Daily Favorites

Hello lovelies!

Hope you all wonderful Tuesdays! I stayed up late to make sure I could complete my final problem set of the day AND write this blog :) Of course, I had some coffee to help me with this task. Haha. Today, I went to an amazing Zumba class at the UFC Gym here in Honolulu. The class is taught by an AMAZING instructor. Her name is Amber, and you can check out her instagram here. She is amazingly fit and so motivating. Zumba, especially high intensity Zumba, is definitely a challenge. Today, I sprinted, tuck jumped, salsa-ed, and shook my booty. All in one class. If you like dancing and appreciate a good challenge, check out a Zumba class in your city!
Anyway, without further adieu, my favorites!

Favorite Quote:

Currently, I am studying for the bar exam. It has been a mentally and physically taxing journey. I wake up each morning, ready to do at least 150+ questions and also read the explanations to the questions I answered incorrectly.  Still, I have a goal to reach, and I won't give up! This quote relates so much to my life right now, and I appreciate Ms. Edwards' encouraging words (posted previously by another blogger). I hope this quote inspires you to continue on your journeys, however hard they may. The end results are worth it! Just adjust your sails and continue! 

Favorite Makeup Look:

I love Ashley Benson's smokey eye look. I think this is her signature, and she looks amazing in it! I want to recreate this tomorrow for my GNO! I think her flushed cheeks and sweet pink lips perfectly balance her va-va-voom eyes. Thank you, POPSUGAR, for posting my #GNO makeup inspiration.

Favorite Workout:

I love this workout that I found on Pinterest. It looks challenging but doable. I can't wait to do this tomorrow! (Look at that lunge hold...OMG) 

Favorite Recipe:

One thing you need to know about me: I L O V E tots. Like, love. Unfortunately for me, I do not have a fast metabolism, and tots go straight to my butt and thighs. Boo. So, when I found this recipe, I got so excited. I love zucchini, and this is such a great alternative to deep-fried potato tots. The zucchini is baked, and there is c h e e s e. I need to try this ASAP, and I hope you give it a try too!

Favorite Sunset/Personal Photo:

Lastly, I thought I would share a personal photo with you. I posted this on my Instagram account today, although the photo was of yesterday's sunset. I could not capture today's sunset; I was sweating my butt off in a Zumba class instead. Still, I hope you enjoy it! This is the sunset as seen from my balcony (in Honolulu, Hawaii). I love that the oranges were so vibrant. The sun was making such a dramatic exit. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Goodnight my friends, and sweet dreams!

Aloha, 

Cassie

"I honor the place within you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place within you, which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace. When you are in that place within you and I am in that place within me, WE ARE ONE"

Daily Favorites

Hello lovelies!

It's that time of day again! Today, I decided to include my favorite photo of MY day, which means I included a photo taken by yours truly! I hope you like the personal addition to my daily post. 

My day has been extremely productive. I cooked, worked out (did some Blogilates), washed the dishes, and studied! I also managed to take a couple deep breaths and short breaks. All in all, what a great day! Hope your days were also fantabulous. Now, on to my favorites:

My Photo of the Day:

I decided to get a refreshing shaken iced tea from Starbucks today. One of the best decisions of the day. I got the shaken iced green tea, unsweetened. I prefer to have my tea straight without all that extra sugar. It was perfection. It was extremely hot in Honolulu today, so I enjoyed my tea in the shade for the most part. I also wanted to mention that this was my photo selection for the #100happydays photography project. If you don't know what the project is and want to learn more about it, click here! I am loving the project; it allows me to take time out of each day to appreciate the world around me.

Favorite Makeup Look:

I love this makeup look on her, and I totally want to recreate it! Although it's summer, I still think the dark lip is F A B.  This look has inspired me to pull out my dark red lipstick and some edgy summer wear for tomorrows #ootd. See the original blog post here.

Favorite Animal Photo:

Omg. Look how a d o r a b l e these little guys (or girls) are! These are sloths from the Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica. I really want to make a trip there just to see these little cuties! Don't they just look like they want to play? To see more sloth pictures, click here to visit the original buzzfeed post.

Favorite Workout Find:

I love this workout from Back on Pointe.  The workout looks tough and also looks easily modifiable. If you needed to make it harder or easier, I'm sure you could. I do not have much arm strength, so I am excited to try this one out in the next couple of days! 

Hope you liked my favorites, and see you soon!

Aloha,

Cassie

"I honor the place within you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place within you, which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace. When you are in that place within you and I am in that place within me, WE ARE ONE"

Daily Favorites

Hello lovelies!

Hope you all had an amazing Monday! It was a busy day for me; I studied all day. I can't wait for this exam to be over! The weather suited my tasks today, though. It was quite dreary and rainy in Hawaii, which helped me get more studying done. Now that the day has come to a close, I want to share some inspirational photos that I came across. Hope you enjoy them!

Favorite Wanderlust Photo:

Source

This is a photo of the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall (in the UK). The gardens were created beginning in the mid-18th century up to the beginning of the 20th century! It looks like a fairytale, doesn't it? I would love to wander these gardens all day. I can't wait to visit the UK one day and take tons of photos in this gorgeous place! See more gorgeous photos here.

Favorite Hair Tutorial:

Source

This braid looks so beautiful and effortless! I love the way it looks on light AND dark hair. To see how to achieve this gorgeous look, click here.

Favorite Funny Photo:

Source

This IS my life. OMG. I always want coffee, and studying has made me n e e d coffee. This photo is for all the coffee-junkies out there! Don't worry; you are not alone. To check out more awesome photos like this, click here.

Favorite Wardrobe Post: 

Source

This white maxi dress is drop dead gorgeous! I love the ruffled detail on the bottom, and if you look closely, you can see the slight cutout in the back. Perfection. I also have to appreciate the gorgeous backdrop (Versailles, hello!). Love this blog. For the full blog post and more views of this gorgeous outfit, click here.

Favorite Nature Photograph:

Source

All I can say is... i n c r e d i b l e. To see more shots of this gorgeous locale, click here.

Hope you all enjoyed my Monday faves! xoxo

Aloha,

Cassie

Tea Feature: Harney & Sons Paris Tea

Hello lovelies!

I don't know about you, but I love a good cup of tea.  I also LOVE coffee, as I mentioned in a previous blog post, but I enjoy tea just as much! I like tea iced or hot, depending on the weather! I seem to mostly drink it hot though, probably because it is faster and easier to make (I know...I'm a lazy bum).

One of the teas I have been loving at the moment is the Harney & Sons PARIS tea. I l o v e this tea! According to the Harney & Sons website, the tea is a mixture of three different teas. The tea, when brewed, smells "like an Earl Grey with black currant and vanilla aromas and a hint of caramel." AMAZING, right? Although I am not enough of a tea connoisseur to pick up on all of that, I do find the aroma very enticing and pleasant. I love to smell this tea almost as much as I love to drink it! The tea, I have to mention, is caffeinated; some individuals are sensitive, so keep that in mind if you decide on purchasing it!

This is a photo I took of the tea (box) and my University of Hawaii mug. I got the tea as a present from one of my dear friends, but she told me that she got it at Williams-Sonoma if I needed more! I went to check, and they definitely have it in stock (at least in the store located in Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, Hawaii). You can also get it here (at the Harney & Sons official website). 

Another amazing thing is that the tea is not that pricey. On the website, a 20 sachet tin is only $8! Also, look at that box; isn't it gorgeous? The packaging is incredible, the name is irresistible, and the tea is delicious. You should, like, go get it. NOW.

Anywho, if you have a favorite tea, don't be shy and let me know in the comments below! I hope you are all having a great day, and I'll be back soon for my daily favorites!

Aloha,

Cassie

P.S. I was definitely not sponsored to write this. 

"I honor the place within you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place within you, which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace. When you are in that place within you and I am in that place within me, WE ARE ONE"

Daily Favorites

Hello lovelies!

I apologize for not getting my daily favorites up last night! I fell asleep before I had the chance to even explore the blog universe! Anyway, I have a few new favorites up tonight. Without further adieu:

Favorite World Cup Photo:

Source

The 2014 World Cup Tournament was dominated by emotions, both happy and sad! The finals game was no different. Congrats to Germany on winning, AND congrats to Argentina for making it so far and being a solid second place! Both teams did amazing, and all the players should be so proud of themselves, win or lose. I love this photo from Giselle's Instagram. It embodies what the World Cup should be, the world coming together in one place to share in a great tournament. Love for all!

Favorite Wanderlust Photo:

Source

This is a photo of Sarakiniko Beach on Milos Island in Greece. Isn't that water beautiful? Apparently the rocks are volcanic rocks and have a bone-white color because of the wind and the water. Isn't that insane? This place just looks so picturesque and out of this world. I really want to go there. NOW.

Favorite Accessory:

Source

Isn't this the cutest? I love rings, and this cat ring is so cute. What more can I say? MEOW.

Favorite Recipe:

Source

This is a recipe for homemade orange creamsicles. YES. I l o v e orange creamsicles. These were the best ice cream treats from any ice cream truck (for me anyway). Now, I have to make these. Which means I need that popsicle makes I saw at Williams-Sonoma. Yay, I have an excuse!

That's it for my favorites. Hope you enjoyed them, and have a great Monday!

Aloha,

Cassie

"I honor the place within you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place within you, which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace. When you are in that place within you and I am in that place within me, WE ARE ONE"

My Summer Treats

Hello lovelies,

Hope your day is going well! I know I mentioned that I would write about my Waikiki adventure, but it's gonna take some time editing all the photos (soooorry)! Until then, I wanted to do a short post about my favorite summer treats!

Summer is a time for relaxation, sun, laughter, and fun! Summer always evokes images of swimming pools, beachside gatherings, and yummy treats perfect for the weather! I live in Hawaii, which means it is H-O-T during the summer months, and the yummies that I have are usually refreshing to go along with the weather. Here are some of my favorite indulgences during the summer!

I love strawberries! In fact, it's safe to say that they are one of my favorite fruits (if not my favorite). They are sweet and tart at the same time, and they are so pretty to look at! The only thing are those little seeds; they can get stuck in your teeth (boo). But, all in all, they are a great fruit and can be used in many different recipes. In the summer, I love to snack on cold, fresh strawberries! Here, I photographed a usual snack for me, fruit and cheese (in this case - cottage cheese). I love the creamy texture of cheese and the bite of strawberries together! I also love strawberries with whipped cream (duh!) and champagne! I might just have that trio later...

OKAY. I LOVE ICED COFFEE! The summer heat, depending on where you are, can be oppressive. And oppressive heat can make one very sleepy or tired or sluggish. I find that a refreshing cup of iced coffee always saves the day. It not only wakes you up with caffeine, but the temperature also gives me back my kick! After a nice, refreshing cup, I'm able to conquer the rest of my day. I actually have mine black (no sugar or cream or milk) and preferably with a hint of lavender. 

Last, but not least - m o c h i ice cream. Yup, MOCHI ice cream. For those who aren't familiar, mochi is a soft Japanese rice cake. It's delicious and soft and gooey and yummy and perfect. Imagine that sweet, tasty cake wrapped around a ball of heavenly ice cream. YEAH. It's amazing. I love it. My dad has bought more for our family, and I couldn't be happier.

I hope you enjoyed my post! Let me know in the comments below what are YOUR favorite summer treats! I would love to know!

Aloha,
Cassie

"I honor the place within you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place within you, which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace. When you are in that place within you and I am in that place within me, WE ARE ONE"

Daily Favorites

Hello lovelies,

I hope you all had an amazing Friday! I know I did! My boyfriend and I celebrated his birthday today in Waikiki, since we are celebrating his REAL birthday with his friends tomorrow! We ate at a pretty good izakaya, which is like a bar that also serves good food! All the food is basically bar food, but Japanese bar food is amazing and is a dining experience in and of itself. Also, the bathroom was phenomenal. I'll probably be blogging about that tomorrow, so stay tuned! If I do decide to blog about the restaurant, I'll also provide a review of the restaurant, in case any of you are interested!

With no further adieu, here are my daily favorites!

Favorite Nature Photo:

(Source: http://r2--d2.tumblr.com/)

I love the colors in this photo! The red and orange in the sky contrast so beautifully with the blue-green water! How gorgeous!

Favorite Workout Find:

Source: pinterest.com

I know the print is hard to read, but the photos are self-explanatory I think! In case you really can't see the print, you do 3 sets of 10 reps for each arm and for each move! I need to work on my arm strength, and these movies are perfect for that. I am going to try to make it harder for myself by doing heavier weights though! 

EDIT 7/12/14: just did this. A LOT harder than I thought it would be! I did use heavier weights for some sets though. I am so glad though; I felt the burn! :)

Favorite Recipe of the Day:

(Source: http://www.yumsugar.com/Argentine-Steak-Recipe-Chimichurri-30778663)

In honor of the World Cup Finals, I decided to post a recipe of Argentinian Steak. This looks so delicious! Perfect for those who love to grill in the summer (who doesn't?). I am not necessarily rooting for Argentina, since my team (go USA!) has already been eliminated. I just thought this Argentinian recipe looked too good not to share! Click here to access the recipe!

Favorite Makeup Product and Tutorial:

(Source: http://harperandharley.com/2014/07/nars-illuminator-makeup)

This is such a gorgeous, fresh-faced look that I want to recreate! The model is wearing the Nars Illuminator in Hot Sand. I now want to run and get this ASAP! The blog entry also details how to apply the illuminator to achieve her look! Click here if you want more details on how to recreate this glowy look.

Favorite Outfit of the Day:

(Source: http://thechrisellefactor.com/2014/07/watercolored-lips/)

I adore Chriselle's outfit so much! That skirt is to D I E for! I love how feminine and girly and daring this look is. I want to recreate this look on my budget! Click here to check out her blog entry!

I hope you enjoyed my favorites, and talk to you all soon!

Aloha,

Cassie

"I honor the place within you in which the entire universe dwells. I honor the place within you, which is of Love, of Truth, of Light and of Peace. When you are in that place within you and I am in that place within me, WE ARE ONE"