Life as I know it

I learn a little every day. shawnakim.blogspot.com

[dailylifeofskim]

Nordstrom, you rock!

I ordered a Tory Burch key case and a Kate Spade bluetooth speaker from Nordstrom. I've been waiting for it for 2 weeks because one of them is a birthday present for my boss. I finally checked the tracking information to find the horror - I shipped it to my old address in State College, PA. I called Nordstrom admitting that there's probably nothing they can do but I just wanted to see it was 100% hopeless. Sandy from customer service sent me a brand new order of my items to Sacramento. I was literally blown away by this and so inspired to be more like Sandy. I will forever be loyal to Nordstrom and so thankful to Sandy for saving me so much anguish. Some fellow Nittany Lion is probably stylin' and groovin' with their new presents.

[dailylifeofskim]

For my birthday back in February, my boss got me a 3-month subscription to Birchbox. First off, what an awesome gift idea! I definitely want to do this for someone. I saved all of my birch boxes with the exception of one product in the first welcome box - Gilchrist & Soames Body Lotion - I had to use it when I ran out of lotion one day.

I haven't exactly tried any of these products yet but I'm excited to try them. The only one I am familiar with is the Benefit POREfessional primer. But having a mini sample size on deck can't hurt!

The packaging of these boxes are very cool; I am usually not a hoarder but I will probably hang onto these boxes for something else in the future.

If I end up loving any of these products, I will be sure to report back!

[dailylifeofskim]

I recently splurged on a skincare product after seeing a few people on YouTube rave about it. I'm one of those people who believes that your face/skin is worth spending money on. Sunday Riley is definitely a luxe brand for makeup and skincare but it tends to receive a ton of positive feedback.

I use this sleeping night oil before going to sleep. It is a dark blue/green oil with a droplet applicator so it can be a bit tricky to apply. It also smells a bit like medicine but these factors are worth the results. You can notice results overnight - a more even, nourished skin tone in the morning. I'm not sure about reducing pore size but it definitely does improve the appearance of skin.

You can find this product here (Sephora) for $105.

If you're itching to try a new product for your skin, I would most definitely recommend this!

[dailylifeofskim]

I shop in Sephora pretty regularly so I had to control the urge to purchase 15 more things than I did but I just wanted to share the products that made the cut for me during the Sephora VIB Sale this year. I've used these products for a good month now so I will share my thoughts about them below.

Nest Indigo Eau de Parfum: I got this using my Sephora points. It is a tiny little bottle that is perfect for travel. When I tried to apply this at first I spilled a quarter of the bottle all over myself because it doesn't have any type of applicator - it's just an open bottle with a screw-on cap. However it smells divine and I have experienced the tendency to grab for this fragrance every day since I got it!

Urban Decay Complexion Prep Spray: a facial mist meant to be used after cleansing, before moisturizing. It feels incredible and I usually spray a little too much. It helps to prep and prime the face for the day ahead.

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray: a facial mist meant to be used after applying makeup - used to lock in your look for as long as possible. I find that it does help immensely but when I have an abnormally long day, I look haggard regardless. Really nice product though! My makeup routine doesn't feel complete without it.

YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch: This product is said to be very misunderstood. It seems like a concealer but really, it is more of a liquid highlighter used to brighten the face in certain areas. I'm not in love with this product mainly because of the applicator brush. I find that the product comes out inconsistently - either too much at once or none at all. The formula leaves a lot to be desired as well.

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner in Mad Max Brown: I have this eyeliner in Tropper - ink black. I love it so much and it has gradually become a definite staple item in my every day makeup routine. However before I discovered this product, I have always used brown eyeliner. So when Kat Von D came out with this brown shade, I had to buy it. I do like this product a lot and when I'm going for a more subtle eye look it is absolutely perfect.

[dailylifeofskim]

I took a 4 day trip to Atlanta, GA with my friend Cassie, mainly to attend the inaugural 2-day country music festival called Shaky Boots. The festival was absolutely amazing and I know it will become a huge event in the future after their success this year. There were a ton of artists there but the shows I personally attended were by Jana Kramer, Josh Thompson, Joe Nichols, Kip Moore, The Band Perry, Dierks Bentley, Blake Shelton, Eli Young Band, Rodney Atkins, Justin Moore, Rascal Flatts, and Brad Paisley. Such great performances!!

We stayed in the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead and it was such an incredible stay. Everyone was so welcoming and sweet - southern hospitality is a real thing! We stayed on the 24th floor - their Grand Club floor - and having club access proved to be such a convenient service.

On our last day in Atlanta, we went exploring. We headed to the Atlantic Station and tried a fried chicken sandwich from Chick-a-Biddy. Chick-Fil-A ain't got nothing on this place! Atlantic Station was a really nice place for shopping, dining, and just a really cool atmosphere overall. Then we headed to the Georgia Aquarium which is the largest in the world! Unfortunately we didn't get to see the beluga whales because there was a newborn beluga and Maris needed time to bond with her mother. But we got to see whale sharks which are considered the biggest fish!

We walked around Centennial Olympic Park but it was a bit rainy. We made our way to the Westin Peachtree Plaza which is a very tall, cylindrical building.  You can pay $8 to go up to the 72nd floor and see the city of Atlanta from up top. The building doesn't look to be very high but when you're up there, it seems like you're in the clouds. The view was killer.

Thanks for the memz, Atlanta!

[dailylifeofskim]

Two days ago I looked out my patio and saw these beautiful flowers had bloomed on my cactus plant.

This morning I looked out my patio and saw that the orange flower had disappeared and this red flower poked its beautiful head out into the world! Can you believe this is even the same cactus plant?! All within 2 days!

Update: Three days have since passed and the cacti have bloomed two more beautiful, fuchsia colored flowers!

[dailylifeofskim]

The last time I got one of these mini Essie season sets was in the Fall. I was so impressed and I still use that collection even when it’s not fall. I skipped the Winter 2014 collection and bought the Spring 2015 collection which is what you see in the photos.

1) Flowerista: a deep fuschia/purple; looks darker on the nails than in the bottle 2) Blossom Dandy: a mint green color very similar to their ‘Mint Candy Apple’ color but with a more green/teal hue 3) Petal Pushers: a blue/gray color similar to ‘Merino Cool’ with more blue 4) Perennial Chic: a light peach color

I would have to say that for the spring time, my favorite out of this collection would be Flowerista. It’s such a unique color that I really enjoy looking at! You can find this collection here for $17.

[wantering-blog]

Vintage, Darling

Anthropologie Round Vestige Lipstick Holder is the perfect vanity table trinket.

Why open up multiple browser tabs when you can search for beauty and fashion across 140 stores all in one place? Try typing “Beauty” into Wantering and see what you get.

[kapuskatursusu]

[dailylifeofskim]

Can I live here?

[dailylifeofskim]

Josh Thompson - Cold Beer With Your Name On It (Lyric Video)

As I’m gearing up for the Shaky Boots Festival in May, I’m binging on country music from all of the artists that will play there. But in case you’re curious about what an Asian girl who loves country music may be obsessed with as of late, voila!

[dailylifeofskim]

For the past 2 weekends I went to Napa Valley with some good friends. The town of Napa is so quaint and beautiful.  The first weekend I stayed at the Andaz Napa for 2 nights. The hotel was damaged during the August 2014 earthquake but I couldn't even tell because it was as good as new!

1st trip Domaine Chandon Nickel & Nickel Cakebread Cellars

2nd trip Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Robert Sinskey Mumm Napa ZD Wines V. Sattui (only for lunch-delicious!) Chimney Rock

My favorites from the two trips were Domaine Chandon, Nickel & Nickel, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, and Robert Sinskey. I took a trade tour at Domaine Chandon and Nickel & Nickel which made for excellent experiences overall. I learned so much more about wine from these trips and I highly recommend a trip for all of you wine lovers!

[dailylifeofskim]

I was on the hunt for this specific shade of NARS Audacious Lipstick called Ingrid for a while now. They don't sell it in Sephora or Nordstrom so it delayed my purchase for a while. However I really wanted to try out this lipstick before the winter season was over because it is the perfect 'vampy' shade. I finally found it on barneys.com with free shipping! At $32 it is a bit pricey but after having it for a few weeks now, I would say it's definitely worth splurging on. I use this lipstick with a lip liner from Mac called Vino and it is a perfect combination! What is your favorite "vampy" shade?

[dailylifeofskim]

My family and I took a short and sweet vacation to Costa Rica. We stayed in the Andaz Papagayo Resort, which is a fairly new Hyatt luxury hotel. The resort was breathtakingly beautiful and so enjoyable to stay at.One day we basically went off-roading trying to see the volcano at Rincon de la Viejo. We also drove to Portero Grande to see the divine beach. On our last day we drove 5 hours to San Jose, which is the capital of Costa Rica. It was a busy city with lots of cars and lots of wind. We also got pulled over for illegally making a left turn (there were no signs to prohibit this)! However the police basically asked us to pay him money equal to $20 to get off without a ticket. Shady business! My favorite part about Costa Rica, besides the beautiful scenery, were the hole-in-the-wall restaurants (called "Soda" in Costa Rica) that we bravely just walked into and enjoyed. It was an amazing way to experience local cuisine but be aware that people in these places do not speak any English! We sort of just took wild guesses and ordered a mix of things. The only thing I knew of was 'Cafe con leche' which is just coffee with milk - delicious! 'Gallo pinto' was another dish that I loved - basically rice with black beans but prepared with certain seasonings and flavors!  All in all, it was a memorable vacation, one that I will never forget! Costa Rica, thanks for memories!

[dailylifeofskim]

My family always gives at least one Christmas gift upon purchase.  Usually it is the biggest, main purchase and it's because none of us can contain the excitement of giving and receiving the one thing that we know is really desired. This year my brother gave to me a pair of black suede heels. 

I've been searching high and low for a pair of heels that I can wear to work every day. I was seeking both comfort and style. With an uncommon shoe size, it is hard enough for me to find shoes, let alone ones that I can walk around in all day as a housekeeping manager of 503 hotel rooms and 60 associates.

I finally found them: The Perfect Pair. Check them out at nordstrom.com

[dailylifeofskim]

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone; it is officially Christmas season! If you're wondering what to buy for your best friend, sister, or someone obsessed with lip products, look no further than this beautiful collection of NARS lip pencils. It includes 2 matte shades and 3 satin shades and comes in this festive, snowy white "coffret." At $49 (sephora.com) it is pretty pricey but keep in mind that it has a $96 value after all - just about double the price!

[dailylifeofskim]

This set includes 4 colors from Essie's Fall 2014 Collection

Dress to Kilt: bright red and festive color

Take it Outside: grey, neutral color with a slightly muted lavender hue

Partner in Crime: dark plum

Style Cartel: rich, royal blue

I've been wearing each color relentlessly. It's a great range of autumnal hues. I especially received a ton of compliments when sporting my favorite color from this range: Style Cartel.

This set is also a bargain: $17. You can find the Winter 2014 4-pack at Nordstrom.com. Do keep in mind that these are "mini" bottles but whoever uses a full bottle of nail polish anyway?

Let me know which is your favorite!

[stunningpicture]

Was playing around with my camera and some broken glass, and I captured this. (OC)