essence - homepage design

Do you know the cosmetic brand called "essence"? It offers low priced, trendy cosmetics for young people (teenagers) with quite good qualities and most importantly none of their products are tested on animals! Cruelty free cosmetics that are NOT pricy! How awesome is that?! ♥

The advertisements, design and packaging of essence is very colorful, loud and trendy, cute and decorated with cartoon girls - really targeting young girls. Well, I might be too old to buy their products... but I love cute stuff and they have GOOD quality for small price AND doesn't hurt any animals! So why shouldn't I buy them? ;P That kind of brands should be supported more and other cosmetic industries should really take essence as an example!!!

At the moment essence Switzerland is running a contest where you can win essence's products. All you have to do is design a homepage for them. Of course not from scratch - that would be too difficult unless you are a real graphic designer.
Actually it's quite simple: you can choose the background color, the background theme, the font, its size and color, products, stamps and cartoon girls from a menu and just drag and drop the items on the display.
I like doing handicraft work and collages so didn't have to think twice if I should participate or not. ;) This is my design:

http://homepagecreator.essence.eu/en/confirmation/4aowdeckg1kw0gk0kwo4k88o484g4sk04kkcws04cwg004s0ks


Ohhh and since my black eye pencil is almost used up I bought a new one from essence.
STAYS no matter what waterproof eyepencil, a kajal that can be sharpened. I like it because it's creamy and has a soft texture (doesn't hurt when you apply it on your eyelid) and won't smudge!
Price: only CHF 2.50!!

My recent daily eye makeup is to line the upper lash line and the inside rim of my eye with a black eyeliner. I went to a hairdresser during my vacation in Tokyo last month and got straight blunt bangs. I like my bangs but they also make me look younger and so well-behaved (almost like goody two-shoes...). So I use the black eyeliner to create a sexy "cat eye makeup" that perfectly matches the girly bangs! Like Taylor Swift and Lea Michele! :D
Ahhhh I adooooore Lea! ♥ ♥ (She is the reason why I got a new hair cut. ;) )

via hairstyles-galaxy

via marie claire uk

ATAÏA Yoga --> VERY disappointing. Never ever again...

Update from 21.2.2014

I am sorry but I will never ever recommend ATAÏA Yoga Studio anymore... :-(

A few weeks ago, my 3-months membership with 10 lessons expired but I still had 2 lessons credit. When I first started my yoga lessons there, my teacher told me that if you asked the studio for an extension, they would do it for free even after the expiration date.
So, I sent them an e-mail asking for an extension since I was insanely busy at work in November and December and I was also ill for a long time last December that I couldn't attend any classes.
The receptionist or one of the employees at that studio replied that it is only possible to extend my membership if I pay CHF 20.-; otherwise I have to show them the medical certificate!
I was confused and tried to explain my situation that I was really busy and couldn't think about my membership and that my teacher had told me in the very beginning that it is possible to extend my membership. She replied again that they don't do it for free anymore - extending a membership means extra cost, time and effort for them... Plus, I should have contacted them earlier.   ?!?!?!
I got angry. I couldn't contact them earlier since I was BUSY and SICK and that was the reason why I asked them nicely if I could extend my membership!
I am really SO disappointed! Now they lost a standing customer who always recommended this studio to everyone who were interested in yoga, but I will NEVER do it again!

It's such a pity since I really liked Elina's classes, she is such a wonderful teacher but the receptionist there is really unfriendly and not polite and obliging AT ALL!
I wish Elina would teach at other yoga studios, too...


********************************************************
Published 2.10.2013

From The Secret Daily Teachings:
"The process of creation is the same for all things, whether you want to bring something to you or remove something negative from your life.

If you have a habit you wish to break, or anything negative you wish to remove from your life, you must focus on what you want. That means you visualize and imagine yourself in that negative-free state right now. Imagine yourself in as many scenes as you possibly can where the negative situation is completely absent. Imagine yourself happy and free. Eliminate any picture from your mind of you with the negative situation. Just imagine yourself in the state you want to be in, and feel that you are that, right now."

(by Rhonda Byrne)

Last Thursday when I was at work, I was tired, weak, had no energy,  felt weary and didn't want to work - I didn't feel like doing any-thing! I don't know why... I guess stress? Work is causing stress? 

And lately, I'm also not the happiest person. I have bad temper, become exasperated with my darling and we argue about little things, my co-worker gets on my nerves with her naive nature - I just wanna scream to leave me alone!! ...I thought, it's high time to do yoga... go to Elina's class! She is my favorite yoga teacher. She teaches Hatha yoga at ATAÏA Yoga. She is one of the nicest, friendliest, loveliest, most positive person I know! And her positive and friendly aura is contagious! She makes us all happy! And yoga helps calming you down, clearing your mind, makes you fit mentally and physically.

Since I forgot my purse on that day, I couldn't go to yoga - I was also too tired and too weary. Then finally on Monday evening, I went to Ataia yoga studio to take Elina's Hatha class and when I saw her smiling face, my heart felt warmer. :) And ohhhhh the stretching and flexing the muscles felt sooooooo good! I also went to class today during lunch time. Felt REALLY good. 

I just love yoga!

If you are looking for a yoga studio in Zurich, I highly recommend ATAÏA Yoga at 

Gartenstrasse 14, 8002 Zürich!



Elina Mueller Meyer - the best yoga teacher :)

From The Secret Daily Teachings

"There is no past or future for the law of attraction, only the present, so stop referring to your life in the past as very difficult, or full of hardship and pain, or in any other negative way.

Remember that the law only operates in the present, so when you speak of your past life negatively the law is receiving your words and sending those things back to you NOW."
from Rhonda Byrne

Rhonda Byrne is the author of the books "The Secret", "The Power" and "The Magic". Amazing books that will Change your life!

Please also refer to my blog entry "The Secret - it changes your life"!

via www.en/Wikipedia.org "The Secret (book)"

Asakusa, Tokyo

When you visit Tokyo you MUST see Asakusa. I haven’t been there for quite a long time and had

forgotten how lovely that area is. It has an old-town flair, there are no skyscrapers but many Japanese-style old houses, lots of small local shopping streets instead of big department stores and in some streets you feel like you have time shifted to the ancient time of Japan...

From Asakusa, you have a nice view on Tokyo Skytree the new broadcasting tower which was completed in spring 2013. It is the tallest tower in the world now!

 

The Kaminarimon 雷門 ("thunder gate") one of the most photographed giant lantern is the entrance to the famous Senjoji 浅草寺 Temple, the largest Buddhist temple in Japan.

 

When you have walked through the gate the Nakamise 仲見世 Shopping arcade starts right after, which leads you to the temple.

This arcade is the best place to buy souvenirs: e.g. Hello Kitty mobile phone strap. So cute!

 

...or Samurai swords for guys...?

 

 

Fuurin 風鈴 (wind chimes) is also a very popular gift. Reminds me of summer in Japan...

 

Try the Osenbei (Rice Cracker) that are roasted here on the spot and flavored with soy sauce.

Make sure to visit the side streets of Nakamise Shopping arcade on the left and right sides. The Denpoin-Dori 伝法院通 is my favorite street in Asakusa - I felt like time shifted to the ancient time!

Another side street: kaminarimon-yanagi-komichi 雷門柳小路

Sensoji Temple and the five-roof pagoda on the left.

 



 

 

What a cute taiyaki-shop!

 

Taiyaki たい焼き is a fish-shaped cake filled with red bean paste but since I don't really like the paste, I Chose with custard in it. :)

 

Azuma-bashi, Tokyo Skytree, Asahi Beer Headquarters and it's golden flame object on top.

Asakusa station (Ginza-Line)

 

 



Characters in Odaiba, Tokyo

While we were in Tokyo, we went to Odaiba a large artificial island in Tokyo bay which is a popular shopping and entertainment district.

Let me post here some interesting characters that can be found on the island / inside the various malls:

In front of the building "DiverCity Tokyo Plaza" you can find the life-sized "Gundam" statue.

Inside the shopping mall called "Decks Tokyo Beach", there is a retro amusement arcade (called "game center" ゲームセンター in Japanese) on the 4th floor.

Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atom 鉄腕アトム) hanging from the ceiling.

I like this game whack-a-mole the most! In Japanese it's called "mogura-tataki" モグラたたき.

 

Look at these ugly characters! Who wants them?! They are apparently called "kakuremomojiri" カクレモモジリ...

A claw machine where you can catch vegetable key chains... Er, no thanks again! ;)

These polar bears' statue nearby "Aquacity Odaiba" looked so sad that they made me sad, too... When I first saw it, I could imagine why they were crying...

They are brothers - the younger one is called Sora, the older one Bea - living in the North Pole. They are crying because they got separated from their mother when the ice cap melted and the gaps in the ice opened up due to the global warming... Sora and Bea are the characters of a children's book about climate Change.

 

When I watched this video, I had to cry...

   

It's so sad... And even though the story of Sora and Bea is a fiction, global warming is a serious problem and many polar bears (and other animals...) are suffering and dying. Our earth is in danger because of us human... :'( Only we can help them!

We should be all conscientious about the environment and NEVER waste anything (water, electricity, food, etc.)!!!!

Mercer Brunch - Tokyo

Finally having vacation and I went to Tokyo from 2 - 9 September, this time with my sweetie. ♥
It was still quite humid and hot not like Zurich where the summer has already ended several weeks ago...
On Saturday, I met up with some of my friends living in Tokyo and had a lovely brunch. "Mercer Brunch" is a very popular café, apparently always crowded on weekends and people lining up since you can't make reservations during lunch time.
However, I was told that they can reserve a separate party room if we are more than 8 people - without extra charge!

Mercer Brunch is popular for their very delicious brioche french toasts which are fluffy and soft. You can chose a main dish with 2 slices of brioche french toast for &yen 1,600 or a main dish with home made breads for &yen 1,500 or 3 slices of brioche french toasts for &yen 1,100. The drinks are not included and the portion of the meal is perfect for Japanese people but a lil dainty for Western people. ;)

I chose the menu with the brioche french toast and salmon tartar with avocado and poached egg with dill sauce as a main dish. Very yummy! The cappuccino was &yen 550 so paid &yen 2,250 in total. A little too pricey for a non-all-you-can-eat brunch in Tokyo and for that portion but we were all satisfied. The place is really nice, the service is superb and the meal delicious!

Address: 4-2-35, Roppongi Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0032

Phone: +81 (0)3 3470-6551

Mon - Fri: 10:00 - 15:30 (Lunch), 18:00 - 24:00 (Dinner)

Sat, Sun & Holiday: 9:00 - 18:00 (Lunch), 18:00 - 24:00 (Dinner)

                      Service:        ★ ★ ★ ★ ★             Atmosphere:           ★ ★ ★ ★ ★    
                      Food:           ★ ★ ★ ★ ★              Value for money:   ★ ★ ★ ★ ✩

Frozen Yogurt "I love Leo"

I love ice cream! I could eat ice creams at any seasons - even in winter - and in summer every single day. But if you think about the amount of sugar, fat and calories... and especially during the bikini-season you don't wanna gain ANY weight!

If you don't wanna (or can't ;) ) abstain from the cold sweets, try frozen yogurt from 'I love Leo' located in Niederdörfli, Zurich!

They use milk and yogurt from the Swiss alps, the fro-yo is 100% natural, healthy and low-fat!

Inside the store: first you chose the size of your frozen yogurt then the toppings!

When you chose 'mini' you can have 2 different toppings, 3 toppings for small, 4 for medium and 5 for large!

Here are the toppings: chocolates, smarties, cookies, fruits, chocolate sauce, fruit sauces,...



I chose Oreo cookies, Leibniz biscuits covered with milk chocolates, Twix and mango sauce. :P I know, these toppings are not really healthy and adds unneccessary calories but I just couldn't resist the goodies displayed on the counter...

But to be honest, fruits go better with the slightly sour taste of the yogurt ice cream! Better not to chose the chocolates and co.

I love Leo

Oberdorfstrasse 22

8001 Zürich

Phone: +41 43 539 55 86

Tue - Sat: 11:00 - 20:00 (summer until 22:00)

Sun & Mon: 12:00 - 20:00 (summer until 22:00)

http://iloveleo.ch/#/i-love-leo-frozen-yogurt/