curiouslycarmen, Author at Curiously Carmen

SmartBuyGlasses.ca Review

May 31, 2017

SmartBuyGlasses is an online glasses retailer with over 30,000 styles of sunglasses and glasses to pick from. I was recently contacted by the SBG team for a feature. Here is what I thought!

A bit of background – SmartBuyGlasses was founded in 2006, launching first in Australia. Currently, they are based in Hong Kong, which is where their products ship out from.

After browsing on their website, I placed an order for the Ray-Ban RB3429M 9000Z2. I’ve always thought that Ray-Bans were super stylish and they are a staple name in the sunglasses industry, so you can’t really go wrong with them. I liked these ones because they had a vintage look to it, and I love gold & pink (like every other girl probably hahaha!). I also thought they would go well with my face shape.

The website had very clear, high quality picture of the sunglasses, description, and reviews as well. Some of the styles have a virtual try-on feature which is very helpful, but the style that I chose didn’t have that option. For an added price, you can have prescription on the sunglasses as well.

Anyways, after placing my order, the processing was 5 days. Then, it shipped out from Hong Kong on May 17 at 2am, and arrived at my doorstep in Canada the next day, May 18th at 11:30am – super super fast! It came bubble wrapped and in a Ray-Ban box. The cardboard box was slightly dented, but the Ray Bans came in a pouch and were in perfect condition.

The timing was perfect- I brought them out to my little weekend getaway to the Sunshine Coast! The Ray-Bans had some fun in the sun and shielded my eyes from the rays… glad I wore them out that weekend because it is currently pouring rain again in Raincouver – oops I meant Vancouver.

Overall, I am very satisfied with SmartBuyGlasses. They have a great selection of sunglasses and I received great service from their customer service team! If you are skeptical of their authenticity – don’t worry! It is a completely reasonable concern before shelling out money for an expensive pair of designer glasses. But, SmartBuyGlasses has an authenticity guarantee, backed up with a 24 month warranty.

Check out the other styles they have here!

Product provided for review. This review is not sponsored (ie. paid) by SmartBuyGlasses. All opinions are my own.

Zefferelli’s Spaghetti Joint

May 30, 2017

It was Lager’s birthday and a celebration dinner was in store! Zefferelli’s was chosen and being the considerate and good friend Sangria was, she called to check there were dairy free options for me before placing the reservation.

After knowing there were dairy free options, I was quite excited to try it out! It has been at least two years since I’ve ate Italian food out due to my dairy restriction. Italian food kinda loses its charm once you can’t have dairy.
Zefferelli’s is located on Robson Street, on the second floor. Immediately walking in, I loved the cozy and classy atmosphere. It reminded me of having a fancy dining party at a rich person’s mansion.

The front has wide windows that overlook the trees on Robson, which were still lit up. It felt like Christmas again!

Also, check out that impressive wine wall!
Penne con salsicce, $19: Although our very friendly server told me that all the pastas were able to be modified with a non-dairy sauce, I decided to not make any custom requests. Since I don’t eat Italian food often, I wasn’t sure if changing a sauce would complement the flavours.

The penne con salsicce already comes dairy free, with roasted peppers, tomato sauce, and italian sausage. The penne was cooked al dente and there was a decent portion. The roasted peppers added some sweetness to it and tasted fresh.

However, the sausage was very salty and I found myself constantly drinking water. Luckily, each table had their own big glass of water!
Spaghetti carbonnara, $19: The boyfriend’s spaghetti carbonnara came with bacon, egg yolk, black pepper, and cream topped with a copious amount of parmesan. Since I would have died a dairy death from this, I didn’t try it.

The boyfriend said it was alright, nothing too special but nothing horrible about it either. He ended up adding lots of chili flakes and regretted it afterwards because it was too spicy. For our table of 10, we drank most of the water and were the ones asking for it to be refilled! Whoops.
Linguini al salmone, $19.50: Sangria’s dish looked very tasty, although I might be bias because I love salmon! This came with BC smoked salmon and spinach in a pernod cream sauce. I learned from writing this post that pernod is a type of French liqueur.

She had no complaints about her dish. The portion was pretty big and she ended up packing some of it home!
Penne Michelangelo, $19: Lager’s pasta came with chicken, sundried tomatoes, peas, and cream. Again, I didn’t try it but it looked really good, and he had no complaints!

Service throughout the night was amazing! Our server took note of my dairy restriction, and made sure that my dish would not come into contact with any dairy. He answered all of the questions from the others as well.

While I normally don’t eat Italian food out, it was nice to try Zefferelli’s and I enjoyed the atmosphere, service, and food. It was a very nice change from my usual food and I would definitely recommend this place for date nights or celebrations.

Yay! (Especially for romantic dates)

Travel Itinerary: A weekend on the Sunshine Coast + tips!

May 26, 2017

To celebrate a special occasion, the boyfriend and I decided to go on a quick trip (much to my persuasion in the beginning) to the Sunshine Coast. We were there for two nights and three days, which was a good amount of time to explore. Despite being a long weekend, the towns we visited weren’t overwhelmingly busy, although the ferry was a different story!

We’ve been to the Sunshine Coast twice before, with my mom and her friends. But for those two times, we didn’t get a chance to fully explore restaurants and parks because we stayed at the house that my mom and her friends rented and went fishing. And those were only day trips as well.

I’ll be writing a few other posts on the Airbnb we stayed at (because I miss that little beach house so much) and also reviews of the restaurants we visited. This post will be about things to do on the Sunshine Coast!

Here was our itinerary:

Day 1

Ferry: Although ferry is the only way to get here, it is definitely a beautiful 30 minute ride and one to be savoured. On a beautiful BC day, there are no better places to be than on the ferry. I recommend going to the top deck of the ferry, to enjoy the magnificent mountains surrounding you and the vast ocean gleaming. I brought a book to read while the boyfriend plugged in his headphones. But it gets pretty windy on the top deck, so I recommend bringing a light cardigan or something to keep yourself warm while enjoying the views.

Lunch: After arriving at the ferry, we drove to Sechelt (approx 30 minutes) for lunch. The boyfriend found a BBQ restaurant named Lucky’s, so we ate there and we were not disappointed at all!

Porpoise Bay Provincial Park: We were a 7 minute drive from this park, so we decided to check it out and drive around as we are planning on going camping here with our friends in a couple of months. Perhaps I will blog about that!

Davis Bay Pier: Before driving back to our Airbnb, we relaxed at Davis Bay Pier. It is a small stretch of land overlooking the ocean, and it is so beautiful! There is a nice pier to walk along, kind of like a mini White Rock. We walked down the pier and enjoyed the views.

When we came here two years ago, there were people swimming in the water but we didn’t see that this time. We did see some families bringing their dog to play in the water though!

Roberts Creek: It was check-in time so we met our Airbnb hosts, and unpacked our bags. We were both a bit tired, so we rested at the Airbnb for a bit.

Dinner: After recharging, we went back to Sechelt for a lovely patio dinner at Lighthouse Pub overlooking Porpoise Bay. The views were great, but my food could have been better.

Day 2

Soames Hill: I found out about this hike back in the fall, and I really wanted to do it because people were saying that it was quick and easy for the view. And I’m a sucker for views. The hike was about 40 minutes going up to the second peak if you stop for pictures along the way, which is what I did. To get to the first peak is about 20 minutes. We didn’t find it too challenging but I was a bit sweaty at the peak. The view was super beautiful and overlooked Gibsons and Keats island. Definitely recommend as it’s a pretty easy hike!

Dessert: After the hike, the boyfriend found a gelato place in Gibsons, Mike’s Place, that supposedly had really good ice cream. So we went there and yes, the ice cream was really good. It was also really cheap compared to Vancouver prices, only $3.75 for a cone with one scoop! He really enjoyed his gelato!

Gibsons Landing: We decided to explore a bit of Gibsons Landing. It was a pretty and quiet seaside town, but also buzzing with people at certain restaurant hot spots. We walked around here for a bit, went to the boardwalk and gazebo. This place is great for taking pictures on a nice, sunny day.

Flume Beach: We went back to our Airbnb area of Roberts Creek, which is halfway between Gibsons and Sechelt (the two biggest towns). Our beach house was literally next to the water so we brought some towels, a book, music, and just relaxed. However, the beach outside our place was really rocky and breezy due to the shade. Our hosts recommended that we drive to Flume Beach which has less trees and more sand. It was a good choice and we relaxed there for a good two hours. At one point, we saw some sea lions playing in the water!

Dinner: We didn’t have a dinner place in mind, so we decided on trying Shift in Sechelt. I didn’t really enjoy it at that much as it wasn’t really the vibe that I was looking for in a small beach town. It reminded me of a smaller Rogue Kitchen & Bar or something that belonged in the city. After we sat down and ordered our food, we went on Yelp and found a hotel restaurant across the street which we probably would have enjoyed more as it had a more slow and relaxed atmosphere with ocean views.

Day 3:

Gibsons Landing: Since we were catching the afternoon ferry, we decided to go back to Gibsons as it is closer to the ferry. The last day was prettier than the second day, as the clouds were gone and the skies were bluer. The pictures I took on the third day were a lot brighter than the second.

Lunch: Lunch was spent at Molly’s Reach, which kind of as a cool back story to it! So in the 70s-90s, Gibsons was the filming location for a show named The Beachcombers. it was one of the longest running TV shows in Canada but I was too young for it. Anyways, Molly’s Reach was a fake restaurant for the show. When The Beachcombers ended, someone decided to buy the property and turn it into a real restaurant. We sat on the patio, which had a nice view of the boats and water. The food was good as well!

Gibsons Landing: After lunch, we walked around a bit again and went back to Mike’s Place for cheap gelato before taking the ferry back.

All in all, it was the perfect quick little getaway. I feel much more refreshed and energized. I made a point to not bring my computer so that I could fully relax. I have a hard time relaxing, which is weird… but I feel like I should always be working on my blog or answering emails or something.

Tips:

-Use Airbnb or VRBO: The hotel options on the Sunshine Coast are pretty limited, and often not as nice as the vacation home rentals. As we drove through the area, we saw that many of the houses there are being rented out by vacation go-ers like us.

-Free ferry: Yup, you heard that right! As the main form of transport out of the Sunshine Coast is by ferry, it is free coming back. Tbh, that is one of the main reasons why we chose the Sunshine Coast as opposed to Victoria or Nanaimo… because spending $150 roundtrip on a ferry is something we prefer not to do.

-Transport: We saw many bus stops along the main road, and read that transit is a good option for those without a car. But after being there for the weekend, I don’t recall seeing a single bus along the road although I saw people waiting at the bus stops. I would recommend renting a car or driving if you’re able to.

-Take it easy: The Sunshine Coast is known for its relaxed, laid back, and easy life. Don’t come here expecting a ton of things to do, it is not New York City or Tokyo. If you’re looking for a quiet retreat and a small town vibe, Sunshine Coast is the place to go.

Bon Chaz Bakery Cafe

May 23, 2017

Back in first and second year, Bon Chaz was one of my most frequented haunts because it was across from my university and right outside my bus stop. For the next 3 or so years, I stopped going due to an equal mix of wanting to try out new places, taking the skytrain instead, and doing full-time co-op meant I wasn’t in that area as much anymore. Over time, I forgot about Bon Chaz until my last semester at SFU almost four years later! Once I started going back more often, I wondered why I stopped going in the past years.
Bon Chaz is a very cozy cafe with really friendly staff. Most importantly to a student, it is also very cheap and they offer a 10% student discount (excluding combos). Whenever I go in, the atmosphere is always happy and welcoming. As they bake their bread fresh everyday, it smells amazing in there. Yet another reason why I love Bon Chaz so much!
Beef Pastrami Baguette w/ dijon mustard, $4.98: This is one of my two go-tos when grabbing lunch here. Their baguettes are amazing – so soft, doughy and fresh. Their baguettes also come with an extra layer of bread, like a double decker sandwich! On the top, are the super fresh and crunch veggies. There is a generous portion of beef pastrami and for $5, you just can’t beat the price and quality. Especially in downtown. Since it is a double decker sandwich, one of these keeps me full and satisfied the whole day! I would like to warn you that with the dijon mustard, this sandwich can get spicy!
Garlic Tuna Baguette, $5.48: A bit more than the beef pastrami baguette, but still just as delicious! Just like the beef pastrami, the baguette is very fresh and comes as a double decker sandwich. There is also a very generous portion of tuna that will fill you up. I love the strong garlic taste as well. I usually get the garlic tuna baguette if I want something warmer, as the beef pastrami sandwich is no toasted.

If you’re in downtown and looking for a quick, cheap, and delicious bite to eat, I would highly recommend Bon Chaz. It’s a hidden gem, and has definitely alleviated wallet pain. With the low price coupled with a student discount, I didn’t feel as guilty buying a Booster Juice to go with my baguette afterwards. They also have great pastries, coffee, and vegan/vegetarian options!

Weleda Evening Primose Face Cream Line (Day & Night)

May 17, 2017

Weleda is a company that I haven’t talked about, but have been seeing it gain traction in the past few months. I thought it was a small company, but was pleasantly surprised when it was the first thing I saw at Whole Foods as their featured product in front of the body care section! Their body care shelves were stocked with a variety of Weleda products.

I’ve been using the Weleda Evening Primose face day & night creams daily for about two weeks now, and here are my thoughts on it!

Before the green/sustainable beauty industry suddenly exploded in the past few years, Weleda was one of the first in the green beauty industry being founded in 1921. Weleda started by creating one of the world’s first biodynamic gardens, which after some Googling I found out that it means that these farmers/gardeners strive to regenerate crops as much as possible from within the farm itself. There are also some spiritual beliefs intertwined with biodynamic gardening, in that the earth is sacred and must be treated with respect… etc etc. You can read more about it here if you wish.

What it says (Taken from Weleda’s website):

The formula is rich in evening primrose oil, high in essential fatty acids, which helps protect the skin’s moisture barrier. Gotu-kola extract, known to increase collagen production, provides support to the skin’s structure. It’s also enhanced with inca nut oil, noted for its high vitamin E content that helps to promote skin renewal.

Packed with additional skin-nourishing and restoring ingredients, this elegant day cream will leave skin radiant, firm and smooth. For best results, use with the Age Revitalizing Eye & Lip Cream and Age Revitalizing Night Cream.

Application: The day and night creams come in a standard, no-mess tube. As with most creams, the day time cream was lighter in texture. The night time cream was thicker. It’s better to have a thicker night time cream because your skin does most of its absorption while at rest. But in the day time, a thicker cream might not feel as comfortable, particularly on a hot and humid day! They both feel cooling on the skin on contact.

Wear: I have no complaints about the wear! Both were very comfortable. My skin type differs throughout the seasons. It has changed from oily to dry in the past few months, and I’m happy to say that it is finally calming down although still a bit sensitive. Due to slightly sensitive skin, I was a bit hesitant to try this product out because I wasn’t sure how it would react. But my skin feels adequately moisturized. It isn’t too oily at the end of the day, and I don’t wake up with dry leather skin!

Scent: My favourite thing about the Weleda Evening Primose line is the smell. It smells very luxurious and pleasant. I always look forward to putting this on my skin at night and in the morning because I love how it smells. Due to the primrose, it has a beautiful floral scent… and I am weak for flowers & flower scents!!!