So I told you about how life changing (OK a bit of an exaggeration but you know!) the Kerastase treatment was for my hair last year. When my appointment came, I was super excited to get pampered at the G20 Spa and Salon on Newbury Street. If you are from Boston, you know that Newbury Street is synonymous with high end.

Boy, was I disappointed. All my stylist did for me was wash, condition and blowdry my hair. All in all, it took no more than 20 minutes. No Kerastase treatment or anything! What a rip.

To those who went for the Kerastase promotion, were you blown away?

xoxo,
h

Banana bread is something I LOVE to eat. I mean, LOVE! I can dog at least 4 slices by myself and still not feel the need to puke. But that’s another story. I’ve made the boxed versions via Pillsbury and I have to tell you, not so great. Pillsbury for brownies are amazing but not so much for banana bread. I happened upon a recipe and I was intrigued. It is basically fat free but do not be fooled. This is not “healthy” by any means with all the white refined carbs and the sugar. But I figured I’d give it a shot because I’ve seen people use apple sauce as their oil in baking and I wondered how moist the baked good would turn out.

So with overly ripe bananas that would have been tossed, I mashed up a storm with my handy dandy fork (no, I do not believe in mashers) and whipped up the recipe in 10 minutes flat. The end results were delicious! You would never have known that no oil or butter was used in the recipe. So if you want something delicious and semi-good for you, try it! Even on a week night, you will have the time.

Any great recipes you’ve found that you would like to share?

xoxo,
h

I was reading an interesting article yesterday about obesity rates and the grocery stores that people shop at. According to a study done in Seattle, skinnier people are more likly to shop at higher end grocery stores and obese people are more likely to shop at lower end grocery stores. When I read this study, I think about the difference between the rich and the poor. The rich are more likely to be at a healthier weight because they have the means to afford higher quality food. Higher quality doesn’t necessarily mean healthier but most of the time it does. If a family of four has only $10 for a meal, they are more likely to spend it on high caloric foods to fill up. And high caloric foods are generally the ones that are processed and sold for a low price.

It is interesting to think about the obesity epidemic as merely the struggle of the poor. Maybe if we educate people about the benefits of eating healthy nutritious food and the true hidden costs (higher health insurance, more medical bills, etc), we can lower the rate of deaths by the means of lifestyle choices. Or maybe we can simply make good food more affordable and processed foods more expensive so less people are inclined to purchase them.

When I was in Stop and Shop yesterday, I had the choice between a plethora of items but I made the conscious decision to buy a cartful of fruit and lean meats. And this did not come cheap. A container of blackberries alone were $4!

What choices do you make to lead a healthy lifestyle?

xoxo,
h

If you’ve been reading my site, you know that I am a bargain hunter. I cannot see the point of paying retail when there are so many options now with the internet. I do however appreciate the finer things in life and one of the best and I do mean the BEST thing that I have ever done for my hair is a Kerastase Treatment. The original price for this one hour treatment retails for $100. Last year, the company had a promotion for a free hair treatment and blowdry at participating salons. This year, it’s back! But there is a recommended $10 donation to Locks of Love. For $10, you get to be pampered like a movie star and to come out looking glamorous. And the $10 is for a charity so you really have everything to gain from this.

Here is the link for more info.

For those on the East Coast, the promotion is this Wednesday and for those on the West Coast, you’ll need to wait a little longer for June 23rd.

What are you waiting for? Pick up the phone and book your appointment pronto! That is a direct order.

Have you tried any special beauty treatments? How did they go?

xoxo,
h

I’ve been with the boy for over 4 years now and we’ve gotten to the age where all of friends are starting to take the big leap to marriage. And although we are both ready (we’ve been living together for over two years now and we make each other just plain happy), we are taking it slow. We’ve looked at engagement rings and had the serious “talks.” But what I cannot stand about hitting this age (Is 24 old?! I’ll be turning a quarter of a century in less than one month! Is that OLD?!)  is the constant questions and rude remarks we get from friends and family alike. “When are you getting married?” “Are you guys going to get engaged soon?” All of it drives me bazonkas! How can I rudely tell them where to go?

Have you ever had experiences with off-putting questions? How did you deal with it?

xoxo,
h

Having a website makes you vulnerable to online attacks. And I don’t mean spam! People can be brutal under the cloak of anonymity. Check out Reblogging NonSociety. The creators have made it their goal to bash Julia Allison. They basically follow her every move and reblog her entries to show what they dislike about her. Now, they are entitled to their own opinions but there is a fine line between being honest and being downright mean.

The goal of my site is just to get my thoughts together and hopefully share what I’ve learned with others. Now, I don’t claim to be a master at anything but sometimes it’s better to learn from someone who’s been there than someone who knows everything. Because believe you me, I do NOT know everything. I am learning and I am hoping you take this journey with me.

Do you have a site? Do you have qualms about publishing your life to millions of strangers?

xoxo,
h

To say I love food is an understatement. My life revolves around food and to be honest, whose life doesn’t?

Anyhoo, I’ve been trying some new recipes and I wandered onto The Pioneer Woman. I know, weird name huh? But trust me, her pictures and instructions are wonderfullll. And on top of it, she has the most amusing things to say. Tonight, I’ll be trying her salad dressing on romaine lettuce, grape totatoes, cucumbers, a hard boiled egg and some chickpeas.

Wish me luck!

Have you had any foodie moments? Want to share?

xoxo,
h

Hi-

I am the lucky recipient of a Fodor’s Guide to Australia/New Zealand (full disclosure – this giveaway is not sponsored by Fodor. This is something just a little something special from me.) And since I will not be traveling to either place anytime soon, I thought I’d give it away to someone who could put it to good use.

So leave a comment below by May 14th for your chance to win!

xoxo,
h

It’s been a long journey to say the least to get to where I am mentally. Dealing with eczema is never pleasant and having severe eczema takes a toll on one’s physical and mental being. I am finally at a point where I can say, “I have eczema and I am OK with it.”

Do I not want to have eczema? Yes!
Can I have the cure to it pronto?! YES PLEASE!

But unfortunately, there is no cure! Instead of being depressed about the situation, I am taking hold of my life and taking control of my actions. Do I get itchy? Yes. Can I not scratch? Yes but not everytime and that’s OK. Do I get so damn itchy sometimes that I want to scratch myself to death. Yes! But you know what? The itch is fleeting. Yes, when the moment is there, it feels like the most important thing in your life but it’s not. If it’s itchy, get your mind off it. Grab your Bop-It and bop the hell out of it! The itch will subside. It may take 30 minutes but it will get better. Mark my words.

Take care of your body and your skin. You deserve t0 feel beautiful. Don’t let it get you down.

For everyone out there with eczema or any skin problem, keep your head up. You’ll be OK.

xoxo,
h

As I shared earlier, last Saturday was an eventful day for me. That night, I went out with friends to celebrate my girlfriend leaving for New York at a local bar. As usual, alcohol was invited to the party. I generally don’t drink because of my Asian glow (which apparently contributes to cancer.) Therefore, I shy away from alcohol unless I really need a drink badly, which I did. Throwing back tequila shots – is your best friend Jose Cuervo as well? – is always fun until you leave the bar. Drunk and feeling quite loose, we will walk to a nearby restaurant for nachos and of course, my klutzy ass falls and my knee hit the concrete. Ekk!!

So lesson learned! Heels and drunk do not mix. As a self-proclaimed master of heels, I must bow before my pumps and confess that they win the battle.

Have you had any experiences with heels? Do you fare better or does the heel claim victory?

xoxo,
h