toasted marshmallows

I love having versatile pieces in my wardrobe.

One top... Two ways. 

Fio Fio top. Abercrombie shorts. HRH Collection bracelet. 

Perfect for having ramen with the girlfriends... 

Or a summer supper with friends... 

Or indulging in a "dirty" hot chocolate. 

On another note, I may have found a similar dupe to Essie's Angel Food, a polish that I just can't seem to find in stores. 

Sinful Colors in Easy Going

I really love the texture and shine of this nail polish, not to mention the color. Such a great drugstore find!

I will be leaving home for a few days and traveling for my new job. I'm so excited! A new adventure awaits and I'm ready for the journey. 

I'll miss my baby Milo so much! 

I love the way she sleeps... so peaceful. Everyday, I find her in a new position.

She'll be 12 weeks old soon. It's crazy how time flies.

girl talk

If I'm not blogging, I'm eating. That's the truth... 

But after years of straight indulgence, I was out of control. I was gaining so much weight to the point where it was really affecting my confidence. Many people don't think that I'm overweight when they see me, but for my body type, I was unhealthy and I definitely saw the consequences.

The biggest change I did for myself was to start exercising. This was NOT easy for me to start. I tried to avoid it by doing quick diets or taking "fat-burning" pills, but I never saw any results. I gave myself so many excuses to talk myself out of working out, but finally, enough was enough. 

I realized that if I didn't work my butt off (literally), I would never see the results that I want. Because I had spent years indulging in bad eating habits, drinking/partying, not getting enough sleep, and etc., it was going to take me equally long to undue the damage that I had done to my body.

Maintaining a constant routine of working out (cardio and strength-training), I started to see and feel results. And as I saw the results from my efforts and hard work, it became a goal to become generally healthier and more fit. And in turn, it became a lifestyle. Not only am I now more active than I have been in years, but I have also changed my eating habits and the way I think about meals (NOT the event of the day... lol).

What's important to me is that I don't have rules on eating. I believe you cannot become healthier and fit by giving yourself rules. That's a big no-no! What you need to change is your lifestyle. Have a goal and work toward it and keep at it. Do not give up! You will see the results that you worked hard for and deserve.

Now that that's all said and done, I still love to eat. I'm a foodie and I'll alway be. One of my guilty pleasures is looking at food pictures, either ones that people have posted or my own...

triple espresso

Waffles for breakfast is a great way to wake up. I love mine loaded with fresh berries.

Blueberries. Strawberrries. Raspberries. Maple syrup.

Half of a waffle wasn't satisfying enough so I had another one. This time, sans blueberries and with a drizzle of chocolate syrup.

Such a great way to start the day!

When you work in an office for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, it's so important to go out and stretch out your legs... My walks consist of admiring nature, visiting the neighborhood pets, and snapping random pictures.

It looks like the flower is just exuding light from within... Amazing.

The colors are incredibly vibrant.

I'm the type of person that loves meetings... as long as the topic is interesting... or if there's a good spread of refreshments.

Flipping through a magazine during a meeting and came across this...

I can only wonder what the chocolate dome encases...

Driving by, the boyfriend and I decided to make a stop at Currywurst for some German hot dogs. It was unplanned, but certainly beats sitting in local traffic. I can't understand why the city decides to do major road work on a Friday during peak traffic time... but anyway...

The garlic fries with curry ketchup was amazing.

At night, my girlfriends and I grabbed gelato from a local place in the neighborhood.

Madagascar Chocolate. Salted Caramel. Stracciatella. Espresso Chip. 

Unintentionally, we all had a scoop of the Espresso Chip.

I loved today's 70 degrees weather... That is the perfect temperature for me. 

Be Cool shirt. Abercrombie shorts. Guess bracelet. Steve Madden booties.

I wasn't feeling too well though so I needed some Asian comfort food.

House steamed chicken with green onion in oil for dipping. 

So satisfying with a bowl of rice. I wish I knew how to make this for myself.

I also finally got to try some Iced Sea Salt Jasmine Green Tea from 85C Bakery, and I brought home a bag of fresh pastries to try. I can't wait to indulge...

8-miles

Some of you may not know that the name of my blog comes from one of my dogs, Kami, a Japanese pure-breed Akita. They are strong, independent, and usually aggressive; however, extremely loyal to their owners. 

 Kami is unusually sweet and not aggressive at all. He is a true baby although he looks quite intimidating. His best friend is Toby, a Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix that is 1/4 his size.

Unlike Toby, Kami's very camera-shy. He always looks away!

Seven7 dress. M. Haskell bracelet. Kenneth Cole wedges.

I made my first visit to Lette today. I love the way they display their macarons.

It's like macarons riding on waves... You have to see it for yourself.

I picked up a box of 6: Vanille De Madagascar, Chocolat Des Caraibes, Cafe De Colombie, Noix De Coco, The Early Grey, and Caramel Sale.

I enjoyed it the way it was recommended. Delicious!

My boyfriend and I also stopped by a neighborhood pizza place for lunch during our 8-mile walk. This place was an unexpected surprise.

Small green salad with housemade Balsamic dressing... The dressing was amazing!

We also shared a hand-spun thin-crust pizza.

Housemade sausage and Wisconsin mozzarella cheese.

sweet tooth

The best part of a meal is the ending... I always save room for dessert.

One of my favorite French desserts is creme brulee. I love digging my spoon through the burnt sugar top into the creamy custard. This trio (two only shown) was served in tiny ramekins so I had a good mix burnt sugar crust, fresh berries, and custard.

Sometimes the best things come in three!

Fresh fruit sorbet... This pic reminds me of a yummy stoplight.

What's your favorite dessert?