Markham Station

I had work until midnight, so Shawn and I decided to go for "dinner" at Markham Station (bless 24-hour diners). We're still trying out the ordering-for-each-other thing, so he ended up ordering me a ham and cheese omelette with onions (essentially a Western omelette without green peppers), and homefries and toast on the side. Okay, first things first. Markham Station's omelettes are huge. They're made with four eggs. Anyone who eats eggs will know that that is a shit load of eggs. Thusly, if you're even considering finishing your meal, you need to come in with a massive appetite. Secondly, this omelette was totally worth the gigantic food baby afterward. I like that they keep it simple, with the four basic ingredients (eggs, ham, cheese, onions), making it more of a comfort food rather than those fancy frittata-type deals. No muss, no fuss. Good food, good prices. Markham Station's always a win.

Moxie's Classic Grill

Shawn, Jesse, Hannan, and I went to Moxie's for a surprise birthday lunch for our friend, Sherwin, this afternoon. I haven't been to Moxie's for a while, but I used to go there all the time because I worked right next to one. Their food is not fantastic, but it's relatively satisfying, depending on what you order. They were still serving the brunch menu when we got there, so I ended up ordering the Sicilian sausage hash and poached eggs topped with hollandaise. And, surprisingly, it was pretty damn tasty. Not a phenomenal must-have, but I definitely don't regret ordering it, and I would order it again if I ever make it out to Moxie's for brunch again (though, I'm kind of interested in trying their crab and scallop cake Benedict). Either way, I think they should somehow incorporate some of their brunch menu items on to their regular menu, because I feel like a lot of the dishes are tastier, or at least more inspiring, than a lot of the items they currently have.

Couch Potato, Part II

So, HMV, Best Buy, and Amazon.ca are having great deals on DVDs and Blu-ray right now, and I just had to get in on the sales. I know, I know, I only bought about a million movies earlier this month, but I just couldn't resist...

On DVD: Paris Je T'aime for $9.99, Pulp Fiction for $9.99, Kick Ass for $9.99, The Men Who Stare at Goats for $9.99, The Princess Bride for $7.99, Mulan (Special Edition) for $26.99 (okay, so this one wasn't really on sale, but it's a Disney classic that I need to add to my collection before Disney stops production of it)

On Blu-ray: The Social Network for $19.99 (cheapest price I've seen for this movie on Blu-ray), Despicable Me for $19.99 (also the cheapest price I've seen), Pan's Labyrinth for $12.99, and Inglourious Basterds for $12.99

Six Feet Under: The Complete First Season on DVD for $16.99!

My brother had bought me Season 1 of Six Feet Under several years ago for just over $80 on eBay, and that was considered one of the cheaper prices because it was the only season that had been released at the time (TV DVD sets were considered somewhat of a novelty in 2003). I had lent that DVD set to someone and never got it back, nor will I ever see that person again. I didn't want to re-buy it because it's always been quite expensive. So when I saw it on sale for $16.99 (!) at Best Buy, I snatched one up. Yes, you read that right. $16.99. That's cheaper than any other TV DVD set I've ever seen, let alone an HBO box set. Any fans of Six Feet Under who doesn't already own the set needs to pick this up, stat.

Friday Five

This week's Friday Five:

1. What's your favourite kind of cracker? I'm rather fond of the classic Ritz crackers, 'cause you can top them or dip them or add spread on them... And they're pretty good on their own, too, actually. But if President's Choice's Swiss Sticks count as crackers, then I would count both the Gruyère Cheese and Black Olive flavours as favourites. It starts with, "Okay, I'll just eat one." And next thing you know, the whole box is gone. It's bad news bears.
2. What part of your residence gets the best natural lighting? The kitchen.
3. What song have you frequently listened to lately? "Light It Up" by Blood Red Shoes.
4. What could you use a little break from? The extreme cold.
5. What's going on in your town this weekend? Hmm... Winterlicious is starting this weekend.

Bullet Points

Random News & Happenings:

• Shawn bought me Dexter: The Fourth Season for no reason other than, "I bought you Season 3 for Christmas and it was the worst season, so I got you Season 4 to make up for it!" Cutest, ever.

• Finally went into Victoria's Secret to see what all the fuss was about. First off, I have to say that it is insanely overwhelming in there. One of the salesgirls was showing me around the store, and I almost wanted to leave by the time we got into the third section of the store. I eventually decided to get a hot pink and black lace Dream Angels bra, 'cause the salesgirl said it "fits like a glove." So I forked over $60 after tax for that bra, which is probably the most I've ever spent on underwear. I've been wearing it for the day, and I've gotta say... girl was right. It fits amazingly well. So, what do you know? It lives up to the hype.

• Made my final shopping list for the MAC + Wonder Woman collection after seeing all the swatches on Temptalia. It's going to put a $250 dent in my bank account, but I'm still excited!

• Went to Shoppers to pick up a few essentials, you know, nail polish remover, Bioderma make-up remover, contact lens solution, laundry detergent, some magazines... And I saw some new shades of Nicole by OPI nail polishes, one of which was a lovely creamy seafoam green shade called "My Lifesaver," and I was like, "Oooh, I have to have it!" And it wasn't until I purchased it, got home, and looked up swatches online that I realized it was from the Justin Bieber collection. Uh... How does Justin Bieber even end up with his own nail polish collection?

• I finally downloaded the Angry Birds app for iPhone. I see why it's the bestselling game app on the App Store now. I just spent three hours playing it, and I only stopped because my phone ran out of battery.

• I also got the Veggie Samurai app. I would never abandon Fruit Ninja, but... yeah, I might like Veggie Samurai slightly better. Only because it has more modes and it's a bit more challenging. Still, Fruit Ninja has better sound effects and Arcade mode. I wonder how much more I could accomplish if I didn't play iPhone games...

• I got my tickets for the Thursday show on February 13 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre. Thursday is having their 10th anniversary of Full Collapse this year, and they're touring with Underoath, Animals As Leaders, and A Skylit Drive. It'll be my sixth time seeing them, but I'm especially excited to hear them play songs from this album, 'cause it's been one of my favourites since grade 8. Oh, nostalgia.

• Just downloaded Blood Red Shoes' Fire Like This album from iTunes. It's catchy as hell. Seriously, it's one of those albums where there's not a single song I don't like.

• Shawn and I had a little '80s movie night with Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal. They just don't make movies like these anymore. I mean, what happened to the art of the puppet animatronics?

• Dropped by Bath & Body Works and picked up some hand soap on sale for 6 for $25, since I go through so much of it (I wash/sanitize my hands obsessively – you get used to it when you're in the cosmetics field). They just released some awesome new scents, including Citrus Crush, Mango Margarita, and Pomegranite Passion. Seriously, sometimes I go to the bathroom to wash my hands just to use this soap. I'm so weird.

• I knew I was making the right choice in choosing nachos over popcorn. I don't know what they put in that cheese, but it's like crack. Oh, man, it's so good. I would eat it with a spoon, but I think I would be judged for it.

• The Beardo: "You know Asians and growing beards... it's hard." Keep yourself warm this winter.

Airplanes + Brick By Boring Brick

A mash-up cover of B.o.B. and Hayley William's "Airplanes" and Paramore's "Brick by Boring Brick." Beautifully done. I can't believe I didn't see this one sooner, seeing as it already has over one million hits.

McDonald's Bacon Chicken Snack Wrap

A bunch of us went to McDonald's at 4:00 in the morning after the guys' poker game, and I finally tried the Bacon Chicken Snack Wrap. It's exactly what it sounds like: their original Chicken Snack Wrap, but with glorious bacon. And they're the same price ($1.99 each, or $3.98 for two), so why wouldn't you get the extra bacon? My only complaint is: not enough bacon. Seriously, they give you this sad-looking, super-thin piece of bacon. They should at least give you, like, three of those sad bacon slivers, you know? It should really be called Chicken Snack Wrap with a Hint of Bacon, but I guess that'd be too long.

Penne Alfredo & Italian Meatballs

Tonight's dinner: Penne with Italian meatballs, peas, broccoli, and baby spinach in alfredo sauce. And Mrs. Dash Original Blend, 'cause Mrs. Dash makes everything taste better. It was pretty damn tasty, if I do say so myself.

MAC Foaming Cleansers

I used to be very wary about MAC's skincare line. I mean, as a brand called Make-up Art Cosmetics, their focus and expertise is really on make-up, not skincare. But when I went to my MAC training a few months ago, the trainers said the same thing: many customers don't want to try their skincare because they're such a make-up-based brand, but their skincare is just as good as some of the other prestige brands. (MAC is owned by Estée Lauder, after all, and have the same skincare experts working on their lines – just as Nars is owned by Shiseido and uses their expertise). I remembered reading the workbook with the description of the skincare products and the ingredients in them, and thinking, "Okay, that's it, I'm gonna try some of this."

I went to the MAC store because I had to pick up a new Blot Powder Compact in Medium Dark and a new Eyebrow Pencil in Lingering. I also picked up a new bottle of Fix+ (every MAC make-up artist lists this product as a must-have). It's phenomenal to re-set make-up during the day, refresh skin, use as a hydrating toner, and even to tame flyaways. Fix+ was the only skincare product that I ever really bought, because it was more for using in conjunction with make-up as opposed to taking off make-up or post-make-up. Ultimately, I decided that cleansers would be a good way to introduce myself to the rest of their skincare, seeing as I go through so much cleanser, anyway, and I already have way too many moisturizers at home. So I picked up a bottle of the Green Gel Cleanser and the Cremewash.

I prefer the Green Gel Cleanser for morning, only because the gel-texture and cucumber scent is more refreshing on the skin and makes me feel more awake. It's soap-free but foams up beautifully, and takes off make-up really well (as well as my face make-up, I tested it with a few different eyeliners on my hand, including liquid, pencil, and waterproof – it took everything right off, but you'd probably have to do two washes if you're wearing heavy or cream-based make-up). It's gentle enough that it won't make my skin feel super-tight after cleansing (I have combination to oily skin), but it doesn't leave me feeling hydrated or moisturized – just fresh and clean. It's sort of like a foaming version of Fresh's Soy Face Cleanser, except at a fraction of the cost (this retails for $23, whereas Fresh retails for $44, and they are both 150 ml). But unlike Fresh's cleanser, Green Gel Cleanser is not opthamologist-tested, so it's technically not be used in the eye area. My only complaint is the bottle. I wish they had made this in a squeeze tube because a twist cap can be quite cumbersome.

As for Cremewash, I am in love! It creates a thick, whipped, creamy foam that smells like citrus-vanilla, and it takes off make-up like nobody's business. (Again, not opthamologist-tested, so not for the eyes.) It leaves my skin feeling not just clean, but also super-soft and hydrated. I almost feel like I don't need to put on a face cream afterward (of course, I would never do something so ridiculous, but in theory, you know). The only thing is, Cremewash retails at $23.50 for 100 ml, whereas Green Gel Cleanser retails at $23 for 150 ml. I just don't know why there's that price difference (perhaps in the ingredients?). Overall, I'm extremely satisfied with these cleansers. They totally exceeded my expectations in terms of make-up removal and cleansing the skin. I would definitely re-purchase both of them, though I feel like I'd go through the Cremewash way more in the winter (creamy and moisturizing), and the Green Gel Cleanser more in the summer (fresh and sparkling).

The Pickle Barrel

Shawn and I went to The Pickle Barrel for dinner. We both ordered the steak, even though The Pickle Barrel isn't exactly known for it. When you're craving, you're craving, right? Mine came with a Caeser salad to start, and mashed potatoes with gravy and roasted vegetables as sides. Honestly, my meal was mediocre at best, and Shawn said the same thing. It tasted exactly like a steak I could make at home. It wasn't particularly juicy or tender, and they use regular ol' Montreal steak spice that you can get at the supermarket. No special marinade or sauce or anything. And the waitress gave us a bottle of HP Sauce as well, which they would never do at a steakhouse, 'cause it's like an insult to the chef. Anyway, the conclusion is, I'll go to The Keg or Baton Rouge next time I'm craving steak.

I will, however, say that I finally found a dessert at The Pickle Barrel that's worth eating: the chocolate molten lava cake! Super soft and moist chocolate cake with a warm gooey chocolate centre on top of a mound of vanilla frozen yogurt, topped with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and a cherry. This alone saved the dinner. Seriously. Okay, so it's not the best chocolate molten lava cake I've ever had, but it was very, very good and I would definitely re-order it again. If we hadn't shared the dessert, we'd have left the restaurant feeling full but not satisfied. At least, this way, we left feeling both.

Hello Kitty for Sephora

Shawn and I went to Yorkdale, so I decided to check out the new Hello Kitty collection at Sephora while I was there. Overall, very nice packaging – sleek and streamlined in metal tubes, not cheap and tacky. I like the packaging more than the Hello Kitty for MAC collection, which was super cute, but not as adult-friendly. I only picked up three items because most of the lip products were sold out, and I wasn't interested in the rest (perfume, eyeshadows, cream blush, etc.).

The Apple Balm is a pinky-coral lip balm in an apple-shaped jar. The consistency is fairly creamy and moisturizing, but a bit tacky, and slightly sticky when worn. On lips, it looks like a sheer peachy-pink, similar to MAC's Gentle Coral Lip Conditioner. But the point of this product is not really for the colour, it's for the cute packaging. If you want colour pay-off, this isn't the product for it. It's really just a tinted lip balm. And though it's in an apple-shaped jar and the product is called Apple Balm, it doesn't actually smell like apples at all. The smell kind of reminds me of Strawberry Lip Smackers, but perhaps with a mix of something else that's fruity. Not apples, though. The biggest con to this product, though, is the lid. Yes, the packaging is cute, but the lid doesn't stay on properly. It's a lid that you twist on and off, but I find that if you twist to close, it's super hard to re-open (I swear, I'm not even twisting it tightly), and if you don't twist hard enough, the lid will just fall off. It's definitely not a product to keep in your purse, it's more for your home, looking cute on your vanity.

I also picked up two shades of Sweet Gloss in Charmmy and Grape Frosting. On the lips, it feels very much like MAC Lip Conditioner – smooth, moisturized lips with no stickiness or tackiness. But it's far less messy than the Apple Balm, since they're in lipstick tube applicators. They also have the same fruit scent as the Apple Balm. Charmmy will add a nice sheer brown-rosy shade to the lips; it's very much a my-lips-but-better shade. Grape Frosting is a gorgeous plum shade when applied to lips, so don't be scared of what it looks like in the tube (it reminds me of Clinique's Black Honey lipstick). They're definitely targeted for younger girls who want to start wearing make-up or are just starting to wear make-up. That being said, though, they are super-cute and are great if you're looking for a tinted lip balm. I like these quite a bit more than the Apple Balm in terms of feel and consistency. I want to go back to Sephora to check out Apple, Pinkie, and Sweet Berry.

While I was in Sephora, I redeemed 500 Beauty Insider points for their "Benefaves" gift, which includes a full-size box of Benefit's Coralista powder blush and a mini tube of their Bad Gal Lash mascara. Coralista is probably my favourite boxed powder by Benefit (aside from Hoola, which is a fantastic matte brown bronzer). It gives a gorgeous coral pink sheen, sort of like a more subdued version of Nars' Orgasm blush. Seriously, this is probably one of their best Beauty Insider gifts to date, since they rarely give out full-size products. That blush alone retails for $36. If you have the points, go redeem them!

South St. Burger Co.

Shawn and I decided to go to South St. Burger Co. for a late lunch after his class today. I ordered the classic Hamburger with bacon and cheddar cheese, plus lettuce, tomato, pickles, spicy ketchup, and garlic mayo. It was really, really good, but I think I ultimately prefer Hero burgers. Price-wise, they're about the same... But I found that the burgers at Hero are juicier and more tender (like, melt-in-your-mouth patties), and I also like that you can pick the size of the beef patty at Hero (4 oz., 6 oz., or 8 oz.). Hero also has more burger options in general (beef, steak, grilled chicken, cajun chicken, salmon, veggie), as well as more cheese, topping, and condiment options. But I do like that South St. has real bacon (not just peameal bacon like Hero). Oh, and also that New York Fries owns South St. Burger, so they have the same fries (and poutine) as NYF. I'd definitely eat at South St. again 'cause they do make one fantastic burger... But if Hero and South St. were next to each other, I'd probably end up at Hero.

Pancakes

I made pancakes for dinner. They turned out pretty damn well. And they tasted even better. Oh, man, I think I might even the pancakes more than my French toast...

Knorr's Käse-Spätzle

I went over to Katherine's yesterday and got hungry, so she made me some German-version of Sidekicks called Käse-Spätzle. Her boyfriend is from Germany and had just come back from there for the holidays and brought some back with him. It's very similar to Kraft Dinner... but better. I know, I can't believe I'm saying it, either. There's something about the type of noodle - the taste and texture is in between ramen and pasta. And the cheese is... less orange. It did help that Katherine added a mound of cheddar to it as well... But, yeah, I'm a fan of these German Sidekicks.

Hipstamatic

Lens: Bettie XL

Flash: Off

Film: Ina's 1969

Lens: Bettie XL

Flash: Off

Film: Ina's 1969

Lens: Bettie XL

Flash: Off

Film: Ina's 1969

Taken with the Hipstamatic app for iPhone.

Penne & Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

I was starving after work so I made some pasta. It's basically spaghetti and meatballs, except I didn't have any spaghetti, so I used penne instead. It was still good. Especially so after I layered slices of old cheddar cheese and then added about a pound of parmesan cheese on top. Oh, man. Why is cheese so good?

Friday Five

This week's Friday Five:

1. There are superheroes named Superman, Superfly, and Supergirl. Based on your performance this past week in whatever you do, what would have been your Super_____ name? Er... Supersloth? Yeah, it's been a phenomenally lazy week.
2. This week, what has been super terrific and what has been super lame? I'd have to say Dexter: Season 2 and my MAC Peacocky haul were quite terrific, as were my foodie trips (Hero Burger, Dairy Queen, etc.). Having to go to the doctor's yesterday to get a flu shot was super lame. And not seeing my boyfriend for most of this week has just been super shitty.
3. Which of Superman's abilities would have been the most useful this week? Probably flight. Driving in the snow is a severe pain in the ass.
4. What do you most expect will be super this weekend? Hanging out with my boyfriend, and watching Tron: Legacy on IMAX!
5. What are your thoughts this week about the coming Super Bowl? Haha, I wasn't even aware that it was Super Bowl this week. Clearly, I don't care at all...

Oh, and I finally got around to downloading Deftones' Diamond Eyes album from iTunes, and though it's quite different from their past efforts, it's super phenomenal (it comes with a cover of The Cardigans' "Do You Believe?" as a bonus track!). I just can't believe I didn't get the album sooner.

Cold Stone Creamery

Hannan and I met up for a coffee and it just so happens that the Tim Horton's we went to also has a Cold Stone Creamery. So I ordered my coffee and also ordered a small (they have a kid's size that is smaller) Coffee Lovers Only since, you know, I'm a coffee lover (or addict, whatever). Coffee Lovers Only consists of coffee ice cream, roasted almonds, Skor toffee bar, and caramel. Okay, you can't really go wrong with that combination, right? Except that when I tasted it, it didn't taste like coffee at all. The ice cream had a hint of coffee, but for an ice cream sundae to be called "Coffee Lovers Only," I was expecting an explosion of coffee flavour. In this respect, it was disappointing.

However, if you don't care about the coffee flavour, the sundae itself is really, really good, as far as sundaes go. I like that they give you a good amount of each ingredient, especially the Skor bar (seriously, there were massive chunks of the stuff, not just "bits"). I'm not sure I would order it again, since the only reason I ordered that particular sundae combination was because it was supposed to taste like coffee. Then again, it's the only one with Skor in it... Still, I'm interested in trying the other flavours, like Banana Caramel Crunch, The Pie Who Loved Me, and Our Strawberry Blonde.

French Toast

I was hardcore craving French toast today for some reason (I haven't had it in years!), so I made some for dinner. My first one turned out super nice but I accidentally soaked the other two slices of bread in the egg/milk mixture for too long so they came out kind of wonky... But they all tasted the same after I drenched them in maple syrup, so all was good in the end.

Hero Certified Burgers

Dom, Geoff, and I went to eat at Hero Certified Burgers (the new York Mills and Bayview location) for dinner. I ordered the Signature burger, which is the original beef burger with Canadian cheddar, Hero Certified Sauce, and tomato, and I added extra pickles and mayo. I think this might be one of the best burgers I've eaten in a long time. It definitely knocks out any fast food burger, and I daresay a lot of dine-in restaurants, too. The patty is 100% Angus beef with no hormones or antibiotics. I'm not sure how that alters the taste or the way it cooks, but it makes for one delicious, tender, juicy burger. Oh, man. It costs more than your average fast food combo (the 4 oz. Signature Burger combo starts at $7.99), but it's infinitely more satisfying than a Big Mac. I think I will try the Peameal Bacon Burger next time.

Dairy Queen Nutty Banana Blizzard

I went to Dairy Queen with Ben and tried my first-ever Blizzard. Because I'm such a newb, I just decided to get the flavour of the month: Nutty Banana. It's pecans, bananas, and chocolate chunks blended into their soft serve ice cream. I'm not sure about their other Blizzard flavours, but this one was phenomenal. I like that they use real bananas instead of the artificial flavouring, and the (whole!) salted pecans add a completely new dimension of flavour. I would've ordered a larger size, alas my stomach could only handle a mini (I also ate two cheeseburgers and a carton of onion rings while we were there - they have a value menu where you can get 4 items for $6!). How have I never tried Dairy Queen desserts before this? I think I see chocolate-dipped cones and waffle bowl sundaes in my (near) future.

MAC Peacocky

I finally got my order of MAC's Peacocky collection (it was originally released on January 6). Peacocky sees the release of two new limited edition products: Kissable Lipcolour and Mega Metal Shadow. Of the twelve shades available, I picked up six tubes of Kissable Lipcolor: Scandelicious (bright medium fuchsia pink), Exxxhibitionist (bright reddened coral), So Vain (soft peach coral), Super (medium beige nude), Temper Tantra (medium red-based beige brown), and Flaunting It (pink-based mauve-plum).

The formula is beautiful: smooth, creamy, lightweight, and opaque. The consistency is thin to thin-medium, and it's completely non-sticky and non-drying (it wears very comfortably). It's stays on like a lipstick but has a glossy finish, like a liquid lipstick. Like all of MAC's lip products, these are vanilla-scented. There's a shade for everyone, so I definitely recommend picking up a shade or two. This is definitely one of my favourite lip formulas. I hope they make these permanent.

Of the fifteen available, I picked up six shades of Mega Metal Shadow: Noir Plum (dark purple-violet with silver pearl), Ego (deep forest green with soft gold metallic sheen), Centre Stage (rich molten chocolate with bronze metallic sheen), Sexpectations (rich berry burgundy with soft pink-red metallic sheen), Tweet Me (peachy melon with peach-gold metallic sheen), and Spectacle of Yourself (rich bronze with copper-bronze metallic sheen). I definitely would have picked more more shades if I wasn't on a budget.

The formula of these eyeshadows is phenomenal: buttery smooth, richly pigmented, and extremely blendable. They are most similar to Veluxe Pearl finishes from the permanent range, or to the Starflash finishes that came out in 2008. While there are plenty of colour dupes within MAC's permanent range, I would highly recommend picking up the Mega Metal Shadow if you don't have similar colours at home. They are more expensive ($23.50 vs. $17.50), but you also get more than double the amount of product than a regular eyeshadow. Like the Kissable Lipcolours, I hope these become permanent as well.

Staff Meeting

Went to a staff meeting today. Got two hours of pay, a free pizza dinner, and a Coach cosmetics bag as a belated Christmas present from my boss. And I've only been awake for five hours! It's been a good day.

Bullet Points

Random News & Happenings:

• Shawn and I are planning a trip to New York in February for five days. We've booked the hotel (with no bedbugs), the flights, and tickets to see Wicked and Phantom of the Opera. Shawn's never been to New York City, so I can't wait to show him around. Super excited!

• I just ordered two tickets to see Deftones on May 3 at The Sound Academy.

• I finished my Californication: Season 3 DVDs (holy, so, so, so good - David Duchovny is phenomenal), and returned back to Dexter: Season 2. I don't know why it took me so long to get back into that show, 'cause I watched six episodes back-to-back last night and it's insanely addictive (also, Michael C. Hall is totally hot in a creepy, serial killer sort of way). This is bad news bears, 'cause I have the Season 3 DVDs to watch right after I'm done.

• Oh, man, I'm never gonna get off the couch.

• I am super excited about the MAC + Wonder Woman collection. I already have a list of the products I want. The packaging isn't phenomenal - they could've made it a lot nicer, incorporating more visuals of Wonder Woman instead of just the logo - but the colours look gorgeous and a lot of the products (including Mineralize Skinfinish, lipsticks, lipglasses, mascaras, and eyeshadow quads) will be super-sized.

• I am contemplating picking up a few items from the Hello Kitty collection at Sephora. I'm interested in the Apple Balm and some of the Sweet Gloss Sticks. Whether I need them is an entirely different question. I'm such a sucker for cute packaging (though, to be fair, they did an excellent job at the packaging - it's sleek and streamlined, not cheap and tacky).

• They're making a Justin Bieber documentary. Has he even reached puberty yet?

• According to astronomers, astrologers are not only a month off in their zodiac signs, but they are neglecting a 13th constellation for those born from November 30 to December 17. As a result, there's a 13th zodiac sign called Ophiuchus. Whatever. I have been a Scorpio for 24 years. I'm not about to go and be a Libra. Extra shitty news for those who have zodiac tattoos.

• Wake 'n' Bacon alarm clock: disgusting or epicly genius?

• Chinese mothers are causing a lot of controversy right now due to some uptight people with no sense of humour, but I just think the article is funny, 'cause some of it is so damn true.

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Baked some Pillsbury Crescent Rolls with Vienna sausages. I just demolished three of them in less than two minutes. Seriously, they're like crack. Someone take them away from me, please!

McDonald's Filet-O-Fish

McDonald's most underrated burger is also my favourite. As Robyn asks, "What is it about the combination of fried dessicated fish patty and processed yellow cheese in a squish, steamed bun that triggers my stomach to go into sloshing mode?" I have a feeling it might have something to do with the fact that I'm Asian, 'cause that's the only burger my parents would get for me when I was a kid (no Happy Meals here), and I know a ton of other Asians who have said the same thing. All I do know is that I never crave Big Macs or McChickens or Quarter Pounders, but my love for the Filet-O-Fish is eternal.

Friday Five

This week's Friday Five:

1. What was the most recent thing to go past its expiration date in your pantry? I think all the food we keep in the pantry is non-perishable. But in the fridge, it's probably my coffee cream...
2. When does your excitement about the new year usually expire? Right around now, actually. The reality of the new year and the challenges it brings are settling in now.
3. What valued possession seems to be on the verge of expiration? Well, my laptop is slowly breaking down... I'm not sure if electronics really "expire," but it's about time to replace my computer. And a lot of my CDs are scratched beyond belief and won't play properly anymore, but I'm still keeping them for sentimental reasons.
4. When does your current driver's license expire? November 2012.
5. What subscription, membership, permit, policy, or other dated document are you most likely to allow to expire next without renewal? I let my CAA membership expire without renewal recently.

Post-Boxing Week Shopping

I went to the mall twice this week, with Dom and Edward, and realized that I hadn't really looked at any of the post-holiday sales. I guess I just hated the idea of insane crowds in shopping malls, especially after I worked at a mall on Boxing Day. I saw the mayhem, and immediately thought, "No, thank you." But the mall was rather quiet during the week, and I decided to look at some of the clearance sales. I ended up scoring some awesome deals, whether they were on sale or just cheap:

TNA black wool knee-hooded zip-up toggle coat for $175 from $295 at Aritzia!

TNA black canvas hooded zip-up bomber jacket for $75 from $125 at Aritzia!

Brown strappy buckle boots for $24.50 at Forever 21!

A 500ml bottle of Fruits & Passions Cucina Arancia Dolce Purifying Hand Wash for $8.80 from $22 (plus a litre of the refill soap for $12 from $30), and a 750ml bottle of The Body Shop Satsuma Bath & Shower Gel for $15 (a $39 value)!

Other purchases include: a bottle of Gosh Nail Lacquer in 597 Miss Minty (a pale seafoam green; slightly more blue than Essie's Mint Candy Apple, and slightly less grey than SpaRitual's Delight), and some goodies from Aerie: seven pairs of boybriefs for $25 (they're usually $7.50 each or 5 for $25) and a pair of blue/green slouchy plaid pajama pants for $10.50 down from $29.50.

I think I did pretty well.

All Star Wings

Shawn called me after class to go out for dinner, but I had already ate, so I went for dessert instead. We ended up at All Star Wings, where Shawn got a pound of the Nero's Epilogue wings (Caesar dressing with hot sauce and parmesan - he said they were really good), and we split two desserts: the Godiva chocolate cheesecake and the vanilla bean cheesecake. Of course, they were both ridiculously good; it's cheesecake, after all. The vanilla bean one was nothing special, though; I feel like you could get this at most places that offer dessert. The Godiva one, though, was epic. Anyone who likes chocolate and cheesecake will love this. I never thought I'd ever order desserts at a wings restaurant, but this is a must-have.

Moleskine & Pac-Man

My favourite notebook maker, Moleskine, has collaborated with Pac-Man for its 30th anniversary. Seeing how excited I got about it, Shawn bought me the set of four Volant assortment set. Each notebook has a different Pac-Man icon on the cover. It's like a little shout-out to all arcade-loving '80s kids. Love!

Sassy Magazine

From Michael Lavine's photoshoot of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love for Sassy magazine, 1992

"We shot the photos at my Bleecker Street loft on the Bowery. I remember that my friends Andrea Linett and Janet Billig were there. I remember the ridiculous twelve foot silk lighting setup I used. I remember people having to go out and score dope. I remember Kurt telling me that the reason that he loved Courtney so much was that she was the only girl he knew that would stand up at a party and smash a glass table to bits just for the hell of it. I remember thinking that was a pretty odd reason to love someone."

— Michael Lavine

Markham Station

Shawn and I are trying this new dining out experiment, where we pick out each other's food (e.g. he picks a dish for me, I pick one for him) in an effort to try more/different dishes. So when we got to Markham Station, I ordered him the chopped steak and he ordered me the Banquet Burger, which is a grilled chicken burger with bacon and cheddar cheese. It was really good, but then again, how could you go wrong with a burger topped with bacon and cheese?

Couch Potato

So, Amazon.ca was having a crazy post-Boxing Day sale, and I may have gone a little overboard, 'cause I got my order today and let me tell you, that delivery box was huge. My order included:

Disney Pixar films: Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life, Wall-E, Ratatouille, The Incredibles, and Up.

Disney's Diamond Edition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and the 70th Anniversary Edition of Pinocchio on Blu-ray + DVD.

Chuck: The Complete First and Second Seasons.

And lots of random movies on sale for $9.99 or less: Where the Wild Things Are, Slumdog Millionaire, (500) Days of Summer, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Youth in Revolt, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and The Hangover.

Guess who's going to be spending a lot of time in front of the TV?

The Cupcakery

It was Julie's birthday this weekend (much drunkenness ensued), and she had cupcakes from The Cupcakery. I tried the Cookies and Cream one, which is vanilla cake infused with Oreos with vanilla buttercream frosting and topped with crushed Oreos. It was really good and I would definitely try it again given the chance, though they have some other flavours that seem more intriguing (banana cake filled with butterscotch chips topped with banana buttercream, vanilla cake filled with berries and topped with lemon buttercream, strawberry cake topped with lemon lime icing...). I will need to go there for myself to "investigate." And if I'm going to do that, I may as well stop at The Cupcake Shoppe, too.

Boston Pizza

Edward, Jesse, and I went for dinner at Boston Pizza tonight. I ordered the baked macaroni and cheese, 'cause that was the first thing I saw when I opened the menu and it looked epic. (Needless to say, the picture looked slightly better than the actual dish.) And the verdict? Well, it was good and satisfied my craving for macaroni and cheese, but it wasn't fantastic. I'm personally more a fan of the bubbly-cheese-crust on top than breadcrumbs. And it could probably benefit from different types of cheeses, as it wasn't as flavourful as I like it to be (though, to be fair, I think smoking has taken a toll on my tastebuds). But, overall, it was satisfying. On a regular day, I would order some of their other pasta dishes over this one, but when that craving for mac and cheese hits, I'd get it again.

Pixel 8

Shawn and I went for dinner at Pixel 8 since he was craving their sliced beef teriyaki, and I never say no to Pixel 8. While I normally opt for their ramen, I decided to get the curry pork cutlet on rice this time 'cause I wanted to try something different (one of my resolutions this year is to try more different types of food when I go out to eat). Honestly, I have yet to order something at Pixel 8 that I don't like. What can I say? They do Japanese comfort food pretty damn well (whether it's authentic is another question). Their food is not super awesome fantastic, but it's cheap, delicious, and filling, and I always leave satisfied.

Hipstamatic

Lens: John S

Flash: Dreampop

Film: Ina's 1969

Lens: John S

Flash: Dreampop

Film: Ina's 1969

Lens: John S

Flash: Dreampop

Film: Ina's 1969

Taken with the Hipstamatic app for iPhone.

MAC Last Call

MAC added a ton of items to their Last Call section recently so, of course, I had to stock up on some of my favourite discontinued (or soon-to-be-discontinued) products, including:

Lipsticks in Naked Paris, London Life, and Patisserie, which were first launched with their Euristocrats II collection back in 2009. A lot of the shades were made permanent at the PRO stores for a while (I picked up Milan Mode and Cockney over last summer), but I guess they've decided to discontinue them (though I think we will see them pop up as re-promotes in future collections, as Cockney was featured in December's Stylishly Yours collection). These three shades are rather sheer, since they're all Lustre finishes, but they're all super-wearable and gorgeous. Naked Paris is a sheer brownish-plum shade with shimmer, London Life is a semi-sheer raspberry red shade with shimmer, and Patisserie is a sheer pinky-nude with sheen. These are great shades for people who want to try lipstick but want more subtle colour.

Tinted Lip Conditioner SPF 15 in Gentle Coral and Plum Perfect. They both give a very sheer wash of colour, but these are meant to be moisturizing more than anything. Like all of MAC's Lip Conditioners, they are vanilla-scented. They're creamy but not greasy, and give a sheen but not full-on shine. Plum Perfect is a really nice sheer reddish plum shade, and Gentle Coral is a sheer peach coral shade. I love wearing them on their own when I want a more natural look, but they're fantastic to apply on the lips before applying lipstick as well (especially for super-bright or matte shades).

Pearlglide Intense Eye Liners in Black Swan, Black Line, and Lord It Up. These are, hands down, MAC's best eye pencil formula. They go on super smooth and soft, the colours are rich and intense, and they don't budge or smudge like most pencil formulas. Black Swan is a deep black base with charcoal grey shimmer, Black Line is a black base with antique gold shimmer, and Lord It Up is a molten chocolate base with dark gold shimmer. I don't know why MAC doesn't just make these permanent.

Check out MAC's Last Call products before they're gone forever!