SHILLS Brightening Mud Mask Product Review

This is an unique deep-sea mud containing arbutin, whitening ingredients and marine cream which will remove dirt and oil from your face, preventing blemishes resulted from clogged pores, lighten scars and tighten pores. 

This mask is also enriched with a blend of plant essence which will moisturise and soften skin. 

Not a bad mask - leaves skin feeling clean and bright.

Main ingredient includes: Volcano Lava Extract, Arbutin, Calmosenine, Lavender Essence, Apple Polyphenols, EGF. 

Instructions: Use 1-2 times a week. Apply a thin layer on face, avoiding eyes area. Leave the mask for 5-10 minutes on your skin, then remove with warm water.

 

Weight: 100ml

Made in Taiwan

The Help Movie Review

Emma Stone plays Skeeter, an aspiring journalist who returns home from college to find her family's lomg time help Constantine disappeared.

Skeeter sets about writing a secret book with the local black maids about what its like working for their bitchy white employers, from raising their chirldren who then grew up to despise them, to being forced to use separate bathrooms. The point of Skeeter's book is to make people see that people are just people no matter the color of the skin. 

Its obvious from the start that Skeeter is different to all her friends. While her friends are getting married and having babies - she can't seem to find a guy that appreciates her intelligence. No one in her cycle seem to realise that they need to take a stand against racism. Instead, they stick fast to their beliefs and support ridiculous initiatives like adding on a separate bathroom to one's house sot aht the maids don't use the same facilities as the families.

Of course the the task is not easy and it took some persuasion to get the maids onboard.

There is such deep history in the black/white relationship and this story beautifully shows the complex spectrum. 

This movie isn't just about racism and civil rights. It's about the employer employer relationship too. The movie is strong and real and touched something inside me. But mostly, the movie was about kind and good role models.

I cried, I laughed. I highly recommend this to everybody. My favourite movie of all time! 

The part about the pie is hilarious! I think the cutest was when the baby girl said "You is kind. You is smart. You is important"

Valentine Dinner - Capital Grill @ Circular Quay

My husband surprised me *wink* *wink* with dinner reservations to Capital Grill in Circular Quay. I was so excited to finally get back there. He told me days before that he made reservations but only revealed where the night before.

I didn't really dress up for the occassion and basically wore what I worn to work. The restaurant ambiance and decor is beautiful and great views. Romatic and intimate atmosphere upstairs where we dined.

When we arrived I was quite surprised that they were only offereing special Valentine Day menu. Personally I think restaurants should call these "special menus" "let's charge you twice as much for our food because it's a hallmark holiday". Obviously you can hear my frustrating building up as I write this review.

All the meals were good, but not amazing especially considering we spent close to $200 without any wine.

We started with entree. I had Sydney Rock Oysters and John had the Crisp Skin Pork Belly, Celeriac Purree with Apple Cider. I am a big fan of oysters so I devoured all of them in a second. I think the secret to really enjoying oysters is getting the technique of piercing them with your teeth to release the briny flavour and then bringing them forward in the mouth with your tounge so that you can swallow smoothly in one go. That's how I do it.

 

For main, I had Roasted Organic Chicken with Baby Turnips, Dutch Carrots and Eshallots which I really enjoyed. While the meat was very tender, I found that the dish was quite plain and the skin was chewy, not crispy.

John as usual had his slab of meat - Tenderloin Pasture Fed Reverina with Potato Gratin and Sauteed Mushrooms. This was no ordinary steak - I had a bite and it was cooked to perfection - it was just so tasty! We also ordered Steamed Vegetables as a side.  

We were full by the time our dessert was served. I had the biggest portion of Chocolate Mousse every known to mankind. We finished it all regardless of our full stomach.

Wait staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was very presented and tasty. We also enjoyed the glasses of Champagne each.  

I have to say it was a really nice and relaxing Valentine's Day meal. We didn't have to pay too much or fight the crowds and best of all, we took our time eating our meal and enjoyed each other's company in the comfort of a beautiful, classy setting.  

Appetizer, main course, side dishes, desert and a giant monkey named Opa. Everything was fantastic! Thank you baby!
 

After the dinner, we took a cab home and got home to do our own errands. You can probably guess how long we've been maried. 

Don't Get Caught In The Activity Trap

I was reading an article earlier about the difference between action and activity and how most of us fall into the activity trap.

Action is what achieves our goals, moves our business and personal lives forward, produces what we wnat out of life and actually gets the job done. It is very rewarding but is also very likely to be difficult and challending.

Activity is all the things we fill our lives with in order to avoid taking actions. Strangely enough activity often looks better than action to people around us and even to ourselves. 

Here are some points to know if you have fallen into the activity trap:

• You never have time to think;
• You work through lunch and don't have a definite finish time in the evening;
• You don't have time for exercise;
• You don't have time dor a personal life;
• You never have time to do the things you really want to do and
• You are constantly doing things which anyone else could do.

Dragon Boat Restaurant Review

Where do I start? 

I called Dragon Boat in the morning to confirm our reservation. The "Manager" who took our call told us to drop in anyway as he doesn't have his appoinment book with him. I insisted that he checks our reservation as I understand its hard to get bookings there and the thought of driving such a distance only to realise we have no reservations is not really appealing. 

Anyway, he mumbled something in chinese and told me that if I did make a reservation it will be on the appointment book and hung up. He hung up. WTF

I then called back and gave the "Manager" a nice banging and he took down my number and told me he will check and will return my call.

Obviously no call.

We drove there nonetheless.

Dragon Boat is quite a popular place for chinese food and is often very busy on the weekends - reservations are helpful. The restaurant is in a perfect location overlooking Darling Harbour. The decor is lovely and inviting.

On arrival we were told that we have no reservations. I explained to the young waitress who greeted us that we did make a reservation. She walked away and spoke to the Manager. The same idiot who hung up on me. He looked at the list and barked at us. I explained again and told him that I was the one who called in the morning trying to confirm my reservation. The idiot then shoved us to the waitress who walked us to our table.

The service was appalling before we even got there. The staff and the asssholic Manager could do with going to "charm school". It would be nice if the team could manage a little friendliness or customer service, and perhaps begin with "I'm sorry" when there is a complaint. I think it is a simple courtesy to paying customers.

Food was served quickly though, right after one orders were taken we were served with our drinks and 5 minutes later a few dishes of dim sums were stacked on our table.

No value here, we're looking at dishes around $8-$20 each, so a fulfilling meal can be had for around $100 including drinks. I am not trying to discredit anyone's review of this place maybe they just treated me different, I dont know. But their dim sum taste like they microwave them. I don't expect authentic dim sums from a place that is right in the centre of Darling Harbour but they could at least take some pride in the food they serve.

My advice? Stay away. We made the mistake of going there in the first place when my gut was telling me to run the other direction. If you like leaving a restaurant feeling you you're not welcomed, and microwaved dim sums, they you'll it here.

To be honest, its not much different to having yum cha in some cheaper restaurants in Chinatown. So why pay more for dim sums that in my opinion not as good as the restaurants in Chinatown? At least those restaurants don't give you a hard time for walking in. I am truly not impressed with the customer service here. Its worst than some dodgy restaurants in the city that throws food at you - at least you expect that kind of service for the price. At Dragon Boar, is high price for bad experience.

We left without anyone saying goodbye. It wasnt a very pleasant experience. What a letdown.

Career New Year Resolutions

I always feel a little lost inside during the first few months of work. Its the time I look back on the resolutions I made last year. I am sure some of you did not succeed and probably will not succeed this year either. So really, why do we bother making these promises to ourselves year after year?

December sped by a drunken haze of parties, dancing and the added thoughts of being overworked, underpaid and over qualified in my job.

In the face of another year of long, crazy hours, horrid sandwiches and salad, arguments with colleagues and management; the day to day comforts of work suddenly seem unrewarding. 

And so it must end. Time for some Career New Year Resolutions. New Years Resolutions show that people yearn for a fresh start. This is my opportunity for a clean state and a chance to try again. In theory, its a great idea.  I searched the internet for some great CNYRs and came across a few "interesting ideas". One of it to...yes you guess it. Start your own business.

If you think about it its actually not a bad idea. Why struggle into a miserable, underpaid office job and tear-inducing commutes when you could be working unencumbered from the comfort of your pad? Why get up in the wee hour when you could rise at 9.00am and work in your PJs with a pot of Green tea at your side? All you need to do is knock up some business cards, buy a contact database and put in a few hours each evening writting letters and proposals and ta-da you're in business! 

But c'mon the idea of leaving the PAYE system is HORRIFYING! Someone once told me that employess never pay for anything. And that is absolutely correct. By owning your own little business, even though you're working from home, you'll still end up with all the expenses - stationeries, postage, research, marketing, advertising, etc.

Also, try working from home everyday and you'll watch your bedroom turns from office to prison and you'll realise that you have no one else to blame for your unfinished workload. Don't get me wrong, I'm very productive whenever I work from home and only really work from home when I have no meetings scheduled and after some quiet time away from office to really do some work. But no way can I imagine working from home full time. 

Anyway enough mucking around. Here are some simple steps I am planning to apply to boost my chances of getting a promotion or against any competition if I do decide changing jobs this year. 

• Update my tech skills
• Meet more people in the industry
• Maybe start a narrative writting course
• Update my look

So what do you think? 

Seven Pounds Movie Review

In Seven Pounds, Will Smith plays a tormented soul named Ben Thomas and his body is the gift that keeps on giving even from beyond the grave. 

The movie is structured like a mystery, in which the motives of Ben is murky and a little weird at first and then emerge with each new plot. Within the first 20 minutes of the movie, it becomes clear that Ben is auditioning candidates but for what? It appears he wants to make sure these candidates are nice people. This is definately a film of patience. .

Ben, a suicidal IRS agent who raises pet jellyfish and seems to enjoy harassing when not stalking his assigned clients. 

Ben did develop a soft spot against his better judgment for the very beautiful Rosario Dawson playing the girl with the heart conditioned - Emily. Seeing as at any moment her heart could stop from the slightest exertion, I would have expected the director of the movie to have some caution. You know, so it makes sense. She falls head down when she takes her dog out for a walk but later at a scene where she and Will have a real heated sex, nothing happens to her weak heart? I guess sense is not as valued as it once was. 

After sleeping with Rosario, Will returns to his mother and fills his bath with ice and cold water and drops a jellyfish to not only kill himself but make it as absolutely painful as possible. We were treated to a full half a minute of spasmodic agony as his life leaks away from the jellyfish sting. Rosario gets his hear, Woody his eyes. One problem I see is the method of his death - what the toxins in jellyfish stings do to the body.

Seven Pounds is about the noble act of suicide. It teaches us that if we are so depressed that we cannt go on, why not give our body parts to random people who might need them? This way we die knowing that large chunks of our body will be torn free of our rotting cadavers and pushed into the chest and heads of the needy. 

Does one get to choose who gets your organs after death? Maybe with a Will?

I love Will Smith - but in this movie, I found Will's performance too be a little well awkward. Ben seem to squint and stammers for reasons that are unclear. Is his mind failing due to loss of blood? 

I saw this movie tonight and I think its one of those movies either you get it or you don't.

Earth Choice Multi Purpose Cleaner Product Review

Do you ever feel guilty as you're cleaning wandering whether or not you are harming the environment with the nasty chemicals you are using? I often got that feeling and I bet I am not the only one! Cleaning to me is a necessary evil. Of course I hate doing it, but I do enjoy a clean house.

  

A few weeks ago, I decided to stop using all my chemical products (body care, hair care, skin care, makeup and household cleaning products) and only use organic, mineral and eco-friendly. As you can imagine I hurt the wallet a little. 

I came across Earth Choice Multi Purpose Spray a few weeks ago.  Earth Choice products can be found in all leading supermarkets at a very reasonable price. So there are no reasons or excuses to feel guilty anymore!

Some of Earth Choice products are:

- Multi Purpose Spray

- Shower Cleaner

- Window Cleaner

- Dishwash Liquid (which I also bought)

- Floor and Surface Cleaner

- Wool and Delicates Softener

- Fabric Softener

- Laundry Concentrate

Some facts about Earth Choice products:

- 100% Recycled PET Plastic Packaging

- No Animal Testing or Ingredients - CCF Accredited

- Biodegradable

- Grey water safe and Septic safe

- Phosphate, Chlorine and Ammonia free

- Reduces Chemical Waste

- Australian Owned and Made

The product is effective and is easily available. Heck, I use this product for almost everything. From the bathroom sink, bath, furnitures and benchtops! 

The fresh vibrant smell of the spray was very refreshing indeed. I don't even have to use a room freshener because it makes the whole room/house smelling great and clean!

So heres to out with the old toxic ctap and in with the new eco-friendly loveliness!

Trip to Watsons Bay

So for my first day off from work I decided to treat myself to a nice day out with my good friend Joseph.  We took a drive down to Watsons Bay. 

Watsons Bay is located in the eastern suburb of Sydney. Watsons Bay sits on the end of the South Head peninsula and takes its name from the sheltered bay and anchorage on its western side, in Port Jackson. It proides view across the harbour to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Manly at North Head and the Pacific Ocean. 

 

We walked through Lady Bay Beach which is actually one the few nude beaches in Sydney. Its a pity the old men pervs spoil it for any women who pop down there who just want to relax themselves...

Perverted, gross, sick..there are many adjectives that some people use for clothes optional beach and the people that frequent them. But the fact is, the majority of people that fo to them are just normal people that have discovered the enjoyment of not worrying about clothes at the beach. I havent dont it before but I can imagine it will be a freeing feeling. And hey, at least it gives a great all over tan.

Apparently in Europe, nude beaches are more the norm than clothing only beaches. Clothes optional means exactly that. Its not the law that you remove all your clothes, but you might stick out a bit as an oddity if you sit there covered up when all around you are butt naked. :P