My recent purchase: Forever 21

changing seasons call for changing outfits. i recently went to Forever 21 to buy something to wear this coming summer. i love Forever 21 because they have cute, trendy clothes that won't cost you a fortune. i have even found great steals from their sale racks. you just have to be patient, and of course, just enjoy looking at the clothes (even if we can't buy them all). :D

rompers are becoming one of this season's "must haves". having never owned one, it was my goal to find one and actually buy it. ;) where else would i go to but Forever 21, right?

right when i entered, i saw rompers hanging on the racks right in front of the doors. i grab one, and look at the tag... it's only $10.50! that's a good price, especially considering it wasn't from the sale racks (which usually have clothes priced at $10 and below). i immediately go and look for a tank top or something similar to wear with it, and i find a bright yellow one = just what i had in mind.

i can wear this tank top over or under my new romper. and it can also be worn as it is with jeans or denim shorts. with or without a different colored tank top under it. :D

i paid about $14 for both of these items. $5.80 for the tank top, and $7 for the romper. i was sooo happy to find out that the price for those particular rompers were lowered down as a special offer. :)

have you gone spring/summer shopping yet?

Kid's Choice Awards: Selena Gomez

i don't really watch the Kid's Choice Awards anymore (a sign that i am, indeed, all grown up), but of course, we're all interested in what was worn by whom. so, here we go.

Selena is wearing a melon silk chiffon dress with gold beaded belt detail by Christian Cota. She finished off her look with Sergio Rossi shoes, Ippolita jewels and an oval shaped clutch in pale gold lambskin from Lauren Merkin. Read more: http://justjaredjr.buzznet.com/2010/03/27/selena-gomez-kids-choice-awards-2010/#ixzz0jX1ANhTl

*image from Yahoo! and description from http://www.justjaredjr.com/*

first off, i am not Selena Gomez's biggest fan, but i do love this dress. it's light and very spring-y. it looks good on her. and those shoes are just amazing. her hair goes well with her whole ensemble. it's not too Oscar-like, but it's not overly casual as well.

what do you guys think? do you like it?

Mane 'n Tail Shampoo and Conditioner

i've been told that using Mane 'n Tail shampoo and conditioner can help hair grow faster. it was originally formulated for washing horse's hair (as seen on the bottle). but many people have started to use it on themselves as well. the back of the bottle has instructions for both animal and human use.

have you tried this? any opinions?

*image from Google*

Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm

Strawberry Lip Balm: Indulge your sweet tooth as you soothe dry, chapped lips with Rosebud's newest, strawberry-scented lip balm. Following in the Rosebud tradition of simple, easy to use products, this vintage-inspired tin contains a combination of rich emollients that lock-in moisture and banish dryness after only one application.

$7-- Sephora

i seriously cannot live without this lip balm. it is one of the things i would definitely bring with me if i ever "get stuck on an island".

it's a great moisturizer. it smells great (strawberry! :D). it lasts for a very, very long time. i first bought one when i was 13 years old, and i used it up until i turned 19. i just recently finished that one, and bought my second one. i will probably buy another one when i'm about 25 years old (unless i lose the one i have now, which i really really hope doesn't happen). :)

when you're in a hurry and there's no time to grab your favorite lip gloss, this will save your day. throughout the hectic 4 years of high school when i had no time at all in the morning to put make-up on, i knew i can count on my favorite lip balm to make me look presentable (along with cheek-pinching to have "natural blush"). :D

final verdict: great price. great value. sooo worth it.

*description and image from http://www.sephora.com/*

Travel Destination Wish List

many of us just recently had our spring break, are on it right now, or just about to have it next week. personally, i think spring break is the first indication that in a few months, summer will finally be here! besides sleeping in and going to the beach, summer gives us the opportunity to travel and see places we haven't seen before. :D

here are the top 10 places (in no particular order) i would like to visit:

1. Santorini, Greece-- i love the idea of walking around with your bathing suit under a cute summer dress, and jumping in the ocean Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants-style. :)

2. Hawaii, USA-- it's the closest to me, and therefore the most realistic. ;)

3. - 6. England, France, Spain, and Italy-- Europe!!! need i say more? :)

7. Ireland-- watching P.S. I Love You, made me appreciate this beautiful country even more. :)

8. St. Petersburg, Russia-- this would be a whole new experience. and i gotta admit, i still love watching Anastasia. :)

9. Bangkok, Thailand-- riding elephants, eating yummy Thai food, shopping... now, that would be so much fun, right?! :)

10. Boracay, Philippines-- white sand. :)

have you been to any of these places? where would you want to go?

*all images are from Google*

Clinique Long Last Glosswear with SPF 15

if i were to choose one item from my modest collection of make up, it would be lip gloss.

my most recent purchase was Clinique in Juicy Apple. i used to always buy lip glosses that were pink or a different color close to that. now that i am older, i just wanted to try one in a more vibrant color. and what other color screams vibrant more than red, right?

so there i was, wandering the aisles of Sephora looking for a nice red lip gloss under $20 (i only had an extra $20 at that time). when i walked by the Clinique section, i was so happy to find their lip glosses. for $14, i think it's worth it.

it moisturizes and protects lips (it has SPF 15). it's really long lasting. it's supposed to last for 8 hours (unless, of course, you eat and/or drink, and wipe it off). there are also 18 colors to choose from.

Juicy Apple, $14 from Sephora

*image from Google*

Boba Shake

before the many frozen yogurt places sprung up all over the place, people first went crazy over boba shakes. on hot summer afternoons, a cup of cold and refreshing boba shake is perfect. pairing it with your favorite chinese or japanese meal (whatever the season) works like magic as well.

there are a variety of flavors to choose from - strawberry, mango, green tea, taro, peach - you name it, most boba places have it.

now, while i do love boba shakes, i must say that the texture and softness of the boba balls make all the difference. i have tried some with overcooked boba balls. two words = not good. those with perfectly chewy ones, on the other hand = perfectly perfect.

i have also learned that boba balls just don't work well with plain fruity shakes. i find that it tastes way better when paired with a shake that has milk in it. but then again, every taste palate is different. go with whatever you crave. :D

Random fact: Boba balls are a mixture of tapioca and carrageenan powder.

Daisy by Marc Jacobs

Enter the world of Daisy: fresh and feminine, with a playful innocence. At the heart of Daisy is a floral with vintage edge: violet. Sophisticated, with a touch of whimsy, violet captures the eclectic, vintage flavor of Marc Jacobs' feminine, edgy designs. Always elegant, always enchanting - but not too serious - Daisy is a sparkling floral bouquet, spirited and fresh, wrapped in comfort and warmth.

image and description from http://www.sephora.com/

for so many years i've been trying to find a scent that i would really love. when i saw this super cute bottle at Sephora, i just knew i had to smell it! it's feminine and floral = perfect! :D

perfumes can often be pricey. fortunately, Sephora offers an affordable alternative. For $20, the Daisy Rollerball is a very good buy. you can take it absolutely anywhere. i've had mine for about 2 months now. i use it everytime i leave the house and it seems like it takes a long time for the perfume to lessen.

they also have rollerballs for a number of different brands of perfume. in these hard economic times, who said you have to spend a lot to smell good?

image from http://www.sephora.com/

The Wedding Planner

one of my absolute favorite movies of all time: The Wedding Planner.

it tells the story of Mary Fiore, a lonely wedding planner. despite making brides' fairy tale weddings come true, her life is the complete opposite of the weddings she plan. one fateful day, a doctor saves her from being run over by a dumpster hit by a taxi driver (who shows up again towards the end of the movie). Mary and her best friend, Penny, then invite Dr. Steve Edison to watch old movies at the Golden Gate park. Mary then starts to believe she has found a man of her own, until she finds out that he is the fiance of her one of brides, Fran Donelly.

from there on out, i must admit it's predictable what would happen. however, the flow of the story and the characters make it a movie that one can't help but love.

it's just one of those movies that you'll never get tired of watching. i've seen this movie a million times - to the point that i actually know most of the lines. but i still love it. i get so excited whenever it is shown on TV, and of course i have the DVD. :D

random fact: this came out in 2001, almost ten years ago! isn't that crazy?

*all images are from yahoomovies.com

FOOD: Teriyaki Platter & Sushi

i'm sure everyone has those days when you just want to stay at home and call for delivery. but, come on, pizza again? luckily, we have a japanese restaurant about 3 minutes away that offers a wide array of delicious japanese dishes at an affordable price... and they have free delivery! now, isn't that great? :D

on lazy days when all we want to do is hang around at home, our fave japanese restaurant is the first and only answer when it comes to the question: "what should we have for dinner?"

Teriyaki Platter --$39.50

since we have a big family, we always order their japanese food platter. for $39.50, it really is such a great deal. it consists of 6 different dishes, and comes with a separate platter full of yummy japanese rice. i love it!

Japanese rice

Price Range: $7.50 - $8.50

we also recently tried three of their many types of sushi. they are all so good and freshly made. and best of all, affordable.

Do you like Japanese food?:D

Hi, I'm Mimi! :D

hi everyone! my name is mimi. i'm just starting out with blogging, and i am so excited to share my thoughts on food, travel, and events. ;)

i love food. i used to be picky with what i eat, but now that i am older i am more open to tasting new and different cuisines. i have tried some foods that may be a little gross to others (which i will talk about in future posts, promise.) i am also into baking -- cookies, brownies, cupcakes. and one day, i would love to be able to make creme brulee and souffle. :) i also look forward to learning how to cook actual dishes someday.

traveling is one of the things we try to do together as a family. i have to say though, that it's hard to do especially with conflicting schedules. and of course, traveling can be pricey. but whenever there's a chance to go somewhere, we take advantage of that chance. currently, i have been to 10 states (so that's 40 more to go! haha.)

i am taking event planning classes that concentrate mainly on weddings, so i would be able to share the things that i have and will learn with you. any random questions about wedding etiquette and traditions? need a little advice about party planning? i will try my hardest to provide you with an answer. :)

so thanks for reading... i am so excited to make new friends through this blog. :)