Getting my first Brazilian...

...Blowout :) I bought an online discount coupon for a Brazilian Blowout at the Ronk Hair Design in downtown San Diego for $100. This was a steal considering their website has the service listed for $349. I had heard about this treatment from a few friends and wanted to try it out for myself. According to the Brazilian Blowout website, this hair treatment uses bonding technologies to improve the health and condition of the hair by creating a protective protein layer around the hair shaft to eliminate frizz and smooth the cuticle. I have dry, course, thick, wavy hair that can really only be managed with the right product and an expensive flat iron and getting a Brazilian Blowout seemed perfect for my hair.

I made my appointment by texting with my stylist, Nicole. It was pretty easy to schedule an appointment with her and the location was especially convenient since the salon was right down the street from our downtown apartment. Nicole told me the treatment would take an hour and a half and also advised me come with “dirty” hair because the product would adhere to my hair’s natural oils better.

When I got to the salon, Nicole took me right away. She took me to the back so she could put the product in my hair and then we went to her chair where she had to blow dry and flat iron my hair to seal in the product. She then had to take me to the back again and wash my hair in the special Brazilian Blowout shampoo and conditioner. Another round of blow drying and straightening had to be done and in an hour and a half I had my new smooth, frizz-free hair!

Unlike other hair treatments similar to this, I had the option of washing my hair whenever I felt like it and it didn’t smell like chemicals. Nicole encouraged me to purchase the Brazilian Blowout Anti Frizz shampoo and conditioner set because she could otherwise not guarantee my results would last up to 12 weeks.

It’s been more than 12 weeks since my Brazilian and I can say my results lasted about 10 weeks. The shampoo and conditioner set did last for more than 12 weeks. During the 10 weeks, I was able to blow dry my hair straight for the first time... ever. It was nice to have soft, shiny hair that just took quick run with my flat iron. The only negatives were the salon itself did not have any air conditioning and being a summer day and getting two rounds of blow drying and straightening, it got a little warm. Also, the shampoo and conditioner set was a little pricey, about $75.

My Brazilian was good while it lasted, and I would definitely consider doing it again. And it looks like 1st timers can get theirs for $149! Check out their website: Ronk Hair Design

UPDATE: "USC Chemistry Professor Confirms Brazilian Blowout Poses No Exposure Risk - Comprehensive Study Shows Formaldehyde Exposure Levels Fall Well Below All State and Federal Health and Safety Exposure Standards" via Marketwatch.com. That's another plus for Brazilian blowouts!!!

You can always help support this blog buy purchasing your Brazilian Blowout Anti Frizz supplies simply using our amazon link below. Thanks! p.s. If you didn't know already, I'm the second from the left!

Why I Love My Gucci Bag

I bought my first Gucci bag as a reward for finishing my NP program.  It was a little preemptive since I have not solidified a nice NP salary, but the bag was to provide inspiration and motivation.  I was always eyeing a good Gucci bag, but with such a big accomplishment behind me, I decided it was time. I needed an over-the-shoulder bag that could fit all my essentials - wallet, iPhone, makeup bag, keys and sunglasses.  Turns out the Gucci travel & business / medium messenger bag fits all that plus an occasional water bottle.  It’s the perfect travel bag because not only can it hold the essentials, it hugs close to your body so it’s secure and on your person at all times.  The lady who sold me the purse told me to use a stain protector all over the fabric part of the bag because dark colors can easily rub off on it.  I listened to her, after I wore a pair of new navy blue pants and got a nice hue of blue on the back side of my bag.  I was able to get the blue out of my bag and immediately grabbed a bottle of Scotch Guard and sprayed my bag accordingly.  Since then, I’ve spilled coffee and Jamba Juice on my bag without any new stains.

Overall, although on the pricey side (it is a designer bag afterall), this is a great bag that is comfortable to wear, fits everything, and gets compliments all the time!

Here's the description pulled straight from the Gucci website:

• beige/ebony GG fabric with brown leather trim
• nickel hardware
• adjustable shoulder strap in green/red/green signature web
• zip-top closure
• front flap pocket with magnetic snap closure and inside zip, cell phone and pda pockets
• 12.6"L x 1.2"W x 10.6"H
• MSRP: $730

Why I Love My Air

Seven months ago, I made my first big electronic purchase EVER, a new MacBook Air. After years of hand-me-downs from my husband (1 custom desktop, 1 HP dv1000 laptop, and an IBM T43) I was definitely overdue for a new computer. The last laptop I was used was the world’s heaviest and bulkiest laptop that did the job, just not fast enough. I didn't know what flash storage was, unibody construction and all that fancy mumbo-jumbo but I knew that it was pretty. Note: I was only familiar with Mac OS X from using my husband's MacBook Pro or his previous Titanium.

I love that my Air is so lightweight, fast and of course, pretty! My laptop is portable enough to slip it into my work bag with room for everything else I need. It's so fast that I can just open it up and pick up right where I left off. And you can’t mess with the overall look of the Air. It’s so modern and sleek, but still maintains a classic look with a full sized keyboard & Apple's Multi-Touch Trackpad.

As far as my transition from the PC world to the Mac, it was pretty smooth. Being a forever student and knowing papers had to be done, I didn’t know how I would fare with Apple’s version of their word processor names Pages. After a few frustrated calls to my husband, I was able to get through a few documents and familiarize myself with the general layout. Although I still prefer Microsoft Word, Pages is quite intuitive and user friendly.

My MacBook Air was definitely a smart purchase and has officially converted me to becoming an avid Mac user. Now I hear that they are going to update it already? Boo.

My specs of the one I bought are: 13" 2.13 Intel 4GB RAM 256GB flash storage. The highest model in the bunch and I love it!

You can watch my unboxing here!

Run Like a Girl

I was checking my email one day and saw a message I for sure thought was spam. It was from Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego, confirming my registration. Huh? So, it turns out, my hubby signed me up for the half marathon without my knowing. Thanks, babe. I’ve always thought about running a marathon, but being a non-runner, it mostly stayed just a thought, until now. Check out the course map! I haven’t prepared much for the half - work, clinical and life, has gotten in the way of my so called “training.” But as the date quickly approaches, I hope my training becomes more rigorous. A few things come to mind as I prepare for the big race - race hair and race clothes.

Elijah and I went for a long run last weekend and one of my concerns was not our mile pace, but if my ponytail would stay intact throughout the run. I pulled it up in a ponytail, braided it and pinned it back. Halfway through our 6 mile run, it had already come undone, ugh! Since then, I’ve been looking at runner hairstyles and have been making mental notes of how to tie my hair back appropriately for the big day. I’ll be testing them out in weeks to come.

Last week’s run also made me acutely aware that I do not have adequate racing attire. My friend and I were at the Nike store this past week and I saw many cute and comfortable options there - shoes, shorts, socks - oh my! I will have to go back with the hubby to get his opinion, because we all know he’s into that kind of stuff.

With only 9 weeks left until the Rock ‘n’ Roll, the hubby and I plan to increase the miles we run per week, condition our bodies (I’ve already convinced him to take hot yoga with me this week), and get a good race pace going. It’s going to be an awesome experience for both of us.

It's on pace for another sellout year, so run the full with my hubby or jog next to me in the half! See you there! (register here)

Here's a picture of my hair at the turn around point running with my new Rock 'n' Roll tech long sleeve!

Hey Lady! -- Shoes / My Review

Choosing my shoes for my wedding was one of my favorite parts of wedding planning. There were so many options to choose from - Stuart Weizman, Christian Louboutin, Badgley Mischka, I wanted one of each! But when my friend told me about these twins he knew and their shoe company, Hey Lady, I was curious. I google’d them and after a few minutes of browsing their website, I was already torn between three pairs. What makes their shoes special is not only are they adorable, they are comfortable - a match made in shoe heaven! Of course it was hard to feel the comfortability of the shoe through their website, but with features like a full insole of Nasa-developed shock-absorbent Poron performance memory foam and lined in soft 100% lambskin leather, I was sold. I ordered my pair of Yes, Ma’ams with a few hints and suggestions from Jessica, one of the twins. She was nice to enough to correspond via email with questions I had about sizing and heel height - something you would never get from those high end shoe designers. She was so helpful and I eagerly awaited for my shoes to come.

My shoes arrived in a cute box with a handwritten note from Jessica. She enclosed pads for the shoes because the flower detailing on the shoes has been said to be rub on the toes. After inserting the pads, I tried the shoes on and loved the overall look immediately. The shoes were a little on the stiff side, but would loosen with wear.

The first comfortability test of the shoes came with my dress fitting. I wore a 15 pound ball gown that needed about two and a half hours of fitting time. My seamstress, Ruby, worked tirelessly pinning layers of taffeta and tulle. When she finished, she asked me what kind of shoes I was wearing. She told me most girls would not have been able to endure the 2+ hours without complaining. I told her my feet felt great! She then asked me for more information on the shoes so she could recommend them to the other girls she tailors wedding dresses for and I was happy to do so.

The second test was during my dance lessons that I took with my dad for our Father Daughter waltz. After getting through the hour long dance lesson, my dance instructor, John, asked how my feet were doing and of course, they felt great. He was shocked, but was impressed at the comfortability of the shoe.

The final test came on the big day. I was able to clock in 10 out of the 12 hours in my Hey Lady shoes. I lasted through an hour long ceremony, four hours of picture taking, a rhumba with my husband, a waltz with my dad and a handful of songs on the dance floor. I probably could have lasted the whole night, but the weight of my dress and the sheer exhaustion took its' toll.

My Hey Lady shoes were an essential part of my big day. They were comfortable, stylish and my feet thanked me at the end of the night.  I would highly recommend these shoes to anyone getting married or anyone wanting an amazing shoe for a any occasion.

Check out the site: https://www.shopheylady.com/



photos by Hey Lady and Zelo Photography

Ugg Abilene Boots

So the other half of adellelijah told me I could only buy another pair of Ugg Boots if I reviewed them.  I quickly said yes, mostly because I had already bought them, hehe. I saw them last year during the Nordstrom Half Yearly sale, but since we were in the midst of dropping dollars on our wedding, I admired them from afar.  About a month after we got married, the boots were still waiting for me at Nordies and I just so happened to have a $20 coupon from Nordstrom - it was a sign!

The boots do run on the small side - a few online reviews said this as well.  But they are very stylish - I get compliments every time I wear them, and comfortable - I’ve worn them for hours and my feet are still feeling great. They are perfect with leggings, skinny jeans, and even shorts. I hope the cold weather hangs around a little longer so I can wear these boots more!

picture provided by zappos

I'm Thankful for...Gummi Bears

If you were born in my generation, this song might sound familiar.  Albeit sung in a different tone, it brings back wonderful memories and smiles! Thank you Jimmy Fallon.

Don't you guys agree?

Heavenly Cupcakes

on our mission to find the best cupcake in san diego, elijah and i found ourselves at a cute little cupcake store tucked away in the streets of downtown.  an added bonus: it's a mere 3 blocks away from our house! we selected the seasonal pumpkin, the s'mores, red velvet and vanilla coconut.  we dug into the pumpkin one first and it was great!  just the right amount of pumpkin and cinnamon.   the cake itself was moist and spongy too.   the cream cheese frosting was a little on the sweet side, but still enjoyable.

we ate the s'mores cupcake a day later and turns out after a quick nuke in the microwave, it's still delicious! the chocolate cake was still moist and tasty. the frosting was good too and this one wasn't too sweet.  so glad to find that the the day old cupcakes hold, which isn't always the case.

overall, i would go to heavenly again, the cupcakes were tasty and they are still good the next day.  it also doesn't hurt to have a cupcake shop just a brisk walk away from your house!