Birthday weekend

In photos:

Honey and I went out to Galatoire's for my birthday dinner. It was a pleasant evening with just us two. I had a Mimosa to start off. We ordered the Souffle Potatoes and Oyster Rockafella for appetizers. The Souffle Potatoes was featured on The best thing I ever ate 'Old School' by John Besh. It was simple and interesting. Something you have to say you've tried before at this restaurant.

He had the Salmon with Crabmeat Yvonne on top while I tried the turtle soup. We were full by then so skipped desserts. After dinner, we went to boomtown to try my birthday free spin. I only got $5 to play free slots and I won like $7. Bleh* But I tried my luck and I won $50 at the Roulette table! Then end the night with some frozen yogurt at Tutti Frutti. =)

The following night Julie came down to our surprise and we hung out at the Tet festival at church. Had a few drinks there and enjoyed the live concert. After the fair we went to Metro and danced the night away!

I drank a little too much but Vinh took good care of me. Here I am all straighten up with my cousins and sister. We didn't leave the club til like 4am. And yes, we all made it to mass in the morning!

Oh, I can't forget my beautiful earrings Vinh got me for my Birthday! =) David Yurman pearl drop earrings. It's so lovely! Espcially with my hair curled. I wore it right away to church Sunday! I love it! I'm starting to have a collection now. Yikes! I'm so Blessed! Thank you so much to everyone that shared my birthday this year! I had an awesome night full of loved ones!

a material girl?

A Materialistic Person. My thought on this was written years ago and til this day I still feel the same way about it. (Post January 2008) But a new lesson I learn from a bad experience has lead me to this topic: Quailty over Quanitity.

I don't think I am materialistic. I just grew a fashion mentality. "One awesome gadget or tool is often better than five mediocre ones. One great looking shirt often brings more joy than ten from the clearance rack."

I'm not rich, but when I do have the extra dough I'd like to save it for something special and really nice. Over the years, I find I keep buying clothes and follow the trends. What am I trying to do? Chase something that's never meant to be caught? a fad, a trend. As I grew older, I find that I need to save money and spend wisely. Believe me, it just comes with age. For a good while, I was a repeat offender. I wore what I had and add only things that will compliment what I already have. It helped save money to finish my school loan. I only spend when it's a Good Buy. I need to think of my future and buy things that I can wear year after year. So I'm thinking basic classic pieces. More mature. Inspiration: Wendy's Lookbook.

Because of her, it made me open my eyes to a whole new world of fashion. I used to think I can never afford that and I can't have that, so why try... But I am now! I recently got into accessories, which I never thought much of before. Jewerly was my first step into it all. I was in the Jewelmint stage. Then I finally figured I was wasting more money on their monthly subscription than I had planned. Bad Expierence. so I cancelled that. My first real jewlry piece. My MK watch! I'd like to say I bought myself that as a gift for passing the boards. I wear it alot! It's the only good quality piece I had. I must say I wear my boyfriend's last year's christmas gift alot too. My small diamond hoop earrings. And this year's my new bracelet! I can't wait til the next one. LOL! There's another accessory I never thought I'd have. No one I know has one either... So I had to jump at it. It was my first big good buy: A Stephen Sprouse: Brown LV Leopard Print Scarf. A timeless and classic piece! and Limited Edition from 2008. I bit my tongue a little as I purchased it. Pre-loved from ebay. Crazy right?! I'd tell myself, I only need one good scarf. Check! I already have a classic black bag. Check! with a matching wallet! Check! =) I'm still trying to find a couple of more classic pieces. Whew* To think I already started my little closet for years to come! I very much enjoy my one and only Gucci purse I bought two years ago and it is still in good condition, and I find that I still use it year after year. =) If it ever breaks down I'd be sad! Sad I tell you! It was my first big purchase and it is sentimental to me. I feel the same way about my scarf. It is such a lovely piece and I adore it! My next thing is shoes. I have more than enough shoes rigth now to last me a good while. Until one breaks down, then I will buy another one. And it's gonna be a good one. =) I know the best brand for my feet are Nine West. In my whole life-time of wearing heels. I had the fortunate event of having two most loved pair of shoes. My first one I bought at Ross years ago and it was a simple black square toe Nine West pump. It gotten torn and ripped up And taken it's burial grounds. Luckily, I happen to stumble upon the second most loved shoe and it is also an Nine West shoe. It is my grey suede wedges. I love love it! So I'mhoping to have another one. I know it's is not a Louboutin. but I tried those shoes on. It is umcomfortable for me. Sorry but it's not meant to be Christian Louboutins. but YSL shoes.... they fit like a glove. >_< lol!

To someone I Trusted

Before you point fingers at others, look at yourself. It doesn't make you a better person calling me arrogant and preaching me how to live my life. You can't accept me, Thao, or Thanh. You can't accept differences and talk bad about us. You always complain they should wake up and realize this is reality. And then you said it to me? Wtf? Even though our lives are different and not the way you think it should be, it doesn't mean it's wrong and only your way is right. Try to accept people lives are different. My boyfriend graduated in his 30's... So stop talking bad about Huan and David. It's not surprising if you bad mouthed me and try to make people around you think less of me either. Just like you talk bad about Thao, Thanh, and people we know to me, I'm sure you're doing it about me to others. You take joy with rubbing in your successes in their shortcomings. Even if you are not their friend, you don't need to be mean to them. But of course you wouldn't be yourself if you didn't talk bad about me. I understand you are a complicated and difficult person and must have things your way or else. Sometimes you come across really rude, but I overlooked that. It's not always pleasant going to masquerades with you when you complain about things. Our friend was drunk... Sorry it ruined your night but it's not always about you. When your sister was drunk as masq... we went home early... And you was the same to her. When someone needs you, you gotta understand and make room for them. It's not always about you and what you want. And that time at the bowling alley when you went off at the cashier lady over drinks was really too much. But it's okay. When you're someone's friend you accept that person for who they are even if it's not the best. It's just who they are. You can't change someone. So don't try to change me. I'm glad I'm not your friend anymore. Because in reality. Deep inside my heart, I've always felt very uncomfortable about your home wrecking ways. You should never come in between a relationship because you have no idea what they are going through. It's not always about what you want. You're the black ink I need erasing. And you create enemies. When what you need is true friendship. I can't believe I had to questioned our friendship on the trip in AU. Within just a few hours of landing, you shot me down for being myself. I know I do get excited over little things and maybe stole your thunder. And you know what? It was not hard to do. You made it easy with your uptight personality. And i'm not saying you're always uptight and difficult. For the most part you were nice to me. But as they say, "a person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is not a nice person." And as a friend I overlooked that and didn't think of it much. You know I was crying next to you in the back seat as Anna and Jeffery drove us to darling harbor that first day. But I sucked it up... And try to do what you say. And still be your friend. I could have left back home to US that day, but sucked it up because i know i can deal with it. I took with a grain of salt and move on. I can let things go. If it's not worth having a argument over, I wouldn't want to. But for you, it made you so furious every moment I was there and you held that grudge on for the whole trip and became distant with me. And even stayed distant months after. That was your choice that you decided on your own. Which saddens me. I was too embarrassed to tell my sisters how you treated me. They warned me I might not enjoy it going with you. And I stuck up for you and told them that they don't know you like I do. I guess they knew those things I overlooked about you. Months after that we been distance. But I still respected you and gave you your space. We texted from time to time and I'm happy for you on your good news and your new relationships. As you are concerned about my hardships at work. Or so I thought. I thought you'd understand I'm not working as much and told you that my Christmas gift to you was something really simple. I don't expect you to ever accept me for who I am. But Christmas was when you really broke my heart. How you ended our friendship was quite lousy and cruel. We are not in high school, but you remind me why I don't have many girlfriends. Too much drama and unnecessary bitterness. I then realized our friendship was not based on what I hoped it to be. And that is why things did not work out between us. I'm sorry my gift wasn't up to par of what you expected. And to make matters worse you literally looked down on me when you said you can't believe that it was all you was worth, because in actuality, I got myself one too. You looked down on my gift immediately and didn't give my gift a chance. As if it was pre-notioned. So that just shows your heart has no place for me anymore. And that you don't have to be nice to me anymore. I commend you for having a gift. A gift of getting the things you want. You are that person that goes out and gets things done. And get want you want, even if it is at the expense of our friendship. I'm shocked how determined a person can be. and I don't even know if the Huong mix up gift story is true. But it doesn't matter. You got what you wanted. The gift you accidentally gave me and possibly deemed me unworthy of. I will never know and don't want to. SMH, I really can't get over the mailbox breakup on christmas eve. I had to hold heartbreak in front of Vinh's family all night for dinner. And he knew i was troubled by that ordeal. I cried as Vinh had to drive me to your house to drop it off. I knew it was over. The least I can do was to leave your christmas day alone so I texted you a few hours after christmas day was over. And there's no going back. I give up. Being your friend is too hard for me. I'll never measure up. I'm pretty sure your life will go on just fine. As well as mine. But we don't need to be friends anymore. It was senseless when you texted you still cared and love me. But if you really did, you wouldn't have made me drop off the gift into your mailbox and take back my gift. That was low. And you're right, I should be careful who I Trust. I shouldn't have trusted you.

<\3, heartbroken.