Friday, February 17, 2012

Travel: Top 10 Best Value Destinations for 2012

Happy Friday! :D

Yay for the weekend, right?!
The past couple of weeks have been insane -- you know that feeling when days are so long, but weeks go by quickly? Yup, that's how it's been for me.

So, since it's the weekend (and not to mention, a 3-day weekend for us, yay!), let's daydream a bit and talk about this year's top 10 best value destinations according to www.lonelyplanet.com:

1. Northeastern USA -

The Washington Monument rises above the Tidal Basin, as seen through the flowering cherry blossoms on the Basin's promenade- Washington DC

"... you can hop-scotch across the region without booking a flight or hiring a car. Better still, the ride’s comfortable, there’s free wi-fi, buses leave on time and there’s often plenty of room."

2. Japan -

Himeji-jo Castle and cherry blossom.

"... it’s possible to find simple, Japanese-style minshuku guesthouses from ¥3000 (US$37)."

3. Tajikistan -

Portrait of Kyrqyz herder, near Murghab.

"... stop off at hot springs, 2000-year-old stone structures and cartoon-style forts, finishing your days at village homestays or yurts for about US$10 per person."

4. Porto, Portugal -

The historic medieval coastal town of Porto. In 1996 it was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

"You can stay in antique-filled inns with river views from just €25 (US$37.75), take a ride on a historical tram (€1; US$1.40) or head to the beach near Afurada village by ferry (€1)."

5. Lesotho -

Katse Dam Bridge in the Lesotho highlands.

"The best deals are to the west at off-the-beaten-track Malealea, about 60km southeast of the capital Masuru... Overnight trips - including a pony, food, and a guide - begin at US$50 per day."

6. Iquitos, Peru -

Brightly coloured buildings and motorcycle taxi.

"... venture into piranha fishing spots, look for pink dolphins in the wildlife-rich Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve (stopping at native villages to mingle with Amazonians) or reach the rustic Otorongo Lodge on the Colombian border."

7. San Francisco, California USA -

A San Francisco icon, the Art-Deco Golden Gate Bridge.

"Little boutique hotels near Union Square can be had for under US$100... Food-wise, San Francisco’s ‘mission burrito’ (stuffed with rice, beans, and carne asada) goes for US$5 in the bar-filled Mission."

8. Ohrid, Macedonia -

The Church of Sveti Kliment ( Church of St Clement ) - Ohrid, Macedonia

"... rooms are easy to find for €10 or less, while opulent historic villas turned into B&Bs run for under €50 (US$71.50)."

9. Mekong Delta, Vietnam -

The floating restaurant " La Monarque " moored on the banks of the Mekong River, Laos' major highway

"Go by air-conditioned bus or hire moto-taxis... Boat trips go for US$5 to US$10, while most guesthouses run from US$10 to US$25."

10. Mérida, Mexico -



"Day trips to five Mayan sites on the public Ruta Puuc bus loop go for about US$40, or head to the village of CelestĂșn and hire motorboats (US$17 per person) to see hundreds of pink flamingos in the mangroves."

***To read the whole article, please click here.***

I love love love San Francisco, so going back there is definitely on my list. And of course, I would love to visit all these places too. But I think I should start with San Francisco and Northeastern USA first, haha! ;)

Which of these ten places would you like to visit the most? Have you been to any of them?
Do you have any tips to help us save some money when we travel?

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! :D

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To enter, please click here.

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Thursday, February 16, 2012

Review: Suave Advanced Therapy Body Lotion

Happy Thursday! :)

It was raining here in L.A. yesterday, and right now it is very cold (it's currently 12:09am)!
(Well, you know, for California it's very cold, haha!).

Cold = Dry Skin :/
And that is why one of the things on my bedside table right now is this:

Suave Advanced Therapy Body Lotion

Photobucket

Advanced Therapy body lotion is made with a dermatologist proven formula enhanced with vitamins and glycerin to heal and relieve severely dry skin. Rich emollients penetrate deeply to help restore skin’s vital natural moisture, leaving skin feeling soft and smooth.

It's an okay lotion -- it's not the worst, but it's not the best either.
Since I got a 3 fl. oz. tube, I just use this for my hands. 

I got this a couple of months ago, so I don't really remember how much this was exactly, but it's definitely very affordable. An 18 fl. oz. bottle of Suave lotion from Walgreens is $3, so this has to be way less than that. ;)

Have you tried Suave Advanced Therapy Body Lotion?
Thoughts? Opinions?

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P.S. Wanna try Udderly Smooth products? Enter my giveaway for a chance to win an assortment of Udderly Smooth products! It is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only. Ends on February 28th.
To enter, please click here.

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Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day! :)

Hii!!!

Just wanted to wish everyone a...

Happy Valentine's Day! :D

love this quote

Take advantage of this day to let your loved ones know how much you love them. :)

valentine's day

<3

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Monday, February 13, 2012

February: FreeBeautyEvents Giveaway! :D

I hope you are all having a wonderful start to this week! :)

Just wanted to share with you guys this month's giveaway/contest from www.freebeautyevents.com:

Ten lucky winners will be chosen and they will receive


L’Oreal Youth Code Youth Regenerating Skincare Serum Intense Daily Treatment, L’Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Facial Cleanser, and Dr. Lewinn by Kinerase Life & Resculpt Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream.

Amazing prizes, as always! :D
This contest will end on the 29th of February. Winners will be chosen on March 5th and notified by March 15th.

To enter, please click here.

But wait, there's more:
For the months of February and March, Ulta is having their Yes to Event in select states. Demonstrators will be sampling products from all the Yes to lines including Yes to Cucumbers, Yes to Tomatoes, Yes to Carrots, and Yes to Blueberries. Also, in March and April, Walgreens is having their Neutrogena event in Florida. Demonstrators will be showing the latest Neutrogena sunblock products and giving customers great coupons. Best of all, customers will have the chance to enter a raffle to win a Neutrogena gift basket as well. This information is available for FREE on their website where spas and retailers can promote their events. If you would like their site visitors to know about your beauty event, you can make a posting for free on their site at www.freebeautyevents.com/submit.

You can also enter your zip code to find out what makeover, gift with purchase, spa open houses, and sampling events are happening near your home.

Check out their beauty reviews and join their weekly contests.
Keep up to date with FreeBeautyEvents through Facebook, Google+, and Twitter.

:D

2012 Grammy Awards

Happy Monday! :)

Last night was music's biggest night: the 54th Annual Grammy Awards

And as promised, here is a red carpet recap:

Adele


You guys probably know that I am a big fan, so it's no surprise that Adele is #1 on my list. ;)

She looked stunning in this custom black sequined Giorgio Armani gown that features three-quarter length sleeves and a cinched waist.

I love love love her hair and makeup -- she is so rocking those red lips!


She's baaaaaaaaack! Adele took to the stage to perform for the first time in months since undergoing throat surgery. She also cleaned up with awards, winning 6 Grammys throughout the night.

Adele is unstoppable! 
She sang Rolling In The Deep as beautifully as ever and accepted a standing ovation with grace and genuine humility (none of that annoying always-surprised look Taylor Swift has).

Adele totally deserves all 6 Grammy awards she received last night! :D

Katy Perry


Katy Perry is dealing with her divorce from Russell Brand in a very fashionable way!

She turned heads in her pale blue beaded Elie Saab gown and $2 million worth of Norman Silverman jewels.

Lily Aldridge -  


BEST DRESSED: Pregnant Victoria's Secret model Lily Aldridge glowed on the red carpet.

What a gorgeous mom-to-be!

The Victoria's Secret model chose the perfect dress to show off her baby bump -- a chiffon long-sleeved, floral print Gucci gown with a plunging neckline.

Paris Hilton


Where there's a red carpet, there's Paris Hilton.

I am not always a fan of Paris' fashion choices, but she looks really beautiful in this embroidered white Basil Soda dress.

Her hair, makeup, and accessories = flawless!

Gwyneth Paltrow


A stunning Gwyneth Paltrow takes the Grammy stage.

Clean, simple, classic, beautiful!

Kelly Osbourne


I am not a fan of hers, but I do think she looks beautiful in this sequined one-shoulder Tony Ward gown.
Her hair and makeup are nicely done too. :)

Kelly Rowland


Oh wow, two Kellys in a row! ;)

I am loving Kelly Rowland's custom blush Alberta Ferretti gown. The embroidered detail is so beautiful!
She looks great!

Rihanna


This black custom Giorgio Armani gown is waaaaayyyyy better than what she wore last year. 
So kudos, Rihanna!

Oh, and her gold Neil Lane accessories are perfect!

Carrie Underwood


Carrie looks beautiful and this white long-sleeved Gomez Garcia dress is pretty, but I just don't think there's anything extraordinary about this look. :/

Maybe Carrie's black Swarovski clutch doesn't go too well with the dress?

Jessie J


Jessie J usually wears wacky outfits on the red carpet, so I was happy to see her in this relatively simple metallic Julien Macdonald dress. :)

Taylor Swift


I didn't like this look at first, but it's growing on me.

I think this gold Zuhair Murad gown is beautiful and I'm glad Taylor picked it. 
Yay for trying something new!

Julianne Hough -


Julianne's black strapless Kaufman Franco gown, her hair, and her makeup -- basically the whole look -- is just kind of "Blah", in my opinion.

Fergie


I am so not feeling this Jean Paul Gaultier Couture gown... I just don't think it's right for a dress to show what you're wearing underneath (unless you're at the beach or by the pool, of course, haha!). ;)

Nicki Minaj


I don't get what the whole point of this is. It's not funny at all.
This red carpet appearance and her performance were just plain offensive and disrespectful.

Anyway, that's it for my 2012 Grammy Awards red carpet recap. :)

Whose look did you like the best? Whose look did you not like at all?
Were you able to watch the awards show?

Have a fantastic week, everyone!

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To enter, please click here.

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Saturday, February 11, 2012

Music: Lego House -- Ed Sheeran

Happy Weekend!

The song that's stuck in my head:

Lego House -- Ed Sheeran


At first I was like, "Whaaaat, Rupert Grint sings?!"... and then I realized that he's not the one singing, haha!

Which song is stuck in your head right now?

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To enter, please click here.

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Thursday, February 9, 2012

I'm dreaming of...

my future bakery! ;)

I may have mentioned a couple of times before that one of my dreams is to own a bakery.
I love to bake and I think the best part about it is seeing other people enjoy eating the stuff I make. :)

I'm thinking I'll start with a cute little bakery first -- cookies, cakes, cupcakes, etc.

bakeries

All bakeries should be so picture perfect...

And then maybe expand into a full-on cafe -- coffee and other drinks, sandwiches...

I'm a sucker for bakeries

...bread, pies, etc.


I want my bakery to be like Katherine Heigl's in Life As We Know It.


And hopefully, it will eventually turn into something like Meryl Streep's in It's Complicated.


*Sigh*

What about you? 
What are you dreaming of right now?

I hope you are all having a fantastic week!

***images from Pinterest and Google***

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To enter, please click here.

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