I think I will end this with my awesome Samsung Washer & Dryer set.  I'm so glad I bought this set!  I've used many washers & dryers and these are the best!  They are so quiet, efficient, and they really make the clothes cleaner than other washers.  Weird, right?  I'm glad I read up on all the consumer reports before buying a set.  They are a great investment!

Ok well, I think this is plenty!  I guess I really am indecisive.  Hehe.  But hey, I can't help that I bought so many great items this year!  I really should make a list of useless things I've bought also though, because there are many too.  You win some, you lose some right?  Well I'm excited to see what 2011 brings!  My wedding will be next year, so I'm sure that will bring a whole new set of topics!  I really can't wait till it's over actually.  I'm not a planner at all, I'm not really into this wedding stuff, and I haven't even set a date.  But it's already giving me a huge headache!  I'm still looking forward to whatever new adventures to come my way!

I hope that all of you have had a great 2010.  Thank you for ramblings, and all the best for the upcoming year!

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone is having a merry Christmas!  I don't have any plans.  My parents were here yesterday but they left early this morning to go visit a friend in Arizona.  A friend is coming over in a little bit.  So I guess we will just eat and drink and be merry! 

My fiance got me a "side gift", which I am loving so much!  This is how I plan to spend my day...

What are these things called?  They are like half socks half slippers.  Footies?  Indoor Uggs?  lol.  They are so cozy and cute, I love them!  He said he saw them at a little gift store and knew I would like them right away.  I'm glad he knows me so well.  Hehe.

One of the presents I got him for Christmas is the Apple TV.  

We've been streaming NetFlix movies all day yesterday and today.  It's pretty cool.  It's got wifi, and you can stream YouTube as well as connect your iTunes to it.  And I can even use my iPhone as a remote!  It's so little, you can put it in the palm of your hand.  It's only $99 now, instead of $200 or whatever it was before.  Still have to figure out what else it does.  I love Apple products. 

So Many Good Deals This Holiday Season!

I went Xmas shopping on Thursday night.  I know, very very last minutes.  But I guess I wasn't feeling too much holiday spirit this year and time just flew by.  But I was impressed by all the good deals the stores were having this year!  It's like they were giving stuff away.  I didn't have a chance to go into too many stores because I didn't get to the mall till like 8.  But I did go into Abercrombie for the first time in years.  I had read on Bloomberg that analysts were estimating a rise in Abercrombie stock prices because they put everything in their stores at 40% off this holiday season to increase volume.  This tactic sure worked for me!  I used to shop there a lot when I was in high school, and first few years in college.  Then I just grew out of it.  I still think a lot of their stuff is too young looking for me but I was able to get some basics for real cheap.  I also picked up some sweaters and thermals for my fiance.  I think everything I bought averages to like $20 a piece.  I'm especially loving these:

The Quinn long sleeve knit:

It's just a basic cotton tee.  Super soft though, I don't know what Abercrombie does to their material but I love how soft everything is there.  I also think the moose is really cute on the little pocket.  Love the contrast color stitching on the seams.  I've been wearing this ever since I got it and it's great!  They come in like 10 different colors so I definitely have to go back and get more. 

Also really like this Josey sweater:

Oh yes, more ruffles!  Hahaha.  It's actually got 3 layers of ruffles down the front, the middle layer is a fine mesh material.  There's no buttons at all so it just hangs open.  I was thinking that I could wear this to work also because the moose on is pretty inconspicuous.  It kind of blends in with the rest of the sweater.  The 2 little pockets on the sides are great too.  It's so soft too, and not itchy like some sweaters can be.

Anyway, I guess I'll have to keep Abercrombie on my radar for some casual luxury if I can snatch things like this for $20 or so.  I thought I merged over to Lululemon for casual wear, but hey I can get 5 things from Abercrombie for the price of one at Lulu.  I can do the math.  Hehe.

Oh yeah, while walking around the mall, I also wandered into a furniture store and ended up coming home with a patio set!  The whole store was 70% off, and I swear I could have bought half of the place.  But after the patio set, I couldn't fit anything into the car anymore!  Luckily I had my fiance's SUV and not my little 2 seater convertible roadster.  I took a pic of the set while I was at the store to send to him and see what he thought... and here's the pic.

So I ended up getting it for $199 and it looks perfect on my patio!  I'm glad I finally was able to find something for my patio and will be able to actually use that space.  I guess winter time is the perfect time to get outdoor furniture!

DIY Artwork

I've been living in my place for 6 months now, and I'm still having so much trouble finding stuff to hang on the walls!  I think it's mainly because I'm indecisive and can't pick a theme.  I only have one (huge) painting that probably has shown up in the background of some of the pictures I've taken, which was painted by a friend and given as a gift.  Otherwise all my walls are pretty much bare.

Well my fiance inspired me earlier this week by buying a canvas and spray paint to make a very "Z-Gallery"-like artwork consisting of names of cities we traveled to on our latest trip which was to China. This is what he did.  I like it!

So it makes it personal, and not like some mass produced artwork from Ikea or something.  Not that I have anything against Ikea - I love Ikea actually!  But I think when it comes to art, I rather invest in art of value (like buy one expensive piece of work a year and collect for a lifetime would be a cool idea), or make personalized artwork myself.

This is a similar design from Z-Gallery:

Ok, so I decided to follow suit and do a couple of my own thing.  I remember that back in college, I was really into graphic design and art history.  Obsessed really.  I memorized all the names of famous pieces from pre-historic time to the present, the artists, the exact year they were done, the history behind them, what kind of influence they had and what influenced them, etc. etc.  In fact, I wanted to be some kind of art major, I even considered being a music major and auditioned for piano with Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. But I decided eventually to opt for business economics for more $$$ potential upon graduation.  I was a practical kid.  I'm actually glad I made that choice because I like what I do now, and I can still do artsy stuff as a hobby instead of depending my income on it (though I rarely have the time).  So I dug up a computerized Picasso interpretation I drew back then in Illustrator of the Les Demoiselles d'Avignon.  This is what the Picasso version looks like.  I believe the subjects are 5 hookers.  What can I say... LOL:

And this is what my not-quite-as-cool-but-free version looks like:

It was actually a lot of work to complete this!  Because I drew everything by hand, and tried to make it resemble the Picasso version as much as possible color wise and shape wise.  I should've done the fruit plate though - not sure why I skipped that part.  I think I might have to go edit it.

So I think that I will be framing this and hanging it up on my wall so I can have my own "Picasso"!  And I think it would also be great if I do a couple more Illustrator drawings of different Picasso pieces to make a series!  These are not that big - like 2 ft x 1 ft each, so I can hang them side by side in the hallway or something.  It's a fun exercise anyway, I just really enjoy silly stuff like this. 

At least that's a start to covering my bare walls!  I still need more ideas though because I have a lot of wall space so feel free to throw them my way!  Hopefully slowly it will all come together.  This whole owning a home thing, is really a lot of work!

Express Chiffon Sleeve & Ruffle Top

I wasn't planning on going to the actual stores to shop during this crazy shopping season, but I went to work out at my gym which just happens to be on 3rd Street Promenade among all the stores.  So I stopped in some stores on my way out.  It was actually nice that it was pouring rain all weekend, I think it really deterred people from venturing out.  I stopped in Express because they were having 30% off everything, with pretty low expectations.  But I actually ended up going home with the Chiffon Sleeve & Ruffle Top which turned out to be a pretty good top for work. 

The body of this shirt is really really soft.  Like a nice comfortable t-shirt material.  I'm kind of tired of seeing ruffles everywhere, but I guess that's the thing right now or something.  When I look at the Express website, everything has ruffles.  Though it does work for a work shirt.  

I picked this shirt up because after the 30% off thing, it was only $20 something.  But after trying it out today, I'm actually really liking it!  It looks really good on its own or under a suit jacket.  I really like this light peachy color as well.  The sleeves are light and fluffy, and semi-sheer.  I was afraid that it would be too see-through but it's not at all.  I still wore a cami underneath it though, just to be safe, since when I left the house at 4:30 this morning (yeah I start work at 5:30 - sucks to be on the west coast and work the market hours!) I was still half asleep and I've learned to not trust my judgments at that time of day.  A couple weeks ago I actually showed up to work with two completely different shoes (style wise and color wise)!  Luckily one of my coworkers pretty much lives out of her car trunk and we're the same shoe size!

I do like the style of a lot of Express stuff for work, and I like not having to spend a lot of money on work clothes.  But it's really hit or miss on quality.  If I shop online without looking at an item in person first, sometimes it shows up looking like garbage, with the seams not sewn and not even cut straight.  But this top is actually decent quality.  The chiffon doesn't look bad at all, and the edges are completely finished.  I would consider getting another color of this top.  It also comes in a very light grey, white, and black which all would work well.  I guess though, that I rather spend big bucks on workout and lounge wear that I know will last!  One of my coworkers is a really funny gay guy, and he sends me links of not-so-good-looking Lululemon items all day, asking why anyone would spend $100 a piece or whatever on them (but he gladly takes all my Lululemon shoppers though).  His pick of the day today is these "ugly track pants".  He says if I stop shopping at Lululemon then I could buy a Bentley.  Hmm not quite.  Whatever, people just don't understand!

My Awesome New Hoodie - Diesel "Fluvy" Grey Zip-Up Sweater

I just received my latest order from Ruelala - the Diesel Fluvy Grey Zip-up hoodie and it is so awesome!  I am now obsessed with it.  It's funny though, when I was putting it on, I was automatically expecting thumb holes until I realized it didn't have any.  I guess I really do shop at Lululemon way too much.

I am so glad this hoodie fits.  When I saw it on Ruelala on Sunday, I was kind of late getting on and all the sizes sold out except for XS.  I was just hoping that it wouldn't be too tight or short.  But I'm glad to say that it's a great fit!  It is pretty form fitting though, but the length is still on the longer side and I really really like it.  If they had size S though, I would have bought that just to have a little bit more room to move.  But I'm still 100% happy because the back is so pretty.  I am a sucker for abstract graphic prints.  And I am really digging the big collar on this hoodie.  You can kind of wear it with the collar standing up a little bit and it's really cute that way too.  The hoodie is soft and stretchy, and the zipper has a cute design on it.  I think Diesel always puts cute little engraved details on their zippers, it's nice to have little detail like that that no one can see except for you. 

I got this hoodie for a pretty good deal too - $49 bucks, down from $130 retail.  But I think had I tried it on in store, I probably would be very tempted to pay full price for it!  I do like a lot of Diesel stuff, but sometimes I feel like they are just not worth the price.  Whenever Diesel is on sale on Ruelala or Gilt or something though, I always look and have gotten great stuff before too.