Silver Linings Shoe Liners Review

I love wearing heels, but I'm also a huge believer in comfortable shoes. This review is a continuation of my search for inserts to make my shoes more comfortable. 

Mainly, I'm looking for the inserts to do 3 things. 

1. Cushion my feet: Not all of my shoes have enough padding on them for a day with lots of standing or walking, I'd like the inserts to cushion the balls of my feet. 
2. Stop my feet from sliding: For some reason, when it gets to warmer weather, my feet just slide down any pair of heels, mashing my toes. I want the insert to act as a grip for my feet.
3. Oder Control: Yep. I said it. I don't want my feet to stink up my shoes!

These claim to absorb odor and preserve shoe interiors. They have a nonslip backing and are non-adhesive. The downside is that they only last 10-15 uses. 

I loved the concept, but at the end of the day, I didn't really feel like they worked. They stay in my shoes pretty well but are too thin for any cushioning and I see no difference in odor control. 

Do you have any go-to shoe liners?

Simple Versatile Fit and Flare Dress Outfit

I picked this dress up from H&M the other day. It was just something that fit well when I tried it on. I've been wearing this dress all over. Pairing it with a blazer or cardigan makes it work appropriate; then here, with Ked-like sneakers, it's very casual. The best part about this dress is how comfortable it is. It's made from cotton, so though it looks sort of fancy, it feels like I'm wearing a knit tank top. That feeling is amazing for those longer days at work! In the picture below, I choose this casual look for a Sunday Brunch. 

Dress: H&M ($12.95) 
Shoes: Target ($13.49)

I didn't want to be dressed up for bunch, persay, but it was nice to wear something that looked a bit more ladylike. In addition to the extremely versatile dress, these shoes have been quite the workhorse since I've purchased them! They've been with me though the summer and winter and even went on vacation with me. 

What items have been "workhorses" in your wardrobe lately? 

Seattle Vacation Recap Day Two

This post continues recapping my Seattle trip that look place in October, 2013. For the first part, please see here. 

The next morning we woke up at 10am and moseyed about Pike Place Market.This is a place I've wanted to visit forever. As I explored the hustle and bustle of a Saturday morning, we found a lovely little Crumpet Shop to grab breakfast at. I SO RECOMMEND.

I had never really had a crumpet before and so I opted for a simple honey drizzle so I could taste the crumpet. The crumpet itself was a thick pancake texture (think if you made pancakes into buns). Moist and chewy inside and made with just really delicious bread. These were so deliciously spongey that they soaked up the honey perfectly. My boyfriend, however, had his sights set on much greater things. He ordered the Vermont Crumpet, it was topped with maple butter and pecans. We've actually worked on recreating the recipe at home. Stay tuned! 

From there, we found our vehicle again and headed to Vancouver. Most of the day was spent driving but once we reached Vancouver, it was nothing but great sights. First, I thought the city was amazing. I love the densely packed residential high rises. They reminded me of China. The first moment I laid eyes on them, I basically decided this was my new dream city, not Seattle. In addition to the seemingly perfect city life, we also saw Stanley Park. We only walked around on a bit of the Seawall and there were a ton of people and dogs out and about. The scenery was perfect... and I even stole a giant leaf! 

We didn't stay too long at Stanley Park because it ultimately got too chilly for us. So, we drove back inland and found Chinatown. Now, we printed directions from our hotel to Stanley Park and from our hotel to Chinatown, but not from Stanley Park to Chinatown. Navigation was an adventure... to say the least. This was a interesting Chinatown, complete with a red painted bridge. The standout of Chinatown in Vancouver, other than being the oldest Chinatown in Canada, was the restaurant. We ended up walking into a "random" restaurant. Our initial choice didn't work out and when we passed by Bao Bei, it looked like it had a lovely atmosphere... and the name sounded familiar to me from Yelp/Urbanspoon/Trip Advisor browsing. Not completely random, but unplanned. 

After being seated, I was pretty nervous about the restaurant. Posh environment, clean setting, nicely dressed wait staff... but didn't appear to be any Chinese people! The menu was filled with lovely cocktails and the menu was entirely in English. I'm fine with Chinese-America/fusion dining, but I had really wanted a home cooked meal taste in Chinatown. I didn't have to worry for long though, because when I read the menu, it had fairly traditional dishes that I don't often see.

First, we had the "cold starter". This is a cucumber dish that my mother makes a lot. However, Bao Bei's version included some chili oil which was a great addition. 

Kinda went crazy with this meal! Since we converted 100 dollars to Canadian Dollars, I was determined to spend it all on this meal! Our next course was Shao Bing. While I hate sesame seeds and thin buns, this was still a good dish. 

I got a wonton soup because I wanted something light as I'd been snacking on gummy bears and chips in the car the ENTIRE time. Finished off with Xiao Long Bao (not pictured) which were so, so average. Compared to the steamed frozen stuff I usually make, these were disappointingly dry.

The rest of the evening was spent driving back to Seattle! I think we spent the majority of this day in the car, but I still had a ton of fun chatting and everything we did outside of the car was entirely worth it!

American Taco Shop

American Taco Shop has always been by my college... but I've never been. I've always regarded it as a small, dirty, hole in the wall place. When I went there, I found it I wasn't necessarily wrong. It was small. Despite a large, clear sign and its location at the corner of some major crossroads, it was hard to locate. Lastly.. while I was there... there were flies. 

However, there was something that was really awesome about the shop that made me love it. The fact that its atmosphere was not amazing only added to its charm. Somehow... it was more authentic. These two carne tacos came at a very low price (less than 6 dollars) and were made with delicious fresh ingredients. Each bite was crisp and refreshing. The meat worked wonderfully with the cool veggies to make each bite savory but light. American Taco Shop is a chain store (at least in AZ); I highly recommend you visit!