Berry Picking U-Pick at Emma Lea Farms, Vancouver Summer Kids-Friendly Activity

Hi girlies!

A colleague of mine introduced me to Emma Lee Farms for berry picking and I went twice this summer! The first time I picked some strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. The second time I mainly picked blueberries. I find the experience calming. And I get a big batch of fruits after. I also find it especially great when I need to host a dinner party or potluck. Prices are also a lot better than groceries stores.

My suggestion is to go there early on a Saturday. I believe they open at 8am. For the both times that I went, I arrived at around 8:40am. It gets quite crowded at around 10:30am with an inflow of families and kids. Unlike other U-Pick farms that I've heard, Emma Lea Farms doesn't require you to pick a minimum amount nor do they charge an entrance fee.

With the berries, I would make a super simple and refreshing salad that is perfect for the summer. If you're interested, I blogged about the recipe here. 

Unfortunately, the 2017 U-Pick Berry Season has ended, but it seems like pumpkin picking season will open from Oct 1 to Oct 31. If you want more information, here's Emma Lea Farms website!

Much love.

Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips Review

Hi girlies!

Today I will share my experience in trying out the Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips. I bought this from Anthropology in 2014. At that time, I was visiting my family in Toronto in around October. The dry Canadian weather had made my lips extremely dry, bloody even on some days. During a shopping trip at Yorkdale Mall with my mom, I discovered this product and was intrigued. I bought it for around CAD12. 

After some research online, the wording on the packaging has been updated a bit - now including "for dry skin, luscious lips, & glossy bits!"  I guess this is to clarify that tis product is a multi-purpose balm. This contains 15ml of product. Even though the amount is so small, a little does go a long way as you only need a tiny bit since the product is so thick. When you first apply this on your lips, it feels super smooth and amazing. However, it doesn't last for long and it doesn't seem to fix the dry lips problem. It seems like the product just sits on top of your lips giving you a short-term fix.

Effectiveness: Short-term fix, and doesn't last for long.

Texture: Very thick. Slightly sticky.

Packaging: Cute and good quality.

Price: A tad bit expensive for 15ml, but a little goes a long way.

Repurchase? Probably not since I have found my holy grail lip product - the Laneige lip sleeping mask. I did a review here if you're interested.

Much love.

Innisfree It's real squeeze strawberry face sheet mask review

Hi girlies! 

I've been slacking in the face mask department lately. I used to be really diligent with it and do it several times a week. During the past few days, my skin has been acting up a bit. Last night I had some spare time so I decided to put on a face mask and have a chill day. 

My favourite Innisfree masks include rose, bamboo and cucumber. I realized I've run out of all of those ones so I'm trying this strawberry. Apparently it has brightening effects. Some brightening face masks give off a tingling uncomfortable feeling especially when your skin is feeling sensitive. However, this Innisfree strawberry mask doesn't have that effect. While the mask is on my face, it gives off a cooling and calming sensation. The sheet itself is always stick really close to the face. The amount of essence is also adequate, not too much and not too little. After usage, my skin felt moisturized. 

I picked up this batch of face masks when I was in Korea earlier this year. I mainly purchased two brands - Innisfree and Mediheal. These two are my favourite since they're really value for money.

If you're interested in picking up this mask, Innisfree has its own online store. You can check it out here.

Much love.

Pop-Up Drive-In Movie Theatre in White Rock, Vancouver Summer Must-Do Activity

Hi girlies! I stumbled upon a groupon deal for the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 at a pop-up drive-in movie theatre that's super close to where I live. Now I'm a huge fan of drive-in movie dates as I always find them super special and different. Possibly it's because you can bring your own food and snacks with you. Or perhaps there are tons of other people lounging around in their own lawn chairs and blankets. The whole experience feels so laid back and comfortable. 

The online details showed that the gate would open at 7pm and the movie would start after 8:30pm after dusk. We started making our way after the fiance got home and showered and we picked up our sushi platter from our favourite sushi joint. We got there at around 8pm and it was already quite packed. We ended up getting a spot close to the back end which was a little disappointing as the inflatable screen wasn't as large as we'd hoped. The movie started at around 9pm as that's why the sky usually gets dark around the summer time here. Since it was a weeknight after a long day of work, I was super tired and even fell asleep during several parts of the movie unfortunately.

Even though it was not the best experience, I still had fun. You also can't beat the super good deal that I scored on at $10 for the car entry. I highly recommend checking out groupon for deals like this!

Much love. 

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser Review

Hi girlies! Back to scheduled programming on my daily routine items. Today's post is about my face cleanser - the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. Until other skincare products I've talked about recently, this is not a holy grail item. I bought this out of convenience from Walmart since I recall really liking their cream and somewhat liking this a long time ago. The price is very reasonable at around CAD10 for 500ml. 

This cleanser is way too mild and gentle for me especially after a full day of being out and about. I simply don't get that squeaky clean feeling after using it. I even can go as far as saying that I've been seeing my chin break out a little because it's not been the cleanest. I believe it may be more appropriate to treat this as a morning cleanser and choose something that would be stronger for night time usage. Because this is not what I need as a cleanser, I am not in the market for a good cleansing oil. If any of you have any good recommendations, please let me know!

Effectiveness: Too gentle for my liking. It may be a good choice for mornings, but I prefer something that would give me that squeaky clean feeling especially after a full day of being out and about.

Packaging: Large bottle.

Price: Very reasonable at about CAD10 for 500ml

Repurchase? Probably not.

Much love.

Banana Republic Haul

Hi girlies! Just sneaking in a little haul in the middle of all the review posts that I've been doing. The fiance is at work today on a Sunday so I decided to head out to some outlet stores near by. I literally am 10 minutes walk away from these shops! Most of the time I try to steer away, but I figured it might be a good idea to add some transitional pieces to my work wardrobe since the weather is expected to be cooler soon.

I picked up two pieces from Banana Republic - a pair of white stretchy pants in 4P and a lace skirt in 2.

I find that the pants in 4P from Banana Republic normally fits me pretty well. Whenever I see them at the clearance, I would take all of them to the changing room with me. This time, I found 3 pairs but ended up just picking up this white number since the other pair of white pants I own is a pair of distressed denim which I can't wear to work. The fit and the length are also lovely. It hits about 2 inches above my ankle so it's definitely more suitable for autumn than winter. My wardrobe currently lacks pants because I'm used to wearing skirts and dresses in the hot humid weather in Hong Kong. I'm sure when the cooler weather rolls around, I'll make a lot of use out of these. Oh I haven't mentioned prices yet - these were discounted from CAD 89.99 to 39.99. Not a bad deal at all!

The lace skirt wasn't from the clearance section but Banana Republic was having a 40% off all skirts sales. When I passed by this little number, I couldn't resist not taking it to the change room with me. I purposely picked a regular size instead of a petite because as I age, I now prefer skirts that are a tad bit longer. I normally wear a 4, but I had to size down to a 2 as this skirt fits really big. I love the fit and the delicate lace details. The black lining inside goes down to about 1 or 2 inches above the knee so my knees would peak through in the lace at the bottom. It's very pretty. This skirt was 40% off from CAD 89.99 so about $54.

Unfortunately I'm not able to find these items on the Banana Republic website for you all. I suspect this is because the store that I went is an outlet store so the styles might not be available anymore. Anyway hope y'all are enjoying the weekend :)

Much love.

Manufaktura Face Elixir Nourishing Cream with Thermal Salt and Rose Oil Review

Hi girlies! To continue my blogging trend of daily routine products, I will talk about the Manufaktura Face Elixir today. During my trip to Europe in May this year, one of the stops was Prague, Czech Republic. I only stayed there for about two days, but its food and beauty are engrained within me. I saw the Manufaktura shops around town quite a few times, but I never bothered walking in. Since I had time to kill and Czech money to left to spend, I stopped by the store at the airport and I picked up several things including the Manufactura Face Elixir. 

I've been using this product as a day cream for a few months now. The word "elixir" always reminds me of serums. However, this product is nowhere like a serum. It is a legit moisturizing cream. A thick one that is. Even though it's thick, it's not too heavy. I've actually been really enjoying pairing this with my Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate since it wasn't moisturizing enough for me. If you're interested, I did a review on the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate here in this blogpost. I do feel that this product helps with firming up my skin as well as giving the skin a better complexion as it has a slight pink tint to it.

The price point is very reasonable at 259 czk which is around CAD 15. You can 15ml of products, and I really only need a tiny bit each time I apply. This product has a floral scent. The website claims that it is wild rose. It may remind you of an old lady scent if this is not your cup of tea. Personally I don't mind it too much.

If you're interested in picking one up, I believe you can do that on their official site here. If you're ever visiting Prague, I think this is a brilliant little souvenirs for friends and families! I actually bought some little lip balms for that purpose.

Effectiveness: This is a good moisturizing cream that helps with firming up my skin as well as giving the skin a better complexion.

Texture: Thick but not too heavy.

Packaging: Comes with a pump. Lightweight and compact packaging is a plus.

Price: Very reasonable at about CAD15

Repurchase? Yes if it is easily accessible to me

Before I end this post, I will share some more pictures from my trip to Prague. Hope you guys will enjoy :)

Much love.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask Review

Hi girlies! A holy grail product that I've been using religiously for the past year or so is the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask. I first bought it in Korea in 2016. I believe it was a new product at that time. During a shopping trip, I picked it up since it was quite reasonably priced at around HKD1xx. I always have dry lips especially in the winter so I figured why not give it a try! To add to that, Laneige has always been one of my favourite brands and a well trusted one for my skin type.

The product came with a little applicator that is super cute and pink, but I have managed to lose it in the past few months :( so now I use my fingers to apply the product. It makes my fingers a bit sticky after, but I really can't complain for losing things.

The texture is super smooth and the scent is lovely. It's not sticky at all. However, if you apply too much (which you can easily do if you use the applicator), it would feel a bit oily for bit before the product gets absorbed into the skin. 

During Christmas last year, as I was running low on my favourite serum, I bought a Christmas set from Laneige that came with the little lip sleeping mask in travel size. Isn't it super cute? The container is made of a lighter material so it's really perfect for traveling. 

I just found out that there are now different flavours that come in different coloured containers! How cute are these! I want to try them all!

Effectiveness: A lot of moisture packed into this little jar for your dry lips! This product has earned its holy grail status in my heart in terms of lip products!

Texture: Smooth. Not sticky. Can be oily if you apply too much.

Packaging: Cute, generally lightweight. The applicator is a nice touch.

Price: Very reasonable.

Repurchase? Yes!

Much love.

Furla Stacy Bucket Bag Review

Hi girlies! Let's talk about bags! The Furla Stacy Bucket Bag has been one of my favourites for the past two years. Not only is it easy to pair with outfits, lightweight, fits a ton, the price point is also unbeatable. I bought this at Lafayette in Paris two years ago when I was visiting my friend after a road trip down in Bordeaux. At that time, I recall that the bucket bag trend was super popular. But up till this day, I still use it loads despite the trend has died down a bit. 

I believe this style is considered a classic at Furla as it's still available season after season although the colours offered in each season may be different. The one I have is a beige colour. I remember having a real hard time picking a colour since there were so many! A little disclaimer is that my version is from 2015 and Furla may have improved the design since then. I have not been to the store lately to assess the differences so I can't speak for newer versions.

I personally don't like bucket bags that have a circle bottom since it makes the bag look wider, and in turn, would make me look wider. This Furla one has a rectangular bottom which gives it a slimmer shape which I enjoy!

The interior is made of calfskin. When it was new, the feeling was extremely luxurious. However, after a couple of years, there has been major wear and tear as you may be able to see from the close-up picture. I don't use this bag as a daily bag, but it's definitely a go-to option during weekends or for casual dinners. It's very disappointing that the texture has become very rough especially towards the top where there is a lot of contact with items going in and out of the bag.

The overall shape of the bag held up pretty well I would say. Of course, it's not in perfect condition as when I first purchased it. And I don't tend to baby it too much. Given the situation, I think it's still quite acceptable.

The exterior is in textured leather which I personally love. I feel like it makes the bag a little more interesting and the textured leather makes it more durable being less prone to scratches. After two years, I'd say the exterior is still in great condition. I know Furla offers smooth leather finishes as well for this bag.

The bag also came with removable zipper pouch that I forgot the photograph. It's so practical that I was using it as a wallet for over a year when I was in Hong Kong. It was perfect for my lifestyle at that time where I needed a small pouch that was just big enough to store my cards, phone, office pass and some cash all in one, that I could just take with me during lunch without bringing my entire bag. 

I think this bag is great value for money and I highly recommend it! Since the calfskin interior requires more delicate care, you may want to consider if that would work for your lifestyle.

Here are some colours options that are available on Furla's site currently:

Moonstone in smooth leather / Kaki in smooth leather / Black Onyx in textured leather

Much love.

Nature Republic Botanical Eyebrow Coating Cara Review

Hi girlies!

I've never been a brow girl my entire life, but ever since I started dying my hair in a lighter colour about a year and a half ago, I had to find a way to make my black bushy brows not stand out as much. At that time, my girlfriend gave me her Natural Republic eyebrow coating gel to try and I can't turn back ever since. Now I'm a newbie in brow products so there might be other products out there that perform much better than this. However, I'm quite satisfied by what this has to offer and the price point is extremely reasonable that I don't mind sticking around and not feel the need to test my luck with other brow products from other brands.

I repurchased this particular one in Korea earlier this year since for some odd reasons, I had trouble finding a Nature Republic in Hong Kong. Since I have an abundance amount of brow hair already, the only thing I feel that I need is to coat it in a lighter colour. The colour I have is 04 which should be the darker brown with a slight red tint.

It generally lasts all day and it doesn't slip and slide on my face. When the product is new, you have to be super light handed as the brush would be filled with an abundance of products. Be careful or else your face and your make up table would become messy real quick! At night when I wash my face, I would notice that there are little pieces of rubbery texture. Just be sure of wash them all away. They come off pretty quickly. 

The price is very reasonable at about 6,000 won which is around HKD40. How can you beat that for a reasonable product right?

Much love.

YSL Forever Light Creator UV Protection Review

Hi girlies! It's the summer time (despite that it flew by so quickly - I can't believe August is almost half gone)! I want to talk about my YSL Forever Light Creator UV Protection today. I got this a while back at a YSL counter inside SOGO in Hong Kong. The reason for that shopping trip was because I had some spare time to kill before meeting up some friends so I hopped into the department store to check out the YSL foundation cushion which I did end up buying, but I will review that product in another post. 

The Forever Light Creator has been my go-to product if I want lightweight coverage with adequate sun protection at SPF 50 PA+++. This product can by no means replace foundation as it has close to no coverage. However, it gives off a dewy finish on my skin for that radiant look. For daytime outings, I would use this along with a concealer to cover up red spots or trouble areas, and I'm good to go. It feels super lightweight and it doesn't slip and slide on my face throughout the day since liquid foundation tends to do that for me especially in summer. The scent is lovely as well. 

The price tag, however, is quite steep at around HKD500. You get 30ml of products, but you don't need a lot per use as a little goes a long way.

Effectiveness: Adequate sun protection. Perfect for daytime outings paired with a concealer if you don't need a lot of coverage.

Texture: LIghtweight. A little goes a long way. Dewy finish.

Packaging: Travel friendly. Easy to use.

Price: Steep

Repurchase? Maybe not due to the steep price. Will try to explore cheaper alternatives.

Much love.

23 Years Old Badecasil P 7 in 1 Solution Korean Review

Hi girlies! 

Today I would like to share a product that I've been using on a daily basis lately. It's the 23 Years Old Badecasil P 7 in 1 Solution Cream. I got introduced to this by my girlfriend when she asked me to help her buy the day cream (the one in the pink tube) when I was traveling to Korea earlier this year. She said that she was using the night cream and she has been enjoying it. So when I was picking the pink tube for her, I went ahead and picked up the night version for myself to try as it was extremely reasonably priced (at around CAD20) so why not.

I find that it has a calming effect, making my skin feel less irritated. I tend to need to use a generous amount to be able to feel like my skin is moisturized enough (and that is on top of my serum already). I recommend not to use this only, and to apply this along with other serum or moisturizer.

In terms of packaging, I find that it's very travel friendly since it's lightweight and doesn't occupy a lot of space. Do try to put the cap back on right away though as the product tends to drip out rather quickly.

I did a quick search online and found it quite difficult to track it down. I believe this is still hard to find especially in North America. And perhaps in Hong Kong as well. That's why my girlfriend asked me to help her buy it in Korea.

Texture: Lightweight. Need to apply a generous amount to feel moisturized. Recommend to pair this with other serums or moisturizers.
Packaging: Lightweight and travel friendly
Price: Very reasonable
Repurchase? Yes if I can track it down

Much love.

Chanel Pouch Review

Hi girlies! Today I want to share a purchase I made in summer last year at Chanel. It's the Chanel pouch. I bought this because I was lacking a dark coloured purse that I could take on night outs, isn't too bulky, and still within a reasonable price. After some online browsing on Chanel's website, I decided to hit up the Chanel store in Times Square in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. During that visit, I saw a few choices, but I wasn't ready to make the purchase yet. On the next day, my friend and I decided to pop by the store in Harbour City in TST as we were around that area. We were paired with a very friendly sales associate who provided a large selection of pouches for us to choose from after asking us what we were interested in. 

I believe that Chanel pouches usually come in two different sizes. Mine is the smaller one and it's the perfect size for me. It fits a lot of stuff especially due to its zipper closure at the top. It came in black and dark blue. Even though it might be difficult to tell from the pictures, mine is actually the dark blue. The difference between the two colours is very subtle. I chose the blue since blue is my favourite colour and the subtle difference from black makes it a bit more interesting. Unfortunately, I couldn't capture a good picture of the inside. It's a maroon colour and the texture is as if it's made out of foam suitable for carrying an iPad. I love this since it feels durable.

I've used it numerous times since getting it last year. I'd say maybe even more than my Chanel East West flap since I got it 6 years ago. If you're interested, I did a blog post about it here! I feel like the pouch gives off a more effortless look. Not only is it suitable for formal events like attending a wedding, it's also great for casual nights out like going out for dinner.

Other options that I've tried on the shopping day was one in an envelope style. Not only was it more expensive as it was one of the travel collections, the leather was more delicate (which would not be a good idea for clumsy people like me), the envelope style has a v shape design so it couldn't fit as much and I would need to be more careful with holding it.

In terms of price, I paid about HKD7k which I think it's a total steal considering that it's Chanel and the number of times I've used it. I recall that the sales associate mentioned that there is a more basic design that sold for around HKD5k. However, that one is not as special and it's really hard to get due to its low price, and especially for popular colours such as black. 

If you're interested in getting one, I recommend stalking Chanel's website for all the new designs. When there's one that sparks your interest, then go in to the store to see if it's available. I'll share a few below as alternative options.

Left / Right

Aren't the tassel details to die for? Both would be such timeless pieces!

Hope you all enjoyed today's sharing. Much love.

Kate Spade Tassel Earrings

Hi girlies! Happy long weekend Monday :) I'm so glad that there's no work today and I can just sit around and blog in this beautiful weather.

One fashion trend that I'm loving lately is the tassel earrings trend. I love seeing these lovely and classy styles everywhere from both high end and high street brands. Even though I'm not a big earrings wearer, I couldn't resist jumping on this bandwagon a few weeks ago during a shopping trip when my girlfriend came to visit Vancouver. I'm sure I can find an occasion to wear them - I'm thinking the upcoming wedding that I need to attend or girly dinners during my visit to Hong Kong in Sept. We stopped by the NcArthurGlen Outlet mall in Richmond and there was a huge sale at Kate Spade where I picked up these lovely white tassel earrings. I believe after the discount, I paid around CAD20 for them. What a steal right?

I did also purchased a couple of other items at Kate Spade during that shopping trip. Perhaps I will share those in another post in the future.

Another earrings trend that I've been eyeing is the ball drop trend (I think that's what it's called, but it does sound weird after saying it a few times :P). Here are a few that I want to share from browsing online way too much!

Kate Spade - golden girl bauble drop earrings $58 / Moda Operandi Rebecca - De Ravenel

Classic Silk Corded Clip Earrings $298

Let me know if you're liking these statement earrings trends or not, or if so, have you picked up anything lately? :D

Much love.