Proud owner of Lotus Rouge

I am the proud new owner of the new Chanel nail color, Lotus Rouge.



I went to Neiman Marcus at the "Natick Collection" (roll eyes), and the Chanel lady said that they didn't have anymore and "they could take my name". Whatever, I just told her I would go to a different store. And, so, off to Macy's I went, in the "old school" part of the mall, and they had one last bottle of Lotus Rouge! So excited! Yeah--I am SO anti-new fancy Natick stores. Oh, and the first Chanel lady at Macy's was kind of rude--she was with a customer and asked me if I needed help since I was looking at their new nail polish colors. And I asked if they had it in stock... and she said she thought they did--and it would be a minute (since she was working on makeup of another customer). That's fine with me--but don't make it seem like my fault that when she asked me if I needed help! And, if they were out of it, why would I stand there for 10 min waiting? Anyways, another Chanel lady (well this one was a man) came and helped me out--wheee happy. Maybe I'll go back and buy more stuff from him.

I did stop in Sephora beforehand to see if there was a similar color I would like... but there just wasn't! Not any of the 75 Sephora colors came close.

Margarita's

Yay, went to Margarita's and it was pretty yummy. Met two of Mr. Studmuffin's friends, and they were super nice. I had two original margatitas (I think I just get it for the salt). There was a long wait... Mr. Cupcake had called an hour in advance for "call-ahead seating" (not reservations, mind-you), and then it was an additional half hour after we got there. Okay--what's the point? I understand if you have to wait 10-20 minutes... but half an hour?! And, the waitress was slow taking our food order... I think they just torture you until you're starving and make you think the food is fantastic. I'm going to try eating there sober and not-starving one day and see how good the food really is.

Afterwards, we went to Lizzy's for ice cream (I got a kiddie black cherry) and then we went to the smelly geek shop. I don't understand why some geeks smell so bad. And, a lot of them were children... parents should really bathe their children.

Wagamama is awesome!

Wagamama was so much better than I remembered! The duck gyoza are sooooo tasty with a cherry plum sauce. I also had hot sake, a little edamame with salt, and chili beef ramen. MMMmmmm the chili beef ramen was so tasty--the broth was a little tart and spicy. It's going to be awesome to go to one when it's cold outside.

Also in the news today, sis got three wisdom teeth removed! Poor sis! :( Her cheeks are all swollen, but I'll be home to take care of her most of the time for the next few days.

Wagamama and upcoming vacay!

So excited tonight because Mr. Studmuffin and I are going to go to Wagamama at Faneuil Hall. It's a cool ramen/noodle restaurant. The food is good (not super spectacular), but I think I like the cool atmosphere and good memories of going to Wagamama restaurants in London and Amsterdam.



I would highly recommend the duck gyoza and the chili beef ramen.

Also, made plans for an Amsterdam trip for my birthday--going with my sister. It's been two years since we've visited Amsterdam on our last trip and I'm really looking forward to it. I think that we are going to go to some new places like the Van Gogh museum and Den Haag (the Hague, the seat of the government). Of course, our favorite things to do will still be shopping and sitting in many of the cafes to relax.

200 geeks

So, went to the midnight sale of Halo 3 last night with Mr. Studmuffin (who pre-ordered the game--the super-geek edition with helmet :p).


There were like 200 other geeks there! Of course, none of them were in coordinated (but not matchy-matchy) Halo 3 tshirts or anything. There was a kid in line behind us.. I think he was about 11. There were also 2-4 police vehicles there at any time, but I don't think that they realize geeks are pretty subdued. There was also a huge box of bagels on the floor if anyone got hungry. The only person who I saw eat them was the 11 yr old because a big box of bagels sitting outside on the sidewalk is just a little too sketchy for me. Anyways, it took about an hour in line to get the game (we were there a little bit before midnight), but it was a pretty interesting experience :p.

I'm kind of disappointed that there wasn't a guy in the Master Chief outfit, like that had in NYC. (NY's 'Halo 3' launch was no riot, but it was close).

Funnest shopping day evar

So sis and I went shopping with Miss E and Miss J (our 5 yr old best friends!) this weekend in Natick. We picked them up and went to the Natick Collection which wasn't really that fun of a place for them. But they did each pick out a brown peasant top from Janie and Jack.



Then we walked around for a bit, but the chic part of the mall wasn't really for them. The little girls were not impressed with Zara, and when my sis picked up a dress with horrible drawn faces on it (on purpose, mind you), Miss J turned an gave Miss E a look that said, "What was she thinking?!" Good thing my sis doesn't have self confidence issues, otherwise she would have been taken down a few notches by a 5 yr old :).

We were on the hunt for a little messenger back for Miss E, and just couldn't find one at the mall! In our busy shopping, we broke for lunch, and then continued on our way to Shopper's World! We went to Marshall's and AC Moore, but there wasn't really a nice messenger bag.

Then, we needed a little pick me up at Panera to which Miss E said, "I don't want to sit outside, it's too hot." Hehe, that's our girl! :) We went to Target afterwards and had a grand time--we got them some fall/winter boots, a handbag they can wear across the body or over the shoulder, and watches... most of it on sale! (We taught them how important sale is.) But, I also explained to Miss E that it's about getting things on sale and that you like... just because it's on sale doesn't mean you buy it. It has to be special as well. But, after all that, still no messenger bag!

So--we hit Kohl's. Also, sis and I wanted to check out the new Vera Wang collection at Kohl's, and they had one or two cute pieces, but in general I have to say that I wasn't impressed. We did however, get a high school musical messenger bag for Miss E--success at last!

Worst date evar

So, I had the worst date ever with Mr. Studmuffin :). It was still a really fun time, but his tire went flat and he called AAA--it was no big deal though. We went to Target to pick out the new mySims game for the Wii, and then we went to IHOP :). Well, actually, I guess we got mySims at BestBuy since Target was sold out of it.



Mr. Studmuffin noticed his car was driving weird, so when we arrived at IHOP, he realized he had a super-flat tire... so he called AAA.

Yeah, I guess IHOP isn't really the most chic of restaurants but it was still reallly yummy. I got 2 eggs (medium because I like to mix runny egg yolks with hash browns), bacon, hash browns, and corn meal pancakes. The pancakes were really good, they are like a mix between corn bread and a pancake, and not too sweet. And, when we were done with breakfast for dinner, we hung out until AAA arrived and they put on the spare (which was also flat).

My mom called on the way home and I told her that we had a flat and she was like "You know how to change a tire?". I was like, "No, he called AAA!" :). But, yeah... why would you change a tire yourself? It's very easy to get dirty. On the way home, we did have to stop off at the Hess and fill the spare with air... and all was well.





My find of the day, Harajuku Lovers, Candy Tote, Expensive Taste

Focus on booties, shoe boots, boot shoes...

So, an awesome now style is a bootie or shoe boots (as described by Christian Louboutin [wikipedia]) or whatevah. I am looking for a pair of booties!

These are FIERCE!



Okay, so I've realized that I probably shouldn't (note the probably) get them because they are:
(1) $770, which is half (or maybe 1/3 depending on the bag) the price of a new Chanel handbag
(2) I'd probably kill myself in heels that high (though they do have a 20mm platform!)

Badminton and Shopping

Badminton (Wikipedia)
So, I have to admit that I haven't read the entire wikipedia article on badminton because it's just so freaking long! So far, I have gleaned:
- That my tennis serve is not appropriate for badminton, as it must be hit from below the waist and underhand.
- The general rules are like tennis from the way you hit the shuttlecock, but the scoring is like volleyball (play to 21).
- That there is no true badminton fashion. Badminton is rolled into fashion for tennis and squash... I don't know that I'm comfortable with that.
- That I like Ellesse tennis fashion.
- Having something to aim at is excellent for your badminton game. Like, the middle of your opponent's chest (especially if they have a target on their t-shirt) or their nose works well also.

Shopping
So, I went shopping with Mr. Studmuffin this past weekend for some transition clothes for him. I'm a huge fan of Old Navy when it comes to stylish yet comfy clothes that you know are only going to last a couple of seasons. We got some nice button down shirts that can be layered with t-shirts for only $8! Then I placed an online order for some jumper dresses for myself and costumes for my kiddies. :p

I envy men's fashion

Okay--so is it slightly unfair that men's fashion is not as big of a deal as women's fashion? Take Nordstrom's Fall Fashion Guide for example, women have trends for apparel, shoes, handbags, accessories, beauty, etc. What do men get? Men get peacoats, hoodies, puffy outerwear, and the cardigan. What men do you know who wears a cardigan?

Though, I do envy men and their ability to look fashionable in comfy clothes. All men need is a dark pair of jeans and a cool t-shirt or a nice pair of slacks and a dress shirt. Women have to coordinate patterns, textures, colors, etc. and pay attention to all of the other details, like accessories, handbags, shoes, hair, makeup, etc. Plus, there's the high heel thing... okay, maybe it's just me who is a little obsessed with high heels and am willing to suffer for fashion. :) But, I have to admit that women like the fuss, it's fun being girly and picking out outfits. I guess if guys had to do it, they'd give up and walk around naked all day, which would be rather inappropriate.

Shoot 'Em Up and Halo 3 and Fall Fashion

So saw Shoot 'Em Up last night with Mr. Studmuffin. It was a pretty awesome movie. I read that it was only 1 hr and 20 min, but then again--that's the right length for a movie like that--2 hours of the same type of humorous violence would get boring. :) I guess my favorite scene was the "love scene" of the movie and some cheesy quote after he shot a bazillion bad guys, which I won't mention here, hehe :). "Do we just suck, or is he really good?" And remember parents, a bullet proof vest for a baby is a much better investment than a crib. I, for one, have learned from this movie that getting a tank is much better than a standard stroller. Yeah, I don't mind violence in a comic book type of way with blood squirting all over the place--I guess it's reminiscent of the Kill Bill movies, which I really enjoyed (should go watch them again!).

So Halo 3 is coming out (Sept. 24)... and we're probably going to go to whatever midnight release thingie they have at Gamestop. And of course, I need something to wear. It would be completely unimaginable for me to wear my old Halo 2 tshirt--that is beyond "so last season", so I was very happy to see that for Halo 3, there is a new ladies' tshirt with bling! So, of course I had to order it.


Fall Fashion
One of the best fall fashion articles that encompasses all of the latest trends I've seen, Fall For Fashion (The Korea Times).

Fall's color palette is predominantly dark, but gray is this season's "it" color. However, there are flashes of jewel tones such as royal blue and purple and touches of metallic that brighten up an otherwise dark look.

Before you start shopping, remember to choose one or two trends to follow. Start off with last season's clothes, and update your look with key pieces. For example, flirty shift dresses can transition in fall, when paired with dark tights and ankle boots. The swingy dress look can be updated with platform shoes.

The verdict is still out on whether skinny jeans will remain a wardrobe staple for this season. Some fashion magazines are already urging women to throw out their skinny jeans, and replace them with the more figure-friendly wide-leg versions.

You can still get some mileage out of skinny jeans if you pair them with knee-high boots or ankle boots.

For coats and jackets this fall, it is a return to minimalism. Black tailored jackets are always a good investment, and can be used for several seasons.

No outfit will be complete this season without the trendiest shoes: platform heels and ankle boots

Don't forget the season's "it" bags. Chanel introduced Coco's Croco bag, a luxe quilted satin bag with a chain handle. Bags made out of exotic skin like crocodile and alligator, are among the season's most expensive items. For party girls, the colorful and embellished clutch bag is a must-have.

Badminton nets, face cream, pecan crusted tilapia, and code coverage

Badminton Net
Okay... looking for a good badminton net--anyone know what might be nice to find? I don't know if I want a set, one with posts, or stakes that go into the ground. Something portable would be nice.


New Chanel Face Cream?
Also, the Chanel lady told me about a new line of Chanel skincare coming out, called Sublimage.

Little did I know that it's $350 for 1.7 oz. Hehe, I think the $90 I pay for my Rectifiance night cream was a bit out there.

And, take a look at the first Chanel makeup studio in the OC--I wish I lived the the OC!


Pecan encrusted tilapia
Last night I made this great pecan encrusted tilapia, which was modified off of this food network recipe for pistachio crusted tilapia. Okay, I didn't follow the recipe AT ALL since I didn't have pistachios, but also... I wasn't fond of the heavy herbs put in the crust. Instead, I sprinkled salt and pepper on the tilapia, and then spread maple syrup on it. I then coated the fillets in pulverized pecans. Then, I fried up some slices of prosciutto so it was really thin and crispy and served that on top of the fish. The extra saltiness and flavor with the fish was really tasty!

Code Coverage and Unit Tests
I got unit tests and code coverage running in my project's build using JUnit (of course) and Coberatura. They are pretty cool, and describe the line coverage as well as branch coverage of unit tests. I've always had mixed feelings about unit testing... is there some magical sweet spot for unit testing? For instance, I don't want to spend 75% of my time writing unit tests, and have to change and manage unit tests whenever I touch any code (but if that's the case--I think that the unit tests weren't written properly or the functionality wasn't well understood in the first place). I am definitely NOT a test-first coder though. I do see the benefits, but it's just no fun writing unit tests. :) And, I have to add that I am extremely very proud of myself for actually getting this to work in the build considering how distracted I've been at work lately. :)

My old blog...

Very exciting (okay not really) news ... I've cut/pasted my old blog postings to this blog. :) I did so many postings that I had to enter in the stupid word verification thing after a while. All of the links on any old posts may be broken... but I will fix them at some point... maybe. :) My blog started in 2003 :p.

Football: the goal line extends to infinity

I was watching football with Mr. Studmuffin on Sunday, and he explained to me that the goal line extends to infinity, meaning that if you are in bounds and cross the goal line, even if you go out of bounds--you still make a touch down! I never realized it before... but I guess that was why the player running the ball decided to do a somersault over an opponent. :) Okay, so is it super geeky of me to say that the favorite part of the explanation was the "infinity" part? Not just, "it goes on forever"... which you might have to further explain--what do you mean forever? Infinity is much easier to understand.

What you want sometimes isn't what's best for you...

So, I've come to realize that what I want isn't always what's best for me or what I need. Take dating and relationships for example... would it be awesome if I found someone who essentially let me have my way all the time? You think it would, but really, that's not what's best for you (and probably not not what you really want). The best person for you is someone who challenges you (sometimes) and complements you (as well as compliments you). Same thing goes for arm candy... sure--you may want some sweet arm candy, but it's more important to find someone you have a lot in common with and who understands you. Though, if they're arm candy in addition to those things... I really can't complain. ;)

Another tidbit, I've ordered Chanel: Collections and Creations, which seems like a pretty cool book, and is one of the Fashion stars in 8 stylish fall reads from Dallas News. I'm starting to have conflicting feelings towards high fashion and luxury goods right now, though. While "fashion is good for the soul", a new book out called Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster really put into perspective the marketing of luxury and fashion to make it for the masses. In The conceit of luxury, they explain how some high fashion goods are made for cheap in Asian countries and then sold for a huge margin (OK, remind me to buy stock in LVMH). In an article entitled, Money Bags, they described Hermes bags ($6k++) as the last true luxury,... where you go to the shop and pick out the style, leathers, stitching you want and then your bag is hand crafted and prepared on waiting list that is 6 months to a year. Now... is $6k too much to pay for something made just for me? Maybe I should learn how to make handbags.

I'd like to think that I like old school brands like Chanel because I think they are timeless and classic. I also love the thinking of Coco Chanel and what she stood for. Buying my Chanel handbag was an experience, I went to the actual store that was once the apartment of Coco Chanel on 21 Rue Cambon, in Paris. I really love the way my bag looks, the pebbled leather, the silver hardware, and the way it smells. I feel glamorous carrying my handbag, and hey, shouldn't every woman feel that way? We'll see... maybe fashion is the new smoking.

Well,... if I go the anti-luxury route, I guess I would save more cash for vacation and video games... :)

What fish to eat

Ocean's Alive - Best and Worst Seafood


This is a really good link to look over as far as environmentalism and health go. I have definitely cut out all salmon from my diet (except for sushi).

Also, another thing to look out for is nitrates in cured foods like hotdogs and bacon. While they are a little more expensive, Niman Ranch's Fearless Uncured beef hotdogs are great. Now... uncured bacon is crazy expensive... I think it's close to $8 per package--yikes! I was thinking turkey bacon might be a good alternative, but I think even those have nitrates. In this Treating Diabetes Naturally article, it turns out that nitrates and diabetes do not mix--good to know for the family!

In this new world of mercury in fish, nitrates, trans fatty acids, refined sugars, hormones, pesticides vs. organic, it just gets harder and harder... especially for women who may want to have children one day. :)

My upcoming birthday

Well, now that my birthday is less than two months away... I have some planning to do!



First off, my sister, Candy, and I will be doing the Step Out! to fight diabetes with the American Diabetes Association for the first time. We hope to continue this every year from now on. We are doing a three mile walk on October 13 with fellow team members under Team Luxe. I'd appreciate any support you all can give me, like just an email or comment that says "yay!" ... or money :). You can visit my personal Step Out homepage to see my progress or support me.

Next--where to go to dinner? I'd like to take my friends to dinner on my birthday, and was thinking about having a private party at the Rustic Kitchen Cooking Show... but I'm not sure if I'm into having the show being aired on hotel tvs :). So... we shall see.

And finally, I'll be planning a one week vacation to Amsterdam (will be my 4th time there, and 2nd time for sis). Can't wait to have some of my favorite foods... broodje kroket, pannenkoeken, curry gewurtz, indonesian rijstafel... See what is aan bie den at de Bijenkorf, HEMA, and Blokker.

Fashion advice for your resume

From Why your resume annoys employers (CNN)

Fashion designer Coco Chanel had a personal rule: Before she left the house, the style icon always removed one piece of her ensemble to avoid the faux-pas of wearing too many accessories.

Were Chanel alive today and working as a hiring manager, she would likely offer similar advice to job seekers: You don't have to include everything.

"men are a little bit more important than handbags but less important than shoes"

How to Dress Like the Perfect Couple by Ashton Kutcher.

At any rate, [men] are merely accessories.

Mmm, arm candy.