January 30, 2010

Blueberry Banana Smoothie - Personal Recipe


I made THE best smoothie today. This is my concoction. I really like my other version, too (using fresh banana with a bit of green on it), but this is just better.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen blueberries (I like to use the more sour, smaller blueberries and save the plump ones for eating unfrozen)
1 frozen banana. My dad showed me this. He froze a banana that  was going to go bad noone wanted to eat and then popped it into a microwave for 10 seconds to soften the peel and then cut the peel off with a knife.
1/4 cup flavoured yogurt - we bought a litre tub of Danone peach yogurt so I just poured a bit in. Usually I use the cup Danone in Vanilla 'cause noone eats the vanilla ones on its own.
1/2 cup milk

I use the Magic Bullet. That's pretty much all we use it for in this house.. for smoothies.. and my dad makes his version of protein shakes (yuck) in it, too. Honestly, I didn't measure anything, but the measurements above are approximately how much I put in. The good thing about smoothies is that you can't really mess it up 'cause if it's lacking something, you can always put more in and blend again. You gotta cut the banana into chunks so it fits and then blend up! It's perfectly thick (I like mine to be quite thick).

I believe that the order that you put the ingredients really helps in the blending. I put the blueberries first, then the yogurt.. but you gotta make sure the yogurt doesn't cover all the blueberries - there should be a bit of a hole so that the milk can seep down. If not, the yogurt becomes a suction and if you're making a lot, there won't be any room for the banana because the milk is taking its spot. SPILL!  Oh, and you don't want to put the milk with the blueberries or it makes the blueberries clump together which also doesn't blend as quickly. So, after the blueberries, yogurt, and milk, you put in the banana. Lid on. BLEND for about a minute, shaking it in between! Great colour, too... and of course healthy + filling!

Enjoy! 

Random SS10/RTW

Random outfits that caught my eye from various designers from Spring 2010 collection. Pre-Fall 2010 is out now. These runway shows always mess us up with their earliness but I guess other designers need to compile and synthesize their own takes on the trends before it comes out for us to buy!
Balmain
Dior
Bow sleeves so cute!
Carolina Herrera
Erin Fetherston
Love everything about this look
Chanel

From looking at the massive collection of sherbet metallic tweed short suits, I'm dying for a cropped, softly metallic tweed blazer! I just realized I didn't save any pictures of their tweed suits.....
Tory Burch
Lanvin
Love this drapey orange dress

DKNY
Love love love love love!! Sequins on top!! My fav.
Alexander Wang
Wasn't too fond of Alexander Wang's whole "American Classic Twist" concept with rugby jackets etc.. but this dress is wearable.
Fall RTW looks so gloomy compared to Spring!

January 29, 2010

3.1 Phillip Lim SS10/RTW

T-strapped close-toed pumps, satin black, red peeptoe lace-up booties, the metallic blazer dress, grays, cinched duo-shade a-line dresses, metallics, high waisted, cream oxford pumps, the leather jacket with cream lining, overall easy-wear. I didn't really think the whole flow was greatly executed, but I like every outfit individually.  If I saw these outfits in different stores around Vancouver, I'd probably pick them up to try them on, but if they were all in one store, I'd probably only choose the metallic blazer dress and the ivory dress in the 3rd row. Anyway, that's 3.1 Phillip Lim!
P.S. Anyone notice the adorable hair?? That's the kind of hair I'd give my toddler! lol yet it suddenly becomes chic because of the clothes and its slickness.

January 28, 2010

DVF SS10/RTW

Dropped waists, crocheted macrame, free flowing hair, breezy Spring florals, bronze sandals, chunky neon bangles, animal-print-transformed swimsuits, rose gold blazers, and fabulous little white dresses.
This is Diane von Furstenberg.

Credit to style.com

January 27, 2010

Burberry Prorsum SS10/RTW







Credit to style.com
I just realized I previewed around half of the Spring 2010 rtw collections on style.com back in late October! hah.. I want every piece of clothing from this collection.
Oh so btw, I bought this trench from H&M last week. I instantly fell in like with it because it was different! It's a classic colour and material, but it had some excess material detailing which made it fairly heavy (and warm.. not exactly a Spring trench). They only had 3 left in varying sizes, but after trying this one on, I decided I will return it unless I can exchange for a size down. I really like it.. my mom doesn't really, and my dad says that it's a lot of material lol. This trench is different because it looks totally funny if I wear it just buttoned, double-breasted-style. I need to literally wrap it around me and then belt it. Yea it stays put fine.. I like it that way 'cause it looks like a dress.  Sorry for such crappy pictures.. like I said, my camera broke and I had to use my mom's (super super super old) 3.2mp Canon that produces pink-toned or streaked pictures...

You can also wear it open and all bow-like in the back (if I could see what I was doing) for a different look. I actually like how fold-y it is when I do it.

January 26, 2010

Last Weekend...


Shogo had his farewell party at Posh, Friday night! People think, since I work there, I eat there a lot and should be an expert sukiyaki eater.. but in truth, I only eat there 5-6 times a year and I'm actually pretty clumsy...


At the end of the night, B and I rode the skytrain home and to my happiness, they had pasted a large floor poster of the Olympic mascots! I think they did a great job in designing these little buggers 'cause I love them... especially the offical sidekick, Muk Muk!


Speaking of Olympics, they have been putting up various artsy things on Granville Street for the past two weeks... and Robson is teeming with "Canadian pride" posters, ads, and merchandise.

The building houses The Hudson Bay Company (HBC) department store.

Lantern trees - most of them are drawn by kids, though there are some professionally done and some branded ones, too. Some creepy man (and my chipmunk cheeks) ruined my picture.

Piece of garbage.. kid saying "hello" to M. HI! (I meant the piece of art is garbage (not the kid) but not in the connotative sense)

Here are the Olympic gloves in the window display for The Bay that keep getting sold out.

Earlier on Saturday, I went with my parents to inspect our new house for minor flaws, nicks, etc. We all had green painter's tape and taped every little thing that needed some TLC for an hour. The house sure looks much better now that everything has been put in and cleaned.  I have a bit more room on my bathroom counter than I thought I would get.  My dad showed me the neatest thing! On the side, hidden under the kitchen island, there's this 3/4 foot narrow slot-type thing where you can open it and it automatically sucks in the air so you can easily sweep in dust/dirt/whatever you spill without having to carry out the big vacuum! Genious.
Then I had lunch @ Hon's (Chinese "fast food") with Jess who came back from her exchange to Singapore, her friend Henny visiting from Germany, her friend Morgan, and M. We had a vegetarian lunch and I tried fake chicken for the first time. It was MSGed-deliciousness! I think it's just "jai" (a bean curd), though. I'd totally order it again.

I was waiting for the picture before I posted this, but I don't think it's going to come for a while. I wore my "cocoon", as I call it, that day It's a huuuugely oversized beige  dolman-style sweater that's super thick, warm and cozy. No wind can penetrate that thing! It was actually one of the "risks" I took when ordering from Zipia and I'm glad I have it but it's not something I wear or would wear often.

Sunday was another eat-out day haha.. M and I tried the new Sushi Town out in North Vancouver for lunch! Sushi Town has been the "it" spot for me and my friends when it comes to sushi. I guess they've been doing well since they now have three locations.  The one we usually go to is this very modest-looking shop that's almost always busy on Hastings, down the hill from SFU.  It's Korean-owned.  What we love about it is that it's very reasonably priced and sells the fresh, generous slices of salmon sashimi!  You can get 9 huge pieces for $7.95CAD! It's so much we think we've consumed half a salmon by the end of our meal.  This is the full order, missing 2 pieces haha

My friends and I also love their version of "spicy salmon sashimi". I don't know what they do to it, but it's delicious and flavourful.  We usually order a half-order for $4.50 or something like that but it looks like a full order.


Anyway, the North Vancouver restaurant is such a modern place - a huge contrast to their original location. It reminded me a lot of Joey's (another restaurant in Vancouver) interior! That restaurant had a good variety of seating from long, crushed, red velvet quilted-back banquettes to raised booths that fit either 2, 4, or 6 people with cute little tree-like hooks between booths where you can hang your coat. Intimate.  M and I both agreed that it would be a great place for a date haha They even had those "slide-in" scallop booths (as I call it) where the long bench is a U-shape.  Didn't take any pictures of the decor. I will next time.

Anyway, for some reason, the servers seemed to be much more chipper than the ones at the Burnaby location, but some of their English skills aren't great.
I tried asking one server (because I was curious what kind of estaurant Sushi Town took over to have such decor):

Me: Which restaurant/what kind of restaurant did Sushi Town take over?
Her: Ohhhh... you want... take out???
Me: No, take over. [think think think] Ok, before Sushi Town, what restaurant was here?
Her: Ohhhh.... [silence] sorry...
haha aw I felt sorry for her. Didn't end up getting an answer. I'll ask again next time.
Everything is plated so much more nicely, too ^^. I heard that they're fully booked for the whole week at night for large parties! That's amazing, I think! Maybe I'll have my birthday party there. It's chic and affordable!
Worked for the 2nd time this month because I took over a shift for my coworker. Had a couple of funny tables and a polite group of 12 that drank a LOT. I was weary whether I should fulfill their drink requests... I think they came out at a bit over $50 per person including tax and gratuity! But huspaz for me ^^