PRgal

Brown, black and blue. https://www.benefitcosmetics.com/product/view/theyre-real There's this, too: https://www.benefitcosmetics.com/product/view/theyre-real-limited-edition

Benefit's They're Real! is one of my favourites! Have you tried their blue or brown mascaras?

I'd love to make banana, bluberry, cranberry or apple bread without ANY sugar (depending ONLY on the fruit for sweetening). Is this possible? What about reduced sugar brownies or cakes? How much reduction can those take? I know that less sugar IS possible, since European cakes are less sweet.

Hey expert bakers: If I want to halve the amount of sugar for a recipe, what's the best substitute? Thanks! :)

Yeah, but the dog thing isn't unique to white people. Though other than an older couple in my building, I don't think I know any Asians with BIG ones. Most keep medium sized dogs. But I've found that the smaller ones are those who are the most hyper.

Speaking of New Year's, PRguy and I always stay in on NYE and order in Indian. We then ring in the new year with some bubbly at midnight. :) Nice and relaxing! As for Christmas, I'm hosting this year and need side ideas. Any suggestions? We're probably having between 10-12 people.

Same here. It was a wedding gift (PRguy and I married five years ago) and we've used it maybe three times. I'm mostly lazy and mix by hand.

I made an old favourite last night: Baked sweet potatoes with a turkey and vegetable sauce (basically ground turkey breasts, onions, frozen veggies and tomato sauce). Tonight, PRguy and I are going to a fundraiser at a church for their upcoming trip to Ireland. Dinner is apparently Irish-themed.

Fresh's Sugar Lip Treatment. I think I own EVERY SHADE in the tinted balms and most shades in the gloss (aka Shine)! My favourites are Honey, Fig (only available in balm) and Nude and Berry (drugstore-wise, I LOVE Maybelline's Baby Lips). I am also now completely obsessed with Charlotte Tilbury's Wonderglow primer. It's expensive at $65 Canadian, but you don't need a lot and it lasts a long time (Holt Renfrew FINALLY joined the 21st century and is beginning to roll out e-commerce. Seriously, what took them so long? And it's only beauty products until 2016). I tend not to wear heavy foundations, so my regular go-to product is Amore Pacific's cushion compacts. They SEEM expensive, but you're really getting two in one - each package comes with a refill, so it's more or less the same price as Lancome's version. ETA: I also have quite the collection of BITE Beauty lip products. However, I *STILL* can't bring myself to wear bright red lipstick. It just seems...fake on me.

I think many women have the same issue with too many lipsticks. Lipstick (as well as cheese and chocolate) is my crack. :P

I already mentioned my favourite - KitKat! :)

Live in a condo, so no trick or treaters. Did buy a small bag of candy to share with my husband (and because I want my KitKat). As for dinner, we ordered tacos, chips and guacamole (this place has THE BEST chips - thick cut and crispy. You can tell they make it in house) as well as rice/beans and corn on the cob. It's a Netflix night for us.

I made this several times over the summer and even as recent as two weeks ago. I usually add a bit of maple syrup and kefir. :)

You guys have a dessert bar at your WF? LUCKY! My local WF was the first in Canada (I think) and it's "small" compared to other locations. Two salad bars and one hot bar. Weekends are good. Weekends = better samples. Hahaha. Though we seem to see the same people over and over - especially dips and olive oils/vinegars

Agreed. In Chinese (or at least Cantonese-speaking) culture(s), a cousin once removed in the older generation is known as a cousin-aunt or cousin-uncle (and whether one is male or female, a spouse or older or younger than the person in question changes the terminology as well (not to mention with same-sex marriage, what IS the proper term for the husband of one's male first cousin? Or brother?). To the point that even native-speakers of Chinese get confused. Most of the time, we stick to the English term of Aunt or Uncle So-and-so) Thus, their children are more "nieces" and "nephews." This has confused my (Jewish) husband.

I don't know where you live, but SW typically holds two trunk shows a year - one for spring and another for fall. They recently sent me an email about their spring event. Trunk shows typically don't have the full seasonal line, which kind of sucks. As for spending money - if you don't have tiny or larger feet, you just don't understand. Same with clothing. I'm on the short side (and small framed) and prefer to buy petite sizing. I often complain about the lack of GOOD petite clothes and average heighted people will suggest that I shop in the kids' section. Ummm, I'm freakin' 36 years old! And don't they get that alterations don't always work? Also, numbers are just numbers. Size 0 used to be called size 6. Thanks, vanity sizing! Note: My "real" shoe size is 5, but thanks to the v-word (i.e. vanity sizing), I'm down to 4 1/2.

I have tiny feet, so Stuart Weitzman is usually my go-to. I usually have to splurge and pay full price to guarantee my size (4 1/2) at pre-season trunk shows. At least I only have to pay 50% when I order and the remaining 50% when I pick up.

Slow cooker chicken tikka masala tonight so my husband and I can cast our votes (actually, my husband only. I already voted earlier today), watch the results AND the ALCS.

Tonight? Yesterday's Thanksgiving leftovers (kind of turned the turkey, quinoa and veggies into a casserole), of course!

Had our Thanksgiving turkey today. Mustard crusted boneless breast (because that's what you do when most of your family is not in town) with some quinoa mixed in with roasted eggplant and zucchini, feta, balsamic glazed carrots, fattoush, tabbouleh and hummus with some bread. Dessert? Slow cooked apples served with frozen chocolate banana kefir swirl, of course! :)

Ordered in fake Chinese food tonight (you know, egg rolls, chicken balls and the like. OK, no chicken balls this time, but definitely egg rolls and pineapple chicken). I suppose I have to turn in my Chinese card! LOL! :P

I had (still have??) Cooleyhighharmony on CD, so yes, it did. Bought it in '92 or '93-ish.

Thanks! :) And turkey in the spring isn't bad. I know people who do turkey for Easter. :)

Thanksgiving is this weekend in Canada, and because most of my family is not in town, we're NOT doing a whole turkey with stuffing - just breast plus sides. I'll be making my usual quinoa stuffing/dressing (well, dressing, since it's not going inside the bird), veggies and slow cooked apples (aka "apple pie filling"). Growing up, we used to have "fusion turkey" - soy sauce roasted turkey stuffed with sticky rice, Chinese mushrooms and (I think) taro. Like the turkey part, but not the stuffing, which is why I don't make it! Basic recipe for the slow cooked apples (this would be for six servings or so): 3-4 medium to large apples, cut into pieces (unpeeled is fine) About 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon 1/2 tablespoon of maple syrup or honey Add a little water and turn on the slowcooker for 3 1/2 to 4 hours on low. Feel free to add nuts, apple butter, berries, etc... Berries can be added half way through cooking.

For prepped foods/gourmet/splurges, I like Pusateri's. They also have full grocery in some locations. A Whole Foods is close to me, as is Longo's (Toronto-area supermarket chain that started out as a produce place). Meat is good at Rowe Farms or The Healthy Butcher and if I want to get food from my ancestral culture, I mostly go to T&T (it's a big supermarket chain. We "jook sing" (a not-so-PC name for Canadian born Chinese (or any person of Chinese descent born in a western country, for that matter). I embrace the name as an identity, though) don't usually like the old style markets because they often smell weird. Besides, T&T has a delicious bakery and food court). For a more market-like place, there's St. Lawrence Market, which, unlike farmer's markets, is open most days of the week. They DO have a farmer's market on Saturdays.