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Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Happy Holidays!

December 22, 2015
Hello my skittle biscuits,
Looks like Christmas is only 3 days away! Wow this year has flown by so quickly.
This year, I plan to bake a ham and to bring it to the Christmas party on Friday!
Hopefully, it turns out good ^__^
Anyways, All of my gifts are bought, except I am waiting a for a few to come through the mail.
I hope it comes in on time!!

Changes in me.
I've noticed that I am not as patient as I use to be. I get angry very easily now and I am not sure why. I do have a feeling of the cause but it's better not to state it on here. That is just bad etiquette.

For my new years resolution, I want to...
1. be more patient by learning how to relax and finding time to just enjoy silence and to be by myself
2. exercise! I want to be healthy and try to find time for a light jog or walk at least 4 days out of the week.
3. ?

Well those are my new years resolutions. What are yours? And what should my third one be??

Until next time!
Kieu

Watch my latest video:



Thursday, December 17, 2015

Urban Decay Naked Skin Review

December 17, 2015
Tested on animals: No
Price: $39

This foundation is amazing. I love the coverage it gives but at the same time, it feels like I am not wearing any foundation. Just like the name, my skin feels NAKED, or pretty close.
It weightless element to this foundation is most likely because of the liquid texture. When you first pump it out, it is on the watery side. But not to fret, it is so easy to blend. On the box, one of it's features is it has a demi-matte finish. I never knew what a demi- matte finish is, but I soon learned that I like it. The best way to describe this finish is that it dries on the powdery side rather than being dewy and it gives your face a very natural look. Almost like it is part of your skin.

Personally, my skin type is a combination of oily and dry. My t-zone is a bit oily but my cheeks are normal with some dry patches? This foundation makes my skin tone even and smooth. It does a great job with hiding small blemishes. However, if you have a very dark birth mark, you will need more product and concealer.

Luckily for me, my birth mark can be covered by my hair, but it gets really annoying when I want to put up my hair, but then I have to leave my bangs down. I have grown to accept it, but sometimes I wish it wasn't there. haha

Anyways, back to the foundation: the product has a bit of a smell when you first pump it out, almost like a faint rubbing alcohol smell. But after blending, the smell is completely gone. This foundation is great for long-wear, you can wear it for a full eight to ten hours. But with any face product, there will be a bit of transfer if you like to touch your face. If you are prone to touching your face, like I am, you will need to touch up with a pressed powder or so around the 4-5 hour mark.

Would I re-buy? Yes! I am on my second bottle.
Shade:3.0

Hope this review helps you decide if this product is right for you or not!

Always,
Kieu



Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Life update - Christmas Parties

December 09, 2015
Hello my skittle biscuits!
This post is just a little update on my life. I hope you had an amazing weekend. Today is Tueday and a lot of parties and events are coming up this month! I am very excited for this year's for the wind - xmas party. We always have a full day of food, games and presents. It takes a lot of planning but in the end, it is so much fun and at the end of the day, we are left with great memories with friends and family. Every year, I make a slideshow to sum up our year. I hope everyone will enjoy my slideshow this year! As for food, we will be catering from Boston Market!

Recently, one of my YT friends tagged me with the "my first time tag" - and one of the questions is.. what would be your one wish. I am not sure how this falls under the first time but when I was filming/recording the tag, I started to get really emotional.

I never realized how much the subject bothered me. I am living in a state that really defends the matter. But when I think about it, it really isn't about the 'item.' but it's the use of that 'item.' I am not sure if I will leave that question in my video, but that video should be going up next week or so.. I still need to import and edit it though. On another note, I have been working with Carrie on a collab. The video features a Holiday look! That should be going up on Thursday. And I THINK my new upload schedule will be Sunday and Wednesday's. I will try to stick to this schedule, but who knows.. things come up lol.

Always,
Kieu







Monday, November 30, 2015

Renaissance Festival

November 30, 2015
Hello friends!
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and or weekend!
This year, we had dinner at my aunt's house with all of our relatives! It was a lot of fun, even though we were missing the sushi.. lol
Don't worry, for Christmas.. I will request sushi so we won't be disappointed. Other than that, I think my Thanksgiving was really nice. I got to see my brother for a bit since he came back from school.
As for black Friday, I bought a few items, mostly online though. I feel like there wasn't many deals this year and I have almost everything I really need. So I spent most of the time looking for Christmas gifts. I am pretty much done shopping for gifts just a few more and I should be done!
On Saturday, we drove to Lake Charles to relax a bit. It was pretty nice to get away but I had a hard time sleeping in the hotel bed. There is nothing like your bed and pillow at home. On Sunday, I caught a bit of a sore throat and was craving anything hot and in liquid form. Today, my throat feels a lot better. So I am going to exercise later and hopefully that will kick my mini-cold out the window.

I am currently listening to some Japanese pop music! I love to listen to the cheery voices. It makes me feel very chipper and it brightens my mood!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwWm3om-gSw

Oops, I totally forgot to talk about the Renaissance Festival, and that is what my title was about!
Well this year, we ran into a lot of traffic while we drove there. It was pretty bad but it was great when we got there! I feel like that weekend was more crowded than the other year I went because the weather was great! The day started off pretty cold but then it warmed up. Luckily it got warm because our friends had brought their little ones and I wouldn't want them to catch a cold while they were out there.

We ate so much food while we were there, we got nachos, which were NOT good. Sausage on a stick was pretty good but a bit oily, and it got my costume dirty... we also got a turkey leg! YUM!! and corn on a cob! (which is my favorite) I usually add the butter with seasonings! Anyways they had the potatoes swirl on a stick just like the one I saw in Seoul but I didn't get a chance to eat it since we were so full! Well let me know if you guys have ever been to ren fest, and what is your favorite thing to eat!

Till next time,
Kieu






Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Carnival Cruise

November 24, 2015
Hola Friends!
Today's post is going to be about my cruise that I went on earlier this year. It was a five day cruise, 3 stops at Progresso, Cozumel and Yucatan. I hate to be honest but the trip was just okay for me. I think I would rather save that money to go on a nicer trip. But I also want to give some tips for those who are going on a cruise. So here we go!

My first tip is to upgrade your cabin. We had a tiny cabin with no window, so it kind of felt like a closet. Also to give you an idea of how the restroom is like, just imagine the airplane's restroom. Also a tip when picking your cabin is to pick the middle of the boat and away from any entertainment rooms. This is because if you are on the end or front of the ship, you will feel the waves. If you are prone to motion sickness try to avoid the end of the ship.

Another tip to take note is to plan and book an excursion beforehand. I had full intentions of going on an excursion but by the time we decided, it was too late. The booking counter is limited on opening times and sometimes the excursions get sold out! Of course, you can book outside of Carnival or from your cruise line but we want to be safe, right?

Tip three, bring something to read. You will have no access to internet while you are on the ship. Even when you are docked at the port, your data will be close to nonexistent.

Tip four, try to go with a large group, if you don't you will be sat with strangers for dinner in the formal dining room. Unless you eat at the buffet everyday, seating is open there. There are also restaurants that are not inclusive, so if you want to spend some extra money, you can have nice dates there.

Some great things I loved about the cruise, you have a lot of time to bond with your friends or family. The food is really good, I think it was possibly better than the resort we stayed at in Cancun. I also loved the cost of this trip. It was really affordable since everything is inclusive. The only thing that you need to pay for is soda and or other beverages unless you buy the drink package. They have an unlimited soda package or you can upgrade to include alcoholic drinks too. They also get you by taking pictures of you in the ship and charge a good amount for them.

Well, I hope my post helps you decide if a cruise is right for you or not!

Happy Travels and Happy Thanksgiving!
Kieu

My Laneige BB Cushion Review/Demo Video


Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Catch up time

November 10, 2015
Hello my biscuits!
Wow, It's been awhile since I have written my last blog. So let's just do a little catch up.
Last weekend was quite busy. I volunteered at my local food bank and it was really fun. Usually we end up at the carousel and sort donated items but this this time they had us scan products in! That was super fun and I felt like a total professional scanner by the end of the shift. Not to mention I was pretty sore afterwards too! After our shift, we had a lot of time left over since we finished early so they gave us a tour of the warehouse. It was so great to learn about how they store everything and what their current projects are. After that, we got stuck in traffic because they had closed 3 of the lanes! It pretty much sucked lol

After we got home, we just relaxed at home a little bit before heading our to our next appointment! Our dear friend had a birthday dinner at a gourmet pizza restaurant. The restaurant was okay but what really disappoints me was the fact that they didn't allow his ice cream birthday cake to be in the fridge. wow. So what could we do? We ate it before we ate dinner. lol. After dinner we caught the basketball game at a wings restaurant. They had two large projectors but it was still a bit blurry. At least they were playing the audio! On top of that, our team won so it was a great game to watch! Good deal! ^__^

On Sunday, we were determined to be bums and lay around the house all day. But that got a bit boring so we went home to get our Christmas tree and put it up! It was so much fun to have our tree up and get into the Christmas spirit. Although it is still a bit early! Our tree is white with pink and silver ornaments. It is gorgeous.

Well how was your past weekend? Did you do anything fun?

Always,
Kieu

Check out my latest video:


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Laneige BB Cushion - Review/ First Impressions

November 03, 2015


Hey Biscuits,
Today's post is about the Laneige BB Cushion!
I recently got it in the mail and today is the second day I am using it.
So here is my review of the product so far.. Please note this is my first bb cushion that I have ever owned or used!

Firstly, packaging is incredible. One of the main reasons why I chose the Laneige over the Etude house was because of the beautiful packaging. Trust me, I was so tempted to purchase Etude's cushion because of it's price point. It has crisp white lines and is very sturdy, almost similar to Lancome's miracle cushion but not as expensive.

Application is easy to use, it comes with a little blue sponge/puff that makes blending easy. However, the applicator does get a bit of the product on the white area. But that doesn't bother me, I mean every applicator, especially the ones that comes in compacts get excess product.

Coverage is light to medium. I would definitely use a primer first, don't just apply to blank canvas.
Yesterday, I tried it with primer and it held up very nicely without getting cakey. But today, I tried it without primer and you can see that it doesn't look as smooth. So I think it is similar to any other foundation, you NEED primer. This is also very friendly for everyday use. I mean who has time to pull out their foundation routine every morning? I certainly don't!

Fragrance, I come to notice that many Korean cosmetics like to put a floral fragrance in it. I know that it bothers some people and the smell from sample I received from Target was very potent as well. The scent is on the light floral makeup smell side. So I was really glad that the full size wasn't heavily fragrance like the sample. I will highly recommend you to ask for a sample from target before you buy the full size. I wouldn't want you to waste your money.

Color range, I personally purchased the shade 21, and I think it is pretty close to my shade. However, Lancome has 11 shades! Overall, my skin looked brighter and and more evenly toned. It is so lightweight on my skin and so portable. But let's be honest, mine is going to stay at home because I don't want to scratch the packaging LOL! I am so happy to have this item in my makeup collection. I'll cherish it forever.

Always,
Kieu

P.S. It comes with a refill!


My newest YT vid:






Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Quick Blog

October 28, 2015
Hello my biscuits,

Today's post is going to be pretty boring. Just to capture what I've been up to. Today I got my car inspection done! I left it at the shop and walked to work, which is right next door. Can you say adulthood is in check? haha Anyways, there is a new law stating we only need one sticker on our car now. So they are going to take inspection sticker off and combine it with registration sticker!

Over the weekend, there was a huge hurricane in Mexico and our area got a lot of rain due to that. It basically rained all of Saturday and Sunday. My dad stayed over on Saturday night and I just cooked steak for dinner. Sunday morning, I cooked scrambled eggs and we ate it with Hawaiian bread rolls and coffee. I can tell he was pretty hyper after that coffee because he was talking a lot and extra loud. lol I felt bad because I didn't want to tell him that he was being too loud but I was also half paying attention to the conversation as well. I hope he didn't notice .. but I am sure he is use to it by now. haha

Well, I hope you all are having a wonderful week so far. Halloween is on Saturday, I plan to be something cute but I don't know what yet.

Bye!!
Kieu




Thursday, October 22, 2015

Dallas - Mi Cocina

October 22, 2015
Hello my skittle biscuits,

I recently went to Dallas and it was a great trip. I had so much fun going to a concert and hanging out with family!

We arrived at night so we grabbed a super late dinner at Mi Cocina. The wait wasn't too bad, maybe 10-15 minutes since we opted for first available. Our table was nice and quiet and the waiter was very patient with us. We had the hurricane margarita's and I would highly recommend that drink. It was a bit on the strong side but tasted a lot better after you mix it up a little. Like most tex-mex places, they served chips and salsa. Their salsa was really good, but it was very spicy as well! So just a warning to those of you who don't eat spicy foods. We also got their queso with ground beef. It was hot cheesy goodness! lol. I think I ate wayyyy to many chips so by the time our fajitas came out, I was pretty full. Their fajitas were beautifully presented on a sizzling plate with all the sides toppings in little bowls. In the end, we were too full to finish our food.

Overall, I would definitely come back! I just love the location of this restaurant. It's in the middle of everything.

Always,
Kieu


Friday, October 16, 2015

Breckenridge - Travel Diary

October 16, 2015




Hello Biscuits,

Welcome back! Okay so this post is going to be about my experience in Breckenridge!
First thing, Breckenridge is a lovely town with beautiful landscaping. During your drive there from the airport, you will feel you ears start to pop because you are going higher in elevation. Please remember to bring some kind of aspirin because my head was pounding from all the pressure. haha sorry about that but I just wanted to be truthful and make your trip the best it could be. But with the head pressure aside, the town is so cute with little stores and such lining the streets. You will also see a little snow tubing area before you reach the town. I believe that was about 15-20 minutes before we reached our townhouse. So back to driving into town, you will be curving in and out of the mountain side which is really cool because you will see amazing views as you get higher and higher. I was lucky enough to see a ram!

Our townhouse was great, even though it was a bit difficult to find with google maps, our host had really good directions available. The place was supplied with plenty of blankets, sheets and everything we needed to know about the area. The shuttle buses run about every 20 minutes however it can run late sometimes so make sure you bundle up when you head out there.

So being my first time, I only bought 2 day pass for the lift. To be honest, I was so sore after the first day, I didn't want to go back out the 2nd day. But we kind of forced ourselves to go out there. It was really worth it because we went on the Bonanza trail. To get to this trail, you will need to go up the Mercury lift and let me warn you guys beforehand, the lift is sooooooo long and it gets pretty cold so make sure you jacket is zipped up before you get on this lift. Luckily, there was a leg rest for your board because on the green trails, your board is just handing mid-air and it can get pretty heavy. Alright, so once I got on top of the peak, I looked down at the mountain/trail and said to myself there was no way I am going down this steep thing! It took about 15 minutes to gain the courage to start. lol. Boy, just thinking of it right now makes my palms sweat and my stomach float! So, after going down a bit, it wasn't too bad, this trail was perfect because it was marked as a slow trail and it wasn't as crowded as the green beginner's trail and it was also way easier to go down since there is a lot of gravity. So at first it can be daunting but definitely give it a try! I am so happy I can say that I went on a blue trail and I didn't fall off the lift when I was getting off.

Funny side story, when we were trying to drive out to get our groceries, our rental car was stuck in the snow. We had to wait for the morning time when it warmed up a bit to push the car out of the ice and up the driveway ramp. Please remember to have everyone get out of the car before you try to push! lol

The last day was a snowy day, me and hubs stayed in the house since we were so sore, we didn't bother to go out and explore the town. We had lots of fun trying to start the fireplace and watching the snow fall and kpop star on my iPad. It was a fun chill day. Around 4 -5 pm we started to go back to the bottom of peak 9 to meet up with our friends who bought a 3 day lift pass. I think we decided to eat out as well and found a burger/wing place. We also got some souvenir shopping done and headed back to pack and leave.

Well I hope this post gives you an insight into a first time snowboarder experience and I hope you enjoyed the read. I know I had a great time writing and reminiscing.

Till next time my cuties!
Kieu








Watch my latest YT video:


D3 Diablo 3 Static Charge Shock Greater Rift 60 Monk

October 16, 2015
Hi All,

This is the new build that was discovered on the chinese servers.

The build will be exactly like mine, you could use Eye  of Peshkov instead of the eye of the storm if you wanted to use ancient parthan defenders for more defense.

As you can see I still do not own "Eye of Peshkov" yet... sadly after months of farming I have not seen this helm once!!  Nevertheless even without the helm I still managed to plow through Greater Rift 60 pretty easily.  This build is just so strong, it melts mobs like nothing.  If I do find Eye of the Peshkov, I'll be sure to run some 68+ Greater rifts and post those for you guys to show you how strong this build is.

Tips: always keep Shenlong Spirit set & breath of the heavens up at all times (use Eye of the Peshkov if you're not unlucky like me).  Simplicity's strength gem is just OP in this build.

Rolls: Ideal Shenlongs fist should be Ancient/Dex/Vit/LOH sadly I dont have those rolls currently but hopefully find some new ones soon.  If you have questions on rolls for any other piece, just comment below and I'll let you know what I think is the dream roll.

Gems: Simplicity Strength, Bane of the Trapped, Bane of the Stricken.

Luv Always,
Kieu




Thursday, October 8, 2015

Snowboarding in Breckenridge - Saving Money

October 08, 2015



Hello my biscuits!

Today's post is about my snowboarding trip in Breckenridge. I still can't believe that I learned how to snowboard. It was probably one of the most difficult things I have ever had to learn. But once you get use to just standing up, it's pretty easy after that. One of the things that I really hated was falling off the lift every time I got off! However, I did get off smoothly on the blue trail/run.
Luckily, planning this trip wasn't too difficult since I had a lot of people around me that have been before so they told me what I could do to save money and etc.

Saving tip #1:Get a large group and check airbnb
First step, other than buying your air flight there is your accommodation. I highly recommend you to skip the hotel and go on airbnb and rent a cabin/condo. If you haven't used airbnb before, it is a website where people list their homes for rent. You can rent their home for a night or even months. Some places will have a minimum staying night. You will just need to check their description and rules. So after researching a bit, we actually found a town house that could fit all nine of us. Everyone had a bed except for one person I believe. This townhouse was in a great location. It was next to the shuttle bus stop, so that was really great. We didn't have to worry about driving and about half of our group had their own boards so their equipment was able to fit inside the shuttle bus. Warning: not all buses are the same so make sure you watch your head when you get up because there are some have overhead storage space.

Saving tip #2: Reserve your gear
If it's your first time out to the slopes. I highly recommend you to borrow/rent what you can because you don't know if you will like it or go back. Since it was our first time, I borrowed a snowboarding jacket, bought a used snowboarding pant for $20 on Ebay! and I was gifted a pair of googles! As for the board, we rented it from Christy's Sports. You can save about 20% if you reserve online before you go. It's very easy to rent from them since they have a few locations. And the one we reserved at was right by Peak 9 so we didn't have to carry the boards too far.

Saving tip #3: Cook
I know, it is easier said than done. But surprisingly, you may get your food quicker this way too. The first night we were all so tired from traveling, we just went out to a pizza/arcade place. I believe it was called Downstairs at Erics. There food was really good! But the wait line was no joke. I think for a table of 5 it was a 2-3 hours wait! So luckily they had a bar area with some seating so we just ordered and ate there! The next day, we were all in need of some aspirin so we made it a point to head over to their grocery store. Picked up some spaghetti ingredients and breakfast food and we headed out.

So there are three tips to save money during your snowboard/skiing trip. I hope this helps in some way. My next blog should be about the experience itself! Till next time.

Always,
Kieu









Watch my latest YouTube video:


Friday, October 2, 2015

Concealer - Beauty Post

October 02, 2015
Hey guys!

Today's post is about... concealer. I am talking about under eye concealer. I think we have a love/hate relationship. I just love how it brightens my eyes but I seriously hate how it emphasizes my wrinkles and after awhile it emphasizes my dark circles that are clearly hiding under that concealer.
WHY doesn't it work for me like it does for everyone else? I am so confused.. At this point I am wondering if I am using too much or maybe too little.

So after some thought, I whipped out my pressed powder to do a little touch up. And the result? It definitely brightened up my skin again but my wrinkles are still there. I really don't think I can do anything about those wrinkles unless I do Botox or something. LOL! Anyways, what are your thoughts on concealer? Any tips you would like to share??

On another note, it is Friday! What are your plans this weekend? For me, I have two birthday parties to attend! One of them is for a two year old and the other is for one of my best friends. I hope they like their gifts. Funny side story is that I kind of ran out of paper for one of the gifts so I did my best with the little paper I had to work with. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and don't stop dreaming!

Always,
Kieu

P.S. I am still getting telemarketing calls, AND I still believe its because the newspaper sold my information.

Watch me unbox the new iPhone 6s





Tuesday, September 29, 2015

D3 Diablo 3 Season 4 Greater Rift Level 60 Solo Uliana Monk - AlwaysonKieu

September 29, 2015
Hi all this is a Monk Greater Rift level 60 clear for the Conquest LionHearted.  I know I dont have an Ancient Fist of Az, I just found it last night after weeks of farming and was anxious to try it out, this just proves how powerful a monk is even without an ancient weapon.

Tips: Hellfire Amulet, the top 5 passives are very important, definitely way more powerful than the basic 4, I say it's a must.  Lion Claw & Fist of Az is a must. If possible try to stray from death, as you can see in the video I Dash away after I use seven sided strike then pop my Mantra and Epiphany pulls me back to the mobs.

Items used are gonna be exactly what I have on my build, rolls can vary but if you're curious on a perfect roll for a particular piece just comment below and I'll respond on what I think is the dream roll.

Legendary Gems Used: Bane of the Stricken, Goguk of Swiftness, & Bane of the Trapped.

Cube Items: The Flow of Eternity, Spirit Guard or Gungdo Gear vice versa, Conventions of elements.


Monday, September 28, 2015

Love across the seas

September 28, 2015


Hello my biscuits,

Today's post is about long distant relationships, marriage in particular. So I have a good number of friends and family who are married already. Many of which live together. But I also have friends that are many miles, scratch that, countries apart from each other and they have to go through so much just to be together. And when I think about all the hardships and compromising they do just to talk to each other on the phone, I think it is unfair that the state has to make it even more difficult on them to be together. 

Luckily, everything has gone smoothly and they will be together soon. I am so happy for them and it seems like everything in the end works out. Here is to being hopeful and positive. I am wishing everyone a wonderful week and filled with positive vibes.

On another note, you guys may have already noticed that I have a second YouTube channel up and running. I kept going back and forth if I should really have two channels since having one is already so hard to maintain. But I think it is necessary, especially with with channel being so geared to one type of audience already. Thank you guys so much for all the support and love on my first channel, hopefully I can get the same response for the second one!

Always,
Kieu

P.S. I apologize for the unrelated moon cake picture on top. But it's actually not random at all. It was the mid-autumn festival this weekend! Also, there was a blood moon last night but unfortunately my area was covered by clouds. So we weren't able to see it. T-T

Watch my birthday haul: 




Thursday, September 24, 2015

YouTube Scam? - Diablo 3

September 24, 2015


Dear Skittles Biscuits,

Solicitation. I know I spoke about this in my last post but this is something on another level. The YouTube level. So, it was a normal evening and I was checking my comments from my video's like I usually do. And I come across a comment that asks me to email her back regarding a business inquiry. Now right off the bat, I was surprised because my channel is quite small and why would anyone want to sponsor me! So what I did was I researched the company of the email address to get a better feel on what she was trying to get me to do. And to my surprise, the first two links did not work. The 3rd link I clicked was their main page and it was promoting a networking site for YouTube partners. So, of course I thought this was super fishy. My next word search is "Company Name - scam". Hey, I am a pretty cautious person now after that whole newspaper incident. I found a video saying why I should not sign up with this company and that they just provide you with music and try to get you sponsors while they take whatever percent of your YouTube earnings. And I just thought to myself, wow I cannot believe such a company even exists. Where they claim to do something and take half your money. So yes, this is just another warning for all my readers out there. Everything you do is from your own hard work! Short cuts may or may not be worth it..

Well thanks for reading like always <3
Kieu

YouTube:

This video is for the barbs out there that are stuck on Season 4 Chapter 9 story for lvl 60 G Rift Solo Completion.  I tried Hota barb, but they seem to die really easily, WW Barbs can take hits but can't seem to put out enough damage.  So I went with the Rend build, as you can see I had a terrible start but didn't want to waste a key ;) so I just kept going, but this build should be able to push a lot further than GRift 60.

Legendary Gems Used: Bane of the Stricken, Pain Enhancer, Taeguk.

All Skills & Items used are in the beginning of the video.

FYI!

BOUNTIFUL BOUNTIES—DOUBLE CACHES, THIS WEEKEND ONLY



Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Newspaper Marketing Rant

September 16, 2015
Hey biscuits!
Today's post is a silly story of mine but in fact it made me really angry.

The other day I was at the grocery store and they usually don't have any promotions in the entrance, but today they did. For a gift certificate to the grocery store! Please note that I rarely enter giveaways because I know that they are scams and just a way for marketing companies to get your information. But because this was my neighborhood grocery store, I thought it was LEGIT. So I filled out my name and number on a raffle ticket. You know the kind that they have at carnivals? And the associate assured me they wouldn't share my information. So after that, they started to talk to me about coupons and so I thought they were advertising me a coupon book. And I was like okay, sure I can buy a coupon book. But something got interpreted wrong and somehow I signed up for a newspaper subscription! Which I wouldn't even read! This is what made me kind of upset, the associate never said ANYTHING about the newspaper but it was my fault as well for thinking that it was a friendly raffle.

So the next day, I hurriedly called the newspaper to cancel and they had a long queue so they had to call me back. Next day, I get the newspaper in my email..
Uh what just happened here? Didn't I just cancel??
So I called the newspaper again and asked if they could confirm my cancellation. This guy was nice, we actually found that I wasn't fully cancelled!!
On top of all this madness, I've been getting telemarketing calls from Georgia and asking who it is when they are the ones that called me!

Okay that is all. Just wanted to post this as a reminder that nothing is free, even innocent giveaways at your local neighborhood grocery store.

Thanks for reading guys!
Kieu




My latest YT video:




Friday, September 11, 2015

My labor day weekend/ food diary.

September 11, 2015
Dear Biscuits,

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend. Did you spend it with friends and family or just staying at home and doing some house work/chores?

It's great to have a long weekend. You can relax as much as you want and still have an extra day. I didn't cook too much since it was my birthday but I always worry if what I am eating is healthy! Let's see.. Saturday I had some left over wings for lunch and then for my birthday dinner, we went to a steak restaurant and we had a crab stack which is pretty healthy and a rib-eye steak. For dessert, we had a Totoro cake from Six Ping! It was a vanilla cake filled with fruit and egg pudding.

On Sunday, we had lunch at the mall food court and some ramen at Tiger Den for dinner. Our dinner was really good. It's been awhile since we ate Ramen so it was a nice eat some nice noodle soup. The ramen was easy to eat because the noodles were just the right texture (not too soft and not too chewy) and the broth just made my body feel like a noodle in chicken noodle soup. An interesting side note: we had a legit Japanese guy sit next to us and he ordered in Japanese to the waiter! I somehow felt like I was in another country, far away from home for just that second.

Monday was a frustrating day. It started off with cooking soft boiled eggs but I couldn't get the egg to peel nicely. So I looked up instructions and cooked it again. Still no luck. We had a late lunch with a friend and that was delicious!! We ordered a dozen raw oysters on the shell and a fried seafood platter.

For my ending note, I want to thank my husband, family and friends for wishing me a happy birthday. I know it can be so trivial but it can make you feel so warm knowing that you are remembered and surrounded by people who care about you. Especially this year when I felt quite blue about turning a year older.

Always,
Kieu


Watch my latest YouTube video here:


Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Another year older..

September 02, 2015
Hello my skittle biscuits,

I am sad and happy to announce my birthday is coming up! I am excited to celebrate with friends and family but dreading the thought of growing a year older. But that is life!

The past year I have done and learned so much! I am extremely happy with all the things that happened this year. I traveled to many new places, took a Korean Language class and met a lot of nice people, re-started my you tube channel and fell in love with my hubby all over again during our overseas trip.

I also grew more understanding of my parents this year. I don't ignore their calls all the time like I use to. I figured that they would stop calling me so much if I just answered.. and it is true! This also made our relationship a lot better. I never had a very close relationship with my parents but I think it has gotten better. But let's not make this a post about sadness!

I also grew closer to a few friends because they finally have time for me! lol But I also grew further from some. That is actually a pretty sad thing to write and say.. but don't you think that life is like phases/chapters? You grow close and far from people depending on what page you are on. ***FLASHBACK*** That reminds me that I use to have a really close friend when I was five years old. She use to live in the apartment complex above us. One morning, it was very cold and and rainy.. or was it snowing? I can't remember.. so we decided to wait for the bus inside while watching Lamb chop. You know the little lamb puppet show? I think it was on PBS. Then we missed the bus and walked to school and got in trouble when I got home that day.. Okay! Sorry for the detour. 

Moving on to health: My health wasn't too great this year but I am hoping this year will be in tip top shape. I really need to start working out again. Our darn apartment gym is still under construction due to the flooding that happened in May! But I don't blame my exercise habits on my health. Its also due to what I eat and drink. I started to cut my soda and caffeine intake and it is really working. I highly recommend cutting your soda, I know ... it taste so good but just think of it as a good deed to your body. 

So this year, I thought it would be fun to write down a few of my goals.

1. Gain 1k subscribers on my YouTube channel
2. Learn how to cook healthier/more
3. Complete my Korean Language classes.

Well, that is all for this post! Until next time!
Kieu

Kid picture of myself:


Newest YT vid:





Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Tea time - Babies?

September 01, 2015
***Disclaimer: Before you guys start reading, I really debated on if this entry should be posted or not.. because this may or may not be an offensive post. I always try to see two sides of a story. Okay, so here we go.***

Hi guys,

For some who may not know. I love tea.
I went to this lovely store and somehow spent way over what I expected.. Anyways my little collection that could last me 1.5 years came into use today when some family members came to visit the apartment. It was actually quite fun. I brewed up some jasmine silver needle.. or was it white needle tea? and dragon fruit devotion herbal tea.

They mostly talked and I mostly listened. Per usual, they ask about babies, and when we would have one. I find it amusing that it is the number one topic at every meeting. But I suppose that is the only thing on their minds and the only thing they could really talk about.

I can definitely see why some females are deciding not to have kids at all. One reason may be the responsibility of having a person depend on you for everything. It is quite scary, how can someone think about having kids and taking care of one while they can't take care of themselves? Not only that, you have to be a role model. That little person is going to be looking up to you! They will be watching EVERYTHING you eat, do and say. And, lets face it. The world is a cruel and mean place. Do we really want to bring another human to this earth?

While I understand that side of the story, I also understand the other side. They are thinking: why not have one while you are young and have energy? Or: you better have one now before you start having complications.. The thing is, there is always going to be complications. I feel like pregnancy is such a touchy subject. It will happen when it happens. And to be honest, the thought of having one really scares me. I recently stumbled upon a blog/pic of a c-section. And it literally scarred me for life. For example: I overheard my coworker talking on the phone about one and I just started feeling so sick. I hope, really hope that this image will fade away. I should have never looked at that picture. WHY did I look?

Haha wow, this post totally went the opposite direction of where I meant it to go. I really wanted to talk about tea's and which is my favorite.


Thanks so much for reading!
Kieu



My latest YouTube video:


Thursday, August 27, 2015

Engagement Photo Shoot

August 27, 2015


Hi guys!
Sorry I haven't been posting much on my blog but I promise I have been busy! I recently did a photo shoot for my dear cousin and her fiancee'. The photo shoot took place in Hermann Park and the Japanese Garden there. Although it was hot, they did a great job! Thanks for giving me the honor of taking these photos for you <3 Wishing you a happy engagement and I am so excited for the wedding!

Here are some of my favorite shots:





Thursday, August 20, 2015

Merlion Park - Singapore Travel Diary

August 20, 2015

Hello there!

Wow, first of all, so sorry about the long delay. No excuses!!

So let's continue off my last post in Singapore...Our first call of business is visiting the Merlion park. This is THE landmark of Singapore. We decided to take the river tour boat to explore the area. The boats had a traditional look with its dark wood exterior and the interior was lined with wooden benches. As the boat takes you around the river, you get to listen to the history of the river and you can get a nice breeze in while you snap you pictures. I highly recommend doing the boat tour because it is pretty relaxing and you get to see so much around Marina Bay. The great thing about the tour boat is that you can get off and on at any stop once. So we opted to get off at the Shoppes at Marina Bay. I would say this shopping area is the home of the high end brands. Some stores you will see includes Chanel, Dior and of course, Louis. I didn't do much shopping here but we did grab lunch at their food court. You can find just about anything to eat here, from Indian curry, to Chinese BBQ and soup noodles.

They also have a very large Casino connected. Some things to note is that you will need to show your passport when you enter and I heard that if you are a citizen of Singapore, you need to pay to go inside. We went in to grab some drinks and to just look around. I would say this is one of the most opulent casino's I have ever been too and yes.. I have been to Vegas. It was just so wide and roomy. The casino has 2 floors, the bottom floor has most of the tables and machines, and the second floor has this huge opening where you can look below to the 1st floor. It almost makes you feel like you are the CEO of some big corporate business looking down at the tables from the second floor.

http://sg.asia-city.com/singapore-shop/shoppes-marina-bay-sands

Shopping Malls: I noticed their malls were not as cold as the ones in the US. I was still able to break a sweat walking in the malls, and let me tell you, I usually don't sweat. So make sure to dress comfortably. Our trip mainly consisted of shopping, we did a lot of shopping.. from Vivo City to Orchard. Shopping is everywhere. I got a lot of cheaper items at Vivo like $5 tops and $10 bottoms. Orchard was definitely higher end, with luxury brands like Louis, Dior and Tiffanys. You should probably skip on the Tiffany's because even with the tax rebate, you are paying a bit more than you would in the States.

Okay, so funny side story. During our whole trip we were trying to get match-y couple items to wear. Because, in Seoul, all the couples were so coordinated with each other! So we happened to stumble upon the North Face store. So we checked it out and they had jackets for only $50. We finally found a matching set, he got a blue color and mine was a bright neon coral color. So exciting right?

http://sg.asia-city.com/singapore-shop/ion-orchard

Well.. that's all for now! Until next time~

Always,
Kieu




The famous Merlion statue

On this side of the river- there were huge buildings~

Curry& Naan



Monday, August 10, 2015

Travel Diary - Singapore

August 10, 2015
Hi guys!

Today's blog post is about my trip to Singapore. One word to describe Singapore: Clean. Wow, this place is so clean. During my trip to Asia we made a stop for 2 days and 1 night in Singapore and it was definitely not long enough. With only an hour flight from Malaysia, you barely have time to fill out your customs form before you land! The Changi airport was beautiful and filled with so many attractions. Each terminal has different amenities and attractions including swimming pools, gardens and stores. I had no idea the airport was so nice, I would have gave myself some more time there! My favorite was the Kinetic rain installation because it is so memorizing.



http://www.changiairport.com/en/airport-experience/attractions-and-services.html

On our way to the Bay Hotel, all I could notice was how lush and green the landscaping was. The roads were hugged with beautifully manicured trees and flowers. I still can't get over how beautiful this city is.

The Bay Hotel is a gorgeous place and conveniently located near Vivo City (a huge shopping mall) and the Sentosa Shuttle. The shuttle can take you to lots of entertainment including Universal Studios, the Trick Art Museum and an indoor Malaysian street food court. Our room was super clean but on the small side. I loved the shower rain head, I think I will need this in my future home. Oh I forgot to mention security is pretty tight here, you will need a hotel room key to get to any floor. The television set was decent sized, but it was mounted onto the glass wall of the shower, so it got me questioning if it was safe.. Linens and bedding were clean, the room overall was in good condition. I think the walls could use a little touch up but everything else was good. We also had a mini fridge filled with snacks and drinks.

The hotel also has a small pool area, gym and decent sized restaurant. They have a pretty nice breakfast buffet set up. We didn't eat there because we had other arrangements but if we had another day there, we would have definitely tried it. Well I hope this helps you make your decision on your accommodations for your trip to Singapore. More about shopping and whatnot on my next post!

Always,
Kieu

Driving to our hotel

We can see our hotel on the other side of the street!!

The restaurant has a patio area too!


The driveway of the Bay Hotel


The lobby seating area





Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Laneige x Playnomore

August 05, 2015
Beauty Blog post!
Looks like the Korean Makeup brand Laneige is pairing up with fashion brand Playnomore, And I am loving the collection! But the bigger question is.. how do I get my hands on these items??  I have a feeling it will be quite difficult since it will only be available for a limited time. (Sad face) Why is the packaging so darn cute!!

Exhibits:



Anyways, while on the search for these adorable items, I found out the Laneige has made way into US markets! None other than your beloved Target. Looks like I will be making my way to Target sometime soon!
http://www.target.com/bp/laneige

See you soon!
Kieu



Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Travel Diary - Malaysia

July 29, 2015

Hola Skittle Biscuits!



Today's post is about my trip to Penang, Malaysia! I think Malaysia has one of the most beautiful landscapes. This country has a combination of city-scapes and nature views.You will just be driving and all of sudden see countless mountains in the distance. I remember driving to Genting Highland and just curving in and out of the mountains. We also saw monkeys sitting on the side of streets on our way up the mountains.

To go up the mountain, we had to ride a very long and tall gondola ride. It was the longest gondola ride I ever experienced, just when you think it is over, there are about 10 more posts that you have to pass. However, it was an incredible sight to see and the best part is you get to escape from the hot and humid weather.

Food: Street food is a huge thing here. I would definitely say it is part of their culture to eat from one of these stands. Actually, the night we arrived there, we ate at a outdoor food court surrounded by a bunch of food cart/stalls. It was actually owned by a distant relative and she made some really good fried rice and veggies. My favorite thing I ate there was dry wonton noodle. I didn't even know this existed!


We also went to this peculiar restaurant, I think it was called 'My voice cafe & bistro.' It was a small restaurant but served the hugest ramen bowls! We ordered two bowls and it took up the whole table! I still can't believe how big the bowls were. Anyways the ramen was really good! They are known for their spice levels, beginning from one all the way to 20. I think we got a spice level of 4 or 5? It was perfect for me since I like just a little bit of spice and they will let you try a little bowl of spicier levels if you just ask. The decor was white and crisp and cottage-like and reminded me of a place that should be in Paris. They also had a grand piano that took up 1/3 of the restaurant. It was quite lovely to hear live music during our meal but I am not sure the whole concept went well together. Also the piano was a bit too loud. I would say the price is about the same as US, so I think it is geared towards tourist who are looking for an air conditioned restaurant.



Drinks: Most of the time you will order your drinks from the same place as your food but if you need a beer (which I don't drink) there is a beer-lady you can order from. I noticed that almost every food court had one of these ladies. She would be wearing a tiger beer outfit, matching shirt/skirt and hat! My favorite is having fresh orange juice everyday. I asked for no-ice just to be safe.

Dessert: My favorite dessert by far was this coconut ice cream from Mamma Mia. It was a little stall in the middle of the street and they had one table behind their stall with a little gift shop behind them. It was really interesting because it was inside a coconut shell, so it had some young coconut meat on the bottom, and was topped off with sweet/sticky rice and corn!
Mamma-Mia Coconut Ice cream



With all that being said, I just wanted to give a few tips before your trip to Malaysia. So here we go!

1. Don't expect to be in air conditioned facilities. You will see more single A/C units rather than centralized units like you would see here in the USA.

2. Don't forget to bring around tissues, you will need it. A lot of places don't offer or provide tissues so this will come in handy in multiple places, trust me.

3. Be mindful of your bag/purse. Self explanatory.

I hope these tips helps! I'll have another post about all the street art we visited next time! Until then..

Safe Travels and I'll see you next time!

XO,
Kieu

For more adventures with me, watch this video:



Friday, July 24, 2015

How to get Voluminous Curls! - Weekend Date Night

July 24, 2015

Need to look on point for your Friday night date? Here's a little tutorial for that special date tonight. Enjoy and Good Luck!

What you will need:


  • 1.5 barrel curling iron - I am using the Hot Tools - Helen of Troy
  • Heat Protection Spray - I like the TRESemme thermal creations
  • hair clip
  • hair spray

Step:
1. Spray with heat protection spray
2. Brush hair out
3. Section off your hair into 3rds, starting with the bottom section closest to the nape of your neck
4, Curl your hair away from your face
5. Section off the middle section of your hair
6. Curl again
7. Let all your hair down and curl the remaining hair.
8. Tousle your hair and spray with your favorite hair spray.
9. Look Glamorous =D

P.S. I think you are beautiful. So you should too! 
See you next time my Skittle Biscuits.
XO





Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Go Guan Studio Fun!

July 22, 2015
Hello Skittle Biscuits!

One of my favorite experiences in Seoul was wearing the hanbok. I have to admit that it was one of my top priorities during my trip. There is just something so elegant and beautiful about it. I think all traditional clothes are beautiful in their own way. And let's face it, who doesn't want to dress up like a princess.




There are a lot of places that will allow you to try on hanbok's for free. But I really wanted a good quality hanbok. So I decided to spend the extra dollars at the Go Guan studio. First you need to book your appointment on their website and then they will send you an email confirmation. Very organized! They have a few different locations, I went to the one in Insadong. It was funny because while I was looking for the studio, another hanbok studio asked me to come in there studio. They were a bit less expensive and the lady advertising was really nice. I might have went there if I didn't already book an appointment. It was about $10 cheaper? (Who knows? I upgraded so much here and there.) So anyways when you get there, you walk up a flight of stairs and take off your shoes, and wear the slippers they give you. Even if your friends don't take pictures, they will be asked to change into the slippers. After you have your slippers on, you pick the package you want. I just picked the simple package, one pose but then I upgraded the dress and added hairstyle option. hehe. I decided to go with a gisaeng hanbok with a hot pink skirt. The queen/royalty hanbok's are also in the upgraded hanbok section ($5). But if you just pick a regular hanbok, that is regular price of ($30). My total came to $40 (upgraded hanbok and hairstyle).

So when it was my turn to get into the photo shoot area, they asked me if I wanted to pose with the drum or the kayagum. I went with the Kayagum! After my short photo sesh, they ask you to go to the selfie area, this is where they have a whole bunch of places to take your own pictures. There are different scenes like a bedroom, a shop and a porch. After your all done with that, you can go up another flight of stairs and that is where you can drink tea and write your name with a traditional brush and post it to the wall with the many many other names and hopefully the next time you come back it will be there.. But I highly doubt it! lol The tea was okay.. they were mostly cold teas. They had my love from another star playing in the background. 

Finally it was time to pick up my picture, I wish they would have told us when it was done, because I we just sat up there wondering when the pictures would be ready. I was a bit sad that I didn't get to decide which picture to have printed. The one they picked for me was okay, my face was weird because they didn't pick the one where I was smiling. My suggestion for you is to ask to pick which one to have edit/printed, Overall, the experience was fun and my hubs enjoyed the air conditioner on the top floor and I enjoyed the selfie area the most. So you could do the experience package for only $20! 
Time frame: I think we spent around 2 hours there.. so if you have the time, I definitely recommend this place! You can book your appointment here: http://www.goguan.net/

Enjoy your time in Seoul and Happy Travels!
Kieu

Warning! My hair looks super redic. because it's not the same color as the wig! Lol but not to worry, they make sure it's the same color when they editt/print your photo.







Monday, July 20, 2015

My Top 10 K-drama list

July 20, 2015
Old but good:

1. My Girl 
2. Boys over Flowers


3. Full House

4. Stairway to Heaven.

This was the first k-drama I watched. I literally cried the whole first episode. It's just so sad but weird.. but then good! I don't think any streaming sites have it up right now but you might be able to buy the whole series on ebay or something..

Semi-old
5. Goddess of Fire. This is a historical drama and I am going to admit I am a big Moon Geun‑young fan, I have watched almost all her drama's. And I really feel like I watched her grow up from "Autumn in my Heart." Her tears just drop like it is nothing. I also loved her in Cinderella Sister, Mary stayed out all night and Cheongdam dong Alice. But to pick one, it would be Goddess of Fire.
6. Rooftop Prince. This drama  is a historical/modern story. I am usually not a big fan of that situation but I think they had a good balance of both so it wasn't too awkward or weird. I really love the story and the soundtrack.

New and Current
7. Rosy Lovers.
8.Who are you: School 2015
9.Girl who can see smells. This is a whole new concept as you can tell by the title. It is a mix of romance/ mystery. I really hate drama's that are heavy in the police department. I don't know why but I just do. This drama doesn't put me off because its more investigative and the humor and drama overrides the police-ness. If that makes sense.. lol
On actors notes, I really think Shin Se-Kyung improved her acting. Or maybe she just got better roles because I really didn't like her in 'When a man loves." I didn't finish that drama. And I just love the combo on Yoochun and Se-Kyung. I think they have a really good chemistry on film and I am secretly hoping they end up together!
10. Come! Jang Bo Ri

Let me know what you favorites are~ See you next time~
Kieu

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