Chanel Earrings

I was bored at home and was surfing the net (what a deadly thing to do). I came across these cute pair of earrings from Chanel's website. It's part of their current collection, so I figured they should have some available. It's a grey star, with a grey/black stud at the top. Hard to describe but it was super cute.

Last week I decided to check it out in store.

Yorkdale's Chanel is currently undergoing an expansion so you won't be able to walk in from Holt Renfrew. Instead you have to walk all the way into the mall and enter from the mall entrance. Not sure how long this has been going on for but I haven't been to the mall in a while, and this was new to me.

Since it was a weekend, it was super busy. Not surprised at all. All the SAs were busy helping customers with bags and what not. So I patiently waited until someone was free. By this time, a couple of people were also in the same boat as I am. Security eventually sealed off the entrance because it was getting busy inside, so of course there was a line up forming outside of Chanel. Good thing I made it in earlier.

Eventually one of the SAs became free and I snatched him for help. I asked about these particular pair of earrings and he went to check their stock. Unfortunately for me, they did not have any in stock anymore. And when they mean not in stock, it's basically sold out. Jewelry tends to sell out very fast apparently. I didn't know.

I was disappointed.

However, the SA did show me the entire collection of what they have in store in case anything peaked my interest. So here I was, looking for anything that might make me change my mind. And it did.

Normally that does not happen with me when I shop. I'm like a dude, where it's I know what I want beforehand, I go in and buy it and then leave to go home. Shopping around to see if anything peaks my interest is not my cup of tea. But this was very rare.

I asked about this new pair that I saw and he showed them to me, allowed me to check it out in the mirror to see how it would look like. I really liked them. Unfortunately for me though, these were the last pair. Bummer. However, he did say people were not allowed to try them on in store, so they were never worn. There are no refunds on jewelry, so they are final sale. But I knew they would match me, because they're blue.

The other one that caught my eye was the exact same pair, except in a different colour. I asked about those ones, and he checked. They were also the last pair left. I said what the heck, I'll take them both.

And so I did.

My first pair of Chanel earrings. The other pair has gone to a long time friend of mine for her birthday (waiting for a scream, and a "I will kill you" comment) so I did not do a photo shoot since I didn't want to ruin the packaging. They're the same design, just different colour.

So here it is:

Forgot to take a picture with the ribbon neatly on. Oops.

Here they are! They're actually blue but the lighting was a bit bright. They're massive as well. They do hang below the earlobe.

You can see the blue a bit better now, with the blue Chanel bag below.

One obvious thing I did observe is the level of the crystals. If you read my previous post a while ago about fake Chanel earrings, I mentioned the crystals were not aligned (some were higher than others, and they came off very easily). You would have to see it at eye level or use a magnifying glass. These ones are perfectly aligned. They are also super shiny.

They are also heavy. Unlike the fakes I received, they were super light and felt cheap. This one you can tell the quality is way better. So you will know when you end up losing an earring because the weight of it will hold your earlobe down a bit. Nonetheless, I have worn it once already and they are awesome. Not super heavy, but enough to know that you're wearing a pair of earrings.

I'm happy to say that this first pair of Chanel earrings was a success. The fake ones I received are long gone in the garbage, already destroyed. This is what I call quality. 

It's Autumn Time!

With the weather getting cold these days, it's an unfortunate sign that snow is just around the corner. But...there is one great thing about autumn: beautiful fall leaves.

Recently went on a trip up north to check out the lovely leaves. First time in Sault St. Marie, and attended the Agawa Canyon train trip. It was an 8 hour long round trip (and trust me, when you've been waking up early everyday for a tour, it sounds like a long trip). However, the view was beautiful. We climbed up the stairs to go to one of the viewing decks and it was beautiful. We were blessed with really great weather (and also not too cold). It was a sold out train trip (I believe there were about 16 train cars and all of them were fully booked), so it got pretty busy when trying to hike through some trails.

Didn't get enough time to check out some of their waterfalls. I found that some of the trails led you through twists and turns but if you really wanted to see the nearest waterfall, just walk along the train tracks and then you see it. Better than going through the entire maze and then realize you could've just walked straight.

We went right before the long Thanksgiving weekend, and pretty thankful for that as the weekend weather was not very good. Plus the tour groups had increased their prices as well.

*************************

October 1, 2017 was also another day to be remembered.

58 people were killed when Stephen Paddock opened fire at a Route 91 festival in Las Vegas, just steps from the Strip. Paddock was in a suite at the Mandalay Bay hotel and shot from there.

Normally I don't post about stuff like this, because there are a lot more things happening in this world that are just as equally as sad. But this one hit me close to home, as Vegas is like a second home to me. It's been the most visited place on my list, and so it did sadden me when I woke up to the news of this event.

It also shook me quite a bit because a few months ago when I discussed where to travel, I suggested Vegas for that weekend, then fly back during the week to check out the autumn leaves. Dad agreed but mom seemed bored from going to Vegas again. She kept insisting that she wanted to check out 2 different places for autumn leaves, rather than one place and Vegas.

So of course we went with her suggestion and did the 2 different autumn leaves visit. Little did we know that the event happened. If she had agreed previously, we would've been in Vegas that same weekend, and most likely, walking near Route 91 to listen to music (as mom and I are avid music people and curious people in general).

My heart breaks for everyone who got caught up on that day. The stories I have read about those who have passed, the heroes, everyone involved...it brought me to tears the entire week. Although it was a terrible situation to be in, there was still a lot of good happening - those who shielded loved ones or strangers, those who helped the injured, those who drove the injured to hospitals - the light still shone through.

We should not be afraid to stand up against evil - we will not let evil win.

*************************

I got volunteered to present at a conference the upcoming week. I am nervous as heck. It was already pretty stressful putting the Powerpoint together. But the most stressful part is not having anyone present with me as well. It's a small team I guess, but people were afraid to help. Or people backed out. So there was some uncertainty as to whether I could still do this on my own. However, I know I can't back out of it now. Just hope for the best and hope people don't ask difficult questions. Most importantly, I hope I don't blank out during the presentation.

Preparing for the exam has also been exhausting, although I think I should've put much more effort into it. However this month has been busy prepping for the exam, presentation, and working on another abstract for another conference. Trying to go back and forth between those 3 was pretty exhausting. Can't wait for next month to finally arrive when it will all be over. For now.

*************************

I was browsing through IG and came across an account (@mehrozm) that was full of drama. I normally don't talk smack about accounts but this really caught my eye because 1) She lives in the 6ix 2) She's mentally unstable and needs help.

From what I've gathered (this is by reading her posts, and also going back to the initial trigger), she met a couple of car people/entrepreneurs when they came to Yorkville earlier in the year. Sparky (with the Pagani Huayra) and Kris Singh (Lambo) came from USA to attend an event here and displayed their cars for all to gawk at. Prior to that, there wasn't really any posts about cars or anything about them.

She has stated she met Sparky briefly but not Kris. She also seemed to exert sadness that she didn't get to meet Kris.

After taking a couple of pictures of their cars (and her son) and posting it on her page, it started taking a weird turn, where she starts accusing Kris of blackmailing her and stealing all her money, as well as being involved in human trafficking of her kid. It's because of these "actions" that he's able to be the rich guy that he is, and being able to acquire the cars he has.

Since then, she's been blatantly accusing him of being a scam and trying to bring him down by posting negative things about him, as well as "contacting" the FBI to bring him down because of what he's doing (pretty sure FBI isn't even reading her emails sent to them).

Here's the twist: she's never met Kris before.

I mean ok, I wasn't there nor do I know either of the party, but from a very public post and life story, I can tell that they have never met. And to me, it seems as though she's using his fame to bring fame upon herself to get money for her own gain.

She also posts about how they live in affordable housing, can't afford any food, but yet posts pictures of them at Disney World, and buying handbags or make up products. It just doesn't make any sense. There is obviously some mental issues going on, and I hope that she gets the help she needs because she is wrecking havoc on people whom she's never met before. Her kid is going to grow up with either confusion or resentment against his mom.

Her account got exposed to another public account with a wider audience, and now her comment sections of her posts are being filled with negative comments from all around the world. People are angry, yes. However, if you're dealing with someone who is mentally unstable, those can really become harmful words. I would not like to see her take her life over something so dumb, but at the same time, she needs to acknowledge she has a problem and she needs help.

Anyways, I've seen people asking what the heck is the story behind all this. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out if you go back to where it all started.

Rocket Dog Platforms

I didn't realize that so much time has passed since I last mentioned about me picking up my shoes.

So here it is!

Originally I had picked up a pair when I was in Vegas. I saw them at Forever 21 and thought, maybe I could rock these. Just maybe. The size was the issue. My feet are exactly 9.2. So a size 9 would be too small, but a 10 would be too big. A 9.5 is what I usually go for but they didn't offer half sizes in these shoes. It's only a 9 or 10. I chose the 10, although it was a huge debate as to get a 9 or not. They both fit fine, although the 10 offered a bit more room.

However, I find the straps are a bit tad big. I'm not sure if it's because Americans have thicker feet or what. On some reviews, I read it's best to go up a size with this company. In a way I sort of regret not getting a size smaller. But to be honest when I was in the store, they both felt the same at that time. It isn't until later on when I broke into them that I debated with myself again.

Anyways, this brings me to checking out their website. I have never heard of Rocket Dog until I purchased my first pair. I have never seen these shoes sold in Canada before.

I browse through the sites and noticed they have a lot of various platform sandals and shoes. It was like 1998 all over again with Spice Girls!

Then I came upon these platforms: Rainbow platforms to be exact. It's about 3 inches in height. Unfortunately there is no local store that carry these platforms so I had to order directly off the website. Which brings me to another problem: I had trouble shipping it to Canada.

I'm not sure why but every time it asked for a billing and shipping address, it wouldn't proceed further because it didn't recognize Canada as international, although they do offer shipping to international places. I'm not sure if I was just too tired that day but I spent a good hour and a half trying to figure it out and I couldn't. No matter what I did, it wouldn't work.

The great thing about it is they accept Paypal payments. Then I shipped it to a friend's place in the USA. The next problem was finding time to go over and pick them up!

After almost 2 months (and close to the return/exchange policy deadline), I was able to finally pick them up. I kept saying to myself these better be worth it. It better be worth the trip there and back!

So here are some pictures! Prepare for some rainbow!

The box was a bit wrinkled when I opened it but aside from that, the most important thing is that the product did not get damaged from shipment.

Oh. My. Rainbow.

The underside of it. Little hearts! Considering how cheap the soles are made, these will be destroyed after about 1-2 wears.

Instead of the Rocket Dog logo, they have ESRD on it. I believe it's a collaboration.

The two dogs I currently own. Bottom one is from Vegas.

The straps on the Rainbow I found were a bit loose. It comes with 3 holes already, but even at the tightest, the top strap still does not hold my foot down as secure as I want. It was a bit dangerous because one slip and there goes the ankle.

I was able to go to a shoe repair store to get a fourth hole punctured. Now that I wear them, they are nice and secure so I don't have to worry about my foot slipping out. I have no yet worn these in public, so it will be interesting to see what happens. 

Pros: light-weight, very colourful, comfortable to wear, gives you a good height boost.

Cons: upper strap is a bit loose (best to get another hole puncture), the soles are cheap and will get destroyed quick (but they are still wearable). There have been reviews on other sandals that the straps have actually come out of the shoe, resulting in injuries. Nothing on these ones yet. Fingers crossed.

One of my nieces love them so much she always tries them on when she visits me. And of course I always tell her to be careful since her feet do not fit properly in these. She tells me if I don't want them in the future, to give it to her to wear! Yes little one, if your feet grow to the size of mine, of course you can!

I have gotten a few stares while wearing the pair from Vegas, but I think it was people's reactions when they saw a tall Asian lady that towered over them. Because you know, usually Asian women are petite/short. So of course they would freak out when they see this Godzilla walking towards them. I have been told I'm tall enough (about 5'6-5'7) so these would make me about 5'10. 

There is still time to start wearing these, so I'll give another review once I start wearing them properly outdoors! Stay tuned and have a lovely week!

Hot Damn!

This sucks to say but it feels like we are already halfway into summer. And I haven't even taken a break yet.

It's been a few weeks since I last blogged and a lot has happened lately, but nothing too exciting. Pretty boring stuff, mostly work related as usual. Any topics to fly off the top of my head right now? Let's see...

I signed myself up for this speciality national exam. Oh great, wish me the best. I really hope I pass. I've been told it's intense and it requires a lot of studying. Knowing me, I need to start months in advance to help me remember things. I look back at those days as a student and man oh man. I ended up cramming everything to the last minute. However, this is one I can't do because there's so much old and new information to absorb. There's medications to memorize, new and old, as well as side effects and interactions. Thankfully I have until mid November, but still, it's been stressful lately trying to figure out how to study for this exam. It's too bad there isn't one of those prep books. Most information is based off of current studies in medicine, which makes it even harder. But I'll try. If it's meant to be, then it's meant to be.

Ho hum! Did anyone read about those 3 police officers who were accused of sexually assaulting a parking enforcer officer during a party? The 3 have been acquitted because the judge felt that it was difficult to find the 3 guilty based on the plantiff's inability to recall accurate details about the event.

In media, they make it seem like it's the girl's fault because she was "slutty" and came onto the men, and was highly intoxicated. The men have said at times that the girl was the one who wanted to have an orgy.

Overall, I don't really know what to think, except this: they're all at least in their 30's. I'll play devil's advocate. If you're at that age that you can't control how much you drink, then that's a huge problem. One of the officers was so drunk, he kept puking all night, including at the hotel lobby. Men or women, if you do that in your 30's, something is really wrong with your brain.

She was also the only one in a group of men she didn't even know, partying with them and going to a strip club to continue the party. Then of course the officers lied to the hosts at the strip club, claiming they're directors or members from a porno company.

I'm going to say both the men and woman are guilty in behaving like irresponsible adults. If you had responsible adults, they'd be looking out for one another. And two, there's a Chinese saying that having one girl within a group of guys is so "casual". In other words, the girl is cheap.

I feel bad that she had to be humiliated in front of friends, family, and coworkers that she had to go through that ordeal. However, at age 36, you should know how much your limit of drinking is, as well as partying with guys you don't even know. Same with the guys. They're at the age where it's family man syndrome. Not 18 year olds drinking for the first time and seeing who can survive without puking first.

Now that I got that off my chest, onto the next random topic.

This one is for the ladies (or men) out there. I recently had this experience where I took out my classic flap bag to an evening out. I was there with the SO, as well as another couple. I'm not close to the couple but have hung out enough to say that they're really great people to be around.

We talked about random topics and then the topic of handbags came into place. SO listed the price of my handbag. Now, I did tell him how much I spent, but not really. In reality, it was a very different price.

And of course they're like...what?! That's nuts!

Now, handbag prices are not everyone's cup of tea. Most, if not all my close friends do not like handbags and they have very different priorities obviously. So I don't really talk about handbags to my friends, except for maybe one or two. Otherwise the rest of the time it's never brought up into any conversations.

Some ladies see that there's no point spending so much on a handbag, that they would rather just buy any average handbag and it still works the same, as well as lasts forever. That's fine too!

My problem here is having the topic of how much I spend on handbags, and using that as a conversation topic at dinner time. Not only is it inappropriate, but it also does not make me look like a reasonable person. Or that I'm high maintenance.

Do I talk about how much he spends on car parts to my friends? No. So the topic of spending money on expensive handbags shouldn't be part of dinner conversation either. It shows respect for your SO or friend as well. Lesson learned. I mean, if they're really that curious, just look online. All the prices are already listed. It's not like it's hidden.

And that's the other pet peeve I have. It's when people ask me how much I've spent on bags. I don't feel comfortable telling people so a lot of times I say I forget. Considering I'm a pretty forgetful person, it usually works out. But seriously, if they're really that curious, go online and look. It's not that difficult. Part of me thinks people just ask for the heck of it. They just want to hear it, and then blast you for wasting money on something so material and useless. This is part of the reason why nobody knows exactly how much I spent, except myself. I keep a record of it as well, in case reselling ever comes in the future.

So if you ever notice your SO or friends volunteering information about handbag prices, please slap them and say that's inappropriate. It's almost like telling friends how much you masturbate at home. It's really something you don't share with friends or people in general.

The last thing I want to be known as is stuck up, which I am not and I refuse to be in that category.

It's also wedding season! This year it's cooled down with weddings. Attending wedding 2/2 this year. I guess all the friends that needed to be married are all now married. By the time I get married, my friends will be grandparents. Weddings are definitely fun though. I don't mind attending as a guest. I remember helping with my brother's wedding over a decade ago and it was a nightmare. Just so much stuff to do and plan, and then worry whether the vendor or flower people will mess up or something. Or if the weather will hold up. There's just so much stuff that isn't in your control. But as a guest, it's awesome. Party all night.

I can finally pick up my awesome shoes this weekend! It's been a long time coming. I still have a couple of weeks to return it if it's the wrong size. Frankly, I have been freaking out about the sizing. I really hope it's the right size. It would be a huge disappointment if it was the wrong size. This is why I hate heels because they aren't true to size. Running shoes rule because at least they are true to size. But heels are so different because it depends on the manufacturer. I could be a size 8 with one, and then a 9.5 in another. Or a 9. Or 10. Like come on man, why don't everyone just create it true to size all across all manufacturers?!

My leadership program is also winding down in the next few weeks. Can't believe it was almost a year ago when I learned I got accepted into it, and now it's winding down. It's been stressful. There's so much to think about and also trying to write reports in ways that are acceptable in the leadership field. I'm really glad it's almost over. I just want to graduate from it!

Alright, brain has stopped functioning. Will update soon!

Chanel Classic Flap - pt 2

The moment I've been waiting for all these years (well, months since I ordered it) has arrived!!

Back in late 2014, I wanted a baby blue patent leather mini flap. Unfortunately because of a douchebag, it prevented me from actually getting it because I got scammed by him with fake promises. Thankfully I hadn't given any deposit to him and he didn't ask for one, but it was more or less fake promises, fake updates and fake people he knew worked at Chanel, when there was no such person at Chanel.

Fast forward to now.

Back in April, I was looking at Haute Classics' instagram account and saw a blue looking classic flap bag. For those who don't know, Haute Classics is a consignment shop located in Toronto, ON. Check them out if you haven't already: Haute Classics

Of course I talked to my BFF first to see what she had to say. Being the awesome friend she is, she said to just "BUY IT!". That is our way of moral support. We tell each other to buy things if we like it. It's terrible but of course we have limits as well.

I contacted HC via IG and I got in touch with Stella, who is the co-owner/founder of Haute Classics. I asked questions regarding the bag, as well as more pictures from different angles and lighting. She provided with answers, as well as sending me pictures from all types of angles and different lighting. There was really no delay in any of that. She answered all my questions thoroughly, and I did bombard her with many questions as to how this would work.

Depending on how much your items cost, there is an option for a layaway plan for up to 3 months. I chose that, and we worked out what the payments would be. Once the item is paid for, then they can release the item to you and you can either pick it up in person at their shop, or have the item mailed to you. If it is mailed, shipping would already be included.

I chose to pick up the item as I wasn't that far away, so I opted for that. The shop is located on Avenue Road, just south of Wilson. There is street parking, as well as green P parking nearby. The doors are locked, so be sure to book an appointment ahead of time before you go. They do not accept walk in appointments on the spot.

Inside the shop, it was beautiful. So many bags for consignment, both new and vintage pieces. I'd buy the entire store if I could.

Stella was away on vacation so I dealt with other associates. So yes, I have never actually met Stella, but don't worry she does exist! I finally was able to see the purse in person! I could've booked to see it earlier but I was too busy. But finally, my dream has come true.

Without further ado, here she is:

The Haute Classics bag, as well as the Chanel box.

Comes with the dust bag! EEEeeeee!

There she is :O

Oh so beautiful.

The back. 

Some upclose.

The interior is all blue! Comes with the authenticity card as well.

Together with my emoji flap bag.

My fraternal twins.

The blue medium classic flap does give off different colours depending on the light. Indoors it gives a more darker toned blue, but in bright light, it looks like baby blue. 

Measurements are the same as with any other medium/large classic flap bag. The material is caviar leather (my first time owning caviar leather from Chanel!). This is also an 18-series bag, which was made between 2013-2014. Hardware is in silver. It came with the care card as well. The only thing missing was the Chanel black bag and ribbons but overall, it was pretty much a complete set. The turn lock is easy to use, doesn't feel loose or anything. Hardware is still excellent; I didn't see scratches on it. The only thing I noticed is perhaps over time because of the colour, it's easy to transfer dirt on it. The back is where I notice it the most. HC does clean the bags prior to giving it to the clients. 

Hope you enjoyed this reveal! I'm quite excited to use it, and can finally alternate between the emoji bag. 

Overall, I would recommend Haute Classics if you're interested in the consignment route, or if you want to consign your own bags as well. The team is very good at what they do, and feel free to book an appointment with them to see the bags in person, more upclose and personal. Thanks for stopping by!

Summer time!!

We are halfway into July and I feel it's already halfway into summer already.

Apologies for the lack of posts. It's been crazy lately with shifts. I also signed up to write an exam so it's been busy trying to study. What did I get myself into?!

I think the weather lately has been good (finally). Then again I'm usually stuck at work so I have no clue what goes on outside in terms of thunderstorms and sunny days. I definitely look forward to taking any advantage of nice, sunny summer days when I'm not working.

What has been new lately besides work and studying? A few things!

Guess who is coming home next week?! The beautiful Chanel bag (yes at last). I ended up choosing the layaway plan for it, hence why it's taking a bit longer than usual. But I'm finally picking it up next week so I'm super excited for it! I believe after this, no more bags. I'm definitely running out of room. It's come to the point where I'm debating if I should clear out my book case and start displaying these bags. Not sure what to do. Anyways, I'm sure I will figure it out eventually.

I saw a joke on Instagram the other day. It went something like this:

Q: Have you heard of the movie "Constipation?"
A: No.
Reply: That's because it hasn't come out yet.

I know. Super lame medical joke but I couldn't stop laughing. It reminded me of a patient who always tells me jokes whenever he sees me at work. Each day he would try to compile some good jokes and tell them to me when he sees me. This time around, when I saw this joke on IG, it reminded me of him and I couldn't help but screenshot it and share it with him. He definitely had a good laugh from that! I ended up sharing it with other patients as well, and the way they looked blank then started laughing, that was the best. Laughter is the best medicine.

How could I forget Canada turns 150 this year? It was a long 4-day celebration around the city, which included that huge duck at Harbourfront. The first night I went, I got lost trying to find this duck. People may laugh and ask how do you miss out on seeing a huge duck?! But I did. The second time I went down with my gf, we got lost again. We were at the wrong park. So finally, after asking directions twice, we finally found the huge duck.

Yes, we finally found you duck.

Now, people were pissed off because the planners spent $120,000 to rent this duck during the duck tour they have going on this month, out of all of us taxpayers. Supposedly it's a replica of the real duck. And we thought replica Chanel bags were bad. But this thing stood out like HELLO I'M YELLOW!

Yet people still flocked to see this duck. They said the 4-day weekend brought the largest crowd ever recorded. Well, yeah it's not everyday you see a gigantic bath toy floating on the waterfront. It looks cute. Plus, since we all paid for it without knowing, might as well check it out.

Fireworks for Canada day were everywhere this year. I was more interested in the fireworks coming from the CN Tower. It's not everyday we get to see that, so I went all the way downtown to see it. And it was pretty cool. It's hard setting off fireworks from atop the Tower. 

The skyline before the fireworks began.

Unfortunately I did not take any pictures of the fireworks, but I did record the entire thing. However, being there was the greatest experience. After the fireworks were done, it was madness trying to get around downtown that night. It was SUPER PACKED. I have never seen so many people out and about during the night. But hey, it's 150. It's a big celebration!

This month is also the 7th year that I've been driving the Genesis Coupe. Over the past 7 years, it has morphed from an unknown car, to the next ricer Civic unfortunately. With the resale value being crap, all the young punks are purchasing it used, and destroying the platform, and just doing stupid things to it to attract unwanted attention. A good handful of the OG owners have left the platform and went onto something different. I haven't really kept in touch with those who I have met all those years ago for meets, except for only a couple of them. Otherwise I have not gone to a meet in years. I don't know any of the new owners in the past few years, but that's ok. Weening myself off of these parking lot meets. 

Oh. Shopping! I bought these gigantic rainbow platform shoes, which I still have yet to pick up. But they look amazing. Bring back the Spice Girls type of thing. They are super light weight. I also bought regular sandal platforms from Vegas to try it out and they are comfortable. I have worn it out lately and the stares I get are hilarious. They see this gigantic Asian woman coming at them and they move out of the way rather quick. I am rather tall for an Asian, about 5'6 to 5'7. These platforms are about 3 inches, so it brings me up to about 5'9 category. I remember a few times short people bumped into me. They said sorry, and had to look up, then quickly walked away. There was a little girl who did the same thing. She looked and walked away quickly. Then there was the time an old lady kept staring at my feet when I walked into Walmart. My parents are pretty observant and laugh about it with me, even though I tower over them with the platforms on. The funniest is watching people stare. I have to make sure I cut my toenails to avoid further embarrassing myself. Anyways, once I get the rainbow ones in, I'll be sure to take pictures of them together. 

This is why I don't understand about myself. I am fine with wearing platforms, but I cannot handle stilettos. Not only are they more elegant and sexier, but I just can't wrap my head around it. I guess I'm afraid of the stem breaking under my weight. But it's definitely the huge arch that some of them have. It will destroy my feet and back. Anyways, platforms for the win baby!

That's all for tonight! I will update you as soon as I get my goodies this weekend and share it with you. Have a good night and stay blessed everyone.

Las Vegas + BSB

Holyyyy moly. It's been crazy busy lately with training staff, working like crazy, then going off to Vegas to take a break from work (and of course I get messages/phone calls while I'm away about scheduling or a problem with a machine). I better get use to this.

After all the chaos at work, I was able to finally take a few days off and fly to Vegas with my bestie. We had purchased Backstreet Boys concert tickets last October, so it's been a long 8 months of anticipating!

A short recap: The Backstreet Boys have taken residency in Las Vegas starting March 2017, and they have extended it to next February 2018. In between they will still be traveling to other places for tours and recording studios. So be sure to grab your tickets!

This would be my 4th time going to Vegas, yet I always manage to get lost when I'm there. I still rely on signs because there's no way I can memorize the map of all the hotels and their shops.

The day we landed, we still had the entire day to explore and walk around, which is what we did. I've always wanted to see inside of the Aria resort so we went there first. My oh my, what a sight.

Day time view of Aria

Night time view of Aria

I really love the Vegas night lights, because it just looks so pretty. I could stare at it all week and never get bored. 

We had 2 buffets that were included in the package we bought, so we took advantage of that and went to Aria's buffet. We already had done Bellagio's buffet last year so we figured let's try something out. According to reviews online, Aria and Bellagio has the best buffets.

Inside shot of Aria's buffet.

I don't know if it's just me being a picky eater, but I didn't find Aria's buffet THAT impressive. The presentation was nice, and the layout is pretty. But the taste of the food was still okay. It either tasted too bland, or there was too much MSG in it. I didn't get to try the desserts but they had a good selection as well. Overall, I would still prefer Bellagio over Aria when it comes to buffet. The second buffet we chose was at Monte Carlo, and that was good. At least there was more taste in their food. Selections were not as much as Bellagio or Aria though.

Can't say no to gelato. Especially chocolate chip gelato. Yum!

We attempted to walk the entire Strip the days we were there but it was just way too hot. The highest it peaked at was about 42 degrees C. It was impossible to walk for more than 5 minutes outside without having your entire shirt drenched with sweat. I should've worn a bikini and walked the Strip. 

We ended up taking long breaks in-between our walks because we were way too hot and exhausted from the heat. I ended up getting a nose bleed after a shower (it happens once in a while). That and allergies. I popped allergy pills twice a day because my allergies were not liking this Vegas weather.

It was best to walk at night when the weather was a bit better. 35 degrees at night wasn't that much better but at least the sun was gone.

Shopping!

Took this shot of the Aria right before I tripped over a curb and nearly fell into a bush.

There were no crazy stories of being drunk or anything. I had a can of beer for a night in the hotel room and that was it. Alcohol and I don't mix very well. I don't need to bring home a story of puking my guts out in Vegas. I'm too old for drunk stories like that.

As for gambling, we didn't get a chance at all. Plus we aren't into stuff like that. If anything, we spent so much on food and souvenirs that we didn't have much left to gamble anyways. I lied. We still had plenty but chose to not gamble.

There was one lady who had her little banjo on the Strip. She was begging for change while she sang. And I remember a few words she sang: I hate Donald Trump. Donald Trump has too many hoes. 

People bursted out laughing and gave her change. That was probably one of the funniest songs I've heard. Bless that woman.

The third night was the night of the Backstreet Boys concert. I remembered we took so long to get ready. We also went to buy Vegas BSB t-shirts to wear to the concert. We tried to put on a bit of make up. Feel all girly girly. And soon, we were ready to go!

Planet Hollywood's Axis Theatre is where they're taking up residency. It holds up to 4,600 seats, which at this concert was pretty much full capacity. It was wonderful to see all these beautiful ladies (and some men) all grown up, and yet still attend this concert in support of the BSB. My my how we've grown up.

Just part of the audience.

When the Boys hit the stage, it was like 1997 all over again, with screaming women everywhere. They sang their hit songs as well as songs from their other latest albums. I have to say, I am impressed that they continue to sing very well, and do choreography dance in sync with the back up dancers. The greatest thing that I really appreciate about BSB is that they will sing live. Of all the concerts I have been to (4 concerts now), they have not lip-synced once. They've been trying to get rid of the "boy band" image for years and tried to tell people that they were aiming for a more vocal group, like Boyz II Men. They sing acapella as much as they can. As a fan, I appreciate it. 

When you think about it, you pay loads of money to see your favourite singer live in concert. I would be pretty disappointed if they lip-synced the entire 2 hours. But they don't and they continue to wow the fans. It is also the return of the 'chair dance' from 'As Long As You Love Me', so get your cameras ready. They did an amazing job with that choreography by the way. 

Overall, it was an amazing concert. It makes you feel so young again. AJ also brought his daughter to the concert and showed her off to us all. It was cute to see that these Boys have all grown up and are all now married with kids. Amazing.

The following day was our last day in Vegas so we took a taxi to the Fashion Mall, just north of the Strip (past Treasure Island). It was way too hot to walk from one end of the Strip to the other in 42C weather. We didn't get a chance to check out everything at the mall because it was massive, but it was nice to take a break from the humid weather.

This is where I found these massive platform shoes from Forever 21 and decided to buy it because they weren't available in Canada. Feeling a bit like the Spice Girls now. Soon after I fell asleep on a bench in the mall. Then we finished up by heading back down the Strip. 

All in all, it was an awesome trip. I love Vegas and would definitely go back in a heart beat. I would do it for the night lights and shows, definitely not the gambling though. I have yet to attend a night club. Don't know man, just not into that scene anymore. But one thing's for sure: I will be back.

"Babe, hold my bag"

Happy June all!

It is scary how every time I start blogging about something, it's always a different month. Scary.

Recently I had a conversation with a coworker regarding this trend that she began to see very frequently as of late.

She first asked me my opinion about it. She observed many young Asian women (either married or not) with their boyfriends/husbands in the malls or theatre who make their men hold their handbags. And she asked why is that? She needed insight from an Asian perspective.

To be honest, I really have no idea why Asian women make their men hold their handbags (and I myself am a white washed Asian). I asked if it was because they were using the bathroom? She said no, that was fine (which I agree), but this was from the very start of getting out of the car: the girl would give her handbag to the guy and the guy would carry it the entire time.

Plus, these bags were all luxury designer handbags: Chanel, Gucci, YSL, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Prada. You name it. My coworker makes a good point: if she spent 7k on a a handbag, she sure as hell would want to carry it and not let her husband carry it. I would too, except when nature calls.

Which brought us to what was told to her about this weird trend: in Asian culture, a woman needs to 'shape' her man to become a man, so to speak. If the man doesn't do anything, you give him something to do. In this case, he holds the bag so he has something to do. Otherwise as the relationship continues and he doesn't do little chores like that, it would give him opportunity to take advantage of a girl.

I said hmm. Interesting. Never thought of it like that. But Asian minds are weird.

We both agreed that it was pretty degrading though. Maybe it's because we're in a different culture, and we aren't used to seeing it but in Asian culture, it's probably normal for them. But I wouldn't do that to my boyfriend because he's not my butler. He's my partner in life and I would treat him with the same respect as he treats me. We would both have an understanding and agreement with respect to each other.

To use a man like that in this culture would be degrading. It's like the perspective of how women should not leave the kitchen. Wife's role is to make sandwiches for their husbands. Husband's role is to go to work and make money. Wife is to stay home and raise kids.

Maybe that was the culture and perspective many years ago. But at this time, both men and women work. Of course there is still that issue about gender roles and pay differences between men and women but that's for another time.

Going back to the previous, no the boyfriend is not a coat hanger or a handbag carrier. He's not my personal shopper where I give him all my shopping bags to hold. Of course if something's too heavy he would not let me carry it. But a handbag? Come on, it's your handbag. Carry your handbag. You bought it so you can carry it yourself, not decorate your husband with it.

I think it's also because some Asian women feel they're entitled to all the great things in life, like a butler. A boyfriend or husband is not far off from that so might as well let them carry their handbag. They're suppose to be the Queen of the relationship. People need to see how well off they are and how well they're being treated. It's almost like a power thing to have. It gives women that image that they are powerful, that they can control their partners.

While I'm all for yay women, you do your thing and make something of yourselves, I don't like the whole power struggle that men and women fight over. It's the lust of having that power, that control, it leads to bad consequences.

From my Asian perspective, I wouldn't give my handbag to my boyfriend to carry if we are out shopping or at dinner or at a movie theatre. I bought it because I like it, and because I want to wear it. I don't buy it to decorate anyone else except myself. If I had to use the bathroom and I didn't need anything from my bag, then I would ask him if he could hold my bag. There are times that he might see me tired, and asks if I would like him to carry my bag, but that's very rare. I'm usually all excited to wear my handbags, even if I look like a zombie.

That's the other thing: maybe when we saw that brief moment, the girl asked the guy to carry the handbag because she got tired. That could happen too. We can't assume that the guy is carrying the handbag because the girl told him to, or because he's a slave to her. We can't jump to final conclusions based on what we see for those brief 10 seconds. If you follow them for the entire day, maybe you can make the final conclusions but that's if they don't call the cops on you for stalking them.

So next time you are out shopping, don't be too surprised if you see this cultural trend.

Manchester

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the Manchester Arena tragedy. Stay strong everyone.

It hurts to see so many young people get hurt/killed by this senseless act. Sometimes I just don't get it. Adults fight each other, great. If you're going to commit suicide, just go kill yourself only please? Why go bomb random places where innocent people are? Are you really that selfish? Especially at a concert with young kids/teenagers. They haven't had the chance to really live out their lives and now it's cut short because someone decided well, I'm going to kill myself today but I'm going to take a bunch of strangers' lives with me.

I don't know how this is considered a God-fearing thing to do, or a "success" in God's eyes. But it really is a cowardly and selfish act.

In the 10 Commandments, we see "Thou shall not murder". You commit suicide, that's murder. You murder yourself. Now you commit suicide and take others with you. That's still murder. Two wrongs don't make a right. It never will.

These people who are doing suicide bombings are NOT and I repeat, NOT following the Gospel properly. They are militant extremists who base everything according to their opinion that human sacrifice will get them to 'heaven', while twisting the words of God around.

It is really sad to see this happening around the world, especially something as innocent as a concert. United we stand Manchester.

For those extremists out there, please do everyone a favour and stab yourself in the eye or shoot yourself in the head. The world will be a better place without your weird life analogy.

Fendi Monster BTW Bag

Greetings again!

This will be the overall review of the latest handbag to my collection: the Fendi Boston Monster By The Way (or known as the BTW) bag.

In 2014, Fendi released a new bag called the By The Way as a very versatile handbag. They are known for their 2 Jours and Peekaboo tote handbags; the BTW became their next IT bag. BTW became popular among the consumers. The BTW remains part of their classic collection and there are so many variations of this bag. It comes in various colour combinations, as well as different finishes and some even have croc tails at the end of the zipper part.

The bag can be worn as a clutch, by the handles, cross body or off the shoulder.

I fell in love with the bag in 2014 because of its versatility. It also has a wide bottom and maintains its shape, which is what I love. I'm not sure what took me so long to finally get one, but it was always at the back of my mind that someday, I would own a Fendi.

Fast forward to May 2017. Shortly after I got mom her BTW bag, I was browsing on Sak's website when I landed on a seasonal BTW bag. I'm not sure why it took me so long to love the monster theme but this one took my breath away.

I quickly messaged my SA to ask about this bag and sent her a screenshot of it. She said it is part of their upcoming summer collection and hadn't been in stores yet but it was coming. I said I was very interested. She would keep in touch with me about the status of this bag.

About 2 weeks later, I got in touch with her again (and it's funny because she also contacted me around the same time). I asked if the bag had arrived in stores yet because I was told it would arrive by then. However, SA said that there were only 4 (4?!?!) of these bags in Canada, and all 4 of them went to Vancouver's Fendi store. I asked how that was possible?! Apparently they have a bigger market there so I guess it had gone there, and none to Toronto.

It was baffling because Toronto has two Fendi stores, one on Bloor St, and one at Yorkdale. Yet all the supplies had gone to that one Vancouver store.

The only way that I could get my hands on one is if I put a deposit down on it. Unfortunately it's not a 20% or 50% deposit that is required. Fendi requires 100% deposit to secure this bag. I had to really think about it. But a short time later, I bit the bullet and did it. SA contacted Vancouver and within hours, this bag was flying here to Toronto!

The service was pretty fast. The day after I put down the deposit, the bag had arrived into store. Now if I didn't like it or changed my mind, I could get a refund. However, it was too cute to say no to it.

The last time I checked tonight, there is only one available in Canada, and that's in Vancouver. Which brings me to Saks selling this bag. I'm not sure how their availability is like since I've never bought from them. But the price that Saks is selling at is about $400 more than what is being sold at the Fendi boutique. Just a FYI.

I arrived at the boutique here in Toronto and it was true. Every other new arrival was on the shelves, on display. Everything EXCEPT this Monster BTW. It blew my mind. When the SA went over the receipt that was printed, it was from the Vancouver store. Before I had doubts like, maybe Toronto had it all this time and was trying to get me to make a deposit! But now that I've seen the actual receipt, I can accept that yes, they're all in Vancouver and it was shipped to me as an express.

Anyways that's my story on this BTW bag. Time for some pictures and details below:

The front of the Monster BTW bag. Isn't he so evil?

The back.

Side shot.

Let's try to get up close and personal. The tag, which I still have the wrapper on.

The studs. Sort of reminds me of dino spikes.

Hard to see interior. But there are 2 main compartments with 1 zipper compartment and 2 side pockets.

Interior shot.

These are the care cards that came with the bag. It came with 3 care cards: 1 for the care of the leather, 1 for the studs and 1 for colour transfer/humid weather wear.

The bag comes with a shoulder strap that can be adjusted by snap buttons. I find that when I wear the bag cross body, it sits just above my waist - a bit too high for me and I am about 5'6-5'7 tall. It's perfect over the shoulder.

The tag can be removed, leaving a much more clear, evil look.

One more shot with the handles sticking up.

Details:

Name: Fendi Boston Monster By The Way bag

Size: Small (although the website says medium, but it only comes in small with this design)

Colour: Gray & White leather

Product Code: 8BL1249HEF064Y

Dimensions: 27cm (length) x 15cm (height) x 13cm (depth)

Composition: 100% calfskin leather, 61% cotton, 32% polyester, 7% polyurethane, 100% abs

Interior: 2 main compartments, 1 zipper divider compartment, 2 side pockets

Versatility: clutch, carried by the handle, over the shoulder, cross-body

Warranty: 2 years manufacturer warranty

Hope you enjoyed and have a wonderful week ahead of you! 

Fendi Surprise!

Wow, it's almost end of May and I completely forgot to blog.

First off, happy belated mother's day to all the moms out there, moms to be, and moms who continue to live in our hearts for the rest of our lives. Giving thanks to mom should be a daily routine, not just one day. But it is on that day that we do our best to pamper our moms, the moms who have raised us right from birth to where we are now.

This year, it has been a crazy roller coaster, from mom celebrating a milestone birthday, to having cataract surgery and being told her eyesight may not be 100% back to normal after complications. To me, it's been a tremendous amount of stress for her. Yet I am so thankful for her, that she continued to keep fighting through.

I don't know about you, but seeing someone get poked by a needle in the eye (and I mean it was like the length of a flu shot needle, very similar to IM) before that drainage procedure freaked the hell out of me. I don't know anyone braver than my mom who went through that as though it was nothing. She was pretty terrified though, but after the local anesthesia started working, it wasn't so bad. However, I can just imagine the fear of seeing this longass needle entering my eye, whether I could feel it or not. I would run far away. Props to mom for going through that.

Which brings me to this year's Mother's Day. The family went out for a dinner celebration and some great food, although the weather was not really the best (rain rain and more rain). Having everyone together is definitely one of life's best gifts.

As for Mother's Day gift? I had decided to get her her first luxury designer handbag. Which one? It was hard to find a style that she likes because she absolutely hates totes with no zippers. She does not like Chanel's classic flap bags, nor their bags in general. She does not like Louis Vuitton. Or Gucci. Or Prada, Miu Miu, Versace..you name it. It left me in a huge dilemma when I had to search high and low for this bag for her.

Eventually I found it.

It's kind of funny because when this bag came out in 2014, I had really wanted one but kept holding off. I'm not sure why. But then it came back into my head again. Like wait a minute! This bag is perfect for her!

I kept in touch with one of the SAs at Fendi about this product. She has been so patient and so kind to getting the exact colour and style. Truth be told, mom's a classic type of person. So it didn't make sense to get her something too funky otherwise she might not even wear it.

Lo and behold, I brought the gift home just in time for Mother's Day. To add a bit of extra special touch to it, I had her initials engraved into the tag (and no, her name isn't Michael Kors). However this meant that I could no longer return or exchange the bag anymore. Which means I really hoped she loved this bag otherwise I'm dead. (Fendi's policy is that if you decide to engrave on the spot, the purchase automatically becomes final sale. Refund and exchange policy is 14 days. If you decide to do it later on, you can bring it back anytime to engrave without charge).

She was doing her usual routine at home when I gave her the bag. She saw the name, and almost killed me. Once she unwrapped it and took out the bag, the first words she said to me were: I'm going to kill you, you crazy girl (in Mandarin of course. Because it sounds more gentler than English).

I reminded her that it's not everyday that I get to do something like this for her. Especially after this year, when we all got a pretty good scare, life is precious. If you don't spend the moments now, there may not be that opportunity in the future. She agreed and was very thankful that I got her this gift. I reminded her why I worked so hard ;)

A few days later, I saw the same bag, except in special edition form. So what did I do? I ordered one and picked it up. Below is a quick reveal and photoshoot. Like mother, like daughter. Except one's a classic, and one's a monster. Guess who is who ;)

A different kind of yellow?

Lots of yellow...

The dustbag.

Fendi small Boston By The Way (BTW) bag in beige leather. For mommy. This is the classic style as well as the classic colour.

Fendi small Boston monster By The Way bag. For me ;)

The classic versus the monster.

Hope you enjoyed this quick reveal! I'll be sure to do a review of both bags (although they're pretty much the same bag, just different styles) and include all the dimensions and what fits in it. Stay blessed all!

May the 4th be with you all!

It's May 4th.

May the fourth be with you all!

It's been a hectic few weeks with work and training and what not. I recently began another course of training someone so it's been an educational time, and it really does remind me of what I do know and perhaps what I need to improve on as well. It's always a great learning experience for both sides.

What I don't like about this month so far is the darn rain. Rain rain rain rain rain. It just never stops. And then it's suppose to snow this weekend. WHAT. IN MAY. Welcome to Canada. You just never know what the weather will be.

We've had a few nice, sunny days about a week ago or so and it was gorgeous. I could not believe it. Then of course it got really cold again, and then it started raining. Now there's been a flood advisory all around the city. Come back sun!

In the past couple of weeks, we had the first GTR meet of the season, and it was a great turn out. Old and new faces showed up and we had a great photo session as well as a drone that took pictures and videos of the event. We took over pretty much half the restaurant nearby and the management there was pretty awesome with having us there.

There was also the Saturns Drives meet. My first time there, so we didn't know too many people there, but there were some familiar faces. Lots of exotic cars, and a F40 showed up. Those are so rare. It's my first time seeing one of those in person and it was just amazing. I didn't get to take a picture of it, since I was thinking well I'm sure I will get to see it again soon.

A cruise was planned and we had to follow the route. However, halfway through a few of us got lost, plus a Porsche also blew a belt so we pulled over to make sure he was ok. I guess there was about 5 of us that pulled over with him. Lo and behold, an OPP SUV pulled alongside us.

The officer asked if we were ok, and asked if we were part of some rally. We replied we aren't NorthFace Rally. The officer laughed. We laughed. He then checked the Porsche driver to make sure he was ok and suggested to call a tow for him, then he left.

No one got injured that day, no one got pulled over for speeding or reckless driving, everyone made it to the destination. 

Now that Mother's Day is coming up, it's also time for me to do some shopping this weekend ahead of next weekend so I'm not last minute scrambling. The only reason why I'm waiting so close is because the return/exchange window is only 14 days from purchase. What's the plan? A purse of course. Which one? I'll let you take a guess. It's very hard to find a style she likes, so a lot of the luxury handbags in the market don't really work for her. It took a while to find one that she MIGHT like. I'll update you as the weekend comes!

I'm also dying to pick up my latest handbag. However I'm just taking my time right now. Once I do have possession of it, I will be sure to do a review on it, as well as the shop that I bought from. That should be coming up in the next month or so!

I've been trying to go on this "diet restriction" to see if it would help with my cramps lately. It's not really much. Limiting my sugary drinks down to only drinking hot water everyday. If it's a weekend, I'll have a bubble tea or something. But then the next 6 days, just water. Before I used to have tea with sugar, or juice or something everyday and I found every time the menstrual cycle hit me, I was in a lot of pain. Narcotics would work wonders, but the aim is to not take any every month.

So I tried only water to see if it would make a difference. Sugar is heading to be the world's silent killer. It brings a lot of problems into a body right down to the cellular level. I read and remembered that sugar can also contribute to painful menstrual cramps as well. So the whole theory of eating chocolates while you're on your period is actually not that accurate. It's just an excuse to eat chocolate when you're not feeling well.

I used to hate drinking water. It's weird but I never liked the taste of water. It tasted weird to me, so that's why I had juice diluted with water for a long time. However, now it's time to suck it up and drink water. Got to eliminate the unhealthy sugars.

Water is like flushing your body of toxins. It helps the kidneys as well, by removing those toxins and giving your blood a good cleaning. Without adequate water, your body will try to retain any water left inside of you so you don't get dehydrated so fast, hence why you probably won't urinate as much (and if you do, it's very concentrated). Not very good for your kidneys either.

I don't know why it took me so long to finally try this, especially knowing I work in the medical field, but I figured I should do it now before I get too old. So far, it hasn't worked that much of a wonder because I still do get cramps. But I've only taken half a narcotic, versus an entire pill or a pill and a half. At least there's still some improvement.

Anyways that is all for today. Be sure to tune in for more upcoming updates!