Sandwiches of New York #1

NYC is full of places that make amazing sandwiches and I love a good sandwich, they are one of my very favourite foods. I'm going to share a sandwich with you every month, I'll tell you what it is, where I bought it and write a mini review. Bon appetite!

What is it? Bahn Mi #1 Spicy (you can also get it non spicy).

Where is it from? Bahn Mi Saigon, 198 Grand Street (btw Mulberry and Mott).

How much does it cost?$4.50

What's in it? Barbecue pork, a slice of Vietnamese pate (which is actually more like a slice of luncheon meat than pate), cucumber, coriander, pickled daikon and carrots - and fresh jalapenos if you opt for the spicy one.

Bahn Mi Saigon is great! 

The baguette is made from rice flour and is light and crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. It is a little drier than a traditional baguette but it holds together well. The sandwich is generously stuffed  and the filling is very well balanced in terms of both taste and texture. It's also tightly packed so it doesn't fall apart when you eat it. Served slightly warmed, #1 spicy is generously sized and offers fantastic value for money - it's only $4.50 for goodness sake!

There's a whole range of different Bahn Mi on offer  here - chicken, meatballs, veggie, sardine to name but a few and a fridge with a good selection of soft drinks and a few other food items: some salads, baked goods and excellent summer rolls. There's also a warming cabinet with some fried foods such as spring rolls but these don't look great...

Originally operating a street cart the owner's then had a counter at the back of a tiny jewelry shop in Chinatown. A few years ago they moved around the corner and now it's the opposite way round -  sandwich shop with a small jewelry counter on one side. (I've yet to see anyone buying jewelry here!) 

Bahn Mi Saigon is now bright and modern with service that is brusque but efficient. It's normally very fast and even during the busiest lunch time you won't have more than a short wait. 

There is a counter with stools that runs along the sides of the shop, or you could take your food and eat it in one of the nearby parks.

It's apt to start this series with Saigon's #1 Spicy as it may well be my favourite sandwich in the whole of New York and it's the one that I eat the most frequently.

The Two Family House.

Sister in laws Rose and Helen live in a two family house in post WW2 Brooklyn with their families, not only sister in laws they are also close loving friends. 

After they both give birth, at home, on the same night, during a blizzard, their relationship is never the same and the growing animosity between the two of them eventually causes Rose to move away from her family practically abandoning them.

What was the reason for the changes that occurred between the two women?

The Two Family House has had almost unanimously good, if not great reviews and I have to say that I completely fail to see why...

The story started out promisingly but it failed to captivate me and although it was a fast read it wasn't an interesting one for me. (I had taken this on a trip, otherwise I think that I would have abandoned reading it).  The reason for the change in the women's relationship was one that I guessed at the outset - it really is pretty obvious what has happened.  I thought that the characters were very one dimensional and even though the story spanned a number of years it felt as if the characters had been set in stone and they didn't change or develop over the course of the tale. Finally the writing itself was very flat and the style was clunky and somewhat awkward. 

I hate to be so negative but this book was a huge let down for me - one that I didn't enjoy.

Disappointing Products* #2.

*Once again, I'm not sure that these are disappointing products or things that are bad, they are for the most part products that I didn't use up because my needs have changed or they didn't suit me.

I will be the first to admit that getting rid of unwanted beauty items is something that I am terrible at. I try to have a purge a couple of times a year and above you can see the results of my 'beauty Spring clean'. 

Although there isn't a ton of things here, here's why they had to go...

 Redken Satinwear is a blow dry prep lotion that I got from an Allure Beauty Box a long, long time ago. It is rare that I blow dry my hair these days so I can't justify hanging onto this any longer.

Kiehl's Super Thick Volumizer did give my hair volume but it left it stringy and sticky. I have  other volumisers that I prefer so I can't see myself finishing this.

Caldrea Hand Balm was heavy and greasy (maybe there's a clue in that they call this a balm not a cream?) I thought the ginger and nutmeg scent of this would be warm and zingy but it was very nutmeg-y and stale, like a cupboard full of old spices. This was a disappointing purchase as I like their hand soaps very much.

As I don't self tan the James Read, Sally Hansen and Jergens products from GWP's and sub boxes won't be used by me. 

The Face Shop Volcanic Clay Nose Sheets were an impulse buy that I fear will be too harsh for my face. 

John Freida Brilliant Brunette Shampoo is of no use to me as I am blond and I'm shying away from the Colgate Optic White toothpaste as I have sensitive teeth.

I will pass these onto people who will use them.

There are a few make up items that I haven't even opened as they are the wrong colours for me.  Kevyn Aucoin Pure Powder Glow blusher is a bright berry colour that screams 'runway only' at me and a blue Eye Pencil Primatif also by Kevyn Aucoin that will not 'go' with my hazel eyes. 

There is a very cute mini Hourglass Femme Rouge Lipstick which is a great formula but the wrong sort of red for me (Icon) and a dinky pot of Royal Apothic Lip Butter which is far too pink for me to wear. There is also a Lilah B blister pack of lip/cheek colours  from a GWP that I won't use - I have so many other lip and cheek colours that I can't be bothered to fuss around with these blister packs!

I like both the products in a GWP item I was given by Clinique - a Different Lipstick in the shade 'Tenderheart' and a Lash Doubling Mascara but the way that they are packaged together makes them both very difficult to apply - and I have tried, as they are both great formulas in suitable colours...

Final make up item is an NYX HD Photogenic Concealer that I found to be too light in colour and too runny in consistency.

Elizabeth Arden Hydrating Mask and Bakel Sunscreen are both products that have been in my cupboard for waaaay too long so out they go.

Finally the Radius toothbrush that I have seen so many people rave about was not for me. I found it awkward to use and it felt as if it were too big for my mouth and I was about to knock and chip a tooth!

The majority of these items are from sub boxes or GWP's and the ones that I haven't opened will be passed on to other people who can appreciate them which is much better than them sitting unloved and unwanted in my cupboards!

Have you had a beauty Spring clean recently? 

Back to Kiehl's.

I feel like everyone knows about 'Back to M.A.C' where you return five empty products to a MAC store or counter and receive a free lipstick in exchange but did you know that Kiehl's also have a recycling program?

When you return ten empty Kiehl's containers to one of their stores you can choose any travel collection item. (I normally pick up a 2.5 oz tube of their Ultimate Strength Hand Salve). You can return any empties except for sample containers and lip balm tubes so it is well worth doing if you are near a Kiehl's store especially if you have a Kiehl's addict in your household!

You can find further details at www.kiehls.com

My Name is Lucy Barton.

My Name is Lucy Barton is a short book about love and family. It opens with Lucy in a New York hospital bed recovering from a mystery virus. For various reasons her husband and young daughters do not visit her much and so her Mother turns up for an extended stay at Lucy's bedside. Lucy lies there, her Mother talks, and that is pretty much the gist of the book.

As we listen to her Mother's tales the story of Lucy's life emerges and small truths are revealed. Lucy's life is not what we first perceived it to be and neither is her Mother's. 

They have both suffered from extreme poverty and emotional abuse. The small town tales that her Mother tells (which are almost like short stories within the book) bring the woman closer together, but there is still something missing and something that is left unsaid so they fail to reconnect and reconcile completely.

My Name is Lucy Barton was a quick read. It is beautifully written but I found it was a little lacking in substance. The characters of the two women felt rather flat and just as the women fail to connect in the story I failed to connect to their characters. Perhaps this is what the author intended?

I can't say that I disliked the book, the sparse elegance of the prose made it highly readable but I wish it had had more depth and detail overall.

Subscription Box or GWP?

If you are someone like me who loves discovering new beauty products and also has something of an obsession for minis there is a good chance that you stalk the beauty counters for good GWP's or subscribe to a beauty boxes (or two) but which option is the best? 

Here's a few thoughts...

Subscription boxes allow you to spread the cost of your purchases over the course of a  year while GWP's mean that you pay all at once (which could be an issue - the most expensive gift bags such as those from SpaceNK and Barney's come with purchases above $200 or $250).

Having said that, the cost of a year's worth of sub boxes often adds up to the cost of a retail beauty splurge and large retailers tend to run their promotions at the same time every year so with a little online research and forward planning you can budget for GWP's and arrange your beauty shopping around them.

 Which leads me to the fact that with a sub box you are essentially paying for a box of random products and samples. The contents aren't always revealed ahead of time so often they contain 'dud' items that won't be used at all.     

With a GWP you can purchase your favourite products (that you would be buying anyway) and the items in the gift bag are really free. You know ahead of time what the gift will be and in addition I find the items in GWPs are more usable (and generally from higher end brands).

Almost every time I dip my toe into the pool of sub boxes I seem to have an issue with billing/late shipping/missing boxes/duplicate boxes etc etc. Maybe I have been unlucky but it's a hassle I can do without... 

While I find that GWP events are fun days to shop. Many times they feature add on gifts or free mini treatments and they allow you to foster a relationship with SA's.

(But I have to admit that coming home to a boxful of goodies after a hard day at work is a great pick me up!)

And then there is the packaging, sub boxes aren't the most environmentally friendly things are they? There's a limit to how many empty Glossyboxes you can re purpose whereas GWP's almost always come within a toiletry or make up bag. I have a ton of these bags but every so often I clear them out and donate unused ones to charity shops.

Overall: 

Although repeat items seem to feature in both sub boxes and GWP'S (for example dry shampoos, eye liner pencils)  I think you can see which way I'm leaning... While the occasional sub box is fun I'm all about the GWP, I have discovered so many great products from them and receiving one seems like a real treat. 

Which do you prefer?  

The Two of Us.

Fisher and Ivy's relationship has got off to a whirlwind start. Three weeks into it they are less besotted with each other and Ivy announces that she is pregnant. Fisher and Ivy don't know that much about each other or each others' past so can they manage to stay in love?

The Two of Us was a light read that I found to be perfectly enjoyable and absorbing. It is an English book and some of it is very English so, of course, I loved this aspect of it. Parts of it are very poignant and parts of it are seriously funny. The story moves along fairly swiftly and there are many small observations that are very accurate and amusing. 

One of the things that made this book a little different to the majority of romcom novels is that it is written by a man and the story is told from a male point of view. As a result the character of Fisher is better developed and I felt that he was easier to relate to than the more distant character of Ivy. There are a couple of side plots involving Fisher's best friend, El, and a film that Fisher is producing and these are cleverly woven into the main tale of Fisher, Ivy and their impending parenthood in a way that enhances the story. 

This was a perfect beach type read for me. - engaging and entertaining.

Recommended.

A Small Beauty Restock.

Excluding the recent Glossyboxes my beauty buys have been somewhat sparse recently as I am endeavoring to use up some of the many minis and samples that I have accumulated. 

However, a recent SpaceNK visit saw me restocking my favourite daytime serum Sarah Chapman Skinesis Intense Hydrating Booster along with yet another bottle of my favourite warm weather primer Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer. 

I swapped up my skincare routine for a while and I seriously missed the Sarah Chapman serum. I find it softens my skin and plumps out fine lines like nothing else and it layers exceptionally well with other skincare products and make up. Of course it is a great year round product but I particularly like this in the summer as it is very light and not at all oily.

My face gets slick pretty quickly in the summer months and I always find myself reaching for Veil as my primer when the weather warms up. It does the best job of keeping my facial oil in check during the day and prolongs the time my make up lasts without ever blocking my pores or making me break out. Oh, and it has SPF 15 which I know isn't enough by itself but I like to think that every little bit helps... 

After not having used it for many years I have recently been trying to fit a retinol product into my routine a couple of times a week. They have definitely come on a bit in the years since I last used them with any regularity. The methods of delivery have improved greatly making them are absorb so much better, you can now layer them easily with other products and even wear certain retinols during the day (with adequate sunscreen of course). 

I wanted a nighttime retinol serum/treatment hummed and haa-ed about which one to get after reading about hundreds of them online and lurking around Sephora for way too long. Eventually I sprang for  Peter Thomas Roth Retinol Infusion PM. Containing 1.5% Retinol it has a water like consistency but feels slightly oily when you apply it. It sinks in immediately and I can definitely feel a tingle when it is first on, but so far so good - no irritation and only minimal redness - I think I eventually made a good choice. 

Finally a few samples.

 I am kind of hoping that I don't like Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm as if I do fall in love with it, it will be a rather pricey addition to my collection of cleansers. Atelier Cologne Figuier Ardent is a woodsy fig scent - I do like it but not as much as Diptyque Philosykos which is my best loved fig fragrance. 

I was keen to try out the Hum Green Superfood Powder Supplement but unfortunately it's Mint Chocolate Chip flavour and I have a strong dislike of mint flavoured things - it's like eating toothpaste for me!

There's also a couple of Shea butter minis from L'Occitane  - the hand cream is the most adorable mini ever isn't it? 

I think I am pretty much set for summer beauty wise - then again...  

Evicted.

During 2008/9 Matthew Desmond lived amongst some of the poorest families in Milwaukee in a trailer park and a rooming house. Evicted follows the fates of some of the families that he met during that time as well as their landlords. Some of the urban poor that he encounters in these desolate neighbour hoods are spending 90% of their income on rent alone. Struggling to pay bills these families are in continuous crisis and many slip through the cracks. Once evicted their lives become even more complex and frustrating as they search for new accommodation and reapply for their welfare benefits.

Evicted isn't an enjoyable book, it is a necessary book that is engrossing and eye opening. It shows the full impact that poverty and homelessness has on families and individuals. With it's many footnotes and references it should be read by politicians, economists, teachers, police and welfare workers. The mix of academic material, coupled with the human element brings home the reality of situations being faced by unfortunate people across the country everyday much more effectively than data and statistics alone. 

Everybody should read this, everyone will gain knowledge and awareness from it.

Recommended.     

Empties April 2016.

In April I used up ten full sized items and fourteen samples which was pleasing.

The majority of products were skincare ones but there were also a 

few body and hair care products and I even managed to finish a lip gloss! 

Body Products.

SpaceNK Life Daily Fix Body Lotion was a good basic body cream that was virtually fragrance free. I picked up a bunch of products from this range in TJ Maxx and whilst I was happy to get them for four dollars a piece in all honesty if I had paid full price I would be a little underwhelmed by this. Nothing bad about it, it is effective, but just a tad boring.

Bath and BodyWorks Sensual Amber Shower Gel lived up to it's name with lots of bubbles and a rich warm, enveloping fragrance that was perfect for colder weather. 

Royal Apothic Limoncello Hand Cream smelt fresh and light and had a great formula like all their other hand creams. (This was an enormous tube as well so it lasted for a while.)

Hair Products.

I finished yet another Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray, I think I am now on my last one of these! It does add volume but leaves my hair a little crunchy so not my favourite. 

 I used Unwash Bio Cleansing Conditioner to wash my hair on days when I had early starts. It was good and didn't weigh my hair down as I had feared but I prefer to use shampoo followed by conditioner rather than an all in one product.

Skin Care Products.

I loved three of the five full sized products I finished. 

Dr Dennis Gross All in One Cleanser with Toner suits my skin well, I like to use it in the morning and it is reasonably priced. 

Rodial Stemcell Super Food Facial Oil is an extra light facial oil that smells delicately of roses. It absorbs beautifully and I even found myself using this during the day. Not only did it deal effectively with dehydrated skin it layered well with make up and other products. 

I don't use physical exfoliators that often but Oskia Micro Exfoliating Balm is the best one I have ever used. It is very gentle and it emulsified to rinse away easily with the addition of water. If I ever need to buy an exfoliator it will certainly be this one but I always have a stash of scrubby things as there seems to be one in just about every gift bag I receive.

 Chantecaille Vital Essence  was one of those products that was just OK for me. I much prefer Sarah Chapman Skinesis Intense Hydrating Booster as my daytime hydrating serum. 

Muji Moisturising Milk is very basic but it left my skin feeling tacky so I wasn't a big fan. The size and packaging of this is perfect for travel though...

Sample wise I enjoyed all of the 3Lab products I used especially Perfect Cream. It was very rich but not at all greasy and it softened and hydrated my skin so well. It also smelt like lavender so it was perfect for night time use.

 Ren Wake Wonderful Night Time Facial was outstanding. When I used this my skin looked radiant and felt smooth and soft. This is going on my shopping list! 

Goldfaden MD Regenerative Night Cream was another lovely rich cream although the pot it came in was ugly and impractical. 

The sample of Vichy Liftactiv Retinol-Ha Advanced Concentrate was great. It was quite a strong product and a little went a long way but I noticed a definite improvement in my skin when I used this.

Rodial Dragon's Blood Sculpting Gel was the only dud skincare item for me this month. It has a waxy feel to it and sat on the surface of my skin rather than sinking in so it was difficult to use with other products. 

Make Up.

Chantecaille Brilliant Lip Gloss in the shade 'Modern' is my go to nude lip gloss. I wear this by itself as well as layering it over lipsticks. I finish these more frequently than any other lip products and I have already cracked open a new one.

I'm very happy with the amount of products that I ended up finishing in April as the month got off to a slow start empty wise.  There are quite a few things on my shelf that are almost finished so I am expecting May's Empties pile to be a pretty healthy looking one too!

   

All That Glitters.

I didn't know much at all about Pearl Lowe but recently saw an interview with her and she intrigued me enough to make me pick up her autobiography and read it.

Although it does tell her life story (Pearl Lowe was a singer in the 90's Britpop band Powder, then an interior designer and then a dress designer) I feel that this book is less the story of her life and more the story of her drink and drug addictions.
Leading a seemingly perfect life with her rock star husband and children Pearl is unhappy and unfulfilled. Known as a party girl around London, her partying soon gets out of control and she becomes addicted to both cocaine and heroin. Then follows a never ending cycle of recovery and relapse until with the birth of her fourth child when at last she sees the light and starts on her 'spiritual journey' to her final recovery.

I wanted to like this book but it disappointed me. I had been expecting it to contain more about how she became a musician and designer and her creative processes and it was lacking in showbiz type tales. 

Although Pearl is very candid about her addictions and mistakes she is so self indulgent that she frustrated me no end. (Later on she exhibits some awareness of her position and privilege and she becomes somewhat more likeable.) She details the addiction and relapse cycle very well but the story appeared to be lacking something and it failed to grip me making it something of a chore to read.

I didn't love the book but wish her well with her continued sobriety...

PopSugar MustHave April 2016.

PopSugar MustHave is a monthly lifestyle box aimed at women that contains 5 or 6 items. It retails for $39.95 inc taxes and shipping but as with other sub boxes you can usually find a discount coupon of some sort online. I used one that gave me $5.00 off (so I paid $34.95).

Although I'm not that much of a subscription box shopper I seem to have a had a run on them recently. IMO Pop Sugar is one of the more interesting boxes as it's not just beauty or fashion orientated and they often include things such as books and edibles - in fact the only other non beauty box that I have purchased was a PopSugar box two years ago.

The theme for the April 2016 box was 'Floral, green, natural, sustainable,fresh, renewal'. I'm not sure how much of the contents fulfilled that theme but I thought that it was a jolly good box and the range of products that it contained made it very suitable for a Mother's day gift.

The Contents:

1. Cravings (a cook book by Chrissy Teigen). Retail value $29.99. 

Although I'm not generally a fan of celebrity cookbooks this is lovely book to browse. Of course, it contains lots of photos of Chrissy but each recipe also has a photo that accompanies it and they are great food shots! I like her breezy style of writing and the recipes are what I would call jazzed up versions of classics - mostly American, but there is also a short chapter of Thai food. It's not a cheffy book but it has lots of recipes for cheesy, spicy foods that look delicious (no dessert or baked goods recipes though). I most likely wouldn't have picked this book out for myself but I like it and it will be a welcome addition to my collection of cookery books.

Verdict: Two thumbs up.

2. Royal Apothic Hand Cream. Retail Value $24.00. 

Royal Apothic Hand Creams are one of my very favourite hand creams. This one is fragranced with 'Field Poppy Conservatories' which is a floral figgy scent. As with their other hand creams the fragrance is subtle and the cream effectively moisturises without being at all greasy. This came in a very nice box and I liked that it contained a key enabling you to get the most product possible out of the metal tube.

Verdict: Two thumbs up.

3. Farmacy Sleep Tight Firming Night Balm. Retail value $48.00. 

This night cream is beautifully packaged - from it's fold out box to it's wooden topped jar. This is unlike any other face cream I have tried in that it is a gel to oil formula. Made with botanicals this 'natural' product contains echinacea which is a powerful antioxidant. It has a soothing herbaceous scent that I am sure I will find restful at night. I have only used this once so far but it left my skin feeling soft and hydrated the next day.

Verdict: Two thumbs up.

3. Flour Sack Tea Towel by Noon Designs (with a print of 'Lemons'). Retail value $18.00. 

Now I know that it is difficult to get excited about tea towels but I am always pleased to get them as gifts. TBH nice tea towels aren't something that I am going to go out and willingly spend money on especially when they are in the $20.00 price range, so if I can get my hands on them without putting my hand in my pocket they make a very welcome addition to my kitchen! The simple graphic design of this is one that would go with any kitchen. It would also work effectively as a picnic wrapper for baked goods (cakes, muffins etc) or a basket liner.

Verdict: Two thumbs up.

4. Canvas Home Salt and Pepper Shakers. Retail value $12.00. 

These are cute - they look like old school enamel ware but are actually ceramic. The typewriter style labelling on these is fun as well. We use grinders rather than shakers for our salt and pepper so these are something that I can't see myself using at the table but maybe I can use them in the kitchen for spices?

Verdict: Thumbs up as I like them but they are superfluous to my needs so will most likely be re purposed or gifted.

5. Next by Nature Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans. Retail value $4.00.

I like chocolate covered coffee beans as they aren't too sweet. These had melted during transit so they don't look great but they are still edible and yummy.

Verdict: Thumbs up.

6. Bloom That $20.00 gift card. I won't use this card as from what I have read on line it basically covers the cost of shipping an order.

Verdict: Thumbs down.

Overall: 

I thought this was a very well curated box. I loved the face and hand creams and the book. The only dud in the box for me was the gift card and that was an extra item anyway. 

I paid less than $35.00 for $136.00 worth of items (I'm excluding the gift card) and I will use everything except, perhaps, the salt and pepper set. 

I am definitely impressed with this box and will be keeping an eye on PopSugar mailings with a view to picking up more boxes if they interest me in the future.