PACIFIC RIM

Hola! Long time no see. I've been a little preoccupied with some things but I did make time to go see Pacific Rim today in 3-D at the Providence IMAX. 

This movie made really good use of 3-D; I applaud their ways. It felt really real (cliche but you know) and it just made it that much better. The acting is pretty well done, especially the younger version of Mako (two thumbs up for that little girl!). Not to mention, Charlie Hunham looks reallllly nice. The plot twists were good and I also appreciated the take on the whole "mad scientist" idea. The visuals for the Kaijus and the movie in general, were all on par. Kudos. I did like how they used the military idea of "drifting" or emotional attachment, and meshed it into the movie.

However it was a little hard to tell the Jaegers apart from the Kaijus during the fighting scenes. It was a little slow at first and didn't really say much about Becket besides his brother dying. 

All in all, highly recommended in 3-D and the normal version as well.

Thanks for reading! Until next time! 

SAM EDELMAN GIGI LOOKALIKES

Hi my shoe lovers! Sam Edelman Gigi sandals are so popular and seen on the feet of every celeb during the summer. However at $65 a pop for a pair of sandals, I've got some lookalikes for you guys!

1. Black Poppy Woven T Strap Sandals ($22.50 at Pacsun online; FREE SHIPPING ON SHOES!) 

These look incredibly similar and at one third of the cost!

2. Metallic Cord Thong Sandals ($8.80 at Forever 21) 

This is a crazy deal, especially for a lookalike!

3. AEO Faux Snakeskin Sandals ($29.95 at American Eagle Outfitters)

These have a little twist with an added little side part, but they look really cute (and alike) and $30 might be a little pricey, but it's better than $65!

4. VS COLLECTION WING CHARM SANDAL (was $58, now $28 on sale at Victoria's Secret)

Not a bad deal for Victoria's Secret and these look really good too. 

Okay so those are my Gigi lookalikes! Until next time, bye! 

iPad 2: Pros & Cons

Hola my techies/ all audience/ couldn't think of a creative, collective way to address everyone. So I've been considering getting an iPad 2 lately, and I thought about getting a laptop but I just feel like an iPad is better suited for my use. So here are some pros & cons I've seen/heard.

So why not the iPad 4/ iPad with Retina?
Well to sum it up: what teenager can pay for that with a low level job? Not me. It would be nice if I could, buttttt yeah it's a little out of my price range. And that goes for the laptop too.

PROS:
1. about half the cost of the newest iPad model
2. will be compatible with iOS 7
3. will basically have all features that all iPads have
4. front and back cameras
5. 10 hour battery (whatttt)
6. compatible with most Apple chargers (not iPhone 5 or iPad mini)

CONS:
1. doesn't come with earphones. Really Apple? For the price we're paying, I want my earphones.
2. no Siri. I was looking forward to hearing her mechanical voice.
3. poor processor/ media quality
4. for a total charge, it takes over four hours!
5. no Retina


Okay so those are just some of the reasons that I came up with and I'll probably come up with a more detailed update if I decide to get it. Ciao!

HOW TO PACK (NOT STUFF) EVERYTHING INTO YOUR BAG

Hola my frequent (or not) fliers! So I've noticed that packing causes a great dilemma for myself because I always, always, always pack way too much! I've gotten a plethora of packing tips and I'm ready to share them with you all.

1. Lay out everything you want to take, and then take away a third of it. Are you really going to wear that shirt? Or are you just going to let it hang in your closet? 

This will generate a lot of space. 

2. Put your shoes on the bottom of the suitcase and place the shoes, heel to toe. 

3. Stuff socks, undergarments, bikinis even in shoes. Wear your "bulkiest" shoes when traveling.

4. If you still have room, fill the gaps with t-shirts or pajamas. 

5. If you have dresses or suits, stack them in opposite directions with the bottom half of the garment hanging out. When you're finished, stack them into a single pile.

6. Place a dry cleaner bag over the current clothes. The clothes will morph to the space allotted under the bag. 

7. Place nice dress shirts on top of that, next to bagged toiletries (MAKE SURE YOUR TOILETRIES ARE SECURE, no one wants goopy clothes). 

8. Try to make several outfits with a minimal amount of clothes. 

9. If you don't have a baggage tag, try personalizing your luggage. I would recommend placing a strip of recognizable duct tape on it. 

10. Make room! You can always go shopping! 

Catch ya later, have a good one!  

ANOTHER HAUL: CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPHOLIC?

Hi my shopaholics! So yes I have indeed caved again to the higher power called impulse shopping. I go into a store needing two things and I leave with two bags. Needless to say, I have a haul! So let's get started!

1. Batiste Flirty and Floral Dry Shampoo ($7 at CVS)

So I originally thought they only carried this dry shampoo at Urban Outfitters which made me pretty sad since I don't have one around. But I saw this at CVS and I had to scoop it up. It smells nice and it works a lot better than any other dry shampoo I've tried. Two thumbs up! 

2. L'OReal Ceramide Shampoo and Conditioner

This is the black bottles with gold caps in case you can't find it! These work really well and they smell really clean, if that makes sense. My hair is noticeably less frizzy and under control! 

3. Neutrogena Wave Pad Deep Cleanse

I have a Neutrogena Wave, which is like the Clarisonic Mia microdermabrasion thing. And I got a refill on the cleansing pads. Yayyy. I do recommend getting one though, they work really well on dry skin.

4. Maybelline Gel Plush Mascara

I really don't like this mascara very much. It has a flexible wand which has no purpose and it takes so long to put a few coats on. And you can't even do the whole index card trick when you're trying to put this on.

5. Freeman Cucumber Peel Mask

I highly recommend the Freeman line for masks. This cucumber one leaves your face feeling soft and clean while taking off all the dirt and oil. 

6. 9 Feet Long iPhone Charger

This is seriously the best invention I've ever seen. It's way better than the flimsy three feet charger that allows no movement when you charge your phone. And this charger comes in a nice myriad of colors. I found mine at CVS but I'm sure they're sold in most stores.

7. Tie Dye Scarf

So I got this as a gift from one of my friends for my birthday (THANK YOU!) and it's a really pretty yellow/purple/peridot tie-dye infinity scarf that will look so nice with a tee. 

8. Striped Sunglasses

I got these as a gift too and they're just oversized, neon striped sunglasses! They go really well with every outfit.

9. Maxi Skirt 

I got this from TJMaxx, it's just a plain black maxi skirt made of really nice material. I can also pull it up to make it an effortless strapless dress so yay.

10. Kate Spade iPhone Case 

So if you know Kate Spade, all the cases are $40 which is depressing. However I walked into TJMaxx and there was this case that I've been looking at for ages and it was just $16. I felt like it was fate calling my name... And my otterbox tore so I definitely needed it. It says "He said, she said #talkischeap" and i really like it!

Okay so that's my big collective haul! Hope you all have a great day! 

SEPHORA & URBAN OUTFITTERS HAUL

Hi my summer-lovers! Hope you're all doing well and having a great summer! Or last few days of school if you're not out yet! So I have a pretty good haul for you guys, let's get started!

So first from Sephora! 

1. Rocking in Rio Stila Palette ($20?)

I got this as a gift for one of my friends and it looks really nice. It has the shades Capacabana (nude), Samba (taupe), Bossa Nova (light gray), Carnavale (dark gray), Ipanema (electric blue), and Freesia (blush- rosy pink). 

2. Origins Set ($40) + Sephora Body Wash Capsule ($1!) 

I got this as a gift as well for my mother who will hopefully like it! It has a moisturizer, active charcoal mask (yikes!), cleanser, and skin guardian. I also got the Origins Plantscripitions cleanser and threw in a baby REN Glycol Lactic Mask. The Sephora body wash is in the scent Green Tea. Yum.

3. Samples!

I got the Bumble & Bumble Thickening Shampoo and Conditioner and I still have to try them! I also got the Guerlain Maxi Lash Mascara and this does wonders for my lashes. They could literally blown someone off their feet with one blink. Exaggerations, oh how I love you. Not to mention, I also got the Benefit birthday goodies because my birthday is this week! And it has the They're Real Mascara and the Watt's Up highlighter. I haven't tried either so I'll get an update on this.

 

Okay now to Urban Outfitters, who currently has free shipping for no price requirement. Aghhh why couldn't this happened last week? Anyway, hang in there! We're halfway through the stuff.

4. Heartbreaker Sunglasses ($16) 

These are really cute and I've been eyeing these for literally A YEAR. I'm really glad I got them now though. 

5. BDG Polka Dot Backpack 

I got this to go along with my friend's gift but I thought it would be nice if she needed a light bag to carry things in if she's on the beach or on a walk. 

6. Curtis LOVE ME tee

Okay so I got this on a whim and now I think I'm going to cut it into a muscle tee, and I'll post a tutorial if I do. The sizing is a little strange though; I'm usually a Small  and I got Medium in case I messed up when I cut it, and now without altering, it fits like a Small. 

7. Palm Coast Earrings

This is a set of four pairs of earrings that were cute. And I needed to hit $50 for free shipping. Enough said.

8. Silence and Noise Buttondown Shirt

So this shirt is high-low, teal, and sheer. Need I say more?

9. Mesh Sweetheart Dress by Doe and Rae

Seriously I can't believe this dress was only TEN DOLLARS. And it comes in two colors! Why I didn't get both, I have no clue. It's gorgeous and it has mesh instead of cutouts which is nice. It's also high-low.

10. Bite Me Lip Gloss Crayon in Movie Star

LAST THING! So I got this randomly too, mainly because I liked the packaging and bam! It lasts forever and has great color payoff. I got this in a red, but it's also available in pink and nude.

Okay that's all I've got! Thanks for reading! Bye! 

TRAVEL OUTFIT IDEAS

Hi my little jet setters! So I know a lot of you might be frequent fliers as well and one thing I've learned that flying in uncomfortable clothes will be the most awful flight of your life. I have some travel outfits along with some hair and other tips to make your flights the best, not the worst, trip.

So my outfits for flights are all layers, since it's ridiculously cold on most planes. I usually wear leggings since they're comfy and look better than just sweats (even though I love my sweatpants!) You can find a good pair of leggings anywhere, like Forever 21 or Pacsun. Pacsun has some really cute patterned ones to dress up a plain outfit. Now onto the tops! So I really like tank tops with a cardigan with a nice layered scarf on top. I'll tell you what my ensemble will probably be for my upcoming flight.

1. Brandy Melville Sadie Moon Tank ($17-25)
This would go underneath everything and it's really comfy and relaxed as well as functional and cute. Brandy Melville is a tad overpriced but it is so worth it!
2. BDG Classic Cardigan ($29)
This is literally the ideal cardigan and it's soft and soft again. Wearing this over the tank top will prevent you from being super cold and you'll look cute.
3. Charlotte Russe Eyelash Fringe Infinity Scarf ($10.99)
So we just got a Charlotte Russe in town and it's seriously the greatest thing ever. It'll keep you warm on the plane and if it gets too warm, you can take it off. It adds a little pop of neon in the outfit.

And for shoes, anything will go. I wouldn't really recommend strappy sandals, more like Vans or oxfords or something.

And for hair, I suggest a simple French braid so when you get off the plane, you'll have effortless beach waves. Either that or a messy updo or bun, it doesn't really need to be fancy. And makeup, if you really insist, go cream not powder. Powder will become cakey and icky. But skin care is very important since it's all recycled air on the airplane. Lotion and moisturizer is essential for plane skin.
One last tip would be taking hand sanitizer and Airborne with you to stay healthy. No one wants to go on vacation sick.


Safe travels, see you next time!