Guilty Pleasure

We all have them, no?

Why is it called guilty pleasure to begin with? I think most of these things that we consider guilty pleasure is really just all regular pleasure stuff, but for the fact that people just tend to be too embarrassed to admit it in public, for whatever reason. I guess a more important question is what is there to be embarrassed about?

So really, if a person has no shame, then it's just regular pleasure, right?

(all images via Google images, except the last one:p)

Must be the childhood memory...

What can I say?

I know, I know, but man, oh, man, is it good, mmmm...

Hubs hates it, because of the crumbs, not surprising, but sometimes, when you're lazy, you're lazy, no?

Among the oh so many of them...

The most recent one?

Surprise, surprise...

Shopping Embargo

So, cutting to the chase, I have pretty much shopped 2 months worth of (my) shopping budget. How? I'll tell you how.

Last Thursday, I mentioned how I met I my met a friend for lunch. Back from lunch, on my walk home, decided to check out the summer sales that's started. I figure, I wanted to avoid the crowd that most likely would have had the same idea came this long weekend past.

So was there really a crowd? Dunno, since I went days before. And was it the smartest thing to do? Of course not!

J Crew haul:
Soludos espadrilles (x 2)
Cab & Crystal bracelets (x 3)
Medium bangles (x 2)
Jeanine skinny belt

Gap haul:
Khaki boyfriend roll-up shorts
Casual web reversible men's belt

That was Thursday, June 28th, so technically, it was still June and that would have just made the month way past total write-off, considering the way I went about with it. And there I was, doing (relatively) well at that! For shame, indeed.

Oh and to add insult to injury, I returned to J Crew on Sunday since they made a pricing mistake on the belt (those items are all final sales, after all). And what went out with me along with the belt?

Ribbonstripe boatneck shirt (thanks to her:p)

So to make myself (a lil) better(?), I've made the decision to make this most recent shopping expedition to be the last one for a while. 2 months, for starter, since like I mentioned earlier, that's pretty much what I've spent taking my "budget" into consideration. Hopefully, longer than 2 months...

*grin*... *head bowed down in shame*... *happy sigh*... you name it, I felt it...

HAH!

Fifty Shades...

I briefly mentioned this book(s) in the previous post but I wasn't really sure if I wanted to talk about it. It just doesn't feel right, just like the book(s), but then again, just like the book(s), can't help it. HAH!

Fifty Shades series (E L James)

I heard there is no middle ground with this book(s). One either hates it or loves it. Me? I must belong to its target audience coz, you know what, I actually don't mind it (don't mind it???).

Whodathunk this kind of material will make it mainstream! What does it say about our society in general? That something is "taboo" until some power-that-be decides it's not? Then as the power in number grows that it becomes acceptable? Not that it makes a difference to me at this point. Human facets are complicated, complex and diverse to begin with, I can understand that what society thinks as normal barely covers a facet or 2.

Then there's also the argument of those on the other side of the fence on this book(s). Does it really promote what they say it does?

At the end of it, regardless of the divide/opinion/discussion, why over-analyze it? Like me and sis were saying, if it gets people reading, hey, why not? Whether it's the explicit content or the fantasy or the love story aspect that a reader is drawn to, reading is reading. Whatever floats people's boats, right?

Just one other thing, I almost want to say this book(s) is (are) not for hopeless romantic young women. Not because of its content. We're all (mostly) adults after all. 2 words. Christian Grey. Or I should say 3 words. NO Christian Grey.

HAH!

Laters, baby... (sorry, couldn't resist *snicker*)

Where Did the Week Go?

Gah! Not sure what happened, but the week flew by in a blink of an eye, and here we are, Friday already. Ok, I do know what happened. These darn book(s), {un}fortunately, kept me so preoccupied, it just ate most of my night time. To this moment, I actually still don't understand why they just engage me so *ambivalent sigh*... More on that later (I think)...

Anyhoot, before I knew it, the weekend's come. Mind you, I have a very short work week this week as I took some vacation days so I guess there's another reason why it feels it flew by just like that. Wednesday was kinda' like my Friday.

Ahhh... rest... sleep... Since I really haven't gotten much sleep for the most part of this week, it was quite nice waking up late yesterday and this morning.

Yesterday, decided to meet a friend for lunch. It worked out that she happened to be working at a nearby office and I happened to be off.

Lunch Special @ Guu (fried chicken with vinegar & tartar sauce)

(Japanese soda... the marble inside makes it fun...
only in Japan, I tell ya)

It was a nice bonus getting the chance to talk to some other people at that office that I haven't talked to in a while.

Oh, and right before I was leaving to meet my friend for lunch, hubs informed me that he managed to get some special screening tickets for the same night.

I liked the movie, I think. Didn't think Andrew Garfield can fill in Toby's shoes (who I incidentally thought could not have pulled it off in the first place but he did, I eventually thought), but I guess he provided a different angle to Peter Parker. I didn't think the movie brought anything entirely different though to the franchise, but at the end, I still enjoyed it.

So that was a nice way to end the day.

Didn't do anything all day other than read some more, mostly, hehe, and now, off to meet some friends for some Friday libation.

Here's to the weekend...

"Happy Retirement!"

Yesterday, we celebrated a colleague's retirement party. 3 of us at work organized it. Based on the guest of honor's reaction throughout the night, I'd say we didn't do so bad.

What I did find more interesting tho' was watching the faces of the people who showed up to celebrate with our colleague. These are people who he's worked with at some point. I know why they're there, having worked with him for almost 4 years. And they're obviously all good reasons.

I guess I find the whole thing heartwarming. That when my turn comes, that I will hopefully see the same expression on people's faces. That's all...

Burpy Smile

Another look at the food that've made me smile, of late. Again. hehe

Filipino Camarones ( fried shrimp)

Watermelon salad (a summer staple)

While out with colleagues--

chili lime chicken

hummus and pita

(having a good time, after all)

The making of a ravioli--

filling (ricotta, spinach,
turkey Italian sausage)

sauce (with turkey Italian sausage)

ravioli (using wonton wrapper)

Result

And one time for dinner--

Lemon ricotta blueberry pancake, with...

... with turkey breakfast sausage...
and some good quality maple syrup

*rub belly*

Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm...

Mailing List

Store mailing list, ah, the new bane of my existence. Ok, that's being overly dramatic.

Seemingly innocuous enough in the beginning, and useful (in my shopping mind), I'm now inundated with it, always announcing to me what good sales I am potentially missing out there, or I could partake in (depending on my mood).... What? Unsubscribe? Never! HAH! (never say never)...

Over the weekend, what with the semi-annual sales happening all around, according to my emails, I thought I'd refill our Bath and Body stash for soaps and what-have-yous. I did have a coupon after all, thanks to an email. And I figured, since I'm out and about, I might as well walk around to see where my remaining monthly budget can take me.

I walked into Holt Renfrew, Canada's answer to Harrods, only without the history, or to Bergdorf/ Saks/ Neiman, just because there is no Bergdorf/ Saks/ Neiman around here. Anyhoot, there I was, ready to live it large with my $27.24. Alas, that amount could not even buy me a heel of a shoe or a sleeve of a dress. What was I thinking anyways?

But I did find something elsewhere.

Gap espadrilles (on sale, $27.99, and the only pair!)

Now how much more summery can you get than that, eh? And within my budget too! Well, give or take a few cents. Cents!!! Pretty good, huh?

Now if only summer could have come yesterday... And if only July 1st could come tomorrow, you know, for a new shopping month. Kidding! No, actually I'm serious... Kidding!

HAH!

(and I guess all these summer colors just inspired me to get this color for my pedi earlier)

... too bad it didn't show how neon this orange is:p

C'mon, summer, just come, won't ya!