On a Diet? Avoid This

You should definitely look into refraining from eating these foods when you are on a diet. Some foods are great for you, but it doesn't help when you're eating too much of it. 

• Tofu – Because tofu is so bland and tasteless, many restaurants and food services use sauces to spice up the taste which ultimately means a bunch of sodium, calories, saturated fat, and even sugar.
• Sushi – Depending on the type of sushi you order, you are consuming rice along with it which means a bunch of carbohydrates add up. Aside from that, many sushi contain cream cheese and mayo (spicy mayo) which adds up.
• Dried fruit – Dried fruits are packed with sugars and a cup of dried fruits has five to eight times the amount of calories as a cup of fresh fruit.
• Granola – Granola is packed with oil and sugar for the crisp sweet taste to add to your meal.
• Snack bars – It’s always great to go and grab a small snack that controls your hunger, but what good will a 90 calorie snack bar do when you are downing two or three at once?
• Bran muffins – Bran muffins is basically a round slice of cake, packing in about 20 grams of fat, 420 calories, and 34 grams of sugar. 
• White bread – Remember that white bread is the unhealthiest type for you. If you must make a sandwich, grab whole grain or all wheat to reduce the intake.
• Half and half – Try using a different addition to your coffee being that half and half is full of cream and fat.
• Chicken – Making and ordering chicken to help you diet is a great option. Just be sure you are getting white meat and not dark meat. The less flavor and taste in white meat, the better it is for your diet. 
• Wraps – You may think that a wrap is a healthy option for you, but a wrap is bigger than the two slices of bread and in addition to that, you tend to add more mayo and dressing to a wrap than a sandwich (usually on one side).
• Bottle teas – Store bought teas are packed with sugars and honey to provide you with a taste so it is not fresh at all, but is a counter for your diet.
• Orange juice – A 16-ounce bottle of apple and orange juice is equivalent to five slices of bread with 55 grams of carbohydrates. Do the math?
• Diet microwave meals – First off, any microwavable is not good for you being that it is packed with sodium. One microwave meal contains more than enough sodium that you need in a day.
• Salads – There is nothing healthier than having a salad for lunch. Unfortunately, we have a tendency to drench our salads with dressing which is packed with calories. If you have a naked salad, remember to avoid the cheeses, nuts, croutons and other calorie carrying items that will ruin your diet.
• Diet Sodas – There is no such thing as diet sodas. They are still packed with sugars and don’t help your diet other than the after taste that may refrain you from eating.
• Water – It is great to keep hydrated and water is the best thing to drink but don’t hop on a scale after you packed down some water because that liquid is quick to reflect on your scale. Remember to someway work it off in order to reduce water retention in the body that can look inflamed in the summer.

Beauty Tips - Spoon

A spoon can do what?

It’s pretty obvious I like to eat with my spoon! I love getting big scoops of food and just munching it down, saves time having to poke and stab haha! Aside from eating—what I love to do, a cold spoon can help reduce the swelling and dark circles around the eyes (like I did in my previous blog).

The spoon is also a popular method to get rid of hickeys. Admit it, we all went through that stage in high school and it’s embarrassing. If you’re currently in high school, don’t allow anyone to give you a hickey, it’s pretty disgusting and not pretty at all. I regret ever having one :[ Moving along, like the hickey treatment, a spoon can be used to reduce swelling and darkness of a bruise. Hickeys are bruises: they are basically clotting of the blood in the neck and therefore the same technique can be used elsewhere. It may be painful to use a spoon and “push” out the blood, but it will help the bruise heal quicker. Be sure to push from the center of the bruise out towards the less bruised areas. You can also use cold raw meat or sliced raw onions, just be sure to not put raw onions over a cut. Raw onions are not meant for people with psoriasis because we always have open cuts.

In regards to beauty, spoons come in handy when you can’t find your eyelash curler. I admit, it looks funny when you curl your lashes with a spoon, but I know people who refuse to go out without their eyelashes curled. I’m one of those girls that use an eyelash curler on a special night, but it’s great to have a backup plan!

If you’re using a spoon to curl your lashes, you should also use the spoon to prevent mascara from getting onto your face. I’ve got mascara on my face countless numbers of times in the past after I finished up with my eyeliner and eye shadow. It is annoying to have to remove part of your eye makeup because a touch of mascara. It’s also difficult to coat your bottom lashes without getting a dab or two on the cheek so to save time, protect your skin with a spoon and coat away!

Restaurant Review - Yummy Noodle

Yummy Noodle
48 Bowery (Between Bayard & Canal)
New York, NY 10013
(212)374-1327

Yummy Noodle has been around for forty years now so you must understand it is not an attractive restaurant, but it has real good food. The restaurant is so well known, it’s made it on top restaurant lists and has even been filmed in movies and shows.

The must order dish at Yummy Noodle is the casserole rice which is amazing. My ultimate favorite is the Chinese sausage with minced pork (picture on the right is topped with an egg which you can request) and I admit, I never finish it alone, no matter how hungry I am. My suggestion is to go with a bunch of friends and order a heck of a lot of dishes that you can share and sample, unless you're all big macho men. I usually do a run by pick up because the food is so great here. I hate walking past the Chinatown stench, but at the end of the day, it’s worth it for good food.

There’s also the Stir Fried Chang Fun with Soy Sauce (picture below) that is a must get. In my opinion, it is extremely overpriced, six dollars for some noodles with soy sauce and peanut sauce. The only bad thing is Yummy Noodle makes the best Stir Fried Chang Fun with Soy Sauce I’ve ever had. It’s tradition to order this dish no matter what. It’s not meant to be an entrée, more like an appetizer to share and nibble on so don’t be mislead by the menu layout.

For those of you who are out late partying or hanging out and don’t mind eating at a dinky place, Yummy Noodle is your go to spot. It’s a great option other than diner for something to sober you up. Just remember that at the end of the day, it is a restaurant in Chinatown so service may not be great when it is packed with people. Sometimes they prioritize speed and efficiency of food over service. 

Restaurant Review - BCD Tofu House

BCD Tofu House

17 W. 32nd St

NY, NY 10001

212-967-1900

An all natural tofu house that originated in Korea has made its way over to America. With thirteen locations in the US, BCD Tofu House has made its mark on us. With the one location closest to me in Korean Town, I was able to enjoy it with a good friend of mine.

For those of you who are not familiar with the Korean tofu soup, it is a soup that consists of 80% tofu, your desired topping of choice and rice. The best thing about eating Korean food is that although you may order one dish, there are a bunch of side dishes for you to munch on as well! If you like spicy cabbage, every Korean restaurant will provide you with their signature Kimchi.  

In regards to the tofu soup, it is a must have when you enter a Tofu House, so be sure to order a soup. BCD puts a lot of emphasis on their tofu soup being 100% natural. Being that their emphasis is on the tofu soup, don’t be surprised to only find a few pieces of meat. Just feed off of the side dishes, I sure did that! I don’t think tofu soup is a great dish to have in the summer since you’re sweating from the heat already, but it is great to have a spicy soup in the winter to help you warm up!

Being that this was the first tofu house that I have gone to, I didn’t have many expectations for it. It did meet my expectations of being tofu in a soup. The best part of Korean for me is always the side dishes. For once, I actually got my own fried fish which I devoured. If you’re in town, definitely give it a try if you’re a tofu lover. 

My Current Obsession - Softlips

I have been a Softlips lover for as long as I can remember now, specifically the cherry flavored one. I know a lot of people who aren't a big fan, but I sure am. I love the minor burning sensation it gives me when my lips are dry. It provides me with a little hint of DRINK MORE WATER. Haha. 

All jokes aside, I'm big on Softlips because of the smooth texture I get. Cherry has a calm soothing taste for me. I've tried many others and I'm not a fan of the overwhelming smell that I get from the strawberry although I do love strawberries. For me, the great thing about Sotflips the skinny stick and SPF 20 protection. It's also a great multitasking lip balm with their tinted line that provides your lips with a bit of color. I'm not a big fan because I feel that the texture is a bit different. I much rather plop on a bit of Softlips prior to lipstick and lip gloss. It definitely works well from preventing dry lips that many lipstick gives. 

I'm so in love with it that I found six laying around my room today, not including the one I have in every bag and the twenty I still have packaged. I introduce to my obsession since forever. Softlips has came out with a PURE natural line that is all organic. I have tried and I like, but I love my cherry. 

My Current Obsession - Dariya Maegami Fringe Holder

This famous Japanese bang holders are basically just a patch. It looks weird and doesn't look durable at all, but trust me, it works. There are so many little bristles that keep your hair in place, all you have to do is swipe it through your hair and press in place. Just make sure you dont leave the house with it, I can't explain to you how many weird looks I have gotten from others. No, I did not leave the house with it, I just used in while sharing a room with others in Atlantic City haha!

It's great to hold your bangs back while putting on makeup, medication, washing your hair, you name it! I've even used to to add some volume to my hair prior to going out. The best thing about it is the price. The Dariya brand is the pricey brand, being that it was the original creator. If you're not too excited to pay $4 for a pack of two, you can go on other websites, even eBay to find it for a dollar or so!

Bye Bye Panda Eyes

I'm a big fan of pandas, but not the panda eyes. As the years go by, our dark circles are only going to get worse and worse if we do not treat it now. I didn't know how swollen and my panda eyes were until I did a video last week. Now, time to get rid of it! Here's a trick in the old book to lighten your dark circles: a cold spoon. You can pop two spoons into the freezer and hold the back of the spoon against your eyes where it is puffy or you have dark circles. The only problem with this is that it'll get warm quicker, especially in this hot water.

I suggest throwing a little towel which can be: a small kitchen towel, a face towel, whatever you have handy. Fold up the towel to a smaller size, enough to cover your eye bags. Depending on the towel size, you may cut it if needed or just try it out first to see if it's comfortable holding up the towel before cutting. Wet about ½-¾ of the towel (leaving one end unfrozen so your fingers wont freeze while holding it against your eye later). Zip up the bag and pop in the freezer. After frozen, press it against your eyes for 5-10 minutes. I suggest using it twice a day for quicker results.

If you're feeling a bit lazy and you wanna just plop there, you can also use the round eye make up remover wipes. Just wash of the solution, soak them in water, and freeze in a zip lock bag. You can reuse these little things as much as you want. If you don't have access to that, you can even cut out your own circles from a paper towel. Pile up a few circles before wetting. Freeze your circles and flip when placing it on your eyes to get the full absorbency.

There's also a cucumber trick that you can pop on both eyes twice a day for 15-20 minutes to relieve stress and cool down the eyes. This will help the swelling under your eyes. You can also slice your cucumber through a grater and squeeze out all the juice from the grated cucumber. Dab juice with a cotton ball and apply to the eyes to reduce dark circles. I also suggest freezing the cucumber juice to provide your eyes with more soothing during this hot weather. It'll also be a blast of coolness to your body.

Cold tea bags are also a great trick in the book to reduce swelling and cure dark circles. After you've extracted all the flavor for your tea, pop it into the fridge before placing over your eyes. Lay the tea bag over your eyes for 10 minutes but be careful to not get the tea in your eyes. Try sticking to green, black, and white tea only. 

If you're a chef or you like to cook and you have some mint laying around, crush the mint leaves and apply to your dark circles for twenty minutes. If you've got some leftover lemons and tomatoes, mix the juices of both and apply to your dark circles twice a day. 

The best thing to prevent dark circles and swelling to the eyes of course is to get your 8 hours of sleep or whatever your body needs, it differs person to person. By being well energized, you will decrease the likelihood of looking tired. The cliche drink 8 cups of water a day will help to lighten the dark circle under the eyes and it is beneficial to the rest of your body as well. You can also take Vitamin C and Iron to help reduce dark circles. Lastly, and the most fashionable is to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun.

My Current Obsession - GVP Smoothing Serum

With this damaging sun and weather so hot and humid, I am pretty sure your hair is out of control. I practically never wear a hat because my head is so big, it just looks weird on me. Although a hat is your best friend this summer, you may be like me and ditch it. I suggest throwing on something over your head to protect your hair, but I found a great product to help my hair.

I was looking for something to hold down my out of control frizzy hair when my cousin threw me over a bottle of GVP Smoothing Serum. It was the day after I washed my hair and with this summer and all the sweat build up from walking, you know my hair was grossed out already. It felt so dry, so lifeless—that is until I smoothed on some GVP. I am not a fan of hair products so I try to use as little as possible. I used maybe a quarter drop of GVP Smoothing Serum, rubbed it from the top of my head down and I could not believe it.

My hair was so smooth from just a drop of serum! I have the long black Asian hair, silky smooth on a normal basis. My hair is an attract magnet for many, with or without any product. Although I never knew why my hair was so nice to others, I fell in love with my hair after the GVP Smoothing Serum. I could not stop touching my hair! Trust me when I say my hair was silky soft. My fingers ran right through my hair, no knots, nothing! This is my ultimate recommendation for you, especially during this heat where the sun is damaging our hair. On sale at Sally Beauty Supply for just $5 a bottle, you cant go wrong!

I suggest stacking up, you can even save it for Christmas as stocking stuffers because all of your girlfriends will love it.

For my Job Searching Friends

If you are like me, you are probably in the search for a job. I graduated a while ago, more like six months ago, and it has been difficult to find a job since. I’ve just been doing what I love and a bunch of freelances to pay the bills, but yes I understand what you are going through. Understanding the importance of the job search, I just want to give you a warning that you must have heard before.

Your social outlets may be holding you back from getting a job. With many illegal activities going on, many companies check the Facebook and other social media outlets before officially hiring someone. It may be a pity to make it to the final round and fail the Facebook test because of picture you have with illegal plants or loads of alcohol.

Statistics show that 75% of the recruiters hired by companies are required to do a background check on prospective hires. Within this research, almost 70% of possible hires are rejected based on the information they obtain through social media websites. Although you may have your settings restricted to just family and friends who can see your information, some recruiters pair up with these social websites to obtain your information. That or pictures are publicly shared with your friends and family through other sources.

Show Luo Concert

I know I said I would update a video every week but for some reason, my camera is acting up. That basically means time for a new laptop. Cant wait! For the time being, you will just have to deal with me and my excessive writing. To keep things short this time, I just want to share with you my lover, Show Luo.

For those of you who know me, you know that I am obsessed with him. So obsessed, I’m willing to spend $500 for SVIP tickets. Not just, VIP but SUPERRRRRRR VIP! Haha well long story short, I just want to share with you when my husband will be in town to scoop me up. He is rarely in town, but he will be at my favorite place in Borgata at Atlantic City! See you there :D

Restaurant Review - Ichi Sushi Restaurant

Ichi Sushi Restaurant
2040 86th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11214
(718) 373-2929 

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If you’re not familiar with this restaurant, don’t get confused by the other Ichi Sushi on Bay Parkway that is two blocks away. My review is for Ichi Sushi Restaurant that’s on 86^th street under the train tracks. If you are around the Bensonhurst area, I recommend this restaurant to you. I used to eat here every week, sometimes twice a week but I’ve been trying to not eat out as much so it’s once every two weeks or so.

Sushi here is extremely cheap, $2.75 a roll or $1 for one piece sashimi and sushi. Unlike other dinky Japanese restaurants in Brooklyn, Ichi actually looks more urban with a Zen-like atmosphere that is relaxing. There is so much to choose from the menu and I think Ichi is better than a lot of Chinese-owned Japanese restaurants that I have had in the past. It is by far my favorite. A few suggestions: stir fry udon, spicy kani roll, BBQ squid, and pineapple fried rice (they actually use fresh pineapples).

Sushi is pretty fresh for a place that feeds off of locals. I am sure they do not stock every day, but it seems that they stock a good amount. I never had a problem with a bad looking or smelling fish. Ichi’s appetizers and sushi looks extremely appealing compared to other restaurants that I have been at. Their sushi is well portioned, giving you your money’s worth. I’ve never had a problem where I had to wait too long for a seat, never had a problem waiting too long for my food either. Service is fast, definitely worth going to!

Hair 101

A woman's hair is a crucial aspect of her beauty. Based on the natural flow and color of one’s hair, you are able to tell how healthy your inner organs are. I don’t know about you, but the healthier my hair is, the more confidence I have in myself. I feel that working out gives my hair a healthy shine, less split ends and even is a darker tone. Working out isn’t on everyone’s schedule, so I have a few tips that can help you achieve a healthy head of hair.

• Try to wash your hair with cold water. If you can endure a cold shower, you are on your way to healthier hair. Hot water is not good for your hair because the heat from the water will only damage your hair, causing more split ends. This is even worse when you have colored hair because it will lighten your color quicker than just using cold water. Of course I don’t suggest you to use cold water throughout your whole shower, try switching your water to be cooler than normal and if you can, pull off the showerhead and run the cold water through your hair.
• Wash your hair every other day. Try not to wash your hair daily because you are washing away a lot of nutrients in your hair. This prevents your hair from becoming thick and strong. I know it may be hard to not wash your hair every day because of the summer sweat, but you should try! Plan around your schedule and organize activities that require you to wash your hair in order to refrain from washing daily.
• Condition your hair. Conditioning your hair will prevent split ends and reduces tangling in your hair which makes it easier to take care of. Be sure to use the same conditioner as your shampoo. Many people do not think it makes a difference and tend to use a different conditioner because they haven’t finished a bottle. Try not to do this because when you use the same shampoo and conditioner, you are throwing more goods at your hair which will keep your hair balanced. If you don’t have conditioner or not the same kind, soak your hair with olive oil and use a shower cap to condition for 30 minutes or so prior to washing.  
• Condition from bottom up, not from the top down. When you condition your hair, you do not want to pop a blob of conditioner on the head of your hair. Being that I have long hair, I use a heck of a lot of conditioner and when I used to condition my hair starting at my scalp down, I ended up losing a lot of hair as well. I thought I was stressed, but it turns out that I was just washing my hair the wrong way.
• Do not comb your hair when wet. In general, a comb isn’t good for your hair because you are forcing knots to separate and tugging on your hair. When you run your comb through your hair, it may not be smooth and that is where the problem is. After you shower, your hair is sensitive when it is wet so combing your hair will only cause more split ends. I suggest running your fingers through them if you really want to straighten it rather than using a comb. If that doesn’t work, remember to use more conditioner at the ends next time—just remember to condition at the ends.
• Let your hair air dry. It is much better to let you hair dry naturally than running a blow dryer through it. Like I mentioned before, heat is extremely damaging to your hair which will cause more split ends. Therefore, it is important to not blow dry you hair too much. I don’t really blow dry my hair anymore, maybe once or twice in the winter because I’m dying to go to sleep and it’s just so cold that my hair takes forever to dry up. Yes, I don’t even blow dry in the winter. Just plan enough time to hang around before you sleep for your hair to dry up, sleeping with a wet head will only lead you to have severe headaches later on.
• Use cool wind to blow dry your hair. If you want your hair to dry quicker, I suggest using the cool option on your blow dryer. This will take a little longer to dry your hair, but it is better than the air dry method. Be sure to wipe your hair as dry as you can with a towel before blow drying. If it gets too cold for you, you can switch over the heat to low for a few seconds and switch back to cool air.
• Use a thermal protector before applying heat. If you must blow dry, straighten or curl your hair, remember to use a protective spray or gel that you can run through your hair to prevent any further damages. Heat is bad for your hair and when you’re constantly throwing heat at it, it will only damage your hair more and kill any life in your hair.
• Wear a hat. When you’re outside for a long amount of time try to wear a hat to protect your hair from the sun. If you have a scarf around your neck, throw it on your head. You may look like a fool, but it’s worth the look for flawless hair—especially the compliments. 

My Current Obsession - TRESemme Naturals Shampoo and Conditioner

We all know how damaging the sun and salt water is for our hair, yet we still dunk our heads in the water and soak up the sun. I'm not going to lie, I do not have a hat or a scarf protecting my hair when I leave the house on a sunny day. My head is way too big for hats so I look like a clown. Although I face severe sun damage, I found a great solution!

I was at the beach with my girls and I tried really hard to keep my hair out of the salt water. That is until I got smacked with a wave. Then I figured that I shouldn't let my hair get in the way of me having a good time. So I basically dunked my head in, not caring about a thing-until I got back. I did not have shampoo or conditioner with me to wash off the damaging salt water. It lingered in my hair for quite a while, long enough to see the damage. 

Being that I decided to stay over my cousins, I did not have any of my products with me (which is a good thing here). I saw her bottles of TRESemme shampoo and conditioner, but I was reluctant to use it since it had avocado in it and I'm allergic to avocado. I used her organic shampoo that she had laying around and couldn't find a complimenting conditioner so I used the TRESemme. THANK GOD I did not have an allergic reaction! Best part is it worked miracles. I did not pay attention to how smooth my hair was until it was dried. I could not stop touching it. I It was so soft and the best thing about it is it lasted me at least three days before another wash. 

Okay, it sounds a little nasty that I didnt wash my hair for three days, but I learned my lesson about washing my hair everyday-no good. It is so damaging to your hair so the best is to wash it every day. I don't know why I waited until the third day to wash my hair, probably because I was stuck in the house doing nothing that I didn't even notice my hair bother me. Usually I feel the oil start to build up, but I did not feel anything. I still had silky soft hair as if I just washed it! 

I did a little research after using this product and it is a cheap, organic line. Shampoo and conditioner contains aloe and avocado. There is also an orange line, but I have yet to try that, I was just too obsessed with this one. The TRESemme website says it makes your hair ten times stronger after one use, I don't know about that part, but I do feel a healthier head after one use. Moral of the story: you know I'm on my way to the drugstore to pick up a set, and the best part about it is Rite Aid is having a sale on them, just $3.50 each! It doesnt show up online, but go to your nearest Rite Aid!

Pamper Me Pretty - Lavilash

Lavilash

1239 Broadway,Suite 1610

New York, NY, 10001
(212)537-4760

I am all about getting my lashes permed because it saves the amount of time that I spend curling my eye lashes everyday. To be honest, I get a bit lazy so I don't even bother to curl my lashes sometimes so having them curled daily is great! The best part about it is my lashes are so perfectly spaced out, my lashes look so much fuller. Just one coat of mascara is enough for me, more time saved!

When you first get your lashes permed, depending on the solution that is used, it can hold anywhere from one month to three months. From thereon in, after your lashes start to return to its normal look, you should get them permed again. The second time will last longer than the first and so and and so forth. My before and after pictures, lighting was a little bad and its hard to take a picture of your eye without blinking haha!

Before with curled eye lashes through a  lash curler

After the eye lash perm

For the first time, I visited Lavilash which is a little Japanese boutique located by the whole sale section of the city. Being that I got my eye lashes permed before, I know what I am going through and I expect the same every time. I never really felt so negative towards a pamper session before (this doesn't count the first time I got my facial during my pore extraction).  Unfortunately, with Lavilash  I felt a bit rushed and taking a friend for a first time, she was clueless as to how she should take care of her lashes after the procedure because they weren't so informative. 

I felt that they were unprofessional, not friendly at all. It was literally get in and get out. Aside from not telling us how to treat the lashes and guiding us step by step through the procedure, they did what they needed to. My eye lashes are as I expected them to be, but I would not go back. If you are interested in getting your lashes done for a low price of $25, I recommend going here. Use the Tenka deal a night before you go (if they have an appointment). Good luck with getting on the phone with one of them because they can be too caught up to pick up the phone. 

Beauty Splurge

It is very like me to go shopping for more beauty products. Stopping by my favorite Korean store, the Face Shop, I picked up quite a bit of products to try out. A BB blending cream because for some odd reason, BB cream only came in one tone, but it’s great to find your perfect match as your skin color changes through the year. I’m super excited about the cheap $2 for 80 cotton pads which has no chemicals. I also picked up a bunch of $1 goodies which includes a charcoal pore strip, blemish patches to clear up pimples overnight and clearing patches to clean up acne scars. My last accessory at the Face Shop is my spatula that is great for homemade facials—a lot cleaner than using your hands to spread on your face.  

Prior to my shopping splurge this weekend, I finally stopped by Whole Foods after a suggestion from my cousin to try out their all natural shampoo. Before even reaching the hair aisle, I made a quick stop at their beauty section where JASÖN’s Pure Natural Anti-Wrinkle Day Lotion SPF 30 Sunscreen caught my eye. I couldn’t help but to pick up this product that is all natural and it prevents as well as treats wrinkles!

I guess one thing lead to another when I picked out my shampoo. I went for JASÖN’s Tea Tree Scalp Normalizing Shampoo. I have to admit, the Natural Biotin Shampoo caught my eye as well, but I decided to go all organic until I have tested the product myself. Moving over to check the body wash section, I was definitely attracted to the line of JASÖN. There was so much to choose from I didn’t know what to choose. I finally narrowed it down to the cranberry wash since it was such a strong fruity smell and it would help my stress! I’ll follow up with a review soon!

Shopping Slurge

I rarely have a moment to myself and enjoy my shopping. I sure enjoyed myself this weekend! I just had a great and cheap shopping splurge today which included everything but shoes. I’m a little bummed out about, but I’ve come to realize that once I buy shoes, I really don’t stop so maybe it was a good thing I bought other things today!

For starters, blazers are a must have for every girl. You are able to dress professional and style up any outfit. Match it with short shorts for a sophisticated look or wear it with a dress for a sheik touch. Just be sure to match the right blazer with your outfit, a professional blazer should be kept with slacks. I’ve been eyeing the perfect blazer for quite a while now and I am extremely happy that I was able to pick up two casual blazers. The black is from H&M, the kakhi is from a boutique in SoHo called Mystique. Yay!

Next off, a light scarf is perfect for a windy day at the beach or even just as a cover up on the train and in the office. It may be extremely hot outside, but when you get indoors, you feel a blast of cold air. I don’t know how many times I shivered in the office so this scarf will keep me warm! Just a random pick me up from SoHo. 

Colorful tops are perfect for the summer. A blast of color for plain bottoms will light up your outfit and your mood. Ever feel energized wearing the right colors? It’s also perfect to wear in the office paired with a sweater or blazer for a professional look and stripped off for happy hour. One was actually from a blowout sale Roxy had online with free shipping (I only bought one item) and the other from Charlotte Russe.

Tops are always great when they’re on sale. If you’re buying tops that are out of season, I suggest to keep it solid. Solid colors will never go out of style and it’s easy to mix and match. Both shirts were actually from a sale that Zara had, only $10 each!

A set of white and khaki shaded cuff shorts are my go to this year. I love the high-waist shorts that I am able to wear for a variety of occasions. You can wear in a casual business office setting, go out to dinner and even clubbing with them. My absolute favorite of the bunch is the white BCBG shorts. From left to right: BCBG, Mango, Zara.

Next to the shorts which should be a pastel pink slack pant that is ankle high that I picked up at Mango. I am absolutely in love with the light material it is made out of. This is perfect for the summer time when you have a business meeting and you should wear slacks. The best thing about the slacks is it goes great with practically any shoes—it even accentuates your shoes and top because it’s a simple pastel. 

As for accessories, nothing goes better than a clutch which you can use for a variety of outings. I love clutches that have a strap inside so I don’t always have to grab onto my clutch. The best thing about this clutch is I unintentionally matched it with my pastel slacks, I’ve definitely got the perfect outfit for a low price at Zara!

Lastly, a women’s best friend is her jewelry of course. I used to be the girl who only wore gold, both white and yellow and nothing else. I finally came to learn that sometimes gold is not the way to go. Feathered earrings are definitely in. I prefer the mono earring with a long feather, but nothing beats street bargaining!

My Current Obsession - Baked By Melissa

I am a cupcake lover and I have been on a cupcake diet, scrambling to find my favorite and Baked by Melissa is definitely at the top of my list. I absolutely love these little guys, a little bigger than a size of a quarter but a blast of flavor once you pop it in your mouth. Baked by Melissa is gradually taking over the NYC area, opening a number of stores over this summer.

If you are a first timer, I suggest getting a dozen which includes their ten cupcakes, the mini of the month, as well as an extra flavor that you crave. My ultimate favorite is the mint chocolate chip, followed by the peanut butter cup and red velvet. Although these cupcakes are tiny, they are extremely moist and reflect their flavors one hundred percent.

I definitely recommend these little guys, but it may be a onetime thing for many because of its pricing. They’re almost a dollar a cupcake, not worth it to a lot of people because of their size. Just think of these little minis as being full of flavor for a dollar! It may make you and your wallet feel a little better.

DIY - Buy Spray

It's that season where everyone wants to stay out as late as possible and so does the bugs. I don't know about you, but I am surely terrified of bugs. I get a big swollen bump when I am bit by a misquito, especially random bugs that I never know bite me until I'm in pain. This is the best time for me to go out and have fun, yet the worse time when sun-down comes. I am the one to fight with all my friends and hover over a lit candle that is supposed to keep the mosquitoes away. Unfortunately, that does not always happen because I still get bit! Sometimes I'll have to double up with a candle and bug spray, but I hate the sticky feeling of it and the fumes that I inhale when I'm spraying myself.

A DIY that feels a little more refreshing than bug spray and hovering over a candle like a statue: homemade bug spray. All you need is the orange Listerine that's probably hanging around your bathroom and water. Ah it feels refreshing, but be careful if you have a cut, it will burn! Then again, so does everything else you put on a cut. Simply shake it up in a spray bottle and mist away!

Another DIY misquito repellent that will help keep them away, yet attracting all the boys: lavender. Yes, the flower. All you have to do is rub a lavender behind your ears, your wrists, your neck, and anywhere else you really want to. Be careful to have too much of a lavender aroma, especially if someone is allergic! 

Hope this will help you have a fun and bug free summer!

DIY - Bug Bite Medication

I’m always getting bit up in the summer. For some odd reason, this summer was not only mosquito bites, but bug bites as well. To distinguish between the two, mosquito bites are generally itchy as soon as you are bit whereas bug bites are painful. Bug bites are usually swollen and hard as a rock with or without the scratching. Mosquito bites are the same feeling only when you have been scratching for way too long or it’s in the last stage of its healing process. Regardless of it being a mosquito or bug bite, understand the problem and find a solution.

There are a few tricks when dealing with bug bites and mosquito bites. 

• Number one rule is do not touch. Although you may not be scratching your bites, it is still a bad idea to run your hands through or around the bites. Your hands are full of germs and I don’t know about you, but when my hands touch the bites, I have this urge to scratch right away. That and I become much itchier because I am aware of my bite. Sometimes it’s a mental thing; when you don’t think about the bite, it doesn’t bother you, but when you are attentive to it, it becomes the most annoying thing ever!
• Whenever you get a mosquito bite, my aunt’s suggestion: use saliva. You have no idea how many times I have used saliva on my mosquito bite and it has went away. Maybe it’s a mental thing because I don’t know how well saliva works, but it just does!
• If you’re feeling very itchy and you can’t help but to touch, grab an ice and rub it all over the bite for temporary relief.
• A safe and chemical free (or as natural as can be) solution to itching is to wash your bite out with soap and rinse with water. The soap can help clean off germs that surround your bite. Rinse with cool water to decrease the itching and soothe the bite. You can wash your bite as much as you want since it is just like washing your hands.
• A home remedy for mosquito bites is using lime juice. Separate the pulp from the juice with a strainer. Add water and apply with a cotton ball. Store it in the fridge as a method to cool down your itching. If you’re feeling lazy, just slice a lime and apply. You can even use lemon juice or just apply a slice of lemon directly on the bite.
• For bug bites, mix water with cornstarch until it has become a thick paste. Simply apply to the bug bite to remove poison of the insect bite. This is also great for diaper rashes. You can even use baking soda if there’s not cornstarch lying around.
• A few other home goods that you can rub directly on your bite are deodorant, bleach, aloe, toothpaste, and apple cider.

Hopefully this will help you through this summer. Don’t hide from the bugs, enjoy the summer because it will end soon!

Restaurant Review - Gyu Kaku

Gyu Kaku
34 Cooper Square
New York, NY 10013
(212) 475-2989

Korean BBQ is pretty well known to everyone. How does Japanese BBQ sound to you? Other than the common Japanese skewer stick BBQ, Gyu Kaku has marinated meat that you BBQ yourself. There are a few Gyu Kaku stores all over the world, two in New York. I usually go to the one around St Marks because travel is a lot easier for me, plus we’ve learned to love the staff there, especially with my friends going every week.

The food at Gyu Kaku is pretty different from any other Japanese BBQ places I have been. They have a variety of sauces that you can pick with your marinated meats; many are paired up with a specific sauce that is oh-so-delicious. My ultimate favorite is the miso sauce. It doesn’t have a lot of flavor so it doesn’t overwhelm the meat that you are eating. Meat portions are extremely small and it is a family-style theme where you share with others so do not plan to order for yourself only. There’s also a bunch of other dishes that compliment your meat—I definitely recommend the Chicken Garlic Noodle and Sukiyaki Beef Bibimbap. I also love their Yakimochi ice cream dessert where you make your own mochi. Yum yum!

Pricing for Gyu Kaku can be pretty expensive and it can get packed there. The best times to go are during happy hour of course from 3-6 everyday or 9:30 to close on weekdays. I always try to go during these hours because it doesn’t hurt to eat good food for a low price! Order the right foods and it will only cost you $20 pp. I do recommend making reservations prior to going; I usually call a few hours before leaving the house. They do offer walk-ins but of course just giving them a ring will save you waiting time.

Men - Want to Live Longer?

This article is specifically directed towards the men in our life, you included. Has it ever occurred to you there is a pattern of women living longer than men? There's a few reasons for this. Statistics are based on general health of men and women.

There's a theory of women and men's chromosomes being the causing factor of why women live longer than men. Women have double the X chromosome than men. Of course, this is a theory and it has yet to be proved.

One obvious reason why women live longer than men is because women do not get sick as early as men do, specifically cardiovascular diseases. This is linked to your heart, veins, blood vessels, and the reason why women do not have cardiovascular diseases as early as men is because we have a menstrual system that circulates our blood monthly. As blood leaves our system, it is also removing the toxic in the body which can later develop into serious illnesses if not removed.

Therefore, women live longer than men because they do not have an option to have a period monthly that helps the body create new blood cells. Women's body is accommodated to producing new blood cells which can help to fight off diseases. Because men do not have this option, the next best thing they can do is donate  blood. You are able to donate blood every two months, but of course not everyone has the time to. Just do your research to see whether or not you can donate blood. 

You will not only help one in need, but help yourself live longer! This is men and women included, but I encourage men to donate blood more often. If you're still in college, there are a number of fraternities and sororities that hold blood drives to make it easier for you.

I mean there is one other option which is to get pregnant. When women give birth, it circulates their entire system. Therefore, you see many women who may be extremely sick or have minor illnesses, like psoriasis, and their psoriasis disappears after having a new born. With the technology's creations, anything is possible!

Food Goods - Rice

Rice Yum Yum

If you’re a true Asian like me, you are a probably a rice lover! I know true Asians who have rice in the morning for breakfast, for lunch and even for dinner. I usually have to have rice at least once a day, especially Jasmine rice. Being such a big person on rice, I decided to share some tips with you on rice—the many uses it has from making the rice to eating the rice :]

I just want to point out it is best if you are using organic rice to beautify your skin. This will reduce the chances of harmful chemicals like pesticides and such to linger on your skin. Rice is great for those with oily and sensitive skin so you should try this out! It can make your skin look younger and has antioxidants and Vitamin E which is found in many beauty products. Using rice on your face may take a longer amount of time to see results, but it is worth it. It takes a few months to see a cleaner face which includes less break outs, less blackheads and even a healthy glow.

You do not have to use white rice like me so try out different kinds of rice and see which one is best for your face. Different rice carries different vitamins and nutrition which can benefit your face is a bunch of ways.

• Filter out rice water to use as a face wash. When washing your rice, filter rice from the water to save for later. This water is full of grains that will help remove oils from the face. You can either wash your face with this rice water or use it as a rinse after your daily face wash routine. If you don’t use up your rice water, you can store it in the fridge and it should last for 5 days. Please toss it and use new rice water when it starts to smell though!
• Homemade toner. You can even use a cotton pad to soak up all the minerals to use as a toner. Simply dab the cotton pad all over a clean face to remove oil. I suggest keeping the rice water in the fridge until you use to keep your skin refreshed. This will also help close up your pores which reduces the amount of dirt on your face.
• Make your own rice mask. It’s a great DIY (do it yourself) with rice water. All you need is a paper towel, cut out two circles for the eyes, a rectangle for your mouth and a slit for your nose. Fold up the paper towel neatly and soak in a bowl of rice water for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, you can either squeeze out all the excess water or leave it a little wet and gently unfold—be careful not to rip your gentle mask. Fit over your face and leave on your face for 15-20 minutes. You can use leftover rice water and drip it over your mask as it dries up if you want.
• Make sushi or fried rice. Haha this one is a no brainer! Make food out of it. Yes I know, I’m a big fatty and I love food but this leads us to…
• Use leftover rice to absorb dirt on the face. Be sure to use left over rice that is from the pot. Do not use any fried rice because it contains oil that you do not want to rub all over your face. Just use the left over rice you have, make two little nickel sized rice balls—whatever is more comfortable for you. Simply roll the rice ball all over your face and absorb all the dead skin cells, oil and dirt! I suggest rolling the rice ball on the inner eye along your top nose bridge. This helps to reduce dark circles. If you have a headache, roll the rice ball along your temples. Don’t forget to roll the rice ball along the side of your nose to absorb all the white heads!

Restaurant Review - East Japanese Restaurant

East Japanese Restaurant
366 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(212)889-2326

East Japanese Restaurant is well known for their sushi on a belt. It is one of my favorite places to go because food is always quick! East offers a variety of foods which include sushi on a belt, bento box lunch specials priced at $10 which can fill you up, and a variety of noodles. When I worked in the area, I would eat at East once a week. On a Monday, they offer half price Tunas; half price Salmon on a Tuesday, and half price sushi on a Wednesday.

I admit, the sushi may not be the freshest of the bunch, but it is worth it for a sushi restaurant in the city. The best thing about East Restaurant is the VIP card they have. You first pay $20 for the card, but you get 10% off your bill from thereon in. The best part about the card is it’s practically free since they give you a $20 store credit for later use and another store credit for your birthday! No restaurant in the city would provide you with constant discounts.

There’s also a karaoke longue that is connected to the restaurant upstairs. I haven’t visited this floor and don’t know how it works, but if you’re going with a party of people, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to eat sushi and sing your hearts out. Call me if you go, I would love to have sushi and karaoke, that's a two in one for me!