Cause I'm a foodie!

Hi everyone! With spring semester starting up I'm back to eating on campus or on Bliss Street. My personal Bliss favorite is Paul. Sometimes when I'm in uni, I don't feel like having a separate lunch and breakfast so I end up going for brunch at around 11:30 AM. At Paul they do an amazing "Petit Dejeuner" which is actually really affordable. At a mere price of 17,500 L.L., you are served 4 pieces of different kinds of baguette, butter and jam, a croissant of your choice, coffee or tea, and juice. It's really filling and delicious! When I know I won't be having any food later until like the afternoon or dinner even, I order their other breakfast combo which consists of the same things with the addition of an omelette making it 23,000 L.L.! Now you got your proteins too and you can last without any food for quite some time! The calm atmosphere, the delicious smell of coffee and bread, and the great prices make me really happy while I take a break from my classes. I hope you stop by some time soon! :) 

Paul

Can you not?

Hi everyone! My post today can be considered a rant I guess but it's also a form of awareness about an issue that highly affects anyone who owns a car. 

Almost everyone nowadays has a form of attachment to their phones, it's always in their hands or at arm's reach at least, even while they're driving. The era of "texting and driving" has come upon us, it's been around for a while, but I only see it increasing instead of toning down although there are many awareness campaigns against it. What I see on my way to the university each day are people in their cars, with their left hand on the wheel, their neck painfully bent to their right side, and their eyes desperately trying to make sure they read and replied right to their text after which they cast a single glance at the road and go back to the same texting routine. 
Yep, I'm sure whoever you're texting there will grant you another life if you get in a car accident cause you're so absorbed in your phone instead of having your eyes on the road. Every time I see someone texting in the car I have a crazy urge to honk at them (which I do sometimes), I just can't tolerate their stupidity! Is whatsapp really that important? Oh and my personal favorite part of the whole thing, is when they slowly start drifting to my lane and end up in my lane just enough for me not to be able to pass them. Then I end up honking and they move and look at me, that look that just screams "what's your problem?", yes sorry I bothered your texting spree, my bad, please do continue.  I mean if the person you're talking to can't wait until you reach your destination to talk to you then who cares about them?! The people that care about you would actually want you to ignore your phone in order to stay safe on the road!
What I find funny is that those people who are in fact texting and driving, completely ignore their phones for other things that are less important. They ignore their phones while watching a movie for example, if you can ignore your phone in a movie theatre, can't you do that in the car? 
You're putting your lives and other people's lives in danger by doing this, just please stop.

Jasparelle Jewelry Design

Hi everyone! Today's post aims at supporting a lebanese designer and a friend of mine Daniella Maamari who has developed her own jewelry line called Jasparelle Jewelry Design. I honestly love the pieces she has made; they have their own vibe that mixes simplicity with creativity. I didn't even think twice about buying pieces from her line after only a little while of her launching it! The pieces I purchased are a necklace and matching earrings that are shown in the photo below!

Well would you look at that gorgeous color and pretty design! I was really giddy when I received my new jewelry and I think everyone deserves a little Jasparelle in their lives! 

Check out the instagram account on which you will see various pieces from the line:

@jasparelle_jewelrydesign

I hope everyone supports this local designer who juggles her university courses while managing and designing a jewelry line! 

Daily Makeup Routine

Hi everyone! Through my posts I've mentioned two of my beauty favorites so I thought why not show you the products I use on a daily basis!

Alright so, these are the products I use on a daily basis and that I will be using for college (if I'm not lazy). I usually start with concealer which I did not include in the picture, but it is MaxFactor Pan Stik in the color "Bisque Ivory 96". I apply that under my eyes to hide the annoying dark circles and on any spots. Then I move on to the Rimmel matte BB cream in the shade "Light", I've mentioned this product before so I won't go into detail about it. I apply it all over my face and neck to get a homogeneous look. Then I move on to the mascara which is the Rocket mascara from Maybelline, I absolutely love this mascara, I've probably renewed it like three times. Then I put on some eyeliner for which I use the Colossal Kajal which is also Maybelline. This eyeliner lasts a very long time, it doesn't smudge, and it gives a very strong black color.Then I use the Samoa Filon Doré blush. It consists of peachy pinks and browns giving an overall peachy look. I apply the blush with the Victoria's secret blush brush. Finally, I use my recently purchased Color Drama lip pencil from Maybelline in the color "Nude Perfection 630", the easiest lipstick I've ever applied! More about it was mentioned in my previous post.

So that's it everyone, my daily makeup routine! It gives a natural not too over-the-top look and takes so little time! 

Trying to get artistic lol

Color Drama - Maybelline

Hi everyone! Yesterday I went to ABC and obviously ended up in the makeup section when I realized that I need new mascara. When I got to the Maybelline stand (I wanted the Rocket mascara they have) I noticed new lip pencils. I've been recently obsessed with nudes, so I thought I'd buy that one from the collection which is "Nude Perfection 630". I put it on today and it definitely is perfection! I absolutely adored the texture it gave my lips, very velvety and matte. I also liked it because it was very easy for me to outline my lips using it instead of having to use a lip liner too and it gave my small lips a bigger size. It's really easy to use and it will definitely be a part of my on-the-go makeup bag! Not to mention that it's really long lasting! The "Color Drama" collection is available in the six colors shown in the photo! Go and get your own!

COLOR MY SPRING/SUMMER 2015

Hi everyone! I went through way too many spring/summer 2015 collections in the past two days, all I remember is a blur of dresses and colors! So today's post is going to include my favorite look from each collection! I focused on color for this post; I love color for the warm seasons so here goes! I chose looks from the collections of some of my favorite designers! I hope the following looks will help you figure out what's in for the coming season and how to implement that in a more affordable wardrobe! 

Zuhair Murad

Well thank you Zuhair for grouping 4 dresses in one look or it would have taken me forever to choose a favorite! This is "Look 1" from Zuhair Murad's collection. I absolutely fell in love with the red-based florals on white. The flowers are so subtle and look more like a design than actual separate flowers which honestly makes me like the look even more. I also adored the white outfit which incorporates a lot of lace. 

Fendi

One word: ELSA! This dress looks like something Elsa from the Disney movie Frozen would wear during summer! This dress is the look 46 from the Fendi collection. I absolutely love the shade of blue used for this dress, it's so playful and gives a cool aura in the summer heat. I love the movement of this dress, the motion of the feathers is so natural with every step the model takes. This dress is downright adorable and I think anyone would look like a princess wearing this.

 

Marchesa

Class, romance, and style. Three words to describe look 8 from the Marchesa collection. To me, this jumpsuit is a date night outfit. It brings out the romantic lady in every woman! I love the floral prints on it, and their pale pink colors! The fabric is so light on the skin; the top fringe is beautiful! I love this look and I would love it if I find something similar, fingers crossed! 

Carolina Herrera

So I'm normally not one to like a yellow dress, let alone a yellow anything but I couldn't help but adore this one! This is look 10 from Carolina Herrera's collection. What I really liked about this dress is that the shade of yellow isn't the vibrant fluorescent one, but the pale easy-to-look-at yellow. I usually have to squint whenever I see a yellow clothing item, lol. I love how the dress starts tight at the top and then naturally flows across the body. The play with the material on the waist area is beautiful! I'm the type of person who loves when design is done with the fabric not by adding sequins and such so I really liked this dress!

Elie Saab

This dress looks like the sea went off shore and wrapped itself around the model's body. This is look 28 from the Elie Saab collection. I love the very subtle transition of color from light blue to dark blue, it's so easy on the eye. This dress reminded of Greek goddesses, the slit across the leg and the cringe in the center are perfectly done. I really liked the amount of skin revealed in this dress. just enough to give classy yet sexy look.

Donna Karen

Oh my red! This dress is look 22 from Donna Karen's collection. The color of this dress is the exact shade of red that I wouldn't mind wearing every single day. I love how easily this dress flows around the model's body and how softly it wraps the model's upper body. I did not like the bag with the dress at all though. The dress is gorgeous as it is, a huge bag is a no-no for me! 

Kate Spade

Class, class, class! This dress is look 9 from the Kate Spade collection. This look is so elegant from the collar to the button down to the little tiny section of skin this crop top reveals moving on to the high-waisted skirt that covers the right amount of legs! I especially loved the accessories in this look! The hat, the clutch, the shoes, they're all so perfect for this dress!

Chanel

Coco would be so proud of this outfit! This is look 33 from the Chanel collection. I love the preppy versus feminine vibe this outfit portrays! The florals are perfect for spring and I specifically love their pink color! The pockets are such a great addition to the outfit, keeping it fashionable yet casual! Who doesn't love Chanel?

Céline 

Ending this post with Céline! This is look 40 from the Céline collection. I usually don't like mixing red with pink or purple for that matter. But what better to try this mix than Céline? I love that not much was done with the design of this dress because the colors are enough to grab attention. I love that it was accessorized with a long necklace and a red clutch! I especially loved that the shoes match the necklace keeping the colors to a minimum. Céline, everyone!

I hope you loved the looks guys! 

FOREVER 21 IN LEBANON!

Hi guys! My excitement was at its peak today considering it was the grand opening of Forever 21 in City Centre in Lebanon! FINALLY right?! I've been waiting for this store to open in Lebanon ever since I started reading magazines which was when I was like 7 or 8 years old! That's a long time! Obviously, at the time none of the items would fit me but I knew I'd want to wear their clothes when I'm older. I pretty much told everyone I know about the opening; sometimes even excessively to an extent where I think I started boring people, lol!

The place was insanely crowded today! I waited for almost 25 minutes in a cue to reach the cashier! That just shows how much girls were anticipating the opening of this store! The items are pretty and highly affordable! From clothes to bags to accessories to PJs to shoes, you name it, they have it!

They even have a Men section that I had no idea existed and I was actually looking through it until I realized the huge "Men" sign right above my head. Awkward! 

I snapped a few pictures in the store (including a photo of the cue, couldn't help myself!) Visit the store everyone! 

Kinda blurry but LOOK that's the Men section I proudly walked into! lol!

Cue insanity!!!

Finally, my attempt at a Panorama!

Maroon 5? YES PLEASE!

Hi everyone! I just watched the latest Maroon 5 music video in which they crash random weddings all over LA!  People's reactions in this video are priceless; seeing the shock and happiness on their faces is such a rush! I am infinitely jealous of these brides! It's such a cute idea and it put a smile on my face all through the video! Enjoy it everyone!!

Two Masterpieces

I guess I've been having a really awesome week considering I watched two of the most amazing movies I've ever seen. I don't consider myself to be reviewing the movies right now because I am literally in no position to judge these movies in any way other than saying that they are incredible. They both narrate a certain part of the lives of two important and highly inspirational people. 

Let's talk about The Theory of Everything first. It talks about the part of Stephen Hawking's life in which he first discovers that he has a disease and how he battles it with his first wife Jane Wilde. The movie basically focuses on his marriage to Jane Wilde. The movie is heartbreaking, I cried a good number of times, but it is unmissable. It shows the difficulties Stephen overcomes, and how the love that he shares with Jane kept him going. Jane Wilde is an inspirational woman, and actress Felicity Jones portrayed her in an extraordinary way, I could actually feel all her emotions through the movie and I guess that's why I cried so much. Not to mention, Eddie Redmayne who played Stephen Hawking in an out of this world way, the resemblance is mind-blowing and his acting is honestly completely deserving of the Golden Globe award he won a few days ago. This movie is, hands down, one of the best movies I've seen and it's a shame to miss it. 

Moving on to The Imitation Game now! Two words: Benedict Cumberbatch. Can this actor get any better? He honestly impressed me and probably everyone watching this movie by his performance. The movie talks about the mathematician, Alan Turing, who develops a machine that cracks Enigma. I'm not going to go into the details of what that is, you're going to have to watch! The whole movie keeps you at the edge of your seat, no suspense, no crazy action scenes, nothing like that, and yet the anticipation you feel in this movie is really strong. The part that really struck me most was the ending in which we are told about something that Queen Elizabeth II did for Turing, which I will not be revealing here, it doesn't really affect the movie events but I enjoyed reading it at the end of the movie so I want everyone else to enjoy it too! Amazing movie, PERFECT cast, and a truly mind-blowing story! 

"This is culture."

TOP 5 GOLDEN GLOBE LOOKS!

Hi everyone!

Alright so I'm no style expert but I do have opinions especially when it comes to fashion!

So as most of you would already know, the 72nd annual Golden Globes award show was last night! My favorite part about the whole thing is checking out the celebrity looks! Obviously all of them looked stunning but I can't help but like a few more than the rest. Alright so let's get started with my top 5 golden globe looks of 2015! 

5. Out of the five looks I liked most, the look that took fifth position has to be that of Amal Ramzi Clooney. She is dressed in a Dior gown that I think is breath-taking and incredibly classy! I love the fact that she wore black, it just emphasized her elegance! Her hair and Harry Winston earrings are on point, however I wasn't a big fan of her white gloves that she apparently sewed herself the morning of the Golden Globes.
I couldn't help but choose a picture that also has George Clooney in it because they are one of my favorite celebrity couples. His suit was actually the tux he wore to his wedding! Easy choice for Mr. Clooney!

4. The fourth place goes to Chrissy Teigen who is dressed in a gorgeous gown by Zuhair Murad. The pale pink color of the dress really accentuates her skin tone and gives her a glow. I love how much this dress covers up skin and yet manages to give her a flirtatious look due to all the lace action going on! This look has elegance written all over it, from the dress to the silver Tyler Alexandra clutch and Harry Kotlar jewels!
What I also loved about this look is the hair, the messy ponytail creates an amazing balance with the dress making this look playful and absolutely glamorous!

3. Third place goes to Taylor Schilling! This red dress is STUNNING! I, personally, adore red dresses and this Ralph Lauren one is truly beautiful! The bare back is revealing but in an elegant way! I love how she kept her makeup simple basically focusing on the red lipstick to match the dress, although I usually dislike red lipstick and red clothes, but she made it work! The bun is so classy and lifts her hair up in order not to distract everyone from the beauty of the dress's design. Striking color and gorgeous dress!

2. I am so proud to share the nationality of the designer who created this masterpiece of a dress! I absolutely fell in love with this Zuhair Murad gown! This is probably my all-time favorite look of Nina dobrev. This dress is magical. I literally feel like it could be pulled out of a ball scene from a Disney fairy tale and Nina looks like a natural princess! The sequins, the dark black color, the sheer fabric in places, they all make the perfect dress! Not to mention, her side-swept hair added a lovely touch to her elegant look! Zuhair Murad amazes us once again ladies and gents!

1. My FAVORITE look that took the number one position in my opinion is that of Kate Beckinsale! Once again, lebanese fashion designers make us proud! This dress is an Elie Saab design! I have always been a fan of his designs and I am definitely a fan of this one! I love the fabric, how it flows perfectly across her waist and down her legs. The sequins match the color of her accessories which I thought was absolutely perfect! What I loved most about this look is the color of this dress and the contrast it makes with her sun-kissed skin. I also especially loved the ballerina bun up-do that she finished off this look with! Not to mention the dark nails that I thought created a bold statement!











There you have it folks! My favorite looks of this year's Golden Globe awards! I hope you loved these looks as much as I did! Thanks for reading!

The Water Diviner

I have one word for this movie: incredible. It's been out for a few weeks here in Lebanon, but it was not until yesterday that I decided to watch it. The movie is set in the time of the World War I and talks about a man who has lost his children who went to battle. Basically, the events depict his journey to finding them, dead or alive. This movie isn't like any other war movie, it has many different elements to it. You can find a little romance, some humorous scenes honestly, and some really sweet and sad scenes. The events unravel in the most interesting way keeping anyone watching this movie completely alert and wanting more. I know it's a good movie, because, at a certain point, even some guys were sniffling and getting teary-eyed and it's not easy to make a grown man cry. It's such an amazing movie that I don't think anyone should miss, and if you do miss it PLEASE get it on DVD. It's such a wake-up call for everyone to realize how heartbreaking the war really is. 

Ed Sheeran's Tribute to his Grandfather

I recently received Ed Sheeran's latest album X as a gift so it's obviously been all I listen to for a while now. I assume many of you do this; I had a few favorites on the album so I kept them on repeat completely ignoring other songs. Yesterday, though, I thought hey let me check out those last couple songs on the album that I previously hadn't listened to. And oh my God guys I ended up absolutely falling love with the last song "Afire Love". As I listened to the lyrics I noticed that it's some sort of tribute to his grandfather. The song talks about how his grandfather had Alzheimer's disease and the love that he shared with his wife. My favorite part is the chorus in which Ed writes "I could look into your eyes until the sun comes up, and we're wrapped in light, in life, in love", a line that Ed Sheeran says his grandfather would say to his grandmother. This song is beautiful, heartwarming, and honestly a bit sad. The combination of the music, the lyrics, and Ed's soft voice creates a beautiful tribute to his grandfather that you should all listen to!

Coldplay: my favorite music videos of 2014

I'm going to assume that everyone reading this is familiar with the band "Coldplay", because it's one of the bands that has, actually, quite captivating music. Wow, that sounded posh, anyway! I watch a ton of music videos because they're like short movies and who doesn't enjoy taking a 3 minute break and watching a little movie! So over the course of 2014 I watched way too many music videos for my own good and I'll have to say there were many good ones among which are "Blank Space" by Taylor Swift and "Maps" by Maroon 5, but the ones that really caught my eye and I can watch over and over and still enjoy them like it's the first time must be those of Coldplay. The videos are those of the songs "True Love", "Magic", and "Sky Full of Stars". I'm not going to describe each video because that would take too long and probably bore anyone reading this, also because I feel like the three videos have something in common and that is the atmosphere of hope. "True Love" talks about chasing a seemingly impossible dream, "Magic" talks about freeing a lover from a horrible situation, and "Sky Full of Stars" is just a downright happy and optimistic video! The message behind these three videos to me is that anything can be done and that there will always be someone who loves you, someone who shares the same dream as you do and would want to accomplish it with you! It's kind of like the course of life: you find someone, you want to be with them, and do things together, and in the videos that's the exact representation but in a specific and entertaining way for an audience to enjoy watching. When I watch these music videos I can't help but smile, maybe it's because they are really good or maybe it's just the presence of Chris Martin, kidding! But yeah, if anyone's looking for a few minutes of pure happiness, check out these three music videos found in the links below!

True Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpl_6jotaHA

Magic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtb11P1FWnc

Sky Full of Stars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPRjCeoBqrI

Rimmel BB Cream

Hi everyone!
Today's post is about one of my beauty favorites!

Alright so, the Rimmel BB Cream 9-in-1 is an essential part of my daily makeup routine.
According to the tube, it has 9 functions including:

1. Minimizes the appearance of pores
2. Evens skin tone
3. Mattifies
4. Controls shine all day
5. Smoothes
6. Soothes
7. Conceals dark cirlces
8. Helps prevent blemishes
9. Gives all-day coverage

Obviously, we don't always believe what the tube says, but in this case it is completely true! This BB cream works magic on my skin! I use it in the light shade during winter and the medium shade during summer in order to match my skin tone. One of the reasons I love this BB cream is how easy it is to spread it and the unified skin color it gives. First, I apply concealer on some of my annoying little spots and on my dark circles which takes about 2 minutes. Then, I apply the BB cream all over my face and a bit on my neck which takes a maximum of 5 minutes. This is perfect for anyone who's in a hurry to go to school, college, or work! The best part about it is that you don't have to apply powder all over your face in order to keep the cream in place; BB cream works as a moisturizer so the skin absorbs it and it stays fixed wherever you apply it. 

I prefer using BB cream instead of foundation on a daily basis, because foundation damages my skin so it's a bad choice for daily use!

The Rimmel BB Cream is extremely affordable and available in 3 shades (light, medium, dark), I hope you try it out! 

"Reincarnation" by Karl Lagerfeld

"Reincarnation" is a short seven minute movie created by Karl Lagerfeld with the musical collaboration of Pharrell Williams and Cara Delevigne. The song featured in this movie "CC The World" is written by Pharrell Williams himself and performed by him and Delevigne.

So we got those facts straight, now let me tell you my opinion on this video. I think it's incredibly beautiful! The setting, the music, the wardrobe, it's all so magical. From the playful and rebellious Cara Delevigne to the serious and calm Pharrell Williams, the collaboration is perfect. As the video starts we see two paintings hung on a wall of both Cara and Pharrell dressed in the finest fashion. Then we see them again in petty jobs, with Pharrell being the elevator boy and Cara a waitress. Through their actions and expressions you can sense their unhappiness and their longing for more. At midnight, however, we see them come out of the paintings and dance to the song previously mentioned which is also performed by them. By the end of the movie, we see Coco Chanel's (played by Geraldine Chaplin) interest in Pharrell's elevator boy jacket, the jacket that inspired her to do the iconic Chanel jacket.

The transition of scenes demonstrates the longing for a dream which I think many of us can relate to, we all have a dream that we would like to see unravel before our eyes. Also the way it was portrayed gives the somewhat magical atmosphere of the early 1900s.

I really loved the video; I think a wide audience would like it, not necessarily those interested in fashion. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!