[Ellie's Blog] Soirette Maracons and Tea

Last weekend, I happened to be in Holt Renfrew (only because I am a sometimes-believer of its therapeutic abilities, and boy, did I need the therapy last weekend!), and ran into (figuratively) a macaron and tea stand setup by Soirette. I had heard of the name while researching macarons in Vancouver, but never visited the store, so this was pretty much fate in my mind. And don't get me wrong, I would never consider myself a macaron connoisseur, nor would I consider the macaron my favourite dessert by any means, but they are cute, tasty and have great texture. Plus, they are very much the "it" treat right now...as a matter of fact, one of the pictures up on Sephora's website features a girl holding a green macaron (my, however did I know that off the top of my head??).

Anyhow, I (somewhat sarcastically) digress. The point being, I could not pass up the chance to try some macarons when I saw the stand. Here is what I purchased:

Chocolat Chocolat, Raspberry, Caramel Fleur de Sel, Passion Fruit, Malibu, & Rocher

[Ellie's Blog] Kiss Me Heroine Make Mascaras

Occasionally, I foray into Asian beauty brands, and after hearing good things from a girlfriend and online, I ordered a couple of Kiss Me mascaras from Sasa.com to try them for myself. The ones I picked were Impact Frame & Curl Mascara and Volume & Curl Mascara.

Impact Frame & Curl Mascara:  This was priced at ~$16 CAD (before shipping) and is marketed as the brand's blackest and glossiest mascara. In that respect I totally agree, as it is indeed a very glossy black...think tar. The brush only has bristles on about 1/4 of the wand, and it is a sparse, course, bristly kind of brush. It reminds me of those shoe brushes you see on people's doorsteps. You would think that such a brush would result in excellent definition, but in actuality the tar-like consistency of the mascara itself is too thick for even the bristly power of the brush. As a result, I wasn't a fan of this mascara because of the clumping...to the point where there were large globs of product at my lash line. While I'm pretty sure this could be remedied by a nice comb-through with a mascara comb, I really can't be bothered to add an extra step to my morning routine, nor do I think it's wise that said step, performed when I'm at my groggiest, involves sharp prongs held close to my eye. In conclusion, would not repurchase, and truthfully, don't think I will use it up.

[Ellie's Blog] Bio Sculpture Gel #2025 Vibrant Violet

Last week, I tried soak-off gel nail colour for the first time, because I am a victim of expiring Groupons. But that’s a different rant.

The salon used Bio Sculpture Gel, which was first-to-market, but other brands have emerged since then such as CalGel and OPI’s Axxium. The entire manicure took 75 minutes, and features a small jar of gel polish (kind of like really thick nail polish) applied with a brush. There was a base coat, two layers of polish, and a top coat, each layer of which stayed wet until cured under a UV light. A more detailed breakdown of what I liked and didn’t like after the jump.

[Ellie's Blog] Gucci Envy Me Eau de Toilette

In addition to nail polish, something else I wear almost daily is perfume. I am by no means loyal to a single perfume; I have maybe 6 that I alternate between depending on mood. But I am not entirely fickle either, because there is a particular one I return to time and time again, and is the only perfume I own in a large bottle. Hands down my favourite perfume, today I'd like to share with you Gucci's Envy Me.

According to Sephora, Envy Me has notes of peony, jasmine, pink pepper, litchi, pomegranate, pineapple, pink musk, seringa, white tea, sandalwood, teakwood and sensual musk. Even if I were reincarnated as a German Shepherd, I doubt I'd be able to differentiate between all those scents, and my personal description is simply "a light and fresh floral". I don't like my perfume too heavy or too musky, but I enjoy a hint of floral, and this one fits the bill perfectly. It was the first perfume I ever fell in love with and purchased, so I guess it's true what they say about first loves.


Even though I'm sure you've all read or heard many tips for wearing cologne/perfume, the following are the ones that come to mind as I'm perfume shopping or spritzing myself in the morning:

• Always try a perfume on your skin before buying. The oils on your skin will react with the perfume oils, so the perfume will not necessarily smell the same on your skin vs. my skin vs. a piece of paper. 
• I don't want my perfume to knock people out like an ocean wave as I walk by; I want it to be so subtle that it doesn't register on my audience's consciousness. If a scent straight from the bottle is too strong, spray a cloud in front of you and walk through it.
• Hair holds scent longer than skin.
• Some people are highly allergic to scents; be sensitive to those around you.

What is your favourite scent? 

The smallest size (1oz) retails for $52 USD and is available from Sephora and most major department stores.

[Ellie's Blog] Rescue Beauty Lounge's Plie Nail Polish

I have a busy week coming up and don't anticipate having the time to change my nail polish.  But I still wanted to have some on because I'm so used to not showing my bare naked nails.  I wanted a neutral colour that would go with any outfit and a colour light enough such that tip wear is not immediately noticeable.  

I went with Rescue Beauty Lounge's Plie, one of my favourites.  It's a neutral, creamy pink with just a hint of grey.  I think it is aptly named because it is like the colour of ballet shoes, slightly worn.

Plie is one of my go-to's and retails for $18 USD, purchasable online directly from Rescue Beauty Lounge.  Check out the other colours while you're at it, RBL has many unique shades, and owner Ji Baek's blog is a joy to read.

 

Excuse the small photo and terrible lighting, it was the best of many takes.

Also using this busy week to road test Zoya's Color Lock system, so stay tuned for a follow-up!

[Ellie's Blog] Movie: Ex (2010)

Last weekend, there was a night I couldn't fall asleep (a rare occurrence for me) and I decided to get up and put on a movie. I very rarely watch movies from Hong Kong because they are often romantic comedies or straight up stupid-humour comedies, but the cover on this one suggested more of a contemporary drama (yes, I judged the movie by its cover) so I made an exception. The movie is titled 前度 (aptly translated to “Ex” as its English title).

Right off the bat, I loved the feel of the opening set. The clean, modern architecture of the Hong Kong International Airport s brightly lit at night as travellers hustle and bustle in fast-forwarded motion. Jing Wong’s “You are Everything I Do” (yes, I totally had to Google that!) plays in the background to foreshadow the central theme of the movie. The scene then opens to two couples at said airport. Ah Ping is arriving and his girlfriend Ah See is picking him up. Zhou Yee is about to go on vacation with her boyfriend, Ah Shu. The four of them coincidentally sit down in the same café as Zhou Yee accuses Ah Shu of cheating on her and the audience discovers Ah Ping and Zhou Yee used to be a couple themselves. Mild drama ensues, Zhou Yee is stranded, and Ah Ping and Ah See let her come home with them until she finds a place to stay. An unlikely and imaginably awkward arrangement, I know.  But at least screenplay writer and director, Heiward Mak, covers her bases in explaining how this came to be.

This takes place over the span of about 10 minutes, and already I am finding the main protagonist an altogether unlikeable character.  Zhou Yee is rude to others unless she needs a favour, in which case she transforms into a spineless suck-up.  Her mom is constantly travelling, appears to be irresponsible and is not at all concerned for the well-being of her stranded daughter. As a result, Zhou Yee seems to be searching for guidance from a parent figure, which manifests into her constant yearning for her boyfriends to take her travelling. She is spoiled, emotional and irrational; but I understand that this is actually an accurate portrayal of some young people.

I’ll avoid further discussion of plot in order to not spoil the movie and instead touch on what I liked. All in all, I really liked the indie feel of the music and the aesthetics of the movie, particularly the scenes with close-ups of water flowing (first when the bathtub drains, second when the broken plastic cup leaks). Perhaps a little cliché, but I also liked Zhou Yee’s mom’s line about travelling. Oh, and the closing credits are a collection of what appear to be random people’s submissions of things they remember about past relationships.  I really enjoyed this part because it lends realism to the movie (see, break-ups do happen to just about everybody) and because it was interesting to see the range of emotion with which people remember their ex’s (somewhere between utter loathing and rueful fondness). Despite the excessively shrill arguing scattered throughout the movie, I enjoyed the minimalistic package this commentary on past relationships came in and the occasional insights within.

Final Verdict: 3/5

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[Ellie's Blog] The Perfect Benny: Arms Reach Bistro

As a tribute to the new year, the humble beginning of my blog, and the possibilities that lie ahead, I’ve decided that the first post will be about something that symbolizes fresh starts and new beginnings: breakfast!

The fact is, I love brunch. Not only is the timing ideal, allowing me to enjoy my weekend sleep-ins, but the variety is huge! From country-style to fine dining, whatever tickles my fancy that morning only tastes better with eggs & carbs. 

Despite the variety, I inevitably find myself ordering the classic brunch dish, eggs benedict, over and over. Perhaps I am a creature of habit, but the soft, runny poached eggs over a variety of toppings (which typically involves a protein or two to appease my inner carnivore) and toasted English muffin, smothered with Hollandaise sauce (which every place makes a different self-proclaimed perfect version of) calls to me like cascades of harp music. Heaven!

To start off The Perfect Benny, a series chronicling my search for, well, the perfect Benny, I caught up with a girlfriend over brunch last weekend at Arms Reach Bistro, situated in quaint, little Deep Cove in North Vancouver.

The atmosphere is classy and grown-up, quiet enough to have long, private conversations over coffee. Try and get a window seat, the view is very “North Shore”.

I had their Timo’s Benedict, with onions and smoked salmon, served with hashbrowns. I enjoyed the crisp crunch of the onions, but didn’t get the full smoked salmon flavour I was so looking forward to. Some bites I forgot it was there! However, the day was saved by the wonderful Hollandaise sauce; creamy with no graininess whatsoever, and a subtext of…something nutty. I couldn’t put my finger on what the secret ingredient was, but it made the sauce delicious.

If you go, I’d suggest leaving some extra time afterwards to walk around the area as you digest. The view from the pier is beautiful and there are little shops where you may stumble upon treasures.

Although I wouldn’t necessarily make the trek to Arm’s Reach Bistro for the food alone, the whole Deep Cove package (and the delicious Hollandaise sauce!) makes for a great lazy Sunday, so the itinerary is one I would repeat and recommend to friends.

[Ellie's Blog] First Post

Wow! The idea to start a blog has rolled around in my head for quite some time and I've daydreamed on multiple occassions about what I would share with my readers. But now that I'm actually staring at this empty space with my fingers perched on home row, I'm a bit at a loss for words. Where do I start?

Hello! My name is...
Ellie.

I am in my twenties and share an apartment with my cat, MoMo. Like MoMo, I am passionate and easily amused (we also share a fondness for afternoon naps!). Rather than a focused study of one topic, my vision for this blog is to present a sampler tin of the things that have captured my thoughts and feelings.

In the random chaos of the universe and internet, I'm so glad our paths have crossed. Welcome and please make yourself at home.