BROWS | SOFT TOUCH OMBRE

As memory serves me, the year 2000 was amazing; Von Dutch reigned supreme and AIM screennames were the level up for today’s sliding DM’s. What a time to be alive… I digress, some not so great things also spawned in 2000, such as chola eyebrows and Sun-In induced brass hair. My only regret is that I should have listened to my mother, “don’t touch your eyebrows.” – key advice to live by.  My mistakes have led me to where I am now, browless.

I opted for the soft touch ombre versus microblading. My skin type (oily) also plays a factor in retaining the ink. With the soft touch ombre, I may get a touch up once a year versus every 3 months with microbalding. The techniques for each service is different. Microblading is the procedure of placing color into the dermal layer of the skin. Pigment is implanted using tiny needles to resemble makeup or to mimic hair where it is lacking in eyebrows or scalp. Soft Touch Ombre is performed using a micro-pigmentation machine. The results tend to last longer than microblading as the pigment is inserted deeper than the manual method of microblading. 

I got my brows done back in 2015, but I recently got them re-shaded a couple of weeks ago. Sharon was the first to draw an outline my brows and Helena, in turn, shaded them in. On my recent visit, Helena solely outlined and shaded my brows. She does amazing work comes highly recommended by me if you were interested in the service (psst, tell her I sent you).  The procedure is virtually painless and healing may take a couple of days, the results are wonderful. My artist chose the ink according to my skin tone, they faded gracefully to an ash brown –never green. I urge anyone who is tired of drawing their brows to bite the bullet. Time is money baby, and I don’t have time for my past mistakes.

SPA BY MODE 

9916 Bolsa Ave

Westminster, CA 92683

(714) 775-7478
ask for Helena!!!

I have not had my brows retouched in 2 years. They held up nicely, but I was due for a touch-up.

No makeup on the brows shown below. 

My brows completely healed with no brow makeup...magical.

THE SHIT | SIMPLEHUMAN MIRROR

My recent trip to Hawaii has changed the game for my makeup application. My hotel came equipped with a Toto bidet (next purchase) and a Simplehuman wall mounted mirror – both were equal game changers for me. I didn’t realize how much I needed a wall mounted mirror until I experienced the Simplehuman sensor mirror. I definitely liked that this a cordless product and has LED lighting to mimic natural sunlight. One charge is supposed to last five weeks, so you don’t have to worry about regularly plugging it in. I’m a fan of the LED light as it operates on a sensor, which powers on and off automatically. Overall my home is built as smart home so it only makes sense to streamline my daily routines to maximize efficiency and energy. The price may be steep at $200.00 but for me this worth the investment.

Buy Here 

PAM CAN COOK | CHICKEN SOUP

I find myself concocting soups in the colder months with the mindset of “set it and forget it.” You'll be amazed at how the water magically transforms into a gorgeous, multi-layered broth. Homemade soup always sounds like such a feat, but it's actually nothing more than letting everything marinate in a big ol' pot of simmering water. Invest two hours into it and you'll yield at least four lovely meals for your efforts. This soup is fortifying, but I wouldn't necessarily describe it as "hearty." It's rather light, and perfect if you are in the mood for something warm or you're weaning off a cold. This recipe is great if you are wanting to shed a few pounds (lunch or dinner) - this is my go-to for leaning out.

I used an older free-range chicken because of its full flavor and I also added carrots, celery tops, onion, leeks, and garlic (you can add orzo or a pasta of your choice, but I decided to omit the carbs). You can just roughly chop everything. As a note, salt your soup conservatively, the broth will naturally sweeten from the chicken and mirepoix of vegetables, therefore salt will only taint the harmony of the broth.

1 leek stalk
3 small carrots or 1 large carrot, sliced into chunks
4-5 celery stalks, save the tops for garnish and texture
4 large cloves of garlic smashed

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1 Whole Chicken (free range/organic is preferred)
½ teaspoon of kosher salt

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1. Fill a soup pot with water and put it over high heat.

2. Submerge your chicken into the water –make sure you have enough water to cover the chicken.

3. Once the water comes to a rolling boil add the chicken & garlic cloves. Let it simmer on medium heat for 1 hour, skim off all of the scud and discard. Carefully remove the chicken and let it cool.

4. Add all of your chopped vegetables, except for the celery tops -add those at the end for color and texture.

5. Sprinkle in about ½ salt to taste.

7. Shred the chicken (there is something about hand shredded chicken in soup)

8. Cover with a lid and let it simmer for 1/2 hour.

CURATED

I have been living in California for over 6 years, previously Orange County and currently Los Angeles. Spending my days exploring both counties have quite a contrast. For one everything closes in OC at 10pm, good luck grabbing a late bite to eat. LA is more forgiving in that aspect, Korean BBQ at 3am, make that AYCE. Of course I had my reservations about moving to LA, I was safe in my OC bubble, I had my weekend rituals dialed down. Targets aplenty, gated communities galore, but it lacked something - originality.  

Last weekend I had the simple pleasure of grabbing a good latte and strolled about my Saturday morning. I stumbled upon a little gem with bodega like vibes. If you are a foodie like me, you can appreciate the aesthetics of a seasonal selection. Upon closer inspection of the produce, this was a nicely curated store with a gorgeous greeting of grass-fed meats and fresh vegetables.  Small but diverse produce that's sourced from local farms and ready-made accouterments for a grab and go (anchovy butter compound wrapped in butcher paper, sold). What a treat would it be to baste my rib-eye in some of that umami richness. 

COOKBOOK

5611 N Figueroa St

Los Angeles, CA 90042

Highland Park

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FAIL FORWARD

If you are reading this, chances are you have followed me through the ages. Here I am 7 years later wondering if my internet persona still proceeds me. Often times I find fear clouding my perception and I get lost in my own head. It’s hard putting in the work, it’s easier to let fear drive the wheel. I am impatient and heavily results driven, which leads me to the cusp of millennialism that may be my crutch.  I often find myself wrapped up in thought. Half the time it is mindless observations that are checked off, or better lack of word checked out.  I am a strong believer that one should release what no longer serves them; with that is the clutter of possessions, energies, and fear. Fear takes over for most, thus diminishing the focus on the opportunities that lie ahead. Don’t start life on a clean slate, don’t let ignorance be your warm blanket. It is time to fail forward, for fear should longer serve me or you.  

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DO YOU REMEMBER

I once authored a blog that was once proactive and some may have called it inspirational. I want to go back to that, but with growth and some new outtakes on life. I took a very long hiatus (3 years, 2 months, and 5 days to be exact) I no longer enjoyed what I wrote and I wasn’t mentally committed to producing content for the sake of a scheduled post. Needless to say, I was over it. I was encapsulated in the fear of judgment that sucked the living creativity out of me. It was visual gratification that lead to very little substance. I think the reason why I've been having such writer's block is that I am still trying to figure out how my experiences have affected me. I've learned to live in the present and enjoy the moment in all its translucence. For the longest time, I've been predisposed to thinking that something is always bound to go wrong. I can't tell you how often I've been preoccupied with what might happen versus enjoying what is happening. My facade seemed like a lifetime ago. Everyone has a history and for a while I allowed it to define me. I've grown to be decisive with the smallest details because I know I won't settle for anything less than my worth - know your worth.

The hiatus has allowed me to live authentically. The emphasis was removing the filtered lens and living life to my standard and not on a fabricated perception. I did not have the pressures of social media dictating my life. Experiencing growth without interruption were the most transformative years of my life. I feel energized and inspired, therefore I can perform on this platform with authenticity and credibility. I am willing to expose my idiosyncrasies and perhaps share an opinion or two. Writing had always felt cathartic, but now I can better articulate my thoughts. I am learning that no one can judge you for your experiences simply because they haven't lived your life. You learn that negativity is not a reflection of something you did, but rather the deflection of what the individual feels about themselves. Writing is simply a vehicle to reminiscence a memory or illustrate a thought. Sometimes it comes easily to me and at other times it's paralyzing.

Most importantly I want to give a shout out to my readers who reached out to me over the years. When I get messages that I impacted your life in some way, its those kinds of compliments that are worth fetching for. There’s a kind of serenity that people respond to as you improve in life. The co-dependency between blogger and the reader is vital. It’s the connection between me and you that brought xppinkx back from the dead. You really lit the fire under my derrière and ignited my passion to create, and for that I thank you. In this digital world are inundated with social media platforms like Youtube, Snapchat, and Instagram. It's hard to know what captures people's attention nowadays. It's comforting to know that you still like to read. Whatever I choose to create, I am moving full steam ahead. With that being said, I am really glad to be back.



To my ride or dies, this one's for you