It's the most happiest time of the year...

Good Tuesday afternoon, everyone!  It's just been miserably wet the whole weekend and for the remainder of the week here in the Pacific Northwest.  Pretty typical fall/transition to winter weather here.  I just hope we get another episode of snowfall soon...maybe Christmas! :)

Last Friday my husband and I went to his Holiday party at the Fairmont Hotel in downtown Seattle.  It has been three years since the last party, due to the economy and his firm's business, but this year, business is picking up and lots of people were in the mood to celebrate.  There must have been almost 600 people there...it was one of the most crowded Holiday parties since I joined the firm 6 years ago.  I got a chance to catch up with some of my old coworkers and their spouses...and hung out with people I don't typically see regularly.  We ended up at some local bars for an "after party" and even went to the International District (aka Chinatown) for a second dinner at almost 2:30 am!  Fried rice and salt/pepper calamari tastes sooo good when you've drank wine the whole night and is a little tipsy!  Chris and I didn't make it home until 4:30 am!  Needless to say, the second day, I had a major hangover so for the rest of the weekend, we rested and caught up on some movie watching.  Among the movies we watched this weekend: The Black Swan, Shrek Forever, Despicable Me, and The Last Airbender.  I'll have reviews of these movies up soon.

Now...onto what I wore for the party.  I couldn't wait to wear my Discovered Lace Dress again.  I made sure to wear tights under it so I won't be cold throughout the night...and had my suede boots to also keep my feet comfy.

As for the hair, the stylist I had at the Seven Salon didn't do a great job at recreating the picture I showed her.  It was a big disappointing because the original curls she gave me made me feel like curly sue.  I had to relax it a bit throughout the day, brushed some water into my hair to get curls less tight.  But by the end of the night, it looked ok.

Before we went to the party, we stopped at Urban Outfitters and I saw this whimsical head band.  It had a teeny tiny top hat on it, totally not wearable for me, but cute nonetheless.

Pizza's being delivered to our office and my coworkers are ready for lunch.  Have a great rest of the day!

Holiday Shopping Party and a Boring OOTD

Good Thursday afternoon, readers!  In our household, I think we've deemed every Thursday Turkey Dinner day!  My husband is at Microsoft right now and as long as he's contracted out there, we'll probably have turkey for dinner every Thursday.  One of their cafes serves an amazing turkey with two sides.  We usually get the mashed pototoes and stuffing...mmm...who says Thanksgiving only happens once a year?  So...you all know what I'm looking forward to tonight!

Before turkey though, I'll be going to a very special event.  Tonight at the downtown Anthro store, there's going to be an exclusive Holiday Shopping Party.  I'm not sure why I was invited on Facebook, yet some of my friends weren't.  But I'm still bringing my entourage with me, including my sister-in-law, and we're going to enjoy some drinks and snacks while we shop.  I have a couple of returns so I won't be buying anything new...the best I'll do is an exchange.  :)

Simply Cindi comes to you in a Simply Boring outfit today.  I knew it was going to be a long day, so I just wanted to be comfortable.  And what's the definition of comfortable???  Leggings, flowy top, and boots!

Sorry for the horrible picture!  My iPhone is actually pretty bad at taking pictures under my office bathroom's lights.  My blackberry did a much better job.  The top was something I bought years ago at a boutique in one of our Seattle neighborhoods.  It must be 5 years old...but I still love it.  You can't tell but the color is a light plum.  My cardi is an oatmeal and I'm wearing black tights.

I recently got this adorable watch necklace from Oh, Hello Friend.  Love it!

Tomorrow is my husband's office Holiday party.  This is the first year it's held on a weeknight, right after work, so I'll have no time to really get ready, as it's going to be pretty formal.  So I've made an appointment at lunch tomorrow to get my herr did!  I'm wearing the Discovered Lace Dress with some black tights and gray suede booties.  And the inspiration for my hair?  Check out Zoe Saldana's do below.  That's what I'm aiming for. 

That's it from me for now!  Have a great rest of the afternoon.

Some Randomness...

It's a pretty typical fall day here in Seattle...gloomy and rainy.  Nothing special to report in this little corner of the planet, so today's post is a little random.  I'm wearing a repeat today...my beloved acting out skirt with the field game cardigan.  I call this my power outfit!  I feel so authoritative in it.  :)

Last August, Chris, my parents and took a trip to China for three weeks.  It was my dad's first time back since 1989 and it was Chris' first time in my home country.  I thought I'd share some of that experience with you all:

This is a very busy shopping district in my home town, Shenyang.

Apparently we went to the wrong part of the Great Wall.  The area we went was FULL of tourists and I was told that there is a better area just down a bit where there's hardly anyone! 

Olympic Bird's Nest!  A total tourist trap now.

This is my cousin that I was the closest to when I was a kid.  My parents used to dress us alike and people thought we were twins.  She was so kind and hospitable when we were there.  I miss her so much.

Ahh...of course we had to stop at Starbucks.  The blended drinks are so much better there because they use a different chocolate and milk mixture.  A typical drink like this is quite steep for the regular Chinese person.  If you work as a waitress or any blue collar job, a cup of frap will cost you a day's pay. 

Peking duck!!!  Did you know there are only two places in Beijing that serves authentic Peking Duck?  The rest are just copy cats.  We, of course, hunted down the real thing near the Forbidden City.

Big Mac's in China tasted less fattening to me.  But like Starbucks coffee, not everyone can afford something like this.  Going to McDonalds for most people probably means a special occasion. 

Ahh...amazing terra cotta soldiers. 

Being from the Northwest, we see moutains, trees, and totem poles all the time.  But in China, it's rare to see something as beautiful if you've lived in your city your whole life.  Thus, when you have scenery like this, it costs an arm and a leg to get in.  We had to pay several day's worth of pay of a normal person to actually go into this park to look at scenery we see for free in the US.

There are a bunch of Chinese herbal "pharmacies" around town...and these drugs don't require a prescription.  I love the English translation of different sections within the drug store.  I have no idea what these sections were...but they are sure hilarious. 

Use to Stick a Cream Outside.  I'm a little scared of this one.

The Facial Feature is Internal Use...hmmm...I thought facial features were external?

The Gynecology is Internal Use.  I wonder if there is an External Use section.

The Day Turns Thing...hmmmm.  Maybe if you don't use it, it turns you into a pumpkin at night?

And a trip to China wouldn't be complete without a trip to Walmart.  The dollar signs look the same but you'll find all sorts of goodies here.  I found Peking Duck flavored Lay's Potato Chips.  Yum!

Just Another Day at Costco...

This past weekend, we made a pit stop at our nearby Costco to pick up some Chobani Greek Yogurt they sell there in a 12-pack.  For those of you that haven't tried Greek yogurt yet, I strongly recommend you give it a whirl.  It's so different from your standard Yoplaits because it's thicker, most have no added sugars, and it has up to twice the protein as your normal yogurt.  I fell in love with the Greek Goddess' honey flavored yogurt but because it wasn't lowfat or fat free, it carried too many saturated fats for my liking.  The best part about Chobani at Costco is that its sold in well portioned containers, is 100% nonfat but doesn't taste like it.  It contains no artificial or added sugars...and it's just SO yum!  The only thing about Costco is that they sell the pack of 12 in only three flavors...blueberry, strawberry and peach.  Most of the time, peach yogurt is my least favorite, but this one tasted great...with natural peach chunks!  Costco sells them for less than $1 a container, but if you were to buy them at other stores, it'll cost you about $1.30 - $1.50 each.  So...Costco is a much better choice if you like yours with those three fruits.

So, what does one see when they first step into the Costco warehouse?  TVs!!!!  And TVs galore!  Usually the screens are playing an animated film, to distract the kids, and sure enough, this time they were playing Toy Story 3.  A great movie, I must add!  But what stopped us dead in our tracks was a 55 inch Samsung LCD.

Now...we have a 42 inch plasma right now in our living room.  By no means is that a small TV...I actually think it's fine.  But Chris has been wanting a bigger TV for some time now and we've decided to put that purchase off until some time next year.  Until....we saw this baby.  I was like this: 0_0...along with the other kids...staring at the huge, bright pictures of Woody and Buzz Lightyear running across the screen.  I was entranced by how clear it was (because it's LED LCD) and how paper thing it appeared to be from the side view.  What's great is that if you walk to the side of the TV, the picture color doesn't deteriote like on a plasma.  It's wonderful!  So...needless to say, we went home and searched online and got a great deal for it.  Yep...we are now proud owners of a new 55 inch TV!  It'll overwhelm our fireplace, I'm sure...but I don't mind.  I don't necessarily think a TV should be hidden or makes a room look horrible.  I'm like Joey on Friends...our furniture all point towards our tube!

Welp, it was just another day...getting yogurt at Costco.  Then coming home with a splurge.  Anyone else ever go into a store with good intentions of just picking up something small, but ended up with a huge splurge?

A Sweater Surprise

Last week was a good week...and it ended great when my husband decided to take me to Anthro after work so he can buy me something special.  This month, he'll be receiving some extra moolah from his company as a year-end appreciation thing, so he thought he'd treat me to something nice.  

I've been eyeing the Neo-Refinement Pullover for about a week now and when I saw it on the rack last Friday, I knew I had to try it on.  I read reviews saying it hangs weird and the right sleeve is longer than the left.  But then the majority of the reviews were positive.  I was prepared to fidget with the sleeves, the neckline, and the waist band and experiment all the different ways this sweater was meant to be worn.  So when I pulled it on, it was love!  I stayed in the dressing room longer than usual just to make sure I truly loved it...and I did.  

I hardly ever wear something the very next day after just purchasing it, but I did with this sweater.  Saturday, we attended a Blue Scholars concert in downtown Seattle and this is what I wore:

I just love this sweater.  The more I wear it, the more I love it.  I even wore it again today for work actually.  It's comfortable and flattering and what girl don't want that?  For those of you that haven't given this little number a chance yet, I highly recommend you try this on.  Play around with the styling of it in the dressing room and maybe even ask an SA on how you should wear it.  It's definitely worth the full price of $88.  Thank you, Husband!  

This past weekend we also hung up some Christmas stockings for decoration.  I must say, after decorating the mantel, I'm really happy with how it turned out.  I just love the old world clock we bought and of course, the Anthro J...which stands for "Jocson"...just adds to the complete look.  

We even got a teeny tiny stocking for our kitty, Ty.  It's the cutest little thing...just like him.

Good night!  

And the winner is....

I couldn't figure out how to copy and paste the random generator screen into this blog, but trust me that it drew the number 58...and according to my handy dandy accounting excel spreadsheet I created to track your entries...number 58 is...

*drum roll please*

ELIZABETH of Elizabeth Per Se.  Congrats!  Please check your email for a message from me. 

Thank you to everyone that entered into my very first giveaway.  Happy Holidays!

Underneath the Christmas Tree

Yesterday I took a picture of our Christmas tree and I mentioned there was an Anthro box underneath it.  It's really not a Christmas gift, it was just something I ordered from Anthro a few weeks back but didn't open yet.  I'm not sure why I didn't tear into the box right away...laziness maybe?  But I finally opened it last night and here's what's inside:

I love the Field Skirt and when it came out in a new material and colorway, I knew I had to have it.  I love a good mustard colored skirt because it's so fall appropriate. 

I paired it with a hot pink tee and gray cardi.  Then added gray tights, with a cognac colored bootie.  

Another item in the box...the Pretty as a Present Cabbie.  I love a good hat for the winter time, and this one fit the bill.  It's warm and modern looking...total swoon!

I love the little bow detail woven into the side of the cabbie. 

Finally I got the Felicity Chandeliers for my husband's Christmas party next Friday.  The individual rounded detail look like tiny snow flakes.  How appropriate for a Christmas party.  I planned on wearing the Discovered Lace dress...which will go great with these earrings.

I wish everyone a great weekend!

Seven Things...and a Christmas Tree

I was recently tagged by Spiffy to reveal seven interesting facts about myself...so here they are.  I'm not sure if they're truly interesting or just plain boring, but you can judge for yourself.  :)

1. I'm mad for Mad Men!  This past Thanksgiving weekend, my husband and I finished three seasons of Mad Men and I'm hooked.  I love Jon Hamm and his Don Draper character.  I think it's one of the best shows on television and I just can't get enough.

2. I wear ear plugs to sleep.  Not all the time, but most nights.  I'm an extremely light sleeper...the tiniest sound can wake me up so the plugs help with muffling white noises. 

3. I can't go to the movies or eat alone at a public restaurant.  I know many people do it and enjoy it, but I just can't.  It feels too awkward and lonely to me. 

4. My current musical obssession is Taylor Swift.  Her new album "Speak Now" is my favorite of hers so far and have been listening to it everyday for about a week now. 

5. It was only about two years ago that I discovered Anthropologie and have started to develop my own sense of self when it comes to fashion.  Prior to that, my wardrobe consisted of cargos/sweats and tees on the weekends and slacks and sweaters during work days. 

6. I'm a pretty adventurous eater and will try anything once.  Last year in China, I tried butterfly larva and it was oddly delicious.  The only thing I'm hesitating over is balut...which is a duck egg with a developed chick embryo, boiled and eaten like a hardboiled egg.  It's a Filipino delicacy, but I'm just scared by the thought of it.

7. I'm deathly afraid of heights.  No joke!  If I'm on a bridge, a cliff, a roof, any place that's exposed and highly elevated, I automatically think of death!  Even standing on a chair to screw in a light bulb, I think of the worst...like falling and breaking my neck.

With that, I leave you with our Christmas tree we put up last night.  The tree itself, all lit, always make me feel so warm and fuzzy inside.  You can't see it clearly from the picture, but there's actually an Anthro box undernearth it.  :) 

Have a great day before Friday!

A Sale and a Forgotten Outfit

Hello everyone!  Hope you're enjoying your week so far.  We're halfway through it, so for those of you struggling, hang in there!  The weekend is just around the corner.

So did anyone score any good items today at the surprise sale?  I decided that I wanted to check out a couple of chemises since they went on sale.  I've heard other bloggers talk about how you can style an Anthro chemise into a dress, but at full price, I still hesitated.  A couple of cute styles got marked down today, so I pulled the trigger:

If these work, I can see myself wearing these in the summer and in colder weather, like we're having right now.  Reviews online said they're both cute with tights and long cardis...my favorite outfit of the season.

I also realized I forgot to take a recent OOTD...but below are pictures I took when I was in the dressing room trying this Frenchi sweater at Nordstrom BP.  I'm typically a layering type of girl, but some days, I just want to put on a nice, warm sweater and call it good!  Nothing fancy...just sleek and simple.  When I saw this Frenchi sweater, I immediately grabbed it to try on because 1). it was long enough to cover with my legging knit pants (the pants I'm wearing in the picture), and 2). it was not thick or bulky. 

Needless to say, I was totally comfortable in this the whole day and didn't want to take it off when I got home.  I was afraid the horizontal stripes might make me feel wide, but because of the long shape of the sweater, it didn't make me feel that way at all.  Always a plus when you find out you don't look wide...right girls? :)

Before I leave, if anyone's in dire need of some warm and fuzzies, click here and check out my babies!

Back to the Grind...

It's only the second day back from the Thanksgiving holiday, and I'm already looking forward to Christmas and the long weekend that brings. 

Our Thanksgiving this year was wonderful!  The day started around noon...that's when everyone began to come over.  My uncle and mom started the prep for the food right away as the rest of us sat around, chatted, and watched some football.  We ended up with a lot of food...too much food actually...so here's a glimpse of it:

My uncle makes an amazing ketchup shrimp dish and my aunt cooked up the quail that's in the top plate. 

I braised some pork belly the night before and simply reheated it the next day.  I find that braised dishes are always better on the second and third day, so I tend to always cook this type of dish ahead of time. 

Seattle's best duck!  My parents went to Chinatown and got this Thanksgiving morning.  Behind the duck are the sweet and sour pork ribs. 

Chinese broccoli and thin curry noodles

We ordered a special Filipino noodle dish that's extremely hard to make from my friend's dad who does catering.  The bowl of yellow noodles is called Palobok.  The green dish on the right is cucumbers cut up mixed with some special sauces and ingredients with Chinese BBQ pork.

My uncle, the master chef...looks great in my Anthro apron!

Look at that spread of food!  I didn't even miss the turkey!

I tried to take this before everyone arrived and tried to get my kitty, who loves to cuddle with me.  He had a special ocean pate canned dinner himself! 

This year's Turkey Day was such a special one for me.  I'm glad both Chris and my families were able to spend it together as one big family.  Who knows what next year will bring us, but our family will only get bigger.  My aunt and uncle's son and his future wife might finally be able to come to the United States soon...so cheers to that! 

Also, don't forget my giveaway going on currently here.  You still have until this Friday to enter and I'll post the winner Monday.  Thanks for reading!

A Thankful Thanksgiving

Today is one of the happiest days for me all year...because why?  I get to spend it with the people I love...

My parents and my Uncle and Aunt

My new Mom and in loving memory of D...Daddy

My beautiful and ever so classy sister-in-law

My wonderful and silly brother-in-law

My spoiled baby

My other spoiled baby

Today is my dad's 60th birthday.  It fell on Thanksgiving day, which is a great excuse to party extra hard!  This was from a couple of years ago...but his favorite gift he can get is alcohol...whiskey to be exact.  Here he is admiring our gift to him a couple years back.

My dad's lived through the Chinese Revolution, he's been sent down by the Chinese government in his teens to work on farm lands, he's come to the US with nothing in his pocket and now he's living the American dream with WHISKEY!!!  And what is he missing?  A good working television set.  And this year, for his 60th, that is his birthday present to us.  A new flat screen HDTV! :)  Happy Birthday Dad!  I can't wait till you open up your presents.  

And of course, the person I love the most is my hubby.  This is our first Thanksgiving as a married couple!  Kisses and hugs to my baby!  The picture above was taken at our work event back when we first met in 2007! :)  Ahh...how we've....aged...ahem....and grown together.  Love you!

To all my readers, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I am truly thankful for all your support...it's really what keeps me going with this little blog of mine.  :)

Now...gobble gobble...it's time to eat!