bumblepug

cracklin' oat bran can work for you!

ralph loves cracklin' oat bran cereal so much that he bought it and it went stale.  he decided to throw it in the garbage though we don't have a protective barrier for the trash bags which means no food can be tossed into our garbage because dog will spare no expense at getting to the goods.  as luck would have it, ralph put his stale cracklin' oat bran into our garbage and dog got to the box and ate all of it (no surprise here)!

so, in case you were ever having a stagnant digestive system (and you wanted to change that), you should know that cracklin' oat bran did the trick for dog so it would probably work for you, too! 

we took her out to the grocery store and i waited in the car with her while ralph shopped, and she farted nearly 30 times within 20 minutes- so loud that she looked around to see where the noise was coming from. 

i can say now, there is nothing worse than a dog fart.  my car has stench of dog farts now.  yuck.

shower heads

yes, that's showerheads, plural, as in two.  ralph installed two showerheads in our shower that come out of one spout.  he was trying to create the ultimate shower experience and although it looks very space age and hi-tich, i'm afraid it fell a little short of our expectations.  no that i really have a high shower standard, i mean, seriously...i was showering in between his working, and it didn't have a head or anything- it was just water coming out of the wall.  ironically, i think i like that simple set-up best of all (just a whole with lots of water coming out) but that would probably ruin the pipes or something terrible after a fair amount of time.

so, ralph is going back to the drawing board since i almost drowned taking a shower.  this head is like 3 feet above my head so i really have to stand in the right spot if i want the shampoo to rinse out- meanwhile- the baby head is shooting up my nose.  what an experience.  good thing i really love water and am accustomed to water spraying up my nose thanks to allergy sprays.

unfortunately i don't know the name of the shower head he bought but it's the kind that is big, round, and pretends to be rain.  honestly, i hate the feeling of rain on my skin unless it is pouring.  those little drizzles are a waste of time and makeup so hopefully our shower head will be pouring and blasting soon.  maybe we should just attach a firman's hose or something?  i'm quite the savvy plumber, huh?!

friday date night!

ralph and i went on a date tonight for mexican food and a movie.  this sounds like most of our dates, huh?!  we're usually not this predictible but we've both been so exhausted that not much more than eating and staring at a screen for 2 hours really appeals to us.

anyways, we ate at a restaurant new to me called tlaqupaque (i think that's the proper spelling?) #2 (on delmas and willow).  if you live in the san jose area and haven't eaten here, you must drop everything and head over there now!  don't wait until 9 o'clock because they close early.  it was seriously some of the best mexican food i've ever had and that's saying a lot coming from me because it takes a lot to impress me in the realm of mexican food.  and best of all, it was cheap!

after dining we saw jarhead.  we bumped into anthony and christine in the theatre so that was awesome since we had considered inviting them but we never called since christine and 10 o'clock shows usually don't mix.  anyways, jarhead pretty much sucked (which i had not expected).  it was 2 hours but about 1 hour and 30 minutes too long.  it didn't help that i kept waiting on the edge of my seat for some excitement but it never happened.  i'm glad i sacrificed my sleep the evening before a full-day notary class to see this awful movie.  perhaps you'll like it better than me.

late bloomer

in most realms of life, i'm would probably be considered an early bloomer.  in the world of alcohol, i'm definitely a late, late, late bloomer.  i enjoy drinks but my taste still closely resembles that of somebody who just turned 21.  beer and i are just starting to become friends and red wine and i are definitely still on the rocks.  i enjoy a glass of white wine here and there but i have no clue how to choose it.  so now you can see why i usually keep it within the martini family.

anyways, i found an awesome sauvignon blanc.  well, i didn't find it but a wine man (can't recall their official title) did and i want to share it with you: it's nobilo 2004 sauv blanc.  this brand is from new zealand and it's one of the best wines i've had to date.  ok, off to buy a case!  ;)

enjoy!

love of the lash

i love eyelashes. well, eyelashes and teeth to be more accurate. anyways, i decided in junior high that i was put on earth to find the best mascara ever made. and i've worn mascara every day since then, and lots of it. my long time favorite was max factor's 2000 calorie in rich black with a straigh brush, then it was max factor's lash something or other (can't recall that name at the moment but it was good stuff in a blue and gold container). well, ive' found something better, it's clinique's high impact mascara. i can wear 5 layers without it getting lumpy and it is beautious! talking to people, it turns out that half the girls i know also wear it, including my sister. hello?! why didn't anybody tell me about this miracle worker years ago?! anyways, go out, buy it, and wear lots. oh, and clinique, feel free to drop me a bone!

odds and ends of reviews

o.t.c.: over the counter

pepto bismol- who knew this stuff really worked?  i have enjoyed chewing these for their bubble-gummy flavor but they prove effective for more than taste!  i had a terrible stomachache from an odd combination of foods, so bad that i thought i had food poisoning.  i chewed some of the pink pills and within 10 minutes i was feeling relief.  for a bad stomach i recommend chewing 2-3 of these but read the directions because i'm not a doctor.

visine a/c (allergy control): i haven't been getting enough sleep lately so my eyes have been really blood shot in the mornings.  in addition, my allergies have been worse than usual for summer so they are extra itchy.  visine a/c takes care of both ailments.  sure, it burns like crazy when you put first put the drops in but after the pain comes bliss and really white whites.  i've also heard that you can dab some of this on a really red area of your skin (like a blemish) and it will decrease redness because it causes the capillaries to shrink.  i've also heard that this stuff can really cause a bad stomachache when put in drinks so don't do that.  so many uses!

beauty:

sonya dakar's drying potion- if you have a blemish (no matter the size), this stuff works in overnight at clearing it up!!!  it's a little pricey for such a small amount but it lasts a long time and it really works.  there's a reason this is listed as a best seller, and that's no lie!  one thing, don't let this product dry out because it becomes useless.

mac cosmetics eyeshadow- i used to not like mac eyeshadow based on the buying experience at their stores and counters (which wasn't entirely fair of me since the product has nothing to do with the salespeople).  now that i've had more experience, i don't get pressured to buy every product so i enjoy going to their counter often to test their colors, etc.  as it turns out, after trying many brands, mac has the best staying power, the most pigment, and smudges/creases the least (especially when used with a concealer as a base).  i want the full palette!

food:

whole foods': egg salad- yuck!  don't even get me started; this is part of why i want to vomit but pepto saved the day!  amanda had the sandwich and i bought the pint of egg salad.  hello, mayo, mustard...i'm looking for you but i don't see you.  in fact, where the hell were the eggs?!  needless to say, this sucked!  it tasted like a celery, yolk, parsley mish mash.  definitely pass.

whole foods': cream of broccoli soup- yuck, but not as bad as the egg salad.  it had a thinner base than most "cream of" soups but yet it was rich.  what a yucky feeling!  i would not eat this unless you plan to not eat for the rest of the week.  also, note to self- do not have this soup when eating w.f.'s wgg salad!  terrible combo.  must go vomit now!

pizza antica in s.r.- lindsay and i went here for dinner a few weeks ago and ever since then i've been craving their b.l.t. salad.  now to some people this may sound disgusting but it was actually quite delicious and very light.  it is tossed with a dijon champagne dressing which is the ultimate highlight to the flavors.  i want this every night!

customer service:

costco customer service- most places that serve the public have a motto that goes something like this: "service with a smile."  trust me, i used to work at a grocery store!  apparently, costco (at least the one located in santa clara) employees think being helpful would be a waste of time.  it took asking 4 employees for a customer to finally answering our question: where is the laminate flooring (a.k.a. pergo) located?  thanks, customer for knowing the answer since nobody who actually worked in the building knew!!!  i don't even think they knew they sold this item.  ugh. 

mimi's cafe waiter and staff- so good, so couteous...it was kinda weird and creepy.  we don't even go enough to be considered regulars.  guess they're young and still like working, which is good if you like lots of water and bread refills.

services:

verizon's ringback tones- this is a cool new feature offered by verizon wirless.  so what if my phone bill was almost $250 this month?!  it's things like this that keep me a verizon-faithful (add 10 parts sarcasm)!!!  despite my bitterness over theie pricing and phone selection, this feature is neat.  you can select songs that you want callers to hear while they are waiting for you to answer your phone.  this is a luxury for the people on the other end in my opinion so i'm often tempted to call my phone from other peoples' lines to test the feature and hear the songs i've chosen.  so, go ahead, give me a call and enjoy the tunes.  i chose a different one for my most frequent callers.  just a tip: if your mom doesn't know who the black eyed peas are, she may not see the humor in you setting her song to hey mama.

cobbler's bench shoe stretching- if you have a foot as wide as mine, this is a service worth paying for so your feet don't suffer and so you can buy normal looking shoes that don't come in "w."  i'm pretty sure you used to be able to hire somebody to do this for you (like hundreds of years ago) but now that's kinda gross.  for the low price of $6 you can have them stretched just right and your feet won't bleed from blisters caused by ultra-snug shoes!  some places do this for free when you buy shoes from them- nordstrom, being one.

sporting goods:

raleigh retroglide cruiser- ralph gave me this bike for my bday and i love it!  we've been riding them around at night and it's one of the most comfortable bikes that i've ever ridden.  it also has many speeds and hand brakes which help me avoid crashing.  pedal brakes are dangerous for me because i'm so used to the hand brakes that i forget to use the pedal brakes.  this biked rocks and i think you should get one before the sale out!

jansport drawstring backpack- now i'm not sure if this review counts because the jansport backpack i am reviewing was puchased in 1992 (i don't know if they're still made with the same level of craftsmanship).  i just have to say that this thing endured my high school and college book carrying days and now it endures carrying a 25-pound pug on our cruiser adventures (we've had good luck so far, knock on wood).  i'm impressed to say the least.  this thing is sturdy and it has a drawstring top in case you need to increase/decrease the size for contents.

worth a watch

over the weekend ralph and i watched 2 movies: march of the penguins and wedding crashers.

i would highly recommend seeing both this weekend.  march of the penguins was amazing and they are so cute.  wedding crashers was hillarious and every bit worth the $10 (curse the theatres!).

md skincare

after testing what seems like all the product lines ever created, i like md skincare by dr. gross the best.  i would recommend this to people of all skin types because it is mild yet effective (no matter what you're looking to improve).

my regimine:

morning-

all-in-one wash with toner

alpha peel face pads (step 1 and 2)

auto-balance lotion with spf

tinted spf in medium (this offers great coverage without clogging pores)

eyes: light & lift cream

evening-

all-in-one wash with toner

vitamin c gel for the face

maximum moisure lotion

eyes: light & lift cream

ok, so i do a lot to my skin.  what can i say?

tan without the sun

who knew self tanners could be so great?!  i think the sun is going to be put out of business fairly soon.

i used one for the first time last night (i know lindsay is laughing right now!).  i never felt i needed to use them before because i'm kinda naturally tan (well, by most peoples standards) but in my opinion my less exposed areas (thighs, stomach) could use a lot of work- just to catch up with my arms and face.  i used neutrogrena's build-a-tan ("gradual sunless tanning") which allows you to control your shade based on how many applications you do.  i did an application last night before bed and i woke up a shade darker.  i did another application before work and i got another shade darker- i think i'm obsessed with this.  i'll probably continue to do 2 applications per day until we make it to the lake (this weekend).  i don't want my legs to blind anybody and i think darker legs look slimmer so that's what i'm hoping for!!!

the lotion didn't stain my clothes and it looked a little smudged where i put lots of layers on, but nothing too obvious.  it does warn not to put any on your knees, ankles, etc- but that may be the norm for all self tanners.  who knows?  they also have a version of build-a-tan specifically for the face.  i think i get that one on the way home!

i would definitely recommend going out and buying a bottle at the closest drug store, right now!

asia sf

last night i went to asia sf as an informal gathering for amanda's going away.  it was a lot of fun, very entertaining, and they know a thing or two about how to mix a sidecar right (which believe it or not, is very rare!).  the food was better than i expected and i was bummed to see that so many men could look so much better than actual women.  the shows were great and i loved their outfits and their dance routines.  we went downstairs to dance after eating and the music was fairly good. 

vandy accidentally punched a girl in the face.  some weirdo from one of the bachelorette parties was dancing with a huge inflatable penis (her fiance must be so proud!).  i saw a cheesy male stripper (dressed as a "cop") bust in on a private party- but i'm sure this was part of their plan!  and the highlight was watching the bachelor (yes, there was a bachelor party there!) being seranaded by "britney spears"'s asian counterpart.  you know he loved it! 

i love the shoes i bough for the evening and my top matched it perfectly.  i flet like a drag queen, too, but i'm sure we all have those days.  i love big heels, lots of makeup, and glitter.  het, they should consider giving me a job! ;)

i applied amanda's makeup and her eyes looked so cool!  i love doing other peoples' makeup because it lets me learn how to work on different eyes shapes, colors, and styles!

yay makeup!  yay drag queens!  i'll be seeing you soon!  maybe for my bday?!

hair today, gone tomorrow...

sometimes shampoos make my hair fall out.  sounds gross but one that makes it happen is the most is pantene.  maybe the alcohol content is too high or something?!

since i want to keep my hair while i'm young...i thought i'd give a new shampoo a shot (though i'm still in love with pureology's hydrating shampoo and conditioner even though i don't dye my hair)- you know, i get bored and need something that smells different or is full of new promises.

on shannon's recommendation i recently tried frederic fekkai's protein rx shampoo and conditioner (2 separate products).  i'm happy with the results after one use but time is the true test.  based on shannon's hair (which gets blown dry, straightened, and dyed) i'd say the product works because her hair always looks healthy and shiny.  we'll see how more uses work for me...

you may be noticing more product reviews than usual and that's because the season is getting ready to shift and my hair and skin will need different types of protection and moisturization.  stay tuned if you have problem skin and/or dry hair and/or love cosmetics...

smells like summer

as you may know demeter has fragrances that are inspired by summer: hawaiian surf, guava, blue hawaiian- to name a few that are offered.  they just came out with a new scent called summer vacation and i'm afraid it smeels like the summer vacation of a crack whore!  amanda and i went to sephora to smell it and i'm so glad i didn't spray too much like i did with bobbi brown's beach.

can somebody please create a scent that actually smells like summer or the beach?!  kramer probably did it best on seinfeld!

as for now one of my favorite newer scents is silver rain by la prairie.

have a great long weekend!

dr. brandt's miracle!

dr. brandt is a new line of skincare that i recently guinea pigged (thanks for the sample, shannon!).  as you know i'm always putting my skin on the line to find awesome new products!  i found one that is finally worth the $...dr. brandt's microdermabrasion in a jar.  after having had microdermabrsion done by a person with a machine, i can say that this exfolinat is just as good if not better than the actual procedure- and a lot less since you can get so many uses out of this jar.  it is well worth the $75 and i'm sure this jar could last more than a year because the slightest bit goes a long way!  my skin looked healthier after one use and i've been using once a week ever since.

recently my favorite moisturizers are murad's essential c night moisture cream (this is fairly rich but my skin needs it from all of the dehydrating allergy meds i take) and dermalogica's active moist lotion (this is light, dries fast and can by re-applied for more moisture)- both smell delightful.  i have problem skin and neither product has irritated my skin.

i love yoda!

could yoda get any cuter?  in that old man, green kinda way?!  he's so wise and that's why he's my favorite character in star wars!

i waited in line for 2 hours in order to see the movie on opening day.  and what an experience it was!  i saw (live) a storm trooper (it scared the shit out of me when i randomly saw him outside my window), chewbacca, princess leah (sp?), and some other weird characters of which i don't know the names!

in line my aunt gave my mom some star wars books for her birthday and we all had to choose which character we'd be:

roo chose yoda

ralph chose the general (don't know the full name but he's the evil guy who is like a robot)

christine chose c3po

i chose padame amadala

chris chose obi-wan kenobi

and i can't remember the other selections.  i think my mom chose darth vader...hmm.

when we got into the theatre we really lucked out as far as seating went.  we were able to sit together and the seats were in the center up top- my favorite!  all the energy in the theatre could've powered a town!  there was beach ball, ballons, and a condom ballon (yuck!) being passed around. 

the theatre felt like it was 800 degrees and i really thought my skin was going to tear from the combination of the heat and the intense bloating from the salt overdose from taco bell).  i really think the ac was broken as well as my sweat glands!

the movie (the parts that i saw because i fell asleep for half an hour) was good but my favorite is still episode 2.  it was nice to see the evolution of annakin into darth vader, etc.  i would recommend this movie for all who love visual effects- they were quite amazing and that's not even my bag!

btw, i sleep in all movies so the fact that i slept through this one for a bit is in no way a reflection of its quality.  why am i always so sleepy?!

anyways, tgif!

movie mania

during my time off i saw 2 movies which seems so few considering i had nothing but time and sleep on my hands.  i saw monster-in-law and crash.  monster-in-law was much better than i expected but that's not to say it was a cinematic masterpiece.  crash on the other hand was superb and probably one of the best movies out this year!  i would definitely recommend this intense movie about race relations- don't go if you expect something lighthearted and it's probably not a good date movie.  it's a must see with an all-star line up that really delivers!

tonight we're going to see star wars: episode 3.  i like the new star wars movies but i seem to get a bad case of add with the old ones.  this evening, i look forward to waiting in line for hours in the pouring rain.  hope it's a good one!

dr. murad

i love products and i love being a product guinea pig if it means better skin!  i had tried dermalogica and i liked it a lot but since i bought a kit, rather than customizing pieces, it really dried my skin out.  my solution, try another product...

on my next attempt i tried dr. murad's vitamin c kit.  it's pretty good stuff but again, i'm fairly certain this kit is not the best for my skin type.  i really like the smell of the products because it smells clean and citrusy. i had a facial with robin today and i told her i was using vitamin c products.  she told me that it's a good choice because vitamin c strengthens the cell walls of skin which kinda helps protect it from environmental damage (you still need to wear sunscreen!).  also, it evens out uneven pigmentation, which is the whole reason i bought the kit in the first place.

bottom line, i really like dermalogica and dr. murad, i just need to do some fine tuning and select products in those lines which will work best for my dry, problem-prone skin.  ;) 

microdermabrasion, here i come!  more to report on wednesday, after my session with minahz.

dermalogica review

i love dermalogica!  i knew lindsay used it and she liked it but we have different skin types so i wasn't sure how it'd work on my skin (stupid thinking considering they have something for everyone).  shannon has similar skin as me and she was singing it's praises the other day so i decided to try it out by purchasing one of their sampler kits (includes wash, masks, lotion, toner, and spot treatment), and i love it!!!!  in 5 days time my skin looks great!  best of all, it doesn't feel overly dry like what most other brands do to treat oily skin.  if you have problem skin, even nice skin, i recommend this product line despite it's price.

netflix vs. blockbuster by mail

i'm a netflixer and ralph is a block buster by mailer (not sure of their program's name so this must suffice for now).  as it turns out, blockbuster by mail is way better- hands down!  his dvds arrive sooner than might despite a shipping center located in sacramento (with more to come closer soon).  netflix's shipping center is san jose yet there are still delays!  also, many popular movies with netflix have "long waits" or "short waits," or my recent favorite "very long wait."  blockbuster seems to have more of each dvd because ralph has received popular dvds immediately where it takes a lot longer for me to get them with netflix. 

maybe they are trying to make a good impression on ralph since he's a new customer?!  in the mean time, blockbuster's program still seems to be the best bang for your buck (i believe they are $3 cheaper per month than netflix and they have 2 in-store couponds per month).

btw, blockbuster's new "no late fees" policy sucks!  read the fine print.  basically, you're buying the movie.