nykeiko eats and play: Just a couple of pics from the weekend ...

Monday isn't so bad when you had a great relaxing weekend.

Even though the weather was friggin' beautiful and warm on Saturday, I spent the day indoors sleeping in and napping trying to recover from my week long coughing episodes and then woke up to start cleaning the apartment. Dave slaved away working 10 hours in front of the computer. By 7 p.m., we made up the time we missed during the day by going on a super date. We stayed in Williamsburg and ate at Marlow and Sons which we have wanted to try for quite some time. The menu changes daily and so you know you're getting freshly delivered goods onto your plate! We had drinks, raw clams, delicious dishes and after our feast, we strolled to Bedford Avenue. We decided to check out the much talked about rooftop bar at the Wythe hotel where there is a panaromic view of Manhattan. The music was so loud though so we stepped out onto the terrace but it was too cold so we left. Yea, we're getting old. We took the stairs down and end up stepping into and crashing a movie release party with an open bar and food. Guess what we did there for 20 minutes. hehe. Quenching our thirst. We explored the hotel a little and admired this ex-warehouse turned to hipster hotel splendor. We then decided to get some dessert (Strawberry+Angel food) at the Wythe's resto called 'Reynard'. A great way to end our night with something sweet in our mouth!

On Sunday, we hit up a batting cage at Chelsea Piers for a friend's birthday. I was pretty impressed by myself when I was able to hit most of the softballs. As for the soft pitch baseballs..not so much. It's too fast. We didn't even try the regular pitch. We then checked out Friends and Family at Saks and had ramen for dinner.

A little gift of maple-vanilla roasted almonds I made for the neighbors...The recipe is SO EASY! Addicted.

Marlow & Sons

We had a nice dinner at a quaint restaurant in Williamsburg called Marlow and Sons and I was tipsy off my butt from one glass of gimlet!

We had a dozen of raw Littleneck clams and baked razor clams. For main, we had brick chicken and swordfish! It was so delish!

Marlow & Sons razor clam

Littleneck clams

Wythe hotel

Reynard

At Saks looking for bridal shoes but NOT looking at bridal shoes...

Jimmy Choo

Like an art piece on your feet!

Louboutins

Hide-Chan Ramen on a chilly Sunday evening.

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Remember this picture?

Remember this picture I took in Argentina?

Here's a video of when I took this picture! Enjoy!

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In pictures: Proenza Schouler sample sale [April 2013 NYC Sample sale]

This would be my second Proenza Schouler sample sale. This time, I was disappointed. First of all, NO leather BAGS to be had which is what I was most interested in! Second, NO $10-$15 sample tops and tees like at last year's sale. For the fans who loved the PS 2012 Fall collection (see runway pics here), they must have been ecstatic with the discount and plenty of stock but nothing exciting for the girl looking for deals (like me!). I pouted at the sales lady when she confirmed there would be indeed 0 leather bags..just tons of neoprene beach bags going for $125 a pop which NO one seem to care for. What I was surprised to see was belts and shoes which also did not peak too many people's interest. Did I see shoes last year? I think so but they were being hogged by some lady hoarder :) The shoes were decent and very nice but prices ranged from $140-$650.

I posted one of the price list they had for Pre Fall-Fall 2011 collection and the 2012 collections were at a higher going price. I saw runway leather jackets going for $1200+ and runway metallic skirts at $1075. RackedNY has better details about the pricing since I was too disappointed to take note of things I didn't care to buy. I did like these $50 Navajo printed skirts with leather trimming from Fall 2011 but the sizes seem ginormous even for size 6+ which occupied most of the racks. High waisted denim jeans were $75 in bins in the middle of the room. There were nice structured dresses and soft knits here and there but nothing excited me.

The sale was calm since they let in 15 people every 15 minutes. Below are some pictures I was able to take. Since no photos were allowed, the quality of the picture is ...what it is... :)

In blue and black

For my face...

NARS aqua gel

I ran out of moisturizer for the night time and decided to try this one from NARS. NARS cosmetics is owned by Shiseido so I expect their skincare line to be efficient and excellent. I have used the NARS' cleanser and lotion back in College but moved on to try other things. With the weather transition and my skin going through some weird phase whether it is weather related or from "purging" caused by my new Clarisonic, I thought this would be the perfect moisturizer to deal with my dry flaky skin (around the cheek area near my nose) though still getting some breakouts- yes, combination skin problems. This moisturizer keeps my skin plump and moist but I need to add extra cream where it is super dry. Maybe I should have tried the luminous moisturizer. I got it during F&F at Sephora at 15% discount + 5% cashback with ebates (thanks Viv for the tip!).

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nykeiko eats and play: Lovely Saturdays

I met my bridal make up artist for the first time early Saturday for a trial and I was so relieved when she was done. It looked totally natural which is what I wanted! Nancy works for Make Up For Ever and used all of their great HD products on me. Here I am in my make up, taking a selfie at Sephora and later on deciding to add a filter to see how I would look like photoshopped. Oh the power of makeup + filters.

My photographer is supposed to use minimal photoshop so I wanted to make sure my makeup looks as natural as possible under natural light and not see much cakey foundation or a shiny forehead. Nancy did a great job.

So I thought I would be able to hit two birds with one stone since I thought for some reason (okay, I never read anything carefully) Nancy also could also do my hair but I was le wrong. So now, I have to find a hair stylist for my big day as well. Argh. I was thinking a quickie up-do at Drybar? $80, in and out and done! No biggie!

After I got my makeup done, Dave and I met up for lunch. We met up by the Union Square green market where food sampling was all around but there was a special one from a tent hosting a book signing. Chefs were on site meticulously making samples for the hungry crowd. We had some carrot cake and a delicous beet/goat cheese salad. OMG I wanted two but didn't want to look too greedy. We also snacked at other stalls which offered artisanal sausages, handmade potato chips, cookies, pickles and more!

After lunch at Saigon market, we decided to slowly stroll down University Place until we reached Washington Square Park. It was a beautiful sunny day and there was crowds around the park. A pianist played beautifully on a grand piano he rolled in. Three tap dancers performing to a roaring crowd. A street artist using color powder to stencil the concrete floor in the park. All this was happening simultaneously and we were just enjoying the weather taking pictures as well as testing how my makeup looked in the sun taking shots with the SLR camera. I quickly forgot I had a cold.

Treated myself to a free frozen yogourt from a gift card I won while walking by the same 16 handles yogurt store a year ago. I got fat free vanilla flavored frozen yogurt topped with...ahum not so fat free stuff. See the mini Reeses and Turtles?

As we walked home on Saturday afternoon, we passed by our community garden which we haven't paid a visit since last Summer and a volunteer was there trimming weed and cutting flowers. He stopped us and waved some flowers asking us if we wanted any? We never met him before! That was my favorite part of the day. Fresh flowers given to us by a random stranger. Love it. The flowers are sitting beside Lilies Dave gifted me last week. Our apartment smells better than usual...usual meaning, bad!

Carmine's pizza

Annnnd for dinner. We had pizza! Diet? What diet? I have been bad and not losing my goal weight. But Carmine's pizzeria is only a couple blocks from home...

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Happy birthday blog!

New York à la Keiko is 3 years old today!! Which also means that I have been living in New York for just over 3 years!

People often ask me if I plan on staying in New York forever... Well, it is difficult to answer because it is difficult to plan life. Just like I had never planned on moving in New York in the first place. For now, I know that I will be calling New York my home for a while. Sometimes I can see why New York can be so hard and why many people think if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. New York really swallows you, chews you up and spits you out but often stronger and better. I'm looking forward to living here for many more years however, if opportune comes to live elsewhere, I think I'm up for it. Life's too short to stick around in one place but sticking around in New York will always be fun and exciting. Dave is a born and bred New Yorker but he's just as excited as me to explore the city every chance we get :)

How many years do I have to live in New York to truly feel like a New Yorker?

Taken on April 20 2013 at Washington Square Park

Thank you always for reading or just stopping by!

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Time for random pics...

My new Clarisonic thing. I have never seen one in person and did not expect it to be this big. Day 1: Used it last night and this morning. My skin is still flaky but feels smooth right after I cleanse but then becomes rough again throughout the day and some skin flaking. The flaking started before I used Clarisonic though.  

The new Chanel lipsticks are nice. Click and it pops out. Love it. I originally wanted to buy this for my mom but I think she hasn't been into wearing red lately.. I might exchange it. This color is coral/red which I think suits her best.
I also bought my first powder foundation EVER which I hope will help set my foundation better when I DO decide to wear some makeup.

While browsing Lord and Taylor, I saw Deborah Lipmann's nail polish set for the hit tv show 'Girls'. What a gimmick. I hope no one buys this.

The day the Boston bombing occured. The number of men in uniform increased ten fold in busy places such as Grand Central.

A picture of the Plaza as I walked by on a warm sunny afternoon.

I pet mister (or miss) blue whale at the Natural History Museum. It is the largest living mammal on the planet!

Sun bathing turtles by the Bow bridge in Central park. Guess what i named them? Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello annnd... hehe. I make myself laugh.

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In pictures: MiH jeans sample sale. $40 jeans! [April 2013 NYC sample sale]

MiH jeans sample sale

Two sample sales in a day? Yup!

I didn't buy anything at the Vivienne Tam sample sale but I did swipe my credit card at the MiH jeans sample sale. How could I not check out a sale where all jeans that normally retail on average $200 were only $40 and $15 if they were damaged? Flaws? I couldn't really see them!

If you're a size 26, you're in luck. There was probably 4-5 racks full of denim for you! As for size 27 and other sizes, not so much selection. But, the sizes might run a bit small since I tried in a size larger than usual and it fit well, so try them on the jeans. There's one fitting room in the corner. In the accessories department, I found large linen/cotton blend scarves and one lone belt for $25. My favorites were the cotton or silk shirts. You find soft cotton button down shirts that would pair perfectly with your new denim all for $30. Normally retail at over $150. Cult fav styles were all available. The Casablancas, Bonn and Paris jeans fit every curve so well! I snatched a pair of dark indigo Paris for, you guessed it $40! I saw little selection in the sweaters and ponchos and just one Shearling wrap left when I left. I was told there would be no restocking and everything was out. Corduroy and velvet jeans were $20 and sat by the damaged jeans which were in a box. I think some sample jeans were available since I overheard a saleslady tell a customer the jeans she picked was one-of-a-kind!

Price list at end of post. More pics ahead...

Look at all the jeans in size 26!

In pictures: Vivienne Tam sample sale [April 2013 Sample Sale NYC]

This red silk gown was $150

Hi!
I didn't think I would be attending or covering this sale.

Right before going to bed last night, I set my alarm for 7 a.m. so that I could make it to the sale by 8 a.m. (an hour before sale starts). When Dave asked me which sale I was attending, I said Vivienne Westwood. And he's like..that's good! For bridal stuff? Then I thought about what I read on RackedNY's dealfeed and did not remember seeing something about bridal. So I check it again and saw that it was a Vivienne Tam sale! D'oh. Well, I was determined to attend a sale before going to work in the morning but I changed my alarm for 7:30 a.m. so that I could be there by 8:30 since I had a feeling it wasn't going to be crazy.

Anyway...
I got to the sale at around 8:44 a.m. since the subways were delayed and there was two girls in line chatting away. Workers began showing up minutes before the sale started and I knew they were already over staffed. At 9:07 a.m., the doors were still shut so I knocked. They had forgotten to let us know we could go in! What the heck...

When you enter, to your left there was a room filled with racks of samples at very low prices (see picture). Swimwear were $10! The samples were alright and typical Vivienne Tam-style oriental prints, mixed textures and floral appliques. You could find just about anything on the racks...top, shorts, long and short dress in all sorts of colors and sizes. They were true samples with no sizing and some didn't even have labels. A second room held the collections and ready to wear and better selections. The prices was higher of course. I tried on this super flowy silk red gown and the sales lady were friendly and helpful with letting me trying it on. There are NO fitting rooms but plenty of mirrors!

You have accessories starting at just $10. Various tees were $20. Shoes were $50 and your second pair would be 50% off. Dresses were $100-150. Flowy silk tops and short dresses were $70-90 and up in price depending on the design. Lots of cute shorts and skirts available starting at $40. The sample sale is worth a look if you're a fan of Vivienne Tam's hobbo/whimsical designs. I didn't see anything from the current Spring collection :)

I took some pictures of things I liked at the sale!

Sunday in the park [what to do in NY-Central Park]

I took in some sun this past weekend and so did thousands of people and cute dogs who swarmed Central Park. We did some exploring and walked within Central Park from 96 th street all the way down to 59 th..We took pictures, climbed trees like monkeys and even made a quick stop on to the Natural History Museum. We wanted to check out the new whale exhibit but the tickets for the exhibit were already sold out when we got there late in the afternoon. Back in the park, I was tempted on three occasions to buy ice cream from the many vendors around the park and there was even a 'Waffels and Dinges' cart with a discouraging long wait! We also visited the Bow Bridge, walked down the Mall and ended at the Pond facing the Plaza. It was beautiful and perfect!

And for the first time..

we tried the 'Seeing Central Park Audio Tour' using Dial and Discover. You just dial the number displayed on the signs posted at different points in the Park. Sarah Jessica Parker tells you a little history about the Pond, Kevin Bacon talks about celebrity joggers around the Reservoir, Yoko Ono about the Strawberry Fields. It is pretty neat if you're not worried about cell phone minutes!

xxx

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In pictures: Elie Tahari and Tucker by Gaby Basora sample sales

I had to be at work again this weekend for a couple of hours but if I was going to get out of the apartment on a Saturday to commute to work, I made sure it was worth it somehow. So I decided to stop by the Elie Tahari sample sale in midtown near Grand Central. I kind of knew I wouldn't be able to find anything I would like but it doesn't hurt to look and my sister likes the brand so I was hoping to find some cheapo stuff for her. I took pics of the pieces I thought were nice.

The prices were okay. The cheapest were belts for $9, leather wallets for $29 (limited selection) and tops ranging between $19-29. Everything was well-organized at the sale into the different categories and sizes too. There are also fitting rooms that are well managed in the back of the sale. There were tons of shoes, bags and accessories to be had. A small men's section in the back as well with shirts and suits. For those sad about Fashion Night Out ending, there's a rack with tons of tees from the previous 3 years at $19 (orig. $29).

I left the sale empty handed but there were a few items I was interested in picking up for my sister but decided I could find better stuff elsewhere! Quality wise of the tops were meh...Better stuff in the dress department which I barely looked at because the prices were so-so for what it was. 

After I left work, I took the subway all the way downtown to check out the last day of Tucker by Gaby Basora's sample sale in Soho. There was additional markdowns which lured me since I read the original sale prices weren't so cheap. I picked up two bright silk yellow tops just in time for Spring/Summer! They were $30 but originally priced at $155+ each. 

Click for pictures...

ELIE TAHARI sample sale 

I took the plunge and got me a Clarisonic...Which kit would you have picked?

Sephora's Beauty Insiders special gets you 15% off your purchases (promo code: CHIC) now until April 21. So, I decided to finally get the uber popular Clarisonic facial scrub system thingy. I was not too familiar with the system but heard so many great reviews about it, so it was weird that I didn't get it already.

I should be receiving it next week. I'll review it if it doesn't work out for me but if it works fabulously like everyone else reviewed it then silence is golden!

What I had a hard time finding out is the difference between the different system available. Mia, Mia2 , Plus, Acne...and I know the systems are ultimately the same so I had to think about what I needed? What did I want out of this system?

Coterie feature #3: Marie Saeki and Yurika Nakazono of Terra New York [TMRW-Coterie 2013]

I would like to think that I am an advocate of local designers, independent brands, new up and coming artists or designers. Whether they are big or small, everyone deserves to be seen or heard...with that being said, here's a new post!

Terra New York - nykeiko.com

So I don't need to announce it again because everyone in New York already knows that Spring has arrived and we definitely felt it these past couple of days when the weather was just amAzing. Did you hear about the blizzard further West though? That sure sucks! We are fortunate not to be expecting any more snow but we are getting rain and thunderstorms for the next couple of days. It is actually pouring outside as I am writing this. Just now, I almost peed in my panties from a loud thunder which shook the heck out of our building. This was unexpected (for me anyway as I didn't check the weather before heading out the door this morning)...we had gorgeous hot weather this afternoon and the sky looked bright and blue when I got out of work. When I exited the subway, dark clouds loomed over the city and I did not have an umbrella on me but good thing I got home before the massive downpour. It looked crazy, I was expecting to see a tornado or something... It looks like I will be living in my wellies until the end of the week but I wish I had a raincoat too... 

When it rains, most New Yorkers (females) equip themselves with their trusty wellies, teeny umbrellas and maybe a trenchcoat buuut does anyone own real waterproof jackets that are stylish enough to wear daily? 

Nykeiko: Bride to be....weight

In robot voice: "I will weigh you...

This just in! My new scale!

After 3 years of not owning a scale, I finally purchased one! My last two weight reading was during my last two visits to the gyno...one in January and the other in June last year...basically ever since moving to New York, I have never used a scale at home and consequently not knowing the weighty repercussion of enjoying too many Magnolia cupcakes or Shake Shack burgers. I admit, I feel it in my jeans and sometimes even in the tightness of my leggings just around the waist band...which is scary because they are the stretchiest things I own and that's when I know I am in "trouble"! Having a scale now will help me keep in check and reach a weight loss goal. Whatever that is...

I will not be starting a gym membership....

Pick a watch, any watch...until my dream watch comes along.

Some of you know that I thought about saving up for a fabu-tastic watch when I reach 30. I was thinking of something like a classic tank watch from Cartier but of course, then I thought I'm not making enough dough for that so kind of bling so it shall wait until I reach 50 or whatever age I could afford it.

Well, until then, I need to tie myself over until my dream watch. So far, my cell phone has been my time indicator ever since my previous watch I purchased 2 years ago "passed away" . Well, no more digging in my purse for my phone when I need to check the time or twisting my neck to see the time on someone else's watch or even asking a cute guy on the subway for the time. (I kid Dave... There are no cute guys ... but also, there's a digital clock on the subway...) Anyway, it is time for me to be able to tell time with a swift twist of my wrist. I purposely overused the word 'time' and wrote a tongue twister :)

I had to pick between these three watches today...

NYKEIKO: Bride to Be... details.

I can no longer deny this or pretend not to give a crap about it anymore! I have a wedding coming up and I need to plan for it.

Read more...

Baseball...

Totoro loving baseball more than me

Finally, I got to watch my first major league baseball game in New York city. Last night, it was Yankees versus Red Sox. I don't know much about baseball. All I know is that I ate a lot of junk food and missed two home runs. The first one we missed, we were gathered with our friends chatting away in the hallway and the second home run, we were already home taking a hot shower. I still had a good time though. Our seats were fantastic (thanks to free company tickets) and I took pics of Ichiro's butt and my cheese fries. We also had beer, hot dog, burger, vanilla milkshake, garlic French fries oh my...

Pre game warm ups. This one player looks like he's getting a shower.

Ichiro's butt. Action shot.

Yankee stadium

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In pictures: My Hugo Boss sample sale haul [Sample sale April 2013]

Hugo Boss T strap heels

Is this the sale I always stock up on shoes? Maybe. Last sale back in October, I bought three pairs, wore one, sold one (too big) and still waiting for Summer to come along to wear the sandals. And this time around... no comment. I'm actually having trouble fitting in the T strap now on my right side. At the sale, I was lazy and only tried it on my left feet...hmm. Stupid one feet bigger than the other crap!
The other shoes fit like a glove...for now! D didn't come with me this time to buy shirts but I did get him a new belt and ties! This sale was filled with agressive buyers like always...gotta grab fast! I learned that from the last sale!

More pictures ahead...

Oops I did it again... [Hugo Boss sample sale]

That just means...oops, I bought something again.

Sneak peak of my Hugo Boss sample sale haul.

Metallic exotic skin Hugo Boss pumps

last year, I bought these...

Hugo Boss heels -nykeiko.com

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I made Easter eggs this weekend...nah!

Taiwanese tea eggs -nykeiko.com

Nah, I made Taiwanese marbled tea eggs! It was easy and delicioso! I followed this exact recipe but I could have also asked my mommy. I used black tea mixed with some green tea for the tea leaves although I am sure Jasmine green tea would have tasted much better!

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