Monthly Recap: Say hello to my delicious chocolate croissant

Douce France
855 El Camino Real
Palo Alto, CA 94301

So I walked 7.4 miles for this croissant and it was delicious. It’s chocolate croissant with a flaky pastry outside and chocolate inside. I’d highly recommend this bakery, service is lovely and they also have some great savory quiches.

This is my monitor at work.
Why is it covered in inspiration quotables?
We were moving cubicles at work and I didn’t want them to lose my monitor.
Fortunately, we were able to fend off the move for a few more weeks.
So in the meantime, that’s where I’ll be chilling.

Una Mas! Mexican Restaurant
Delicious burrito but it was a bit too healthy for my tastes 😛
Gosh I miss San Diego Mexican food.

Forever 21 Love & Beauty Blush in Pink $2.99
So Forever 21 now sells a line of beauty products and I just picked this one up by the checkout.
I absolutely love the packaging, it has great pigmentation, and is a overall gorgeous color.
I’m definitely going to check out more Love & Beauty products.

Hanging out with one my favorite cooks in the world, my friend Mike
It was a spectacular early birthday weekend with lots of catching up, cooking, eating and a bit of shopping
Here we are getting ready to roll brandy snaps.  I’ll be posting full recipe blog soon!
To check out the recipe, linked here
The brandy whipped cream is to die for!

Anyways that’s quick recap of some things going on in my life.
Hope you all are taking full advantage of last bits of summer

Sincerely,

Sophie

My Favorite Brush – High Definition Angled Blush Brush

Brand: Paris Presents
Item: High Definition Angled Blush Brush
Type: Makeup Brush
Store: Wal-mart (I’ve only seen it sold at Wal-Mart stores)
Item Number: 004618969
Cost: $6 dollars

I’ve tried a lot of inexpensive makeup brushes and I have to say this brush is my absolute favorite! I loved it so much I purchase 2 for myself for daily use and another for my best friend. I’ve only seen it available at Walmart stores.

Pros –
Duo Fiber, soft
Easy to Clean, never sheds brush hairs or color
Sturdy handle
Dense fibers, grabs to pigments
Affordable, accessible

Cons-
sometimes if your blush is too pigmented, this brush tends to pick up too much product (light hand)
duo fiber, it’s easier for the brush to look dirty (but also a pro b/c it will remind you to clean it)

Quick FYI – YOU NEED TO CLEAN YOUR MAKEUP BRUSHES – How to guide
There’s seriously tons of ways to clean your brush. If you don’t like my suggestions feel free to search up brush cleaner on Youtube there’s loads of tutorials on how to clean your brushes. Most importantly, do clean them!

1. Store Bought Brush Cleaner (sold at most makeup counters)
2. Baby Shampoo, Soap & Warm Water
3. Antibacterial Hand Soap
4. 90% Rubbing Alcohol
5. Mixture of olive oil, dishwasher soap and water

I currently use a plastic container, clean rag, ELF brush cleaner $3 (sold online & Target stores) and warm water.

I run my brushes under warm water, sweep it through the gel brush cleaner, rinse, ALWAYS dry with bristles down/handle up, and then I place the brush in a container with a clean rag. I feel like the rag helps to dry the brushes faster and I can always wash the towel of any leftover makeup residue.

***ALWAYS dry brushes with bristles facing down and the handle facing up. This way the water will leak down faster and it WON’T drip into the feral ruining the glue of the brush***

Conclusion:
Yes I would repurchase this brush. It’s high quality, affordable and everything a blush brush should be.
I highly recommend it! A+

Yummy! Yummy! Chicken Cacciatore

For the recipe please check out Pioneer Woman’s website, linked here!

Hi Everyone!
I’m back with a lovely and delicious chicken recipe. I’ve been gone for awhile due to work and summer biking. Oh in my next post I’ll show you my new burgundy cruiser named Rusty. It’s amazing and old-school style bike. Anyways, I can’t believe summer is almost gone and everywhere is preparing for the Fall season. Heck no! I’m not ready for  the end of summer.

No fear, this weekend I will be heading back to my hometown to take full advantage of summer. Woot! Woot! Minnesota! Here I come! ^_^

Ok now to the good stuff!!!

First off, this chicken cacciatore is freakin’ delicious! However, I would say this is “intermediate” recipe and if you haven’t fried anything before I would recommend having someone assist you with this recipe. In my case, it was Max’s mom because I am horrid at preparing chicken. If you are skilled cook, this should be a walk in the park. =)

Ingredients (see above link for specific amts)
Chicken with “skin” on > used for more flavor!
Onions, Peppers, Mushroom, Tomatoes, Garlic
Black Pepper, Salt, Tumeric, Olive Oil, Butter
White Flour
a Splash of White Wine
a sprinkling of Parmesan Cheese
Pasta…yes lots of pasta!
a large 9 X 12 cooking pan
Parsley *optional
Tin Foil * easy cleanup

Remember to cook & drain your pasta a la dente
*** Start preheating your oven to 350 F so it will be ready when you are ***

Oh yes flour and brown your chicken in a deep pan.
It may seem gross but keep the chicken skin on. When it browns the flavor increases and really delicious in the final product. However if it’s too fatty you can always just keep some on for flavor but not all.

Watch out as frying can be dangerous! Sometimes the oil will splash out or pop.
So be cautious while approaching this step.

Umm yummy veggies! I love how beautiful the colors of the vegetables are. It really spices up the dish and makes it more aesthetically appealing. After you  lightly stir fry these vegetables, they will be further cooked in the oven.  However, this step does speed up the process and ensures everything is cooked.

The baking in this recipe…makes this quite a long recipe. After you cook the pasta, dice the vegetables, flour & brown the chicken, stir fry everything with a splash of wine and finally scoop it all into tin foiled enrobed pan for the oven. Keep the liquid from the pan as sauce!

I believe it cooks and simmers in the oven 350 F for 45 min and then 375 for 15 min.
This is really builds up the flavor and brings the dish together.

[Note] By this point everything should technically be cooked at least once before you put it in the oven. Thus you don’t need to worry to much about the baking.

When it’s done you can do a extra step of separating out the liquids and re-cooking it to a gravy – like sauce. By this time, I had personally skipped this step due to hunger.

Then pour the chicken cacciatore over some pasta, sprinkle Parmesan cheese, a pinch of parsley and you are ready to go! ^_^

Lust List #2 (Birthday Edition)

It’s funny to think how summer is almost over. I suppose since I’ve started working full time and the awful bi-polar weather in Norcal I didn’t even really grasp that summer was here. I’ve decided that Norcal weather is such a tease! In June we had a heat wave week so I got giddy with summer dresses and shorts only to be stuck wearing sweater in July. Eeeks! Of course, I do live in a cubicle so it is quite chilly.

Well we are in August territory now! I am head over heals about August as I’ll be heading home to MN for a week, my brother’s birthday, my boyfriend’s birthday and 20 days in counting to MY Birthday! Golly so many birthday means lots of cake and shopping! : )

It will be such a relief that this is the first birthday in ages where I won’t be taking summer finals or writing long essays where I see the sunrise. Also August is MN state fair month!

Well here’s my updated Lust List #2 – Enjoy!
Lust List Definition – Stuff that I find interesting and I’m lusting over that maybe you would find interesting too. This particular list has a lot of limited edition and exclusive items so if they are interesting to you, I’d highly recommend to snatch them up soon.
Everything is curated is my opinion.

As always FEEL Free to comment below about your own lust lists or if you have tried these products and if they are worth lusting over ❤

1) Sirius Skinsonic Facial Cleansing Brush System $49.99
Purchase at Sirius Online Store
The Skinsonic set comes with battery powered brush + 5 removable brush heads
I’ve watched and read bunch of reviews and they are raving about this product! I hear it’s very comparable to Clarisonic brush set ($150+) and approves the skin. Well lately due to stress and traveling my skin would love some more love. They also have a 100% guarantee that you’ll love it and you can return if you don’t.

The only con is that I believe you can only purchase it online at Sirius Website.

2) Stila Beach Palette – Wonderful in Waikiki $14 (Limited Edition)
Purchase at Ulta, Sephora and Stila.com

Stila Cosmetics has been coming out with this neat travel palettes. They are affordable, slim and comes with 4 shadows + 2 blushes. This seems to me to scream summer here I come. Have you tried it? I’ve swatched other Stila travel palettes but I find their shadows to be a bit chalky. But recently in my Birchbox I received a Stila shadow in Mahogany it was buttery loveliness.

3) Sephora Exclusive – Benefit Stay Put Mini Set $10
Purchase only at Sephora stores and online.
First off I love that Sephora offers these mini deluxe sample sets. I love trying out new products but I hate the breaking the bank to do it. I really interested in the Benefit RSVP cream eyeshadow in this set as it claims to be crease-less. It’s a gorgeous color!

4) Smashbox Limitless Lipstain in Guava $23
Purchased at Ulta, Sephora and Smashbox’s Website
Is a lipstain worth $23 dollars? Heck probably not but this color is the quintessential summer color. I saw the pixiwoo sister do a haul on these lipstains and I had to go to Sephora to try it out. Man it’s a It’s bright coral-red and it looks wonderful. Ever since I’ve been lusting after it. If you do decide to pick up I’d recommend buying off Smashbox online website as on Tues/Thursday they give you a free full size gift + free shipping!

(Photo from Make me blushhh blog – Gilded Trio)

(Wet N Wild Dream Catcher Limited Edition Palettes – now on display in your stores!)
5) Wet N Wild Limited Edition Color-Icon Trios $2.99
Purchase at most drugstores (CVS, Walgreens, RiteAid)

Trios I’m lusting for – Gilded Ages, Dancing in the Clouds & We’re Blasting off!
The shadows are pigmented, easy to apply, buttery soft, and a blow out price! Only issues that limited editions are well limited and hard to come by. So I’ve been searching to no avail as everywhere around me is sold out. 😦
6) Tarte’s Amazonian Clay 12-blush in Tipsy $25 
Purchased at Ulta & Sephora & QVC
I saw on Ebrushka’s blog post that she adores the Tarte blush in Tipsy (coral). It very beautiful coral and I’m intrigued by their 12-hour claims.

7) Ulta Exclusive – Lorac Naked Lace Collection $28
Purchase only at Ulta
The kits comes with 2 eyeshadows, 1 rose color blush, 3 liquid lipsticks and cute clutch. This is from Lorac new fall collection. This summer I purchased Lorac tantalize palette and I love it. I don’t believe I’ve used eye shadows are so buttery, blendable and complimentary to each other. If you don’t have the tantalize palette I’d highly recommend as it’s much cheaper than buying single Lorac shadows and creates a great work friendly look. I think that the naked lace collection will following suit in awesomeness!

8 ) Microplane Zester/Grater $12
Available on Amazon.com and other stores that sell food preparation tools
Ok this one isn’t makeup related at all. This is for the foodies out there. For some reason all my latest recipes have been calling for lemon zest or to grated items! Well have you tried zest a lemon with a peeler, it takes forever and is horridly anti-climatic. So if you need to zest and grate I’d recommend this tool. Ha I really need to get one.

Well that’s my top 8 ….hope you enjoyed and found some new things to check out

Sincerely,
-S