Evolution of Smooth

I'd been looking for EOS smooth sphere lip balms for a while to no avail, and then I saw them on Sydney's blog and asked her where she got them. She found them at a store downtown, which is a far trek from where I live, so she offered to get some for me. And then a week later, I got a package in the mail from Sydney with three EOS lip balms inside! She got me the Sweet Mint, Honeysuckle Honeydew, and Summer Fruit flavours. All three flavours are 95% organic, 100% natural, and also free of parabens, gluten, petrolatum, and phthalates. Shea butter and vitamin E keeps lips moisturized without feeling slippery or sticky. All three smell exactly as their names describe (my favourite is the Honeysuckle Honeydew), and are taste-free. They're on the waxier side as opposed to creamy, which makes them so optimal to wear under lipsticks (the consistency actually reminds me of a more emollient version of Burt's Bees lip balm). Best of all, they're big and colourful so they're easy to spot in my massive black hole of a purse. Plus, they're just super-cute and make me smile. Thanks, Sydney!

Momiji Sushi Bistro & Bar

Shawn and I went to Momiji for an anniversary dinner of sorts:

The requisite Japanese restaurant appetizer, edamame

Fresh sashimi (salmon, tuna, mackerel, and yellowtail)

Orange Dragon Roll

Orange Dragon Roll (shrimp tempura, crab, cucumber, avocado, and fish roe, wrapped in salmon sashimi)

Spicy Caterpillar Roll

Spicy Caterpillar Roll (spicy salmon wrapped in avocado slices and topped with fish roe)

Pineapple sorbet served in a pineapple shell

Everything we ate was so, so good. Momiji uses fresh ingredients and everything comes in generous portions, and the prices are in-line with the quality of the food. I've been to Momiji a few times, and while their cooked dishes are decent, it's their sashimi, sushi, and maki that really stand out. They have a very extensive and somewhat overwhelming variety of maki (they offer four types of Dragon Rolls alone), so it was hard to narrow down our decision to just two rolls, but they were both excellent. We also tried the pineapple sorbet for dessert (not made in-house, though), and it was phenomenal. It tastes just like the real fruit, and it was refreshing, tart, and tasty. A great ending to our meal. Our waitress was very nice and accommodating, but kind of slow and not very efficient (this might have to do with a lack of staff, though). And, of course, I always enjoy Momiji's decor and ambience; it's not your typical Japanese restaurant interior, but very sleek and modern, all dark hardwood floors and dim lighting. Overall, thoroughly enjoyable and we'll probably be going back again soon.

MAC Surf, Baby!: Nail Lacquer

MAC's Surf, Baby! collection sees the release of two new and limited edition shades of Nail Lacquer. I only picked up Ocean Dip, because I felt that Hangin' Loose (pink beige) was too much of a common colour (easily dupeable) and ultimately wasn't worth buying for myself since I rarely ever wear nude shades to begin with. Though, if you're a fan of neutral shades and nude nails, I would take a look at Hangin' Loose. Each Nail Lacquer comes with 10 ml of product, and retails for $18.

Ocean Dip is a bright blue-teal in a Cream finish. The formula is on the watery side so it is prone to streaking a bit, but it goes opaque in two medium coats. I personally prefer waterier nail polishes to thicker, goopier shades, because I get more control. You can always layer nail polishes to get optimal opacity, but it's hard to thin out a thick polish. I get really good control with MAC's nail polish brush, so I didn't really have any problems with application. I also found that the drying time on this polish to be rather fast – I waited less than five minutes before I put on a second coat. I personally love vibrant nail polish shades, especially for summer, so Ocean Dip is a win for me.

MAC Surf, Baby!: Lipglasses

MAC's Surf, Baby! collection sees the release of four limited edition shades of Lipglass, three new and one re-promote. I picked up three of four, opting to leave out Krazy Kahuna. Each Lipglass is housed in the limited edition Surf, Baby! packaging. Lipglasses are sticky, tacky, and slightly thick, but they last much longer and are more pigmented than typical glosses as a result. They also smell like vanilla, but are taste-free. Each Lipglass contains 4.8 grams of product, and retails for $18.50.

Strange Potion is a semi-opaque soft pink-coral with pink shimmer. This is a re-promote from last fall's Venomous Villains, and is limited edition. It is similar to Pink Lemonade, but more coral.

Good Lovin' is a semi-sheer pinked champagne with beige shimmer. This is a new and limited edition shade. It is similar to Prrr, but less pale.

Girl On Board is a semi-opaque pale white gold with white shimmer. This is a new and limited edition shade. It is similar to A Quiet Roar (Fabulous Felines) and Almondine (Spring Colour Forecast), or if Lustrewhite and Instant Gold Lustreglasses had a more opaque baby.

Strange Potion and Good Lovin' are much easier to wear and much more flattering across all skintones than Girl On Board, which is better used as a layering tool. I don't think there are any must-haves out of these shades, only because there are so many dupes within the permanent range. That having been said, Strange Potion is a gorgeous shade for summer, and those who missed out on it from Venomous Villains will have a chance to snatch it up now.

MAC Surf, Baby!: Lipsticks

MAC's Surf, Baby! collection sees the release of four lipsticks, three new and limited edition and one permanent. All four lipsticks are housed in the limited edition Surf, Baby! packaging. I picked up the three new shades, and decidedly left the permanent one (Mocha). Each lipstick contains 3 grams of product and retails for $18.50.

Bust Out!, Hibiscus, Naturally Eccentric

Bust Out! is a semi-sheer deep pinked violet in a Lustre finish. It's like a sheer, more violet version of Up The Amp. It's comparable to Play Time from Quite Cute, but Bust Out! is darker.

Hibiscus is a semi-opaque bright mid-tone coral red in a Cremesheen finish. It's like a brighter, more opaque version of Lady Bug, or a richer and brighter version of Viva Glam Cyndi. It's similar to Toxic Tale from last fall's Venomous Villains, but less neon and with a different finish.

Naturally Eccentric is semi-sheer whitened nude in a Lustre finish. It's less pink than Hue, and is like a whiter and more sheer version of Myth. When dabbed on, it does come across as a nice pale nude shade, but if you really layer it on, it can look like thick concealer.

Unlike Fashion Flower and Quite Cute, all the lipsticks from Surf, Baby! go on creamy and smooth. None of them look dry on the lip, nor do they accentuate lines. I'd say all of them are in line with their finishes. The Lustre finishes (Bust Out! and Naturally Eccentric) are semi-sheer and have a glossy finish, whereas the Cremesheen finish (Hibiscus) is semi-opaque and creamy with a sheen. Like Ever Hip (Fashion Flower) and Candy Yum-Yum (Quite Cute), Hibiscus will definitely be the big seller out of the four lipsticks, especially since corals are exceptionally popular this time of year.

MAC Surf, Baby!: Crushed Metallic Pigment

MAC's Surf, Baby! collection sees the release of two new and limited edition stacks of Crushed Metallic Pigment in Surf The Ocean and Summer Stash. Each box of Crushed Metallic Pigment comes with two individual stacks, each stack containing two shades, totalling four shades. It is designed so that the lids can be interchangeable to stack each shade on top of each other. The individual shades do not have names, only the full stack itself. Each stack comes with a total of 12 grams of product (3 grams of product per shade), and retails for $38.50.

Surf The Ocean (stacked)

Surf The Ocean (unstacked and opened)

Surf The Ocean (swatches)

Surf The Ocean comes with the following shades: metallic platinum silver, iridescent seafoam green, metallic medium gold bronze, and frosty blackened navy blue with teal and green shimmer. The silver shade is similar to Silver Ring eyeshadow, though lighter and much more metallic. The gold bronze shade is also similar to Amber Lights, though less copper and more vibrant. The seafoam green shade was the only shade that was a little finicky, since I found it went on a little chunkier and more uneven than the other shades.

Summer Stash (stacked)

Summer Stash (unstacked and opened)

Summer Stash (swatches)

Summer Stash includes the following shades: metallic whitened beige, metallic gilded champagne beige with a touch of pink, metallic pink plum, and metallic dark chocolate brown with bronze shimmer. The whitened beige is similar to Phloof!, but more metallic. The pinked champagne beige shade is kind of like Naked Lunch and All That Glitters mixed together, and more metallic. The pink plum shade is like what Star Violet and Creme de Violet would look like mixed together, and more metallic. The dark chocolate brown shade is like a much richer and deeper version of Bronze eyeshadow. The whitened beige and pink plum shades were the finicky ones in this stack, for the same reason the seafoam green shade is from Surf The Ocean.

Summer Stash as a whole is more wearable than Surf The Ocean, and also coordinates a little better as a set, though I find Surf The Ocean has more unique shades. Either way, I find both stacks really worth getting. They look absolutely stunning – in the jars and in execution. They really stay true to their product name, and really do look like crushed metal nuggets. I think they would work best using other textures, however, since they are super metallic and it might be overkill to use all shades in a stack together. I do recommend using these on top of a slightly more emollient base, just so they have adhere better to the eye area. I've been using MAC's Vibrancy Eye Primer, but Paint Pot or Paint would work well. Overall, I really, really like the new Crushed Metallic Pigment stacks. I usually don't like loose eyeshadows because I find them messier with more fall-out, but these are totally worth working with.

MAC Surf, Baby!: Eyeshadows

MAC's Surf, Baby! collection sees the release of five limited edition eyeshadows, four new and one re-promote. All of them come in the Surf, Baby! limited edition packaging and, as a result, are not available for the Back2MAC recycling program at PRO stores. I picked up three of the five shades, as the other two (Short Shorts and Swell Baby) are very similar to shades I already have and I didn't feel they were worth picking up (Short Shorts looks very much like Fresh Daisy from the Fashion Flower collection or like Nylon in the permanent line-up, and Swell Baby looks very much like Print from the permanent line-up). Each eyeshadow contains 1.5 grams of product, and retails for $18.50 a pop.

Saffron, Sun Blonde, Surf USA

Saffron is a softened burnt orange-red in a Satin finish. This shade is a re-promote from January's Mickey Contractor collection. It goes on smoothly and pigmented with good colour pay-off. It's a rustier version of Rule or a more orange version of Red Brick.

Sun Blonde is golden mustard yellow in a Frost finish. This shade is new and limited edition. Despite the Frost finish, it leans more Satin than a true Frost, though it does have a sheen. It goes on smoothly and pigmented with good colour pay-off. It doesn't look like anything from MAC's present line-up. The closest shade would probably be Gorgeous Gold, which is much more metallic and duochrome, and more gold than mustard. This is one of the more unique shades that MAC has come out with in a while.

Surf USA is a bright medium teal that leans very slightly green in a Frost finish. This shade is new and limited edition. Like Sun Blonde, it looks slightly more satiny in execution than a full-on frost. It goes on smoothly and pigmented with amazing colour pay-off. This doesn't look like anything from MAC's permanent line-up. It's in the same family as Shimmermoss, Aquadisiac, and Steamy, but they are look much more subdued compared to Surf USA. MAC's Newly Minted, which is now discontinued, was similar but less blue.

Surf USA and Sun Blonde will undoubtedly be the big sellers of the five eyeshadows just because of the uniqueness of the shades; these two are nothing similar to anything in MAC's current permanent line-up. That having been said, though, the texture is amazing across the board on all of the shades. They're all smooth and pigmented and easy to blend out. They're definitely worth taking a look; MAC hasn't released such a stellar series of eyeshadows in a single collection in a while (Peacocky being the last one, but the Mega Metal Eyeshadows were an entirely new formula altogether).

MAC Surf, Baby!: Studio Careblend Pressed Powder

MAC's Surf, Baby! collection sees the release of two new and limited edition shades of Studio Careblend Pressed Powder, both of which are for the purposes of bronzing and are debossed with a pattern of the MAC logo. I decided to pick up one shade only, Gold-Go-Lightly, as I felt the other shade (Lush-Light Bronze) wouldn't suit my skintone as well. Studio Careblends were released in February as a new line of pressed powders (that are now permanent), and the texture is very soft, smooth, almost velvety, and the finish is a very natural soft matte. The bronzer shades released with Surf, Baby! are no exception. Each pressed powder contains 9.5 grams, and retails for $33.50.

Gold-Go-Lightly is a warm, golden tan brown. I found the finish of this to look very much like a sunkissed tan, and not orangey at all, at least on my skin. It's not a very dark bronzer, so those who are have medium-dark to dark skintones might want something a little deeper. For those who have fair to medium skintones, this is an exceptional bronzing shade as it blends really well to look very natural. This powder is also great as a setting powder, especially for darkening foundations that are too light (especially important if you are prone to tanning over the summer and you find that your neck and your face are two different shades, or if that foundation you bought over the winter is now way too pale). The texture of this powder just sets and wears really well on skin. For those who are looking for a nice matte powder bronzer, this is definitely a must-have.

MAC Surf, Baby!: My Paradise Cheek Powder

MAC's first summer collection, Surf, Baby!, is being released today. My Paradise Cheek Powder is a new and limited edition powder blush. This will undoubtedly be the star product of Surf, Baby!, like the Marine Life Highlight Powder was from last summer's To The Beach collection. It comes with approximately 12 grams of product and retails for $32.

Base colour, base and overlay mixed, overlay colour

My Paradise is a bright medium orange-red with a gold shimmer overlay in the shape of a hibiscus flower. When mixed together, it creates a soft orange with orange-gold shimmer. It's kind of like a more orange version of Nars' Luster blush. I think this powder goes on quite pigmented with good colour pay-off. The base orange-red shade goes on slightly powdery, but it should look much smoother with the gold overlay mixed in. This shade does go on fairly bright, though, so I would work this blush in light layers. It is also very much a warm-toned blush, so it does tend to suit warmer undertones more, though it will work on all skintones from light to dark. This product will undoubtedly be the fastest one to fly off the shelves, so if you're remotely interested, head over to a counter as soon as possible!

Nak Won

Shawn was craving Korean food, so we decided to check out Nak Won, since we were in the area. When we got into the restaurant, it was completely empty since we had just missed the lunch rush. I don't mind this, because it just means we can order faster, get our food faster, and consume our food faster. Within minutes, we had our drinks, salads, and eight Korean side dishes. The ban chan is probably my favourite thing about eating at Korean restaurants. It adds more variety to your meal, and you can get free refills to your heart's content! I personally like the spicy tofu, glass noodles, spicy bean sprouts, and pickled radishes. Ironically, though, I'm not a fan of kimchi.

Tofu with spicy chili soy sauce

Cold Korean glass noodles

The requisite Korean side dish, kimchi

Dolsot bibimbap with beef

Both Shawn and I ordered the dolsot bibimbap with beef, which is essentially bibimbap but served in a stone pot. I'm not sure how authentic Nak Won's version of the dish is, but I don't care because it was ridiculously good, with the piping hot veggies, beef, rice, fried egg, and hot sauce all mixed together... As we know, I am a sucker for any dish with a fried egg on top, and this is no exception. Our waitress never smiled at us and actually didn't say much at all (perhaps she doesn't know any English), but she was super quick and efficient, and that's all I really care about when I'm hungry. Plus, I go to Korean restaurants for the food, not the service. And as far as I can tell from the food, I will definitely be going back there.

Rock & Republic

My package from Hautelook finally arrived! A couple weeks ago, they had a Rock & Republic denim sale starting at 50% off. I refuse to buy premium jeans at full price now, so I jumped at the chance. Thusly, I ordered the Kasandra Boot Cut Jeans in the Rattle Blue Wash and the Roth Flare Jeans in the Maxi Bar Blue Wash, both of which were $79, down from $195 each. I'm always wary about buying clothes online because you don't really know what the colours will look like in person or how they'll fit, but they both fit like a dream and the washes are even nicer in person than the pictures online. Now, I just have to get them hemmed. Seriously, who wears pants with a 36" inseam?

Safa Tikka & Kebab House

I was craving Indian food, so Shawn and I went for a late lunch/early dinner at Safa:

Vegetable samosa innards

Beef samosa innards

Fresh, delicious, fluffy naan

Chicken tikka with onions on a heated plate

My favourite, lamb qorma

There was nothing we ordered that I didn't like. Everything was so damn good, we seriously sat for ten minutes straight without saying a word because we were too busy stuffing our faces. Considering the time we went to eat, there was only one person serving all the tables, but our waiter was still courteous and efficient. The restaurant itself is nice and clean, with big windows all over and sunlight streaming throughout. I like that they kept the decor simple and light, because I find a lot of Indian restaurants to be very dark and dingy. The best part, though? Our meals came out to less than $15 a person after tax and tip. I will definitely be going back there. I think I will try the butter chicken next time.

Johnny's Hamburgers

Post-fireworks meal at Johnny's: epic charbroiled cheeseburgers, perfect crispy fries, and delightful vanilla shakes. Victoria Day might very well be my favourite holiday.

Victoria Day, Part II

My digital camera battery died in the middle of launching our fireworks, so these were taken with my iPhone.