Food day and Toronto Zombie Walk 2014

Ready for some food pictures? :)  Banh Mi Boys is one of those places that one must try when visiting downtown Toronto. Here's a picture of their delicious Pork belly banh mi, pulled pork taco and their amazing Kimchi fries!

Completely delectable meat and cheese plater at Barvolo on Yonge st. with a huge variety of beer to choose from.~

If you enjoy lamb, you've got to try Pomegranate Restaurant, they serve traditional Persian cuisine that will  make you go back for more. 

Ending off this quick post with a pair of zombies (humans with headcrabs attached to their heads)

... and some lovely ladies I shared a glass or two with :)

What's in my weekend bag: Rebecca Minkoff Hudson Moto Mini

::the story::

Like most girls, I am always curious about what is in other people's bag and I thought it'd be nice to share with you what is in my weekend bag, featuring my Rebecca Minkoff Hudson Moto Mini in blood orange.  This is my first RM bag and I was very surprised at how much this little bag could hold, I was so excited that this ended up being the bag I brought with me to the Big Apple :)

::features::

• made of saffiano leather (is sturdy and holds shape well, however, also makes it a little heavy)
• adjustable straps (20" drop)
• silver hardware with clasp closure (but also magnetic as well, so if you don't want to lock it, you won't have to worry about it 'flinging' open on its own.)
• is separated into two major compartments 
• has a small card holder pocket on the inner section 
• one external flap pocket (with magnetic closure)

My essentials fitted nicely in the bag making it super easy to spot and grab what I need when I need it (not 10 minutes later.)

** Note my phone was in the empty space beside my wallet where the little black Lancome pouch is, I was using it to take these pictures :) Current phone is the Nokia Lumia 1020 with 41MP.

::in the small card holder::

• RM card and business card to a pub
• pack of Stim-U-Dent

::in first compartment::

• Louis Vuitton Zippy Coin Purse Monogram Empreinte in Orient
• Lancome pouch with medicine, nail filer, Gum Soft-Picks and lotion sample

::in second compartment::

• Refresh Ultra eye drops
• Pilot fine pen in blue
• loose hair ties
• Palladio Rice paper in Natural
• Caudalie Hand and Nail cream
• Camellia paper folder (holding some reward cards, gift cards and receipts)
• hand sanitizer (I got from Food and Wine Show a couple years ago)
• Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia eau de perfum rollerball

::louis vuitton damier azur cles::

• loose change/coins/TTC tokens
• guitar pick made from a used Uno's promo card
• pen shaped like a cigarette
• Starbucks coupons
• attached: home keys, hair tie and Swiss army USB 64 GB

::in black velvet pouch::

• Chanel Coco Shine in 54 Boy
• Nars Dolce Vita
• Bobbi Brown Pink Sugar Lip gloss

::in external flap::

• Moleskine pocket cahier journal in pebble grey

Oh yes... and finally, as I've said in my previous post Arnold was going to tag along my smaller purse and he did.  Thanks for reading and if you don't mind, post your link/picture/description below so that I may check them out (yes, I'm nosy!)  Have a lovely Monday~

Meet Arnold

::the story::

This adorable teddy bear bag charm was one of the lovely present I received for my birthday this year.  His name is Arnold.  It was love at first sight when I saw him a couple months ago at the store while shopping for my sister-in-law's bridal shower gift.  I would have bought it on the spot, but I didn't have enough cash, so I figure I would go back another time to get it.  However, after weeks and months, I wasn't able to.  At first, my husband told me he didn't like it and thought I shouldn't buy it, and then we got too busy and never had the chance to go back.  On my birthday, my mom-in-law surprised me. As it turns out, she went there the next day after I saw him and bought it for me!  My husband knew all along and had to come up with excuses for me to not buy it and not go to the store with me for it. 

::details::

• he's made of Alcantara (artificial substitute suede leather)
• bedazzled with Swarovski crystal on ears, eye, hand, foot and has a mesh necklace with a Swarovski medallion
• lastly, the key ring and hook are made of stainless steel 

::the 10 days verdict::
So far, Arnold has no trouble with any of the big bags I own. He blends in well with the black, red and even brown purses that I use and yet his sparkling personality really stands out.  This weekend I plan to use him on smaller bags, so will see how well he does with them, but I'm confident they'd get along fine ;)

Canadian National Exhibition - The Ex

::excerpt from august 17, 2014::

We went to visit CNE on the third day it opened this year and it was lovely~ There wasn't too many people and the weather was almost flawless.  Although I wanted to, we didn't ride the Ferris wheel because there was simply too much to see and do, but I did get to snap this quick picture before walking away.

Some highlights:

I was so glad that we managed to catch the SuperDogs show this year.  It is always so much fun seeing the interaction between the trainers and their beloved pets.

When one is thirsty, one drinks!  We bought a drink that came in a pineapple and when we finished it, Em poured his coke in it.  We had Cola-à-l'anana :)

Here's the PIG MAC burger from Bacon Nation.

I'm not sure where this beef dish came from, but was told that we got it because there was no lineup.  I thought that it it was delicious though.

The Flying Wallendas were amazing.  Once they started, it was really hard to tear my eyes away from them.  Truly a captivating performance. :)

We ended the day with the perfect dinner.  Ramen at Santouka!

::a little something::
I picked up this colourful piece after spotting it at one of the booth in the exhibition hall and have worn it everyday since.  So glad that these different shades of amber complemented my skin tone :)

Sephora Haul

::quick post about my mini sephora haul::

I received Sephora gift cards for Christmas last year and was finally able to use them during my recent trip to Atlanta.  As I've kind of fallen off the makeup wagon, so instead of trying 'brand new' products, I purchased items that have been on my bucket list.

::dior - crème de rose smoothing plumping lip balm::
This much coveted balm seems to be a must-have for many YouTube makeup gurus and bloggers and since a girl can never have enough balm, I decided to finally find out what the hype is all about.

::anastasia beverly hills - brow wiz in medium brown::
Always on the lookout for a good brow product, I picked with another coveted item loved by the majority of the beauty community.

::sephora favourites - spray of sunshine fragrance sampler for her::
This was an impulse buy, I saw this sampler at checkout and took it to the cashier with me.

I forgot to take a picture, but I also claimed the Marc Jacobs Fragrance DOT rollerball the same day I purchased the samplers.  Afterall, I'm not flying 1500 miles to the states to claim it :)

::question::
Any products you could recommend me trying?

NOTD: Pink with a splash

Deborah Lippmann in She Bop and the top coat on the accent finger is Formula X xplosives top coat in Demolition. This combo makes me super happy, every time I look at the keyboard and type I see my fingers and smile.  :)

::question::
How are you prolonging your summer?

Inglot Haul

::story::

As a 'self-proclaimed' makeup junkie, I've had my eyes on Inglot makeup for quite a while.  I have been however, skeptical at getting the products online without having at least tested them first.  Unfortunately for Torontonians, we do not have any Inglot stores in the GTA.  So, as luck has it, I was able to finally pick up my first Inglot palettes on my recent foodie trip in one of my favourite cities, Montreal.  While there, I was extremely confused with what colours to get as most of the numbers I originally planned to get were either unavailable or not in stock.  I was glad that the Inglot SA was super nice and recommended me some of her favourite choices.  Of course, being the sucker that I am, I bought them all.  In fact, I purchased 8 eyeshadows and a gloss.

:::eyeshadows::

The 8 eyeshadows colours I ended up getting were #397, 31, 402, 37, 393, 337, 360, 452 consisting of 4 pearl finish, 2 shine and 2 matte.  I wanted more neutral shades that is wearable for everyday.  I love how pigmented these shadows were and how buttery smooth they were to apply.  

::lippy::

This was more of an impulsive buy, I swatched the gloss and liked the colour so I ended up with the sleeks cream in #89.  I found it pretty pigmented for a gloss and non-sticky.  My only complain is the cheap looking packaging, reminding me of perfume testers.

::palettes::

These were the final settings for these shadows, the trio is for work and the freedom system 5 squares is my fun palette.  I'm so looking forward to wearing 452, which is a cranberry colour with pearl finish~

::final thoughts::

I really enjoyed putting my palettes together and after having tried out the different colours, am considering purchasing more colours in the future.  I can't wait to thoroughly test out each shade!

TOTD: Colourful dotted toes

::the story::
My cousin and I needed some girl time, so we decided to paint our toes and try out her dotting tools. I think we did all right for our first attempt. :) on my toes are some lovely Kate Spade shades. They apply surprisingly easy and smooth.

Top: Sally Hansen in Sun Kissed and Mint Sorbet, Kate Spade in Sea Foam Swirls, and one more colour I forgot the name or brand...
Bottom: Kate Spade nail polish in Watermelon Fingers, Sea Foam Swirls, Solar Orange, and Yellow Cockatoo

::thoughts::
Applying nail polish can be frustrating, but when you're doing it with awesome company it can be super enjoyable and rewarding.  Since summer is almost over, I think it was a good idea to go for these brighter shades to try and extend this summer just a bit more.  Overall, I felt that the dotting tools are not a necessity, but they were definitely a nice addition to any nail polish lover's collection.

Banana Pancake

::the what::

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup almond milk (original flavour)
• 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
• 2 ripe bananas

::optional::

• 1/4 cup of blueberries
• 1/4 cup of chocolate chips

::the how::

1. In one bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, mash the bananas with a fork and mix together the egg, almond milk and unsalted butter.
2. Slowly blend the dry mixture into the banana mix. (note: expects a bit of lump!)
3. Heat the griddle to medium heat. Pour approximately 1/4 cup to get a 4" diameter pancake, at this point you can put in some blueberries and chocolate chips (I figure approximately 3-4 of each, but you can always add more.) Cook both side until they are golden brown. Enjoy while hot with maple syrup, or make your own blueberry sauce.

This recipe was modified from this recipe, if you want the original please click the hyperlink. :)

My first Miu Miu

::why this bag::
In my search for the perfect black bag, I stumbled upon this lovely piece on instagram. Jodidayscloset was selling her pre-loved Miu Miu satchel/shoulder bag for a fraction of the price.  After a couple more pictures and questions back and forth, I decided that this was it.  This bag meets almost all my criteria: it's black, it fits my Asus Zenbook, it holds a lot, it's simple, a good price, in excellent condition and lastly, it's a Miu Miu.  My affection for this name actually came from the movie Thor, but of course, that's another story.  :)

::on the outside::
This bag is made of really soft black pebble leather, with gold hardware.  It measures about 16" x 12" x 6", with just a magnetic button closure to keep the bag partly closed most of the time.  The bag still smells faintly of leather (mind you it's an 2008-2009 bag.) The straps are adjustable on both side, as well as an adjustable opening.

::on the inside::
As I've said, this bag can fit quite a bit on the inside, however, it only has the one big compartment and one zipper compartment.  The lining is made of black nylon.

::the verdict::
I purchased this bag second hand and paid a decent price for it.  I've taken it on a trip and it's hold up quite well, taking quite a bit of abuse. So far, no regrets at all and in fact is quite glad I didn't miss out on this bag. I am glad this isn't the common Miu Miu bow bag as I found that a little too girly and I may be just a tad too old for it now.

New Hair Colour: Electric Purple

I got my hair coloured earlier this month and thought I'd share some pictures since I love it so much. I picked something unique that would still be office appropriate yet not quite tamed. In the right light, this colour is extremely vibrant <3

::why::

I've adored purple hair ever since I got mine dyed for cos-playing Psylocke at Fan Expo one year. However, I've had to wait some time until I could do it again, one of the reason being my wedding and another is that my hairstylist simply refused to do it until she thought that my hair was healthy enough. 

::the process::

I had to endure 6 hours at the salon so that the shade I want would turn out (which is another reason why this had to wait for so long, it always eats up your day.) To get the effect that I want my hair had to be sectioned off and bleached, a slightly longer process since I have thick hair and lots of it. When the bleaching is done, the colour is applied and we wait for the colour to set. Alas, after it is washed the colour is then locked and you get this gorgeous electric purple :) 

::my thought::
I would do my hair this colour in a heart beat! I've gotten lots of compliments from strangers on how lovely this is, yet I've had people not noticing this until a couple days later (mostly male coworkers~) This particular shade managed to be both fun and work appropriate~~ :)

::question::
What's your current hair colour and why?

My New LV

My current obsession has been wallets and small purses. This wallet is the newest addition to my collection.

Louis Vuitton Zippy Coin Purse Monogram Empreinte in Orient. (wow, what a mouthful!)

::why this wallet::
Originally, I wanted to find a cherry red wallet, but once I set my eyes on this blood orange zippy, I almost immediately changed my mind. I decided to keep looking in case I found something else, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. In the past few months I've gone to see this particular zippy a couple of times at the LV store (sounds like a stalker, right?) At my lowest point, I've tried to find replacement and have made a few purchases along the way hoping that they would satisfy me. But before I knew it, this was the only thing on my mind. Despite eM's disapproval, I just had to have it. On June 10th, I finally bite the bullet and purchased this beauty on their website.

::on the outside::
The leather feels really nice and durable with its gold metal hardware complementing the red leather beautifully. Overall, I find this a very elegant piece that is both simple and captivating at the same time.

::on the inside::
I am delightfully surprised at how much fits in such a compact wallet. There are 4 credit card slots, 2 pockets, 1 business card slot in the middle and 2 large compartments. In my case, I am able to fit 8 credit cards/id cards, a couple of folded bills, some coins, my car insurance paper and still have room for receipts and transit tokens.

::the question::
Is it worth the $700CAD price tag that it came with? Unfortunately, I cannot answer it honestly right now since I've only had this for about a week and I am still in my love-struck phase. As of now, I've really enjoyed this pop of colour in my purse and the smile it brings to my lips every time I see it. :)

Salut, hello, 你好!

I'd like to welcome you to Geek Ella mode~

I've previously done a beauty blog under a different name, but in recent months, I've decided to start up a new blog.

As we grow older, we change and I would like to blog my life as a reflection of this.

Geek Ella mode will be about more than just beauty and skincare. Even though I am still a makeup junkie, I am also a gamer, amateur photographer, self-proclaimed foodie and a little bit of everything else. I'd like this blog to be about everything I'm currently obsessed with in life.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope that you'll join me in my little adventures.

Geek Ella