Yip Hongs Dim Sum Restaurant - Saskatoon, SK

Ah, yum cha/dim sum. One of my favorite childhood memories and still one of my favorite things to do.
Yum Cha focuses more on the tea aspect - having high tea while eating dim sum. They never asked what tea I wanted - but I've heard from a large amount of people that I don't look chinese, and also lets not forget but we are in saskatoon. From the taste of it, I want to say the tea they offer to everyone is either Teet Goon Yum  or  Jasmine .
I've been to two dim sum restaurants in Saskatoon, the Mandarin and Yip Hongs! First note, I was super happy to find out that they have the push cart service. Last time I checked, only one restaurant in Calgary still uses the push cart system. Same with Hong Kong, very little restaurants use the push carts.

I really enjoyed the dim sum selection and quality offered by the Mandarin, but they lacked one very important dish: Feng Zhao - Chicken Feet. One of my favorite dishes and they didn't carry it. I found out Yip Hong's does and I had to make a trip there. They are smaller then the Mandarin and I find have a smaller selection of dim sum. Also the taste and quality, I feel, was not as high as the Mandarin. They really only had three people doing the push carts, and sometimes they would get chatting up with a regular and take forever to make their way to my hungry stomach. 

It's a more homey feel in this restaurant, hard to explain but there were alot of regulars... just the atmosphere there was very down to earth.

Overall, the quality and taste of the dim sum offered was subpar to my standards. I do like how they offer chicken feet, but it wasn't that outstanding. I'd come here mainly for that dish if I was craving it hardcore. If anyone knows any other restaurant that offers chicken feet, please let me know!

TARTE Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara

Hello Hello!

To start, I normally don't wear mascara anymore on a day to day use.. usually only on the weekends if I'm working or on night outs. I did wear Tarte's Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara which I received in a little set I bought. By itself this mascara ranges for $24/CAD.

This is a great day to day mascara,  it didn't weigh down my lashes, provided a decent amount of volume and length.. very natural looking. I wouldn't say I noticed my lashes looking healthier, but I did feel like it did less damage then some mascaras I've worn out in the market (not crunchy, easy removal if you get what i'm saying) Only dislike i found was that it doesn't hold your curl... but many mascara's are unable to hold a curl. And I did find this to try up faster then my other mascaras, and i do not mean dry up to the point of unusable. But you can notice its a little drier during application. I didn't notice any smudging with this mascara.

If i wanted mascara that was natural looking, easy removal, overall a good day to day mascara.. I would repurchase this. But seeing as I don't really wear mascara and when I do, I go for more dramatic ones that are able to hold a curl, I would not repurchase this mascara. Good product just not for my personal taste/wants.

FIRST AID BEAUTY Ultra Repair Concentrate Review

At first, I did not like this product at all! I thought it was greasy and did not moisturize my skin..
But, after a few weeks, during a very dry winter and a bad eczema flare up, I gave this cream another try... and I love it! I felt bad how I treated this product when I first got it and I do hope it forgives me! You can purchase the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Concentrate for around $35/Cad at Sephora.

This is great for eczema, it does a great job moisturizing... just need to give it time to sink in!

It is a bit greasy but then again its a concentrate and at times when I apply too much, I feel a residue on top of my skin... Sort of when you use those heavy body butters and sometimes it can be a bit sticky. I don't use this all over my body, only on extreme dry spots and on my face. You really have to take the time to rub this moisturizer in. It is a bit calming, I noticed it soothed the red or itchiness overnight.. it doesn't completely get rid of the redness or itching when you apply it but it does help.

Overall, it adds a long lasting moisturize to your skin, can be a little greasy at times and you need to take the time to rub it in... best to apply it at night. But it is a great product for dry skin and I will definitely repurchase it. I'm really curious on other products by First Aid beauty as well..

Elizabeth Arden - Visible Difference Refining Moisture Cream Complex Review

It's been a while since i've done a review on moisturizers. With winter coming my skin has already been misbehaving.

I have not noticed any differences in my skin since I've used this. I was assuming this would be like Cliniques "Even Better" moisturizer, which i have briefly used in the past and thought it worked wonderfully, the price on the other hand was not wonderful. I've gone through almost a whole bottle (refer to photo) and I feel like it's long enough to give a review.

First off, its barely moisturizing. My skin doesn't feel moisturized after using this. It doesn't leave a sticky residue or a greasy feeling at all. It has a faint scent, not bother to me. It's light weight.

I bought mine for around $30 dollars at costco for 2 jars. This goes for reg price @ $52/usd on their website for one jar. 2.5 oz/ jar. 

To conclude, I would not recommend this, I have not noticed a difference in my skin since using this and I find this to not be moisturizing. Pass.

I've seen this at multiple costco locations. I would check it out to see if your local location carries it before forking out $52 for a jar. 

VIB Haul

 Just some items I picked up at the latest VIB Sale. Reviews coming soon!

Duchess Bake Shop - Edmonton, AB

This is quite a popular spot in Edmonton, usually fairly busy and with a line. They offer a wide selection of pastries and do have a small selection of food.
One word: Overpriced. Lets add another word, ridiculously. Ridiculously overpriced.

They have delicious looking pastries and food. But the price they are asking for is too high. Granted there are a couple of items that are reasonably priced for a couple dollars. The taste of these pastries aren't outstanding. Subpar at best.

My friend had a Brioche Pepin, macaroons and meat quiche. While I had a Vegetarian Tartine with a side salad and pumpkin cream soup. I also purchased a Paris Brest.

First off, the Vegetarian Tartine has Roasted Pears with Brie. I found there were too many pears on there, and it offered too much of a sweet tartness to this dish. The pumpkin soup was delicious but cost an extra six dollars, which in my opinion is pretty ridiculous.

The Brioche Pepin was ... eh. It didn't really taste like anything, it was a very heavy pastry.

The Paris Brest, it was alright. Has a light praline mousse filling, was very light tasting. It was just nothing special. Just an average tasteless pastry.

The macaroons, this is a funny part. My friend bought the packaged one up because usually it's cheaper then buying them individually. While we were sitting there, she calculated the prices separately, if she had bought the same amount separately it would have been cheaper.

I like the interior and the looks of the dishes. They look classic and delicious. I dislike the price and the lack of flavor that accompany the prices. I would not recommend Duchess Bake Shop and would not be back.

The Rock, Wood Fired Kitchen - Red Deer, Alberta

"My My Hey Hey"

Ive tried it numerous times since it has opened and "rocked" Red Deer. Every time I am left unimpressed and unsatisfied.

I've had numerous dishes from this place since it's opened (Only one photo, the most recent one):
"Get Back Mac", I was expecting some good ol comfort food. It was bland, not cheesy enough
"Classic Rock" Pizza, the basic pepperoni pizza. This wasn't bad, not overly greasy but not overly special. I can get the same satisfaction from Delissio.
"Flirtin With Disaster" Actually not bad, had a nice balance with the sweetness from the onions and a nice minor kick to it.
"Bourban Chicken Wrap" Just a generic wrap to me, nothing stood out in this dish verse a wrap at other restaurants
"Beer Battered Fries" Now this I believe everyone just loves,
"Chicken in a Basket" The fries were the only good thing about this. Too much batter on the chicken.
"My My Hey Hey" This was my latest meal @ the rock. It was bland, tasteless and boring. I was super disappointing since i was craving a creamy and rich pasta dish that day. I would have been more satisfied with sidekicks.

Sorry The Rock but the only thing that I would go to the rock for are it's drink specials. I feel like almost every dish I have is boring, tasteless and just doesn't deliver.