shocking find!

 

I randomly came upon this today at Zara— really wasn’t looking to buy anything– i was just doing my daily stroll down walnut street.  So i tried it on.. liked it.. figured “why not”since it’s on sale anyways and i’ll be honest.. i was eyeing it for a while.. haha i just didn’t want to pay $150 for it at the time–

went to the cash register.. the girl rang it up~ came out to be $29.99!!!  i was like YES PLEASE!!!

super excited! i had to share :]  OOTD to come~

so if you’re still in search for this jacket– i recommend you go venture to  your nearest Zara.  who knows~ even if you don’t see this one, maybe you’ll run into another awesome deal!

happy shopping!

Sam Edelman Shoes Haul!

So i’m a little behind with my posts.. but I thought I better step on it to share this with you guys while the sale is still going on!

I’m a frequent WINDOW shopper at Lord & Taylor ^^;; (always eyeing those promotions) and when there is a big one! i jump on it!  here is what i got!

the Alvin Leopard Flats

i LOVE these!  these aren’t the biggest seller compared to the others— but I personally adore them.  i don’t often wear wild patterns like this so for me this is a very exciting change!  this will spike up any simple outfit!  SeeEEeeee~ <3

last i checked, these are still available on Lordandtaylor.com (http://www.lordandtaylor.com/eng/shoes-Flats-Alvin_Leopard_Loafers-lordandtaylor/226803) — with the additional 20% off, i highly urge you to get them now before they run out!

the Aster flats in black with a gun-metal cap toe

same shoe as the first one, but in the cap toe style!  made in snake skin– it’s true! none of that fake, embossed stuff, it’s the real thing! lol these are definitely worth the buck.  I took a 2nd shot in the natural light so you can see a better comparison between the black and the shiny cap toe love love love!

this is a picture i took when i first got it via Instagram!  absolutely love the fit, the look, everything! they are very comfy and give the chic yet relaxed feel.  Perfect for the spring!  btw, if anyone is interested, feel free to follow me on Instagram: kelzchan   I usually just post a lot of random shots of food.. goodies.. shopping.. you know the girlie stuff haha

ok the next one gave me goose bumps when i ordered them online~ these are soo hot and sexy!

Pryce heels with spikes on the back (probably not the greatest idea to take a picture black on black… whoops!)

Another awesome find on Lord & Taylor’s site!  From original RSP of $200, these got knocked down to $60! I couldn’t resist!  I love ankle strapped heels!  and these resemble jimmy choos a little too… soooOOoo yep.  they got me.  ^^;;

I have to say these shoes are definitely not for everyone.. the fit is a little funky.  I’m normally a 7.5 for heels– so that’s what i ordered.  but when i tried it on, it was awful! the straps were too loose.. if i tighten it, then it creates this strap bump else where.. i was so sad.  but i decided to give the size 7 a try (had to place another order).  Luckily, these worked out ok!  So it’s a pair that you definitely have to try on to see whether it works on your feet or not.  this is the first time in my life! where i had to choose a size 7 instead of a 7.5— strange, but hey it works!  the peep toe gives it a little extra room for the toesies to breath too~

last pair~!! (i know– more?! lol)

Jordie ballerina flats with a gold cap toe

back to more flats— honestly, can one have too many pairs of flats?! lol they’re so versatile and needed on a everyday basis, i decided to stock up!  a fabulous price too! these are slightly cheaper than the loafers — $40 after discount.  unfortunately, L&T is out of this combo, but the leopard with a silver cap toe is still available~ (http://www.lordandtaylor.com/eng/shoes-viewallshoes-Jordie_Animal_Print_Ballet_Flats-lordandtaylor/227405)  same as the Aster loafers, they’re snake skin with a metal cap toe– this one is in gold (the 2nd pic you can see the difference a little better)  oh! i did forget to mention that all these flats do have a light padding on the sole to give that extra comfort. :3  again, i highly recommend!  super versatile!

so that sums it up! now go out there and hit those sales!

just wanted to share…

so i got this necklace out on a whim from BCBG at the Jersey Shore Outlet by Tinton Falls, NJ.   it was $9 which was pretty hard to pass by!  this was my first bib necklace and honestly, i felt really effy about it since it’s not the style i typically go for.  i don’t know about you but it gives me a bit of a gothy victorian vibe with the many chains and gems.

this was my first time wearing this out~ and i actually like it a lot! of course, it’s a little bit more difficult to wear than other pieces–  and it looks ok with my blazer!

here is a close up~

i highly recommend the jersey shore outlet especially during the holidays, they have some fantastic deals!!

Sam Edelman

next post i hope to share the recent shoe buys i got from Lord and Taylor!!! PS.  the clearance sale is still going on with an additional 20% off! definitely check it out!

my delicious weekend~

my foodielicious weekend!

it’s been a while since I went nuts and went on a rampage feeding my cravings~ partially, my boyfriend and I are trying to save money.. but this weekend, we let loose a little :]  here we gooooo~

Friday night! – Moshulu (Philadelphia, PA)

Foie Gras on Griddle Brioche

this was my 2nd time having foie gras~ yuuummmy~ the port wine jus was the perfect complement!  the vinegrette taste of it evened out the powerful savoriness of foie gras.  i can still draw the taste from my memory.. but i can’t quite pin point the words to describe the complex taste of foie gras.. it’s very heavy… but delicious.  gooey but juicy.  haha anyway, this is the appetizer the waiter at moshulu highly recommended.  i wish there’s more of it for a pricey $20 :/

Duck with confit, whipped sweet potato, light curry sauce

the description on the menu definitly drew me in me~  i also ordered duck my first time at Moshulu and it was quite the dish to be remembered, so i thought, well can’t go wrong with that! … soOOoo the picture looks pretty amazing– but frankly, i was a bit disappointed with the quality.  the chef apparently suggests medium, but i think differently… perhaps it’s the way they cut it.. but i found the meat to be quite chewy normally, duck shouldnt be chewy. the texture should resemble chicken more or less– do you recall eating chewy chicken? lol anyway, the garishes were ok– whipped sweet potato went well with the confit.  the curry sauce added a little something extra to the seared duck, but i did wish the curry was slightly more potent to match the foie gras as a follow up.

chicken with truffle gnocchi and shiitake mushrooms in pesto sauce

I think my boyfriend picked the winning dish!  the chicken was cooked to perfection! so tender and juicy FAAAR from being dry.  my favorite part was the truffle gnocchi!! it’s like little balls of explosive truffle goodness in your mouth!! yuuummm wish they have that on the menu as a side <3  please try!

like the last 2 times, we dined at Moshulu with the benefits of a Groupon.  lol just fyi– i’ve noticed that about every 6 months, Moshulu advertises on either groupon or livingsoical with the $25 for $50 worth of food.  I highly recommend catching this deal before making the reservation because this place is quite pricey!  the presentation of the dishes is fantastic! but it’s one of those places where looks can be a bit deceiving lol

Saturday grocery shopping! – Mitsuwa (Edgewater, NJ)

boy o boy do i loooove this place!! it’s been a very long time since i’ve been here since it’s so far away, but the trip this saturday was definitely well worth it!  the best part about shopping at Mitsuwa is that i get to pig out and rape the food court before walking off those excess calories I did not need to intake lolol

Santoka – Shio ramen combo with negi rice

Katsu don setto! with a $2 tempura shrimp lol

everything was delicious if you ask me! :]  very simple japanese comfort food! the food court is a MUST when visiting Mitsuwa!!

now onto the grocery shopping part :3

Onigiri!!

flowery pink sparkling sake~ this was actually quite delicious, tasted like soda almost haha

vanilla and chocolate powder for baking – i didn’t buy them but they look so cute! i mean of course~ the japanese have to make even the most irrelevant item adorable! lol

croquettes!! yuuummm

my staple drink when I was in Japan for study abroad  – how nostalgic

the back of the bottle has winnie the pooh on it!! sooooo cuuuute!

last item and absolutely a MUST! some wagyu beef!!! XD totally necessary for shabu shabu

Improptu visit to NYC!!

weeeeellllll…. since we were already up in North Jersey and just happened to be across the Hudson River— why not go into NYC? XD

We stopped by the local 508 Gastrobrewery in Tribeca for some drinks while catching the game on TV.  Sorry no pictures this time!

I ordered the black berry margarita and boy did it pack a kick in it! then again.. i’m a super light weight lol we also got the truffle mac and cheese as munchies~ yum yum yum — seriously, truffle ( like bacon) makes everything tastes better! lol

Afterwards, we went to Cha Chan Tang in Chinatown (Pell St and Mott st) for some late night grub~

(left) Portuguese baked chicken with rice (right) pineapple fried rice

this is one of my favorite places to grab some cheap, homey, satisfying MSG filled food!  if you have tried it yet, you should definitely stop by this Hong Kong-ese cafe when you’re in the area!  for breakfast? lunch? tea? dinner? they got it ALL! A huuuuge menu and the majority under $10!

just a side note about this place: the sanitary rating for is now a C… so you might want to watch out lol don’t get anything not well cooked!

aaaannndd that’s it for now! more to come later! it’s restaurant week!

Julep nail polish

so couple weeks ago, I purchased a handful of Julep nailpolishes from their end of the year sale (julep haul post: here) ~~ so far I’ve tried 2 combos and thought I share the results with you guys in case if you’re wondering what Julep is like.

Combo 1 – Michelle (dark blue) and Vivien (gold glitter and gems)

I absolutely adore this blue! I’m a big fan of dark colors and that close to black almost.  This is probably  my favorite out of the 9 bottles that i bought and the glitter definitely adds some definition to it while staying simple and making it glamorous.  On the bottle it recommends you to put 2 layers, but I find that 1 layer is more than enough especially since this is a dark color.

Combo 2 – Whitney (nude) and Amber (golden bronze)

besides using dark hue colors, i’m a fan of the neutrals.  Especially since it’s winter, it looks so out of place to have those bright and bold colors lol the bottle to the right is actually a matte suede finish.  i had no idea when i got it so this is my first time trying this out.  it’s pretty cool.  it leaves a smooth sanded look almost.  since this is a metallic color, it reminded me of the color of vintage hardware with an antique sheen~  i think this would be perfect to compose an edgier look! just a thought lol

Again, I only painted 1 layer of the Whitney as base— julep really has nice coverage! huge plus!  Also, I do use top coats over my nails in the end so they last longer.  that’s why it might look shinier than it should lol for this one i did add a little extra glitter in addition to the Whitney and Amber b/c i thought it was missing something.. I loooove glitter tips

Recent buys (BCBG & ZARA)

Sooo many sales around these days with every store trying to get rid of last year’s inventory… it’s so difficult not to buy stuff >x< #firstworldproblems Anyways, recently I made couple purchases from some of my favorite places~

Combo 1 – Zara top with studs at shoulder ($39.99) with BCBG mini skirt ($44.16)

how can you not shop Zara’s semi annual sale?! though, I have to say.. I like this shirt a lot.. but I’m not sure it’s worth $40… and as you can see, the tag is still on it JUST in case I change my mind about keeping it ^^;;

as for the skirt, I bought this at Lord and Taylor– 60% with an additional 20% off!!! (just FYI, the additional 20% is only available in stores) what an amazing discount!  this is the 4th BCBG “Silvie” skirt I own.  I just LOVE the fit!  I got 2 previously from Black Friday and I’ve already worn the green couple of times~ absolutely in love! so versatile– you can dress up or down.  So this time I got the orange.. it’s harder to wear in the winter, but it’ll be perfect for the summer

here’s the look of the shirt un-tugged.

Combo 2 – Zara Blazer (tux lapel with peplum) ($39.99) and skirt

This jacket is so adorable!  It pinches at the waist and flares out.  Very unique~ Normally, i wear an XS at Zara but this blazer is very snug, so I was able to make the S work.  Again, I had to put my hand behind my back to hide the fact that the tag is still attached to the jacket ^^;;

close up look ^^^ (me and my dorky glasses)

Bowie Blazer from BCBG $74.76 (40% off then another 30% off)

Last shopping post (Black Friday’s), I showed you guys the yellow one– Well, I loved it so much, when  saw the blue one one sale, I had to get this too.  You can still catch it in stores!  I highly recommend this jacket— it’s very simple, very classic and practical.  The best part about this is the fit! From the back it looks almost like a cropped blazer but it has full coverage on the front.

the blazer looks so much darker here.. but the first picture reflects the true hue.

The jacket from Zara and the BCBG one look so similar in these pictures because of the lighting.. but I assure you they are very different.  from the fabric.. cut.. color…lengths.. everything! lol

well, that’s all I got for now~!

Juelp Haul

After waiting for like a week and a half, my Julep package finally came in!  Previously, i tried out a subscription of the Maven… i wasn’t a big fan of it so I ended up cancelling it, but i still receive Julep’s email blasts… well out of the 1289790 marketing and spam emails i received, one that i did opened turned out to be a pleasant surprise!  it was for their annual sale! a good selection of their nail polishes were 60-70% off! awesome buy!  (if you’re not familiar with Julep, each bottle costs about $14 retail.  Sephora also carries it for no less than $10 a bottle…) i love the quality in Julep and it has great coverage.  i would definitely recommend this over Sephora’s OPI series.

i got 9 bottles in total and i thought to go for the colors i don’t already have~

the disco ball set for $19.99 – beautiful assorted colors of glitter, perfect for the holidays and the greens will be great for the spring and summer to come!

Cool Sunshine set $12.99 – the yellow really got me, i’m a huge yellow fan and can’t wait to test it out for the summer!  i’m also really big on nudes, so this combo is perfect!

lastly, the Winter Blues set ($8.00) with a dark blue grey color paired with gold gems and glitters.  what an awesome complementary duo.  i would never pick these 2 colors out and put them together.  i can’t wait to see the results!

Xmas FEASTING!!!!!

It has been so long since I posted about food!

Thankfully, with the holiday and the wonderful gifts it has brought to my family, I got oodles of pictures to share again ^_^

12/22 Ocean City Seafood Restaurant (Chinatown, Philly)

dim sum is definitely one of favorite meals of all times~ not only is the food delicious– you get your portion of fried stuff and many steamed dumplings and assorted buns!  <— those are undoubtedly some of the best of chinese food!   It also tends to bring families together <3  it’s hard to come by some good-o-quality time with the family during the busy modern era now a days…

my experience at Ocean City was good– there’s a decent variety, nothing tasted weird and everything was clean (that I can see ^^;;).  the other competitor in the area is Ocean Harbour.. I think I prefer this one since the food tasted a little fresher.

12/23 Han Dynasty (Cherry Hill, NJ)

unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures for this one.. if you’ve been, then you probably know about the Dan Dan Noodles which is my favorite at Han!  the other one is the Wanton in Chili Oil~  another favorite that we got was the “Fish in Hot Sauce” — it is exactly what it sounds like haha but with more flavor and umph.  The fish fillet is covered in a gravy like sauce with red pepper flakes sprankled ALL OVER the dish.  Celery and cabbage at the bottom as garnish.  The fish is slippery and silky like tofu.  I highly recommend trying this as it is a well-known dish to the locals of szechuan as well.

I do have several pictures uploaded onto Yelp from my previous pics, you may check them out here:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/han-dynasty-cherry-hill#hrid:z1-AmNSxfdeYGXeXMCalFQ

12/24 Scaturro’s (Marlton, NJ)

Xmas eve dinner! We had so many people at dinner, we ordered a bunch of the appetizers to share and then our own entree.  THERE WAS SO MUCH FOOD!! I brought half of my dinner home and ate it the next day lol

Fried Calamari

Grilled Octopus

Buffalo Mozzarella (left) and cold fish (right)

“Veal Oscar” with crab meat and parm mashed potatoes

I’m not sure if i have a favorite that’s a “must-try” if anyone ever asks me… everything was fabulous but I wasn’t wowed.  The most unique I would say is the Grilled Octopus and the cold fish.. haha I wish I know the actual name of it.. but i didn’t pay too much attention to the menu.

Tiramisu

This was delicious!  it didn’t feel heavy~ it carried the balance of sweet and coffee taste.

12/25  Xmas brunch! Homemade ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT dumplings!

this was pretty awesome~ all the parents (except for the men.. so I guess really just all the ladies in the house ^^;;) took part in wrapping the dumplings and cooking them for everyone  I feel very blessed to be part of this wonderful and loving family, feeling the love in every bite :3

Xmas dinner at Imperial Inn (Chinatown, PA)

Roasted Pork with jelly fish

Lobster and crab stir fried with scallion and ginger

fried quail? pigeon? bird? and steamed fish in soy sauce

lastly… fried noodles and fried rice in ying yang sauce

Ying Yang Fried Rice is one of my favorites of all times! I think mainly because it’s somewhat rare even for restaurants in Hong Kong/China.  In fact, this was my first time having it in the states.  It was sooo nostalgic… haha can’t say it was 5 star quality but still yummy– partially because I was savoring it from my memories too lol  not to many people are fans of this dish because of the butt load of sauce? kids love it though.  :) the white side is more of a creamy sauce with shrimp.  The red is made from ketchup, sweet n sour, with chicken.

12/26 BOXING day feast!

during the past couple days, the families have been taking turns picking a restaurant and etc… this time, my Iranian aunt wanted to reach out of the norm for my traditional chinese family and introduced to my stubborn dad the flavors of Lebanon!  (well living in the suburbs, you’re limited to choices.. the below is the closest we could get to a authentic middle eastern style dinner ^^;;)

catered by Norma’s (Barclay plaza, Cherry Hill, NJ)

 from bottom up: flavored rice, salad, falafel, hummus&pita and tabbouleh!  (we made a side of steamed broccoli lol)

lamb and chicken kebabs!  beef kebabs(? on the left)

close up of the Falafel

we had SOOOO much Tabbouleh, this is like the end of it haha

we also got food from Joe’s Peking House (Marlton, NJ).  But i get that so often, i didn’t even bother taking pics haha.  I would recommend getting the fish filets in clay pot.  We also got their sweet and sour pork which is always a solid choice.  Stir fry clams deliver a kick every time.  Overall, if you  haven’t been, definitely give it a try.  A very consistent Chinese restaurant in south jersey.

that’s all I got for now!  :)

black friday haul

spent way too much this year… just like every other year lol this year i splurged big time at BCBG!  they had an amazing buy 3 pieces get 50% off your whole purchase!

the thing i love about this shirt is that it has a tail.  i’ve never tried this on at stores and thought the draping at the front is created by tugging the shirt in.  in actuality, you don’t need to!  the drape is designed by connecting the fabric from shoulder to shoulder and twist in the middle to create those silhouette.  so it can just fall right down effortlessly.

the sweater fits a little funky o-o so i gotta play with that a little more… the skirt i LOVE i think it can be worn all year round.   this is my first time seeing rose gold and i’m pretty excited about this.

Asymmetric silk drape shirt is from Anthropologies.  what a ridiculous buy, the original retail price was valued at $118, but on sale? $7.46!!!!  the jacket as well (from bcbg), final sale price was $49!

I’ve been eye-ing this blazer since the summer since i’ve always wanted a tux jacket.  this one is longer and it coems down to mid thigh.  the bracelet is actually a belt lol see below for a closer look:

I still have the wrapping on it ^^;; it is so securely taped i don’t want to touch it yet.  i also don’t want the buckle to get scratched up already before i use it.

so yes a ridiculous and expensive purchase but i doubt i’ll see these items at this price again… i’ll list the prices below:

• Power Skirt $49
• drape shirt $79
• sweater $51
• foil skirt $49
• yellow blazer $49
• White blazer $124
• belt $39

Fairytale Hello Kitty cont.

guesssss whaaaatt~~

i have such good friends, even when they’re in Hong Kong for vacay, they didn’t forget about me! What an awesome souvenir

excuse the deformed box… it got squished during the flight back :/

the packaging comes in a form of a story book which is adorable :3 and as you can see, this is the little red riding hood!

…and the back of the “book….. “once upon a time…~~~”

…….and when you open it…. !!!!!!

I was so excited about taking this out of the box XD

Tada!!! it’s so cute! the little red hood can wrap hello kitty’s head like a big red dumpling or you can take it off and see it’s adorable face! my friend told me these are pretty much sold out in HK~ only the little red riding hood one is left… well i still feel pretty lucky to be able to get one of these :3

I wonder what the other ones look like