review ~ violet eyes

circle lens have been around for a long time. oddly, i have never tried them until now. i blame it on the bad experience i had with colored lens. i finally bit the bullet and went on a search for circle lens. the number of websites/brands/colors/patterns/types are so overwhelming, that i got blindsided and delayed for a few more months before i finally ordered.

i finally chose lensvillage due to their good reputation, but most importantly sale. i ordered the EOS DollyEye Pop.C Light Violet lens for $10. i figured if i don't like it or if it's uncomfortable i can just throw it away without hurting my wallet.

it took 17 days from when i hit the "place order" button to my post box. shipping time was decent considering the product was shipped from malaysia.

before

after

enlargement: 5/5 at 15.5mm  diameter & 8.6mm base curve
my eyes are huge in them. this is as big as i would try. don't want to look like an alien with any bigger lens :)

comfort level: 5/5
i was surprised by the comfort level of these lens. there are so easy to put on and i don't feel any discomfort. however, i advise wearing them for 4-5hrs tops as they tend to dry up your eyes.

color: 4/5
definitely it's unnatural. don't think there are any asian with naturally violet eyes out there, but i wasn't looking to be natural. i've always wanted violet eyes ever since i read rorouni kenshin(jap manga). the color is very obvious in daylight and indoors.

the only thing i have to complain is circle lens are not built for people who has astigmatism. at certain distance, it's hard for me to focus and my vision is blurred. it's not severe, but noticeable. i can still drive and shop and eat :) if i wear them for a long period, i think i will get a headache eventually.

have a great leap year!

jewelmint winner + vday

a pleasant surprise came in my inbox early february from tara. I am notified as the lucky winner for her Jewel Mint giveaway. i would jump in joy as i read the words "congrats" if i wasn't at work. i wouldn't want my colleagues to think i'm weird. do check out her blog for creative and cute nail art, beauty reviews, DIY projects and much more.

i received the package the day before Vday and naturally i wore it right away for Vday. Yup, we celebrated a day earlier on Feb 13 to avoid the crowd and the exorbitant price restaurants take advantage off.

Jewel Mint Duo, The Baltic Gem Earrings and Calypso Necklace

if you're wondering why i only have 1 earring in the photo, that's because shimo(my cat) was messing around with my accessories holder the other day. i'm pretty sure it fell into one of the drawers unless she swallowed it and i'll have to cut her open.....jk.

i absolutely love the blue/purple stones. the different hues give an interesting appearance to the pieces. the tier chandelier earrings creates a elegant look to the entire outfit. i'll be having fun experimenting casual outfits with them.thanks tara!

downside eating at fancy restaurant: dim lighting + awkwardness using flash == bad photos

we went to truluck's for their all-you-can-eat florida stone crab.

i had 9 claws. yum. i think i did pretty good. the chocolate shopping bag is to die for. not really, but it was really good. it was filled with chunks of cake, berries, nuts covered with warm melted chocolate topped with whipped cream and strawberries. what's not to like??

dreamy cinderella carriage

to end the night. mr. adventure brought me to all our "first" adventures in austin. the photo above is where we watched and listened orchestra for the 1st time in austin. joshua bell was touring with his 4 million dollar violin.

brunch + black riding boots

happy belated valentines to all cushyblushy's visitors! we had unlimited florida stone crab. a blog entry for another time perhaps.

end of January is the best time to buy boots. why? department stores are eager to clear their shelves and make room for spring collections while shoppers are excited to buy them at a discounted price. i call it a symbiotic relation. winter ain't quite over and boots are here to stay for many more weeks. anyhow, a classic black riding boots are timeless for the next winter and the next and the next.......

the only good outcome from the cold weather last weekend was being able to wear my brand new boots without feeling out of place.

grey cashmere sweater

h&m faux tomato red leather jacket

gap skinny pants

vince camuto black riding boots

nordstrom rack black messenger bag

mr. adventure and i had a long brunch at east side cafe. it's one of those house turned into cafe/restaurant type of place which seats maybe 20 tables. we waited for 30 mins to be seated. in order to justify the wait, we ordered way too much food as we were famished. it was a bad idea. we ended up not finishing everything and not having dinner that day. do not follow!!

the corn bread and blueberry muffin were warm. the poched eggs were cooked to perfection. the ham and salmon crab cakes were covered with juicy egg yolks. the strawberry were sweet not sour. the belgian waffle was great. i'm usually not a fan of whip cream, but i didn't mind it with the waffle. overall, it's a great place for brunch. nice ambiance, but not good for huge group. make a reservation to avoid wait time!

do you get holidays for president's day? i don't, but mr. adventure does. life is unfair. 

shopping tip: 7th avenue pants

flipping through march glamour edition, i came upon a neat coupon inside. $10 for any 7th avenue pant by New York & Company. i believe it's their new collection.

photos from huffingtonpost

i don't usually shop at New York & Company, but with the coupon i thought why not pick up a fun spring color pant? there are several different styles; bootcut, wide leg, straight leg, ankle pant and slim crop.

i picked up the 7th avenue luxe stretch slim ankle pant in enduring gold. color pants are so trendy right now and this cutting is a bit of a challenge for me to pair with. for $10 i'm excited to try and create a cute outfit. the pant retails for $54.95. 

they do have other more work appropriate colors and cutting as well, if you prefer that. 

happy shopping!

jason wu for target adventure

sunday morning diary

• 7:15am alarm rang. brushed teeth with half opened eyes. threw on sweat pants and sweater.
• 7:30am out the door and embraced the chilly rainy winter morning
• 7:40am arrived at the parking lot. 10th person in line
• 8:00am doors opened. overwhelmed by people running towards the rack
• 8:03am started grabbing clothes, sifting through the racks for my wish list. the blue A-line dress were all gone by the time my hands reached that rack #$@&
• 8:26am tried on some pieces and settled on 4 items
• 8:40am paid the cashier, came home half happy and sleepy. 

it was my first experience waiting in line before store hours. everyone was queuing orderly until the doors opened and they turned into hungry sharks attacking pretty tuna. however, i didn't see any ebay re-sellers grabbing a whole cart load at my target. 

shame on the persons in this video. 

i came back with 4 items. the blue flowery print top and skirt, polka-dot peach blouse with white ribbon and the black lace clutch. no milu scarf at my target and the blue A-line dress in my size was sold out. lesson learned - i need to turn into a hungry shark next time.

mr. adventure's comment at target, "i could be a designer. red stripe, blue stripe white stripe."

quick preview. excuse the heart face and blur picture. no time to re-take before the smash preview. so far, i'm liking the show.