Category: Beauty - Random Thoughts of a Quirky Blogger

Out & About #739 | Pacific Mall, Sum Pilates Session #7 Recap + LINE Friends Pop-Up

8/28/2021

For the past two weekends, I had filled my body with lessons from Studio Bon. Yet, a total of four classes remained at Sum Pilates. With an unavailability of instructors, continuation of my package was delayed. The seventh session resumed on August 28th, preceded by a highly anticipated massage and realized with a new instructor.

I awoke to the familiar chime of my work alarm around 8:15 AM. The first five minutes had gone by unnoticed, but steadily, my senses began to depart from deep slumber. The weekend would start earlier than most, marking my foray onto the 401 before the 9:30 AM mark. Impressively enough, traffic levels had already begun to pick up for the day.

The early appointment led me to Scarborough, just a few blocks from the neighbourhood traversed for the sake of jokbal and juice. It proceeded as planned, with the exception of makeup application taking place in my driver's seat of the vehicle (behold the glitter dust!) rather than within the air-conditioned establishment. Despite full comprehension of the masking rule for indoor spaces, it hadn't occurred to me that makeup application would not be permitted within.

In the immediate vicinity were as many Chinese eateries and bubble tea outposts as one could possibly fathom. I yearned for none. Recalling an unredeemed Dak Lak stamp card, I opted to head northbound to Pacific Mall.
Once inside the parking garage, I quickly learned the status of the shopping centre's repairs. Both escalators and elevators had been reinstated, nixing the need for freight elevator rides and dust bunny-loaded alternate routes.

Out & About #456 | Part 1: Koreatown Adventures Feat. Rustle & Still

6/5/2018

I've recently been graced with orangecane's migration to the realm of all things alluring, addicting, and majestic - she has stepped foot into the world of fangirlism.
As days progress, no longer does she merely assume the role of a fellow blogger and munching companion, but an effusive comrade demonstrating never-ending commitment to her beloved K-Pop group of calling. In this case, it's BTS, which I fully approve, even if GOT7 doesn't even fall close in the equation.

This revelation has paved the way for combined eating-and-fangirling excursions. In dire need of a mane clean-up, I reached out to her to schedule a Koreatown trip following my appointment.

The commenced early, prompting a caffeine pit stop upon subway disembarkment. Put A Cone On It, my initial intended destination, happened to be operating at special hours during the week (3 PM instead of their regular 11 AM). It was apparent that Matcha White Chocolate Chip Cookies were not in the cards.
I stumbled onwards, eastbound towards Rustle & Still. The café was situated on the upper level of the property, just above Hancook.

As its name suggested, the interior of the establishment was serene with heavy emphasis on shrubbery. Pale wooden panels, a plethora of leafy green species (faux or possibly not), and an abundance of natural illumination filled the café. Seating adopted the form of stools and small tables near the windows, along with high stools and booth arrangements in the dimmer compartments. A pillar near the cashier laid out the (likely) fixed drink menu, while a transparent display listed banh mi varieties and other light lunch fixes, such as Asian slaw.

Unique to Rustle & Still are the Matcha Pandan Latte and Purple Sweet Potato Latte, which supposedly bears a lovely lilac finish. An avid consumer of the finely-ground Japanese green tea, I couldn't resist the appeal of pandan's complex tropical properties. It is a rare ingredient to surface outside the Malaysia/Singapore region, and our last encounter was probably Kiin's decorative Iced Tea.

Baked goods also seem a keen pick. Pastries, priced at $1.90 and beyond, were encased in display pedestals near the cashier. Cookies rang in at $2.00, and croissants at $2.70.
A Sesame Coconut Cookie and hot Matcha Pandan Latte were appointed as the to-go duo of choice. The cookie was handed to me in a paper bag; either a result of gluten-free stabilizer or an excessive dry-to-wet-ingredient ratio, it was found to crumble upon touch. By no means did this negatively impact its taste, though. Black sesame seeds provided subtle hints of crunch and nutty fragrance, while an ample amount of shredded coconut contributed an exotic sweetness paired with chewiness.

The Matcha Pandan Latte did not fail to wow either: swirled amidst the milky, grassy beverage were bursts of pandan, interwoven between layers in the most cohesive manner possible. At $4.90 before tax, it was not an economic form of indulgence, but for those craving the refined fragrance of Southeast Asia's "vanilla" leaf with a sizeable dose of antioxidants, this creation merges the gap smoothly.

A cup of caffeinated contents in hand, I trekked over to Hair Bank feeling rejuvenated.
I had not specified a stylist for this visit but was slightly surprised when the stylist that greeted me happened to be the same platform-sandal-donning female that I had dismounted the TTC with. She appeared relatively new to the industry, which was amplified through jittery tendencies, inconsistent hair-washing steps, and the constant need to adjust the alignment of my head. Eye cover cloths were forgotten during the second hair-washing; water inevitably entered ears as well.

In spite of this, along with not-yet-proficient English skills, she was extremely friendly and provided professional insight on my trim requests and fringe length adjustments, much like the salon boss who kept a watchful eye over her actions throughout the visit.

Snipping my frazzled ends only constituted half of the declared appointment time. From that point onwards, a hilarious contraption was secured onto my head for a hydrating Japanese hair treatment. It resembled a long, deflated hot air balloon, but, in reality, was a device that constantly pumped steam to enhance the effects of the repairing formula coating my tresses

Out & About #244 | Yogoberri, Pinoy Waffles, and Cha Me. Cha

6/22/2016

Warm weather and ice cream is a no-fail duo.
But even better than this classic combination is smooth, creamy frozen yogurt on top of crisp, eggy waffles, with a generous portion of freshly-sliced fruit on the side.

And when there's A/C, Wi-Fi, a free private parking lot, and a clean bathroom to boot? You can bet I'm staying here for a while.

I had vowed to return to Yogoberri on a mission to try out their infamous waffle and frozen yogurt combo since my initial visit earlier this month. Entering the premises with a vaguely empty stomach and an equally curious friend, I knew this day had finally arrived.

We pointed in unison to the fifteen dollar special scrawled in pink on the small chalkboard: the Yogoberri Waffle w/ two hot drinks.

Between hot Americanos and an expansive selection of "premium" teas, we opted for Raspberry Pomegranate and The Earl Grey (with a side of milk), both arriving in clean, white mugs and adorable tulip tea infusers.

Shortly after, the space filled with an ever-fragrant, vanilla-esque aroma, indicating the arrival of our waffle and froyo plate.

Each extremely crisp waffle halve was topped with a different type of frozen yogurt - Vanilla or Green Tea, though swirling the two flavours had also been an option - along with spoonfuls of chopped strawberries, kiwi fruit, and sliced bananas before finally being dusted with cocoa powder and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Its presentation was stunning to say in the least, especially considering the size of the cafe and the single staff member operating the cashier and kitchen.

My previous conclusion still held: Yogoberri's froyo was a superb blend of tart creaminess and semi-firm sweetness. Served with seasonal fruit and meticulously swirled atop a slightly warm, well-made waffle only proved to further enhance its flavour profile, engaging not only the sense of taste, but the sense of sight as well. Vanilla was a smidgen sweeter than its Green Tea counterpart, but both were enjoyable nonetheless!

Our dessert, which was consumed in conjunction with steamy cups of refreshing herbal and satisfying milk teas, was a fantastic mid-afternoon. In addition, the environment allowed for endless casual conversation and a consistently stable connection to the world of social media. The sole staff member of the establishment, who happened to be the same striped top-donning girl from my last visit, was also exceptionally friendly, attending to all of our needs in a timely manner.

I think it's proper to declare that I'll be trying their bingsoo next time.

View the full album HERE !

Our next destination was Pacific Mall, where we were hoping to walk off the fullness until dinnertime. As we began our descent from the upper level Korean cafe and proceeded across Steeles, we were hit with the sudden realization that rush hour traffic had imminently dominated the streets. Patiently inching forwards every few minutes, we found ourselves gradually developing a hankering for bubble tea - Hokkaido Milk Tea from Green Grotto it was!

Out & About #212 | Crepes, Bubble Tea, and K-Beauty at Pacific Mall

3/26/2016

Inter-city travel plans normally aren't executed without deciding upon some form of schedule beforehand.
But when a series of plans fell through with a less-than-communicative friend of mine, I ended up making the most of my day by stopping over at Pacific Mall for a short while prior to heading back.

Nicola's Cafe on the upper level food court has always been the strongest contender among the other food stalls. On this recent visit, I noticed that "Nicola's" has now become "Wanda's"; I assume that this simply means they are now operating one of "Wanda's" many franchise locations, as there have been no changes to the staff members.

A Savoury Chicken and Swiss Cheese Crepe was order to share. Despite the long lineup, the dish was delivered in roughly seven minutes, and made to perfection as always.

Looking to fill the small void in our stomachs, we headed back through the middle aisle of the second floor, recalling that a new stall had popped up.

Papa Chang's is no stranger to the Markham food scene - I've heard lots about them. And while I can't compare their newly-opened "Express" eatery to their physical location on the east end of Markham, it was quite refreshing to find budget-friendly night market-like eats in shopping centre. This express location even featured a series of chair for those looking to dine away from the chaos of the central eating area.

We took to ordering the trio of fish skewers, which were seemingly decked out takoyaki-style with okonomiyaki sauce, mayo, aonori bits, and katsuobushi (ie. bonito flakes).

The skewers were made to order, which ensured that the produce remained piping hot and crispy upon delivery. The battered fish was crunchy and flaky, with a fall-off-the-skewer-type tenderness that wowed and scalded our mouths as the same time. Complete with your standard array of tried-and-true toppings (plus a small amount of wasabi sauce), 棒棒魚 is likely to become my go-to snack on my next P-Mall adventure

[Out & About 16] Munching in Markham + More Korean Beauty Products?!

3/1/2014

After being welcomed back from reading week an incredulous amount of assignments and lab reports, in addition to one painfully depressing structures midterm, I took Saturday off to relax in Markham.

Well, not really.

Technically, it's not "relaxing"; it can be described more accurately as "going to physio and just eating lunch after".

As I finished my physio treatment much earlier than my mom (and yes, we both go to physio place but she has more frequent appointments than I do), I decided to go buy egg waffles to munch on before lunch.

Before having lunch, I requested a quick stop at Tony Moly. I had preordered the Panda's Dream So Cool cooling stick during my previous trip and had to retrieve it before the 2-week hold period was over. I also picked up two Baby Skin Heel Patches and a Peeling Liquid mask as I've noticed my heels have been cracking in a most disturbing way due to the harsh winter weather.

Reviews for the Shiny Foot Super Peeling Liquid and Panda's Dream So Cool Eye Stick are up on Review Junkie!

[Out & About 15] Reading Week (Part 3) / Korean Beauty Haul #2

2/16/2014

(Have you read Part 2 of my Reading Week yet? =])

I previously did a rather extensive haul on Korean beauty products back in September.

Walking around Pacific Mall, I also decided to include photos of the actual storefronts this time around.

[Out & about #10] A Medley of Stuff / School is Back in session

1/12/2014

So school is officially back in session now.

...and I've never felt so overwhelmed in my life. (Or maybe I have but clearly don't remember it well enough to compare the experience(s).)

Seriously though, how do we already start worrying about midterms in the first week? And about labs and quizzes and all the other things we must accomplish before April? GEEZ.

I really should be reading up on mechanics right now. And for the first time since September, I actually feel guilty that I'm not doing just that (ie. defeating the beast that is PROCRASTINATION, or at least making an attempt to do so =P).

But as two new pairs of pants have already been ruined as a result of trudging through mud-laden, ice/slush-covered regions around campus, I set myself on a mission this weekend to locate a taller pair of durable boots to mediate the situation (and save myself from looking like I just went jumping through puddles formed from sewage water - UGH. GROSS, I KNOW OTL).

After physio in Markham (I now only have to visit every 3-4 weeks! Yay!), my parents dropped me off at First Markham Place to pick up a few things while they had lunch. (Future Note to self: Do an FMP Shopping Guide.)

[Out & About #5] The Face Shop Grand Opening (Markville) + Halloween Prep!

10/5/2013

So originally this was going to be a rant post. Since this past weekend (and last weekend for that matter) just totally drained all the positive energy that ever existed in my body till now.

No that's a lie. I've never had much positive energy to begin with.

Those have seen me in my morning classes know that I'm a walking zombie until after lunch.

What can I say? I'm just not a morning person =P It is my belief that one is much more productive if he/she sleeps late and wakes up late if he/she happens to fall under the "nocturnal being" category, which I of course do.

But getting back on topic, I have decided to not ruin my decently good about composing a rant comprised of a weekend spent doing trusses practice for a mechanics midterm just to take one look at the paper and fight the urge to utter "Oh. Crap." and an OVERLY keen lab partner that enjoys dedicating all her school time and spare time to complete assignments WAAAYYY ahead of their due date. So yeah, let's NOT talk about that =)

Instead, let's talk about me spending money, again. =D

So because my mechanics midterm went absolutely horrible (so horrible that I don't even bother TRYING to express the frustration-inducing feeling through the use of sarcasm), I decided I needed some major cheering up in the form of edible therapy - Menchies!

[Out & About #3] Korean Beauty Haul

9/7/2013

Generally, I don't like the term "haul" simply because it implies consumers spending unnecessary amounts of their earnings on a copious amount of things they could really do without in life.

But we'll just make this an exception. Just this once.

Since this will probably be the largest amount of money I'll spend on skincare and beauty products until...my next Vancouver trip, which I anticipate won't be until Christmas. *wink wink*

Like every Saturday, I dragged myself out of bed early in the morning to dress myself in preparation for physio in Markham. And since classwork is still pretty much nonexistent until next week, I asked my mom if we could go to P-Mall (Pacific Mall for non-GTA-ers) so I could pick up a few things before school "officially" starts.

And yes, THIS is what I ended up taking home with me at the end of today. But not without some samples that the salespeople threw in.

WHAT DOES "QUIRKY AESTHETICS" MEAN?

Quirky = a term that commonly refers to something/someone distinctly different and unique
Aesthetics = the visual aspect of things

Together, Quirky Aesthetics refers to the things, events, and happenings seen and perceived by this blog's creator - quirky perspectives in a visual form.

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