Attack On The Beauty Department

Going to the beauty department at Walmart is awesome.   People from all walks of life are there.  One second you're staring at a little girl who just wants to be on Toddlers and Tiaras, along with her own Momma June who's got a full cart of pinks and blues, then you see the plain, but pretty business woman grabbing a new tube of mascara and trying to stop her teen daughter from buying that "freaky, neon hair dye stuff".  In short, it's a gong show.

It's also magical.  You can pick up products to primp and plump and change your whole outer self.  If that isn't magic, I don't know what is.

This particular attack on the beauty department was inspired by the lovely woman who threaded my eyebrows.  I like her, because she was very straight forward  in saying "Your face, it's dry, fix it."

So off to find something to clean and moisturize.  The search for one facial product led to this:

One item is never enough. 

I have a shopping problem.  It's apparent, and I don't care.  So I'll blog about it (the only time you'll ever see me take selfies, ugh) ! YAY!  Let's go through the process and the products.

Step 1:

Washing my face with my normal Clean and Clear Daily Pore Cleanser (not pictured) to have a clean slate. 

I'm also terrible at taking selfies, who needs the rest of my forehead anyway?

Step 2:

Clay Mask

It goes on moist.

It's a really weird sensation, these mask thingys.  I'm not really much of a girly girl most of the time, so I'd never tried this before.  But first it's really sticky, then it hardens and you can't move your face.  It goes completely dry and you feel like Bride of Frankenstein. 

This must be what Botox feels like.

Step 3:

Rinse.  It takes a few minutes to get the guck off your face, but my skin was much softer afterwards.  SUCCESS!!!

THERE'S FEELING IN MY FACE!!!

Step 4:

BB Cream.  This is totally a new thing for me.  I don't normally wear foundation, or use any creams on my face.  I really kind of hate the heavy feeling of foundation and don't feel like I should have to hide my skin anyway.  So I gave this a try.

I've been wearing it for a few days now and it is growing on me.  It is much lighter than foundation, doesn't feel greasy and evens out my skin tone nicely (which is really to say, it lightens some of my redness).

That wraps up the skin portion!  (Okay, that sentence sounds terrible, whatever, I'm leaving it there)


Mascara!!

Lash Blast Fusion - Very Black

Before

After

I wanted to try a new mascara than I have previously used before.  I seem to get something different every time.  This one had a big poster around it saying it added volume and length, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

Not too shabby overall. 

AND FINALLY!!!  (drum roll)

My guilty pleasure - a new nail colour!!

 

It's super shiny and vibrant.  The Sally Hansen Salon Effects line goes on nice and thick and it's shiny so you don't always need a topcoat.   I quite like it, and it's usually only $3-$4 a bottle. 

There we have it.  The nails could even be called "Shiny Walmart Blue", though I doubt it would sell very fast...

My name is Alysha and I'm a shopaholic.  I'll have to try and avoid the super centres for a while. Temptation is everywhere!

Playing Cinderella (with my nail polish)

I wish I had a full size costume so I could just BE Cinderella (or any other Disney Princess for that matter), but since the Princess Workshop is for children only (the NERVE),  this will have to do.

My latest nail polish purchase:

"A Brush With Fate"

I'm not going to lie to you,  I went to Sephora and begged one of the sales reps to find this for me, even though it was special edition and discontinued.  I was a little late... (ps. They have "Jasmine" ones now!)

I went through and tried each of the colours and thought I'd do a little review for you.

First off, I visited space... or at least I felt like I should have with this silver, labelled "So Totally Enchanted".

Astronauts can talk like valley girls who want to be princesses, right?

I had that on for a few days with a Nicole by OPI top coat and it kept well, just the odd chip, similar to other OPI colours.  I find that the Sephora by OPI sets are just as good.

Now, instead of doing a full set of each colour, I decided to try out all the rest at once!

Sparkles really DO NOT photograph well.

Pointer Finger - "I Blue My Curfew" - A very pretty dark blue with sneaky sparkles.  Reminds me of the night sky when there's Ice Crystals (you know you're Canadian when you use this description)
Middle Finger -  "Bibbidi Bobbidi Pink" - Straight up pink confetti.  It's gorgeous and fun!  Perfect for a girls night. 
Ring Finger - "Self-Maid Millionaire" - Talk about your money polish.  This gold is contained enough to be classy, yet still shiny with a laid back sparkle.  Would look fabulous with a black and white ensemble.
Pinky Finger -  "Rags to Rhinestones" - All that glitters is gold eh?  These gold flecks are shiny, brilliant and statement-making. 
Thumb - "Step Off, Sister!" - What is it about silver and blue sparkles that's so whimsical?  This polish IS the magic from the fairy godmother's wand.  It's also wicked distracting as I type this ...OOHHH SHINY!

All hilariously punny names.  Thank you OPI, for the giggles and nail colour.

I truly feel like a princess, on my left hand, so now it's time to feel like a scientist!

EXPERIMENTS!

Seriously, sparkles ruin photos, or maybe I'm just a terrible photographer (probably the latter)

Pinky finger - The two gold shades (the solid with the sparkles on top) aka "Self-Maid Millionaire" with "Rags to Rhinestones" on top.  I feel like Beyonce in Goldmember.  I wonder if I could pull off the 'fro... No, No I couldn't.

Ring finger - Gold & Pink flecks aka "Self-Maid Millionaire" with "Bibbidi Bobbidi Pink" on top.  For some reason this reminds me rose petals and champagne.   It's quite pretty.

Middle finger - Silver with Pink flecks aka "So Totally Enchanted" with "Bibbidi Bobbidi Pink" on top.  If you're a fan of metallics - do this combination.  It's like shiny, metal confetti.

Pointer finger - Silver with Silver & Blue flecks - aka "So Totally Enchanted" with "Step Off Sister" on top.  This would be a great nail for a New Years Eve or Winter look.  The colours are perfect for that "I'm not allowed to celebrate denominational holidays so I decorated in Silver and Blue" look.  So PC.

Thumb - Blue with Silver & Blue flecks - aka "I Blue My Curfew" with "Step Off Sister" on top.  The blue undertone sets off the silver and blue sparkles really strikingly.  I'm not American, but if I celebrated 4th of July, I'd do this nail and find a Red Sparkle to add to it.

My Cinderella/Frankenstein nails are complete.  I will leave them mismatched for a few days until I get bored and try something new.  Until then... SPARKLE SPARKLE!


There we have a princess' tail of pretty nails.  No prince needed.

I.AM.A.PRINCESS. (and that's what I'll keep telling myself)

And my nails lived happily ever after. The End.  (yeah, I went there)

Au Revoir and Thanks For The Cake!

The end of my Northern Manitoba chapter is near.  I have officially done my final on air shift at CJ1240 in The Pas, and after a few days of paperwork at the station, I will be hitting the road for Penticton, BC. 

It's been a wild three years with Arctic Radio and I have learned a lot.  I'd like to profusely thank the company for giving me my first opportunity in the industry and really teaching me so much more than I could have ever hoped for.   Starting out as an announcer in Thompson, Manitoba was the scariest/greatest thing I've done to this point in my life.   Not everyone can start there, become a music director, and work up to a program director's post in less than 2 years.  The help I had to get there and the things I was taught about programming and station operations will be carried with me through my career. 

I've also met some wonderful people and made some fantastic friends along the way.  I am truly thankful for everyone who I've come in to contact with and everyone who has given me opportunities to host events, or even have other jobs along the way (Blockbuster video employee, Karaoke Host, DJ).  It hasn't always been the smoothest road, but the experience has been invaluable. 

I will miss everyone I've grown to know and love here, and I am super excited for what the next chapter will bring me with Astral Media.  

I will still have this blog too.  The internet moves with you, it's crazy yo.

Wine and Decadence

This past Friday night, I felt much classier than usual.  Instead of retiring in my pajamas to a night of catching up on the week's TV shows, I headed out to the Wescana Inn to join their MLCC Wine Club in experiencing some new flavours. 

Seeing as I'd never been to one of these things before, it was tough knowing what to expect.  Unsure of how to dress, I stuck with a pretty coral dress with some lace detail and a black bolero-style sweater with black suede boots and tights (it's still winter at -24 after all).  I probably could have opted for a nice sweater and still been fine, but why not dress up if you're going to be experiencing fantastic food and wine right?

Let's roll through the courses, their pairings, and the party my taste buds experienced while I enjoyed fine conversations.

1st Course: 

"Sweet Onion Marmalade Ravioli - Dressed with sage nut butter, shaved parmesan & arugula.  Paired with a Trivento Golden Reserve Malbec 2011 - Argentina - Vibrant red colour, smooth tannins, and a bouquet of red fruit such as plum and cherry, combined with the sweetness of oak"

Reading that description may make your mouth water, but actually tasting it was a whole other thing.  The balance of flavours in this dish made it a wonderful complement to the wine.   The dish was sweet and savory.  The familiar flavour of the parmesan with the sage nut butter was very welcoming as it encompassed the sweetness inside the ravioli. My brain couldn't process which part I liked best, and once it was paired with this robust red, it only tasted better (which I didn't think possible). 


2nd Course: 

"Cherry Blossom Vietnamese Duck - Served with rice noodles, asian style vegetables & cherry au jus. Paired with a Nederburg Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 - South Africa - Medium bodied, deep red and purple in colou.  Sweet cherry, cassis, earth, licorice, and cedar tones. Soft tannins on the finish."

I don't remember ever eating duck before now, and as much as I love Duck Tales (a whoo-oo), I will definitely be eating it again.  The texture and full flavoured taste of the duck topped on simplicity of rice noodles and veggies was a perfect mix.  Personally, I didn't enjoy this red as much as the first, though it was a nice addition to the dish. 

On a side note, I'm usually not too adventurous when it comes to food, I stick to the classics (mostly meat and potatoes), but I would order a dish like this again.  It was divine.


3rd Course: 

 Smoked Roma Octopus a la Gremolata - Seasoned with gremolata and Chinese five spice, with a baked garlic calzone.   Paired with a Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc - New Zealand - Aromas of gooseberry, bell pepper, and newly mown grass.  This wine is fresh and lively with excellent balance on the palate."

First things first, I love Italian food, and that calzone was delish.  Notice how I skipped right over the Octopus?  Not because it wasn't great, I just really like calzones.  Personally, I don't handle seafood well in general (because of the texture), and the only squid/octopus I've had before was deep fried as calamari.  The seasoning on this dish however, allowed me to really enjoy it.  The octopus was part of a salsa-like mixture with the gremolata on top, it was not only appealing to the eye, but quite tasty alongside the Sauv Blanc.  This wine may have been my favourite of the night, except I'm partial to Moscatos, and dessert always has the upper hand, but we'll get to that. (Also, how much fun is it to say "Monkey Bay"?  Seriously, it just makes discussing the wine extra fun)


4th Course: 

"Korean Barbeque Shoulder of Pork - Pork shoulder dressed and marinated in Pad Thai barbeque sauce.  Paired with a Santa Christina Pinot Grigio - Italy - Bright yellow in colour, intense fruit, particularly pear, green apple and orange.  This pinot grigio has vibrant acidity and lasting finish."

It is as good as it sounds.  There are a lot of places that offer pad thai flavoured options in Canada, and I really enjoyed this one.  It was slightly different than most I've tried.   The first bite was perfectly marinaded and then a little kick of spice at the end was just right.  The spice was counter balanced nicely by the bright taste of the Pinot Grigio. This is a taste I would want to try and recreate at home, it was moist, flavourful and close enough to my comfort zone that it may get an add on to my "list of things to learn how to do/make" (it's a long list...).


5th Course: 

"Dukkah Crusted Moroccan Salmon - Dukkah rubbed side of salmon, served with chili &lime dressing.  Paired with a La Playa Cabernet Sauvignon Rose - Chile - Vivid pink colour with violet hues.  Rich fruit aromas with distinctive notes of candied raspberry, strawberry and touches of herbs."

Talk about spice!  The dukkah crusting on this salmon was fantastic.  It had a curry-like kick to it that lent itself well to the salmon, which was perfectly flaky.  A little spice, a little crunch and large sides - I could have made this a meal on it's own, but I do think it would be delicious over rice.   The rose was very lively as well, it was a good pop of fruit to counteract the spice in the dukkah. 


6th Course:

"Agave & Lime Creme Brulee - Burnt Sugar topped, infused with tequila and accompanied by lime.  Paired with a Pfeiffer Moscato 2012 - Australia - This moscato is a highly perfumed wine, with aromas of musk and rose petals.  It is light and refreshing, with fruity, tropical flavours and a light spritz." 

I'm not sure there is anything greater than burnt sugar in this world.  If there is, I haven't found it yet.   I'd like to mention that the presentation of this dessert was adorable.  Each one was made in a coffee mug and there was a lime, blackberry and raspberry on top of each burnt sugar top.  This creme brulee was perfection, the texture was smooth, and it was decadent.  The moscato they paired was delicious and summery.   the Pfeiffer was a wonderful dessert wine, but I could also imagine sipping it on the deck on a warm summer's evening.  Delightful.


Overall, I quite enjoyed my first Wine Tasting and I believe it will be great experience to have under my belt when I move to Penticton next week (aka - wine country, BC).   I commend Chef Julius Jeppe of the Wescana Inn and Celeste from the MLCC for the wonderful job they did on the menu and wine pairings.   Any evening filled with food and wine that good is worth a second visit, and a third, and many more.

Oh and don't worry, despite the -20 temperature, I walked home full and content.

The Ultimate in Multitasking

Do you ever leave everything you need to do right until the last moment so that you can lounge on your couch and catch up on TV shows?   This is my Friday night so far.   Super thrilling, I know.

After spending a few hours after work giggling to myself on the couch, I looked at the clock and realized "Oh hey! The grocery store closes in an hour and I still haven't done a workout today and the wellness centre closes in an hour".   Genius planning Aly.  Yes, I do talk to myself, it happens.

Once I talked it over with myself out loud, hummed and hawed over whether my morning coffee or my fitness was more important, the solution came to me in a moment of clarity/insanity.   I'll run TO the store.  That's what I did.

...There's just one part I didn't think over, carrying the milk back.   Visualize if you will, a woman running down the street in a multi coloured jacket, hot pink and yellow shoes, with 2 litres of milk under one arm and the other swinging in time with her stride.   This was me 20 minutes.

To all the cars that drove be me.  You're welcome.  I'm sure it was quite a sight.  I just hope there weren't any photos.

I'll just pretend I look like this instead, that's less crazy right?

Pop Culture Punch Moves!

Hey y'all!

In the interest of more bang for our buck, Pop Culture Punch has used the internet as our realtor and found a new home on mixcloud!

http://www.mixcloud.com/PopCulturePunch/

This is where you can find the latest episodes and we'll keep updating there!

Our latest episode includes Michael Buble, get ready to swoon.

Thanks for Listening!!

New Year, New Me?

It's been almost 6 months since I started my "workout" plan and now I've added another step.

Not that regular exercise isn't working (I've almost dropped a size - yay shopping soon!), but I have wanted to do something a little more concrete to curb my appetite and fix up my eating habits.  It's far too easy to pull in to a drive thru instead of going home to cook.   So now I've picked up on a plan that my Mom has been using to lose weight and get healthier over the past year and a bit.  Honestly, this is the only reason I trust in it, because she's seen results.  If you can't trust your own mother, who can you trust right?

In comes the meal plan!

Well sort of.  It's really just an easy breakfast so I make sure I actually have breakfast.  Mornings aren't always the easiest thing for me, so having something I can throw together in literally 2 minutes and take with me is a god-send.  The SlimStyles mix with PGX isn't bad.  It's essentially a protein powder that makes you feel full for longer.  So far, I think it's working.  Plus I really like it.  The mix doesn't taste overly sweet so it blends well with just water or adding fresh/frozen fruit to it.

Plus my Mom also bought me a new blender for Christmas and it's wicked fast.

I used to have a magic bullet which lasted me about 2 years, but this new one is even quicker and it blends directly in to a sport bottle.  It's called an Oster MyBlend and if you make smoothies/shakes, I would definitely recommend it.  This thing crushes ice like nobody's business.  It's awesome.   My only issue is that I got a blue one, and the rest of my kitchen is a red/black theme.  My mom almost didn't buy it for me because of that (she knows how OCD I can be sometimes, but I swear I'm getting over it).  I know, I have issues...

The exercise is back on track this week after the holidays had me hitting a bit of a rough patch.  Running around like a crazy person doesn't always burn the same calories as actually running or going to a boxing class.  I'm glad to be back in to the swing of things, but my muscles were crazy sore last week when I went for a run after boxing last Monday, my abs and legs were straight up ANGRY at me.  I may not do that again for a while, one workout a day will do for now. 

Overall,  I feel like I'm on the right track and things are looking up for 2013!  I'll try to keep things updated a little more...

Thanks for reading!  Hit me up in the comments if you have any questions/thoughts! :)

Another boxing class tomorrow!