Ultimate drug

Love is what makes our world go round. It's the sweetest that exists in chocolate. It's that addiction that I can not forsake.

Christmas 2010

I love Christmas!

Every year, probably a few weeks after Coles and Myer start showing Christmas decorations, I get into it.

I am looking forward to the many different Christmas lunches or dinners that I share with different groups of my friends and family.

I can't wait for the food and the smiles. I can't wait to sing carols. Although, it appears that I am the sole person that actually wants to sing all the carols out loud. No worries, I can sing We Wish You a Merry Christmas and Jingle Bells all by myself.

What are the differences this year?

I feel like I have another family. So I have two lots of festivities to attend! Which really means double the fun for me and double the amount of yummy food I consume.

Myer has promoted a winged-Jen Hawkins blowing kisses at customers. I can say that this kind of creeps me out.

I have become more domestic and house-wifey so I will be baking this! (Or making a thorough attempt at it)



For the recipe, http://www.creativegourmet.com.au/CustomContentRetrieve.aspx?ID=418340

I finally have my own beautiful Christmas tree. All thanks to a very kind and thoughtful person. And yep it's gold.

Merry Christmas guys! (And I will be posting lots and lots in the next month!)

Stay tuned guys, I've been invited to many events.

Xo El

The New Faces in Beauty

We constantly admire the beauty of celebrities, actresses and singers and follow their style religiously.

The chosen celebrities are carefully chosen out of a big pool and are selected to become the face and ambassador of the brand. They are chosen based on their likeness to their brand and their market of fans.

The latest beauty, to be signed to the international, luxury brand Armani has been compared to Angelina Jolie and named by numerous sources and magazines as the sexist woman alive. Her name is Megan Fox.

Fox at 24 is already signed to Armani Jeans and lingerie so this latest signing to Giorgio Armani beauty has come as no surprise. No doubt she will sexed up this high-end beauty brand.



Calvin Klein, a brand that is known to be sexy, provocative and made for the incredibly confident woman has chosen a more demure “Face”. This woman played the most beautiful in the world in a movie blockbuster, Troy. Her name is Diane Kruger.
Asked as to why Kruger was chosen, "The Calvin Klein Beauty woman is authentic and true," the company said. "She is accomplished and inspiring." The design of the perfume bottle highlights CK for embracing feminine curves.

The “faces” of these beauty brands will no doubt change throughout the years or they may remain as the “face” for over a decade, i.e. Andie Macdowall for L’oreal. Either way, as consumers and admirers we always want to look like them.

Xo

Miranda Makes Vogue History

She is known as a Victoria's Secret Angel and won the Dolly Magazine competition which provided her the start to her modelling career.

She has walked for countless couture and high-end labels such as Gucci.

In her latest works, she posted nude for W Magazine in the states and has made history by appearing on the cover of Australian Vogue pregnant. Now this is saying something big. In an industry that favours size zeros, this move is definitely welcomed.

And doesn't she look so beautiful? I love her voluminous hair and the colour is a perfect chestnut. It has the right combination of curls and waves, adding to an illusion of bounce and life. And that's just the hair. She looks amazing!

If you want a piece of her (real estate), her New York apartment is for sale...and it looks pretty good too.



Xo

Imperfections concealed!

Most girls will search a long time for a concealer and most of us struggle to find the perfect product for our skin and our needs.

Whether they are those annoying monthly blemishes that just pop up randomly or we are always lacking sleep so dark circles are visible, we want them gone using just one product.

So here I go, in my attempt to try and assist all my girls...from cheap to exy.

TRUConceal
COVERGIRL
RRP: $13.50
Inexpensive product
Is it the best concealer? Not necessarily but it works hard considering it's so much cheaper and there are a few shades available. Not as long-lasting as I like but still good as a backup.

Youthful Radiance Anti-Dark Circles Roll-On Concealer
Garnier
RRP: $18.95
Roll-on cover-up!
The upside? You won't be getting your fingers dirty and it won't rub onto your work clothes (like I do all the time). But I am concerned whether I am transferring oil back onto my skin so it's not as clean.

Creamy Concealer
Bobbi Brown
RRP: $45
Sets well
I love combination skin, being my cheeks are dry whilst some areas such as my forehead are oily. I usually use this under my eyes and it goes on smoothly and there is also powder to set it.
However, when it gets to summer, the creaminess is perhaps not the best, because it rubs off! And for a guy to see it, he is shocked that the skin under my eyes are coming off.

Xo

I want these angel wings...

Every year, there is one show that both women and men don't fight over the remote and want to watch it together.

You guessed it (or not). Victoria's Secret Fashion Parade.

Since 1994, Victoria's Secret has featured 152 (that's a lot of angels!) different models sporting sparkly, over-the-top lingerie (which you know that both you and I will never, ever get the chance to wear) and not much else in its annual televised lingerie runway show.

The iconic Angels Wings, worn by the brand's top models (hello Heidi Klum!), are also a necessity in every show.

To date, there have been a total of 92 different sets of wings made. Those that make them are artists and no doubt they are veritable works of art, such as one pair made from 10,000 peacock feathers as modeled by Karolina Kurkova.

Music artists in the past have included Usher and Black Eyed Peas, but this year the gorgeous Katy Perry and multi-talented Akon take to the stage with all of the angels (minus pregnant Miranda Kerr).



To catch the 16th annual fashion parade, it will be shown on November 30th in the US, so clear that night! (Not sure what if Channel Ten is hosting it again this year, update to come soon).


So you know what I want for Christmas!

No no no, not lingerie, angel wings!

Xo El

Summer Fragrance Reviews

I have put down short reviews about some of the summer fragrances.

Updated with the actual words rather than the link.

Here we go...




Orange Blossom Cologne
Jo Malone
RRP: $80/$140
Sweet Orange Flowers
This fragrance, although, it's cologne is definitely a feminine fragrance. This is my second fav fragrance from Jo Malone. It's soft, citrus and great around the home & bathroom. Awesome mother and grandmothers.


Britney's Fantasy


Fantasy Britney Spears Eau de Parfum
Britney Spears Beauty
RRP: $49 / $59
Super sweet
I love sweetness but I feel sometimes I have to be in the right mode for it because it's overpowering!



Britney's Curious

Curious Eau de Parfum
Britney Spears Beauty
RRP: $49 / $59
One of my favs
I have so many memories from this lovely fragrance. It's feminine, young and sweet.


Chloe

Chloé Eau de Parfum
Chloe
RRP: $90 / $130 / $170
Daily use
Feminine and the perfect way to finish up an outfit. It's floral and delicious.


Marc Jacob's Daisy


Daisy
Marc Jacobs
RRP: $90 / $120
Daisy
i love the concept and the design of the bottle.
But, is it the perfect Spring and Summer fragrance, no. It puts up a good effort though.




Davidoff's Echo Woman


Davidoff Echo Woman Eau De Parfum
Davidoff
RRP: $59
I would call this a classic
Definitely one that is for every woman.
it's feminine, subtle and very classy.



benefit's Maybe Baby



Baby Maybe Baby
Benefit
RRP: $51
Sweet Divine
Just like everything else in their range, it's unique, fun and quirky. This fragrance is no different. It's sweet and makes me want to have fun.



Sarah Jessica Parker's NYC


SJP NYC Eau de Toilette Spray
Sarah Jessica Parker
RRP: $55 / $70
Mini SITC
Definitely more of a youthful Carrie. It's more for the girls in their 20s or high school. It's fun, sweet and not too overpowering.



Xo El

Summer TV Viewing Pleasures

Summer is just around the corner and there are some very exciting tv shows to be shown.

First on the list:



Hawaii-Five-O - This show is a remake and stars Aussie Star Alex O'Loughlin. It is a cross between NCIS (without the NCIS unique humour) and includes a lot of action and fighting scenes. The show also stars Grace Park who is over 35 but you wouldn't have known unless I told you. And she's hot and an awesome female cop. There's humour and there's great on-screen chemistry. Love!










Nikita - There has been a movie and a series based on this woman. But who is she? She was trained as an assassin but turns out the company that she works for, isn’t really the government and must be stopped. She is the new Alias but with less mysteries, mind-bending scenarios and double-identities (I’m referring to Vaughn and Sydney’s mother). However, she still kicks a lot of arse so expect a lot of action and female power. On Go!






Pretty Little Liars - Who killed their best friend? As episodes unravel, the audience discovers the deep dark secrets of each of the teenage girls in the show. It's not as family-rated tv show as I thought it would be. Slightly dark, scary and lots of twists. (Cue lesbian love, forbidden relationship between student and teacher, youth lipo...see it isn't really family orientated.)









The Gates - following the success of vampires and werewolves, another tv show has emerged. This time, a community within 'The Gates' all live with very dark and deep secrets. A family moves there, the dad being the new Chief of police. There are many twists, it's dark, scary, lots of blood but the usual teenage love story and normal drama. (Expect vampire and werewolf showdowns, voodoo magic and other creepy stuff)




Happy Viewing! But if it's an awesome day, go to the beach...it's summer after all.

Xo

Good Sportsmanship is required

We all love sport. It's no secret. Us Aussies religiously watch all different types of sports in packs. We get into it and we are passionate about it.

But no matter what happens, good sportsmanship is required.

Latest news from Delhi - Aussie wrestler Hassene Fkiri, 36 missed out on the gold during the final match to India's Anil Kumar. Frustrated, he refused to shake his opponent's hand and made rude gestures to the ref.

His coach says that he is a nice and happy person normally and Kumar had upset him and pulled his neck.



Huh? Isn't this wrestling? Isn't this a contact sport so aggression comes with it?

Regardless of how upset he was, be the bigger person and shake hands with the guy! I mean you got up and personal with the guy (and let me emphasise how physically close you guys were). Plus you are there to represent Australia so don't behave un-Australian puh-lease.

My message to Fkiri, you should have accepted the silver medal, silver is awesome! Most girls love silver or white gold on their fingers and wrists as oppose to gold now. Plus you are 36 so are you planning to wait for the next round of the Commonwealth Games?

Nevermind me! I am looking forward to see you compete in the next Commonwealth Games...in a four years time.

Xo

Tragedy = Hope

My short and very sweet opinion about when tragedies can turned out into hope...

Without challenges and tragedies in life, I don’t believe a person is able to grow and flourish. I believe the loss of my wonderful grandfather was a big wake-up call. It was also an unbelievable motivation to aim high. What was devasting turned into hope, hope for new life, new goals, new opportunities and new eyes.

Temt & Shop Til You Shop Summer Cruise

Last night was a breezy night. It was chilly and for the first time this Spring I wish that I wore stockings!

My lovely mummy and I docked a Russian boat (not entirely sure what a Russian boat should looks like but this one was old looking and made lots of creaky noises) at approxmately 6.15pm.

(Funny Moment) I got asked by one of the organisers if I was over 18...please leave your comments here.

The boat was already full of people seated both downstairs and upstairs but to credit my smart mother, she found us some seats in between tables.

We sipped Schweppes mineral water and chatted (more like heated discussion of many topics including politics...huh?)

After half an hour, we arrived at Harbourside Shopping Centre. All the guests walked upstairs, trailing one after each other like a pack of excited wolves. We were greeted by a massive red curtain and a black (instead of red) carpet.

We were welcomed and after the introduction, all the women madly RUSHED into the store. (That was the scariest bit!)

On service, there was canapes of sushi, ham and cheese sandwiches and spinach and cheese pastries. We passed on the champagne because it was a Wednesday night and simply enjoyed browsing through the store.

Onto the fashion!

Trends this summer:



Angelic - the pastel and soft pinks are back! Full of fine details such as lace, frills. It's all about looking innocent and very feminine.

Navy - inspired by the sea no doubt. The looks are more fitted and structure. They are shorts paired with stripes

Casual - pieces are loose, but still paired with soft looks such as floral tops. And short shorts are back!

Oh I forgot to mention there was 20% last night but I didn't manage to get anything because it was like sardines in the store.

But there's always next time.

xo

Biggest Live TV Mistake - ANTM

Unless you have been living in a rock ever since last night, you should have heard about the Australia's Next Top Model blunder.

Sarah Murdoch, a Co-Executive Producer had announced the wrong winner for Cycle 6. She was fed the wrong information from the broadcast truck or a technical error, whichever one it's not entirely clear.

Poor Kelsey, who I believe is the only real model there and I would even go as far as saying she is the next top model for Australia, had done a beautiful acceptance speech and positively glowing after the announcement. She was so humble from the mistake. She was amazingly mature for a 19-year-old.

She did not walk away empty-handed though, she did get $25k prize money and a trip to see Elite Models in New York but I bet she wanted that new Ford Zetec and the Levi's ad campaign, to be on the cover of the fashion bible - Harpers and have her own magazine spreadh (which she did the best job in the fashion shoot as per the fashion editor, photographer and editor - McCann)

All I know is, thank goodness Sophie didn't win, a model should not resemble a rock and a stick paired together. At least Amanda has potential.

In future, Fox, make it official and hand Sarah an envelope or a piece of card or something instead of feeding the name of the winner through the earpiece...even an accountant would have known the risk of doing that!

Xo

Btw Amanda's new cover, the dress saved this picture.



Just another update. Harper's just emailed me to confirm Kelsey will have her own cover! Hooray! I bet they were afraid no one would buy the November issue because of the drama.

Butter me (Not!) Up

It's no surprise that I have a sweet tooth and I love my desserts including chocolate cakes.

I also love baking and have been baking for many years, but unlike heaps of other bakers, I switched the main ingredient for a much healthier alternative a long, long time ago.

Today, in the news, the Heart Foundation has spoken up about how Aussies are following the trend of eating large amounts of butter - an increase in the sales of butter of 9.3%, following the success of Masterchef.

Aussies eat twice the amount of recommended intake of saturated fat.

Personally, being Chinese (we do not use butter at all) I am really surprised by the amount of butter other people use, e.g. I didn't realise some of you guys put butter to cook your meat, butter to roast your vegetables and butter to stir-fry...

So I encourage you guys to make the change because I want you guys to be around longer because you guys are my friends :)

(Btw, I am still going to cake in moderation...lol)

xo

Delhi are you sure you are ready?

In case you have been living in a hole, I am about to inform you that the Commonwealth Games are back again. This time in Delhi. You may have heard that there have been reports of terrorist attacks, terrible living conditions for the athletes and collapsing newly built structures.

With only days until the official opening ceremony and the opening of the rest of the athletes' living quarters, is Delhi ready to host this big event?

Many well-known athletes have already pulled out saying that their life is more important than a gold medal.



So truthfully, is a gold medal more valuable that people's lives?

Are the rest of our Aussie team going to withdraw and come home?

Is Australia going to end up with no medals?

I think the next few days will be interesting to watch...

BUT, please netball teams, do NOT withdraw...otherwise my next month will be netball-less (so get lost terrorism, bring on wonderful engineers and construction)

xo

When Mothers Kill

I am not a mother so I guess you can say I don't understand what goes on in a parent's mind.

But I believe when I am a mother, I would never be so selfish that I would kill the ones I love and take my own life.

Recently in the news, there have been many different cases of where mothers have taken their own life or killed their children.

You are right in assuming that there were issues.

In Britain, a mother killed her whole family because they were being bullied. They were pelted with stones, flour and eggs.

In another, her child had depression and required full-time care.

My moral to this story is that we should;



* Treat everyone with respect and care, even if your day is really bad & you woke up on the wrong side of the bed

* Love your children because you have given them life and life itself is incredibly precious and should be treasured.

Anything else? Comment & let me know. (Oh btw, I have the best, loving and wonderful relationship with my mother. She's my heroine and I love her always...no issues there!)

xo

Obsession with perfection

I understand that in Hollywood, Miami, Brazil and anywhere else, people (especially women) are becoming more obsessed with looking their best. But where is the line that people should draw?



We have all seen certain women (and men) from the past who have taken it just a tiny bit too far. Take for example Joan Rivers, she was a successful for being funny and her acting. That's until she morphed herself into a cat.

Eeekkkk.

Elvis' wife - Pricilla was known for her natural beauty...and now she has less wrinkles than her daughter and closer to a female Michael Jackson.




More recently, the fresh faced Heidi Montag from one of my favourite shows - the Hills, decided that she was unhappy because she didn't look like all the other freaks in the city. To her dismay, her nose has already started falling off, let's hope she doesn't have an incident where she accidentally steps on it when it's on the ground.



The latest celebrity to try plastic surgery was Kim Kardashian. I can't believe her own mother tormented her on the show about how she has wrinkles around her eyes. (That's setting a pretty terrible example). She ended up getting bruises around her eyes/face and she was horrified, vowing never to resort to plastic surgery again. Thank goodness! She's only 30! And she's beautiful.



Embrace the inner beauty!

xo

Top Rated Beauty Products - Spring

I love hearing recommendations but when it's from a sales staff, you know they have other motives. So here's my guide, of course, it's all tried and tested (& owned). So trust me and follow my lead (& I promise I won't leave you astray)



Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat
This concealer has many uses. Under the eyes, it brightens and lightens the skin so you appear more awake and alive. Trust me, nothing sucks more when someone comes up and asks you if you are alright because you look really tired. On pimples or blemishes or scars, it lightens it so it looks like you have flawless skin. There are different shades for different people obviously.


Lancome Juicy Tubes
Pick out a girl who honestly doesn't like juicy tubes! Over the years, there have been hundreds of flavours. Every season, there are limited edition ones and boy do I love collecting them?? They make my lips ultra shiny and they are great for eating too (I wish I was joking!) My favourite in the permanent range is peach...yummy!









Bobbi Brown Cream Blush
I love cream blushes because powder tends to dry out my skin. So if you have dry/combination skin, blush won't make your skin appear dry and flaky. Bobbi's blushes are available in many colours to suit many different skin tones. They are easy to apply.




More later!

Xo

The "Oprah" House

Oprah is coming

OMG, every single woman in the States have been going 'bananas'!!


Oprah has been known in the past, to be extremely generous. She has given away a new car to every audience member, free camcorders, makeup, etc.

But how much is this awesome trip costing us awesome taxpayers. Only Three million dollars. Aha! I feel like a slave worker right now.

But to credit Tourism Australia, I believe this campaign will fair much better than the one Lara Bingle fronted...let's hope so because I am sure we do not want another national embarassment.



So when does she head here? She will be at the Opera House or on December 14, it will be temporarily renamed to something more appropiate - the 'Oprah' House. (Wow, how long did it take for them to come up with that?)



Get excited Sydney! (Because secretly I am as well)

And yes, you will find me sitting in the audience, watching this influential woman film her show (first time out of the States).

Let me know if you want me to save you a seat.

xo

Finally going to smell like GaGa

She's been around for awhile now. She's won numerous awards for her music and videos but I have always tuned out only because I thought she was OTT.

I must admit, she is a creative being. Her music is addictive and her lyrics have meaning (even if they are inappropriate for my innocent ears) and her style has made her a fashion icon.



Her individuality and her unique look has sky-rocketed her to every women's and fashion magazine, blog and website. No doubt, check out what she wore to the MTV awards. (And those alien and sky-scraping (late) Alex McQueen shoes)

In the latest Gaga news, there's a new book out about how she is insecure (likes to sleep with her tour manager's wife) and how her media persona is 'crazy' because the record company said she was not pretty enough to be a pop star.

She is also joining forces with a beauty giant to create her new fragrance. It's the same company that produced Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce's perfumes.



I am guessing, it's going to be a sell-out.

But what will she name it? 'Dance Fever', 'Disco Fever', 'Little Monsters', 'Black, Bad Romance'.

I hear you, thank goodness I am not in the marketing department because I suck!

Whether you hate her and find her really annoying, you must admit, she's changing fashion styles and creating new trends, she's getting people talking. Or love her, because she's so wacky and her music is different, she will be around for at least another three decades.

Heck, even Paris Hilton wants to be GaGa! (And that's saying a lot!)



xo

Pop-out! Spring Beauty

Spring has hit Sydney!

Despite today's dreary weather (my window view of Barangaroo is completely foggy and the sky is dark), spring is here and no doubt the States have been very busy creating the latest beauty must-haves.

So to have things kick off!

The latest fragrance: Estee Lauder - Pleasures Bloom



Estee Lauder has always been a family favourite of mine and I have the entire 'Pleasures' collection. Each spring, they bring out a new variation of the classic 'Pleasures'. But don't be fooled, their variations are refreshing and very different to the other fragrances. So it's definitely worth testing out at your nearest DJs or Myer.

Latest makeup trend: Bright eyes and natural foundation



This is what is hitting the catwalks in New York. Bright colours, whether it be pink yellow or purple, as long as it stands out. And if Victoria Beckham, the Queen of the WAG Style Committee says purple eyeshadow is in, the whole world will follow suit. (Below is a picture of a model from her collection)



That's it for today but don't fret, new products are always launched so get excited for the next update!

xo