lingerie best models Beauty: 08/16/11

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Multitasking, without doing it on your own!!

I never notice I loved gray so much that it seems everything of mine such as my bags, my clothes, or shoes and now even my house would all coordinate in perfect harmony.

How?

I'll tell you later!

Hermes' Gris T. Birkin (Gray-- beige gray), Chanel 08' gray jumbo classic, Alexander wang Gray (lavender) Rocco Duffel bag.

This whole afternoon while we are making Rugelach (here is the recipe) in the kitchen , our painter finished one wall in our family room as well. {It has been a while since the last time I felt that I am a house-keeper as I am always on-the-go and seldom stay home whole day.}

Rugelach

(We only sprinkle cinnamon sugar and almond bits as fillings.)

We all try to be "Multi-tasking", don't we!!!? But who says we have to do everything all by ourselves!! ^O^ It is just as good as it gets to have someone does house-painting for you and the other one demo./teach us how to make Panna Cotta ( a cold Italian custard, often served with fruit sauce or caramel syrup), Rugelach and Garlic bread!! And then we get to appreciate the nice work done on the wall and enjoy the succulent fruit tart right out of the oven all at once. How sweet!!!

I always eat warm dessert with couple scoops of Vanilla bean ice cream!!

It is always healthier to eat your dessert with fresh fruits on top! {No custard nor cream on this fruit tart, just the way I like it!}

Photobucket

A very special "Thank-you" goes to my little fellow blog reader- Anna (the one with blue shirt)!! She made a list of 3 semi-home cooking recipes for us so Yu and I benefit the most. She just graduated from high school and is going to be a fresh-man in UC Berkeley this year!!
{Ah, how I love blogging, and flaunting.....oh, no, I mean she is only 18... so young! ... I know, I am young too!!! *wink*}

Easy and light dessert, Panna Cotta { Ah, we didn't garnish it, maybe we should!! Just to make it picture perfect?... hum,... anyway... }

before:This is our original wall color in the family room.

Ooh, la la~~~

I just can't get enough of gray... ( Benjamin Moore paint in Dior Gray.) See how much I love gray and now I have it on the wall as well. Oh, and look at that apple green new floor carpet, it echoes my green wall too.

after: with nature lighting, and wall lightning

only nature lighting

with nature lighting and one floor lamp

I love our modern family room very much, how about you!!?
Try a new color on your wall, will you?! ^_*
xoxo Rachel

Fashion School Fix: Nick Verreos at FIDM Orange County Open House Summer 2011

Fun In the OC...

This past Saturday, as one of my "duties" as the Official Spokesperson for the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM, I made a trip to the FIDM Orange County Campus for their annual FIDM Summer 2011 Open House. FIDM Open House is a chance for high schoolers (and post-graduates) and their parents to check out FIDM, its facilities, alumn, instructors as well as the curriculum--just in case they might be thinking of attending a fashion college.

FIDM Orange County Campus, Irvine California

I live in LA so I thought "heck, it'll take just 45 minutes to get there!" (it has before). Nope, try almost TWO HRS...On a Saturday morning! Yep, welcome to the world of LA Traffic. Finally, I made it and just in time for my first "Lecture/Special Appearance". FIDM OC invited members of the FAB Nordstrom Brass Plum (BP.) Fashion Board to come and check out FIDM OC Summer 2011 Open House--and hear me speak!

Southern California Nordstrom BP. Fashion Board...and Nick Verreos, FIDM Orange County Summer 2011 Open House

Members of the Nordstrom BP. Fashion Board from all these different areas/local shopping centers were already waiting for me as I walked in and did "my thang"! I told them all about my recent Europe Trip and my new FAB red "Man Bag" as well as how I got into fashion, my love of sketching, talked about Project Runway, owning a fashion design business for ten years, as well as having celebs like Beyonce, Katy Perry and Heidi Klum wear my NIKOLAKI creations.

Nick Verreos Doing the "Hands on the Hips" pose with Nordstrom BP. Fashion Board members, FIDM OC

Afterward, I posed with EVERY Nordstrom BP. Fashion Board group and even met a BIG FAN--who was almost crying (well, a bit teary eyed) when she met me:

LOVE her!!! (look at my "Clutch my Pearls" face!)

Then it was onto my next Lecture at the FIDM OC Summer 2011 Open House. These were general--but still VERY IMPORTANT!-- guests who came to the Open House to check out the Campus. I loved this group as well because there were several "Mommies and Daddies" in the audience, so you KNOW I had to give a couple "Mom & Dad" high-fives! There were also several attendees who GAVE some Fashion LOOKS!!! Naturally, I had to get some pics:

Funky Hair, Custom Tees and Stripes: Nick Verreos poses with two attendees at FIDM OC Summer 2011 Open House

Blue Fashion Boys: Nick Verreos poses with a FIDM OC Summer 2011 Open House attendee--with (almost) matching blue-colored H & M skinny jeans

Until next time FIDM OC!!! Bye for now!

Seasonal Favourtie - Jergens Naturals

Sometimes in the flurry of trialing numerous products I forget to write about the ones I use on an every day basis. These staples may not be quite as exciting as the new releases and limited editions that catch my eye, but they are the tried and tested products that I really rely on and can wholeheartedly recommend.

One of these products is the Jergens Naturals range. I go through moisturising cream like nobody's business so as much as I love indulging in premium products it's just not sensible to slather myself in them every day. Jergens Naturals moisturisers have been an absolute must have for me this summer. They are so easy to apply as they soak in quickly and leave no greasy residue, while moisturing well and mainatining hydration throughout the day. Being 94% natural I have also found them to be very soothing (particularly the Aloe version with eucalyptus and cucumber) on both dry and sensitive skin.

My favourite of all the different 'flavours' is definitely the Cocoa Butter. It smells delicious in a sweet, but not overpowering way, and with extracts of cocoa butter, olive oil, oatmeal, avocado, jojoba seed, sunflower seed oil and vitamin E it is luxuriously moisturising without sitting heavily on the skin.

I'm also a fan of the simple packaging - no fiddling with pumps or balancing bottles upside down, the bendable tube and wide opening let you get every last drop of product with no wastage. It's perfect when applying in a hurry, especially if you're like me and after hiding your pale pins under tights for far too long realise that it's time to let them see the sun!

I was first introduced to the Jergens brand while shopping in the US, and subsequently was sent PR sampples to try. I am happy to report that Jergens Naturals are now also widely distributed in UK supermarkets and pharmacies (I have previously purchased them from Tesco's and Boots) so they are easy to get hold of and are often on offer. Currently, I have spotted them in Superdrug here at almost half price, making 200ml just £2.99.

Have you tries the Jergens Naturals range? What are your got to moisturisers?