Madewell Goodies

 

It's strange to think I've only recently discovered how much I love Madewell. Maybe it's because whenever I saw the name I thought it was this other store...either way it's pretty ridiculous since I feel like I can get away with wearing any item from here. The nearest store is a little under an hour away so I haven't had a chance to really browse in-person, but from what I have seen I'm in love! I stepped in because I was in the city doing some Christmas shopping (meant to go for Uniqlo but ironically never even made it into that store). I had to resist buying things for myself because I promised myself that this year I would not buy anything except presents for everyone on my list. 

Seeing that this no longer applies I've already gone through their website making my mental wishlist...now I just have to wait for next month's paycheck. 

• Silk Pajama Top: everyone needs that simple cream top that goes with everything and can be dressed up or down (yet isn't a stiff button-up shirt)
• The Archive Boot: my mom promised me some new black leather boots for Christmas so now I just need a cognac color and I'm set!
• Chain Minibag in Calf hair: since I'm usually wearing basics I like my accessories to be in fun colors or prints
• City Storyteller Scarf: can also be transitioned into spring
• Glitter Skinny Belt: I've always wanted one since I saw one similar last year at Gap
• Drifter Shades: I see cool glasses all the time at work but not so much for sunglasses. These are so different from my classic black Ray-Bans
• Cat Ring: This is just too cute
• Penfield Kasson Parka: I realized I'm lacking in casual jackets so this parka in a fun color is great
• Knitstripe Sweater: I'm always on the hunt for fun sweaters and this one isn't too Christmas-y so I can wear it as long as the weather allows!

Favorite iPhone Apps

I used to be one of those people that didn't get the appeal of smartphones. I remember when my boyfriend got his first droid phone. He was obsessed with that thing. I mean, I thought it was cool that you could always check your e-mail and play games on it when you're bored but not enough to make me want to leave my LG Venus (it was pink!)

It wasn't until he got an iPhone that I started to think about switching. And since then I've been sucked in! I would always complain about him checking his phone too much when we were together, and now he laughs that I'm always fiddling around on Instagram or Yelp.

So here are a few of the obvious favorites:
- Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr: gotta have my basic social media sites available
- Instagram: never got the appeal of this when I first dl-ed it, but after a few weeks I'm a loyal user
- Yelp: a girl who loves food and trying new places as much as I do needs this (plus so handy for quickly finding the directions or phone number to a particular restaurant)
- Starbucks: so much easier to use to pay since I usually have my phone out anyways

And the others:
- Livejournal: I used to be a major lj user back in the day (since 2003!) I still go on it every once in a while to go through community posts when I'm in the mood
- Netflix: I've recently gotten into Mad Men and Parks and Recreation so it's so much easier when they're all available on here to watch in HD!
- Frametastic: this doesn't need much explaining to my fellow Instagram users...
- BeFunky: A great editing program. It's like having a mini photoshop on your phone!
- Waze: Such a cute GPS app (plus it's interactive)
- Kakao Talk: A messenger app that enables me to talk to relatives and friends in Korea
- iNails: If you have a big nail polish collection this is a must. I don't know how else I would keep track of all the colors I already own (I hate when I repurchase something similar or even the exact ones sometimes)
- StylishGirl: Similar to the app above. It's time consuming to take pictures of items in your closet, but being able to quickly see what you already own is so worth it.
- KawaiiMEGU, Anipang: two "cutesy" games that I currently am addicted to.
- Truila Rent: At the moment I've been trying to find apartments closer to where I work and take classes at so I check this frequently.
- AOL Radio: An alternative to Pandora. I love their pre-made stations like "Top 50 Boy Band Songs" and "1-Hit Wonders."

Current Favorites

First off let me say that I know that it's ridiculous that it's been over a year since I last updated in here. I have a terrible habit of getting really into things for a while, and then because something in my life changes (ie: moving back home) I can't fit all those things in my life anymore.

But I still want to keep up with writing/blogging. My friend that I met through Livejournal does update every now and then on her blog so it got me motivated to start this up again. I decided that I would revamp the layout to help me get started. (So all my efforts to make this place look pretty doesn't go to waste!)

Since it's been a while...I thought I'd start off with a few of my favorite things (all very, very random).

Books

I'm usually such a big reader, but haven't been good about reading anything other than magazines for the past couple months. When I found out that The Perks of Being a Wallflower was being turned into a movie I knew I had to pick it up before watching it. I haven't gotten too far into it, but it's definitely a fun read. 

Inside of a Dog is another book I purchased (sadly all through Target since there are no more bookstores in my area...tear). It's a more science-y book, which I do like, but I have to be in the mood for something more "intellectual" to start this. I am halfway through this one though! If you're a dog lover and/or own dogs then this is an interesting read.

Beauty

Surprisingly not too many beauty favorites since I've been cutting down on my makeup purchases lately. I know the L'oreal Infallible Eyeshadows have been popular for a while, but I only just tried Bronzed Taupe and it's so lovely! I am especially impressed by the texture of them. They are so soft, velvety, and apply easily. I always wear my shadows with a primer, but even without the staying power on these are quite good. 

For lip balm, I have been loving this Dior Crème de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm. Since the Soft Lips chapsticks are my HG I usually don't look for new lip balms, but these are great for applying right before bed. And while I'm not a fan of rose scents, this one smells nice; not too overpowering. 

 

Bags

 Since I've started taking classes again I needed something that could carry everything for work, school, and play. So I had bought a decent-sized tote bag from Urban Outfitters for about $50. Unfortunately after a couple of wears the zippers on the sides broke. Then I decided to just purchase something that would last me for a long time, even if I had to invest a little more. Hence came the Longchamp Le Pliage purchase. I never got the appeal of these bags when they first became popular, and even resisted a little when deciding to get this since so many people own these. But seeing that I commute a long ways to work and school, consisting of both public transit and walking, this bag would fit perfectly for that. It a) carries a ton and is lightweight, b) is water-resistant (I'll be walking a lot through rain) and c) it can be folded up and used for travel. I went with the color "Bordeaux", which is one of the newer colors they have out, so I can at least have that in uniqueness.

And onto my next favorite...this Sonia Kashuk Makeup Bag. She always has the most fun patterns and colors for her makeup bags so I decided it was time to upgrade to something that could fit more of my stuff. I liked that this one was made out of a more stain/water resistant material, opened up all the way, and had two long zippered-pockets inside. It couldn't be more perfect. 

Food

Like I said, these are random. First off, I love carrying around these Chex 100 Calorie Snack Mixes in my bag when I get hunger cravings. They're not the healthiest things per say, but they're super yummy and help keep my blood sugar up. And for something more fancy I adore Godiva's Chocolate Covered Strawberries. Honestly their high quality chocolate really makes a difference. I treat myself to a bag of these every once in a while when I'm in San Francisco (unfortunately...or fortunately...this has the nearest Godiva in my location).

And that finally concludes my current favorites post. Obviously after a year of not updating this is what happens. I already have ideas of things I want to blog about so I'll try to be better about keeping this blog updated. Fingers crossed.