Over the family day long weekend, Vince and I headed down to Calgary to just take a break and enjoy being away from Edmonton. His number one mission was just to relax. Mine? Eat as much good food as I could in a span of 30 hours. Yeah, I'm kinda gross sometimes :)


Pho So 1 - 1609 Centre Street N - Calgary AB

Whenever I'm in Calgary, having a hot bowl of pho noodle soup is a must! After driving 2.5 hours down the highway, we found ourselves standing outside Pho So 1 on the recommendation of one of my coworkers.


When you enter the restaurant, it's your run of the mill Vietnamese restaurant. Minimal decor on the wall (definitely Asian inspired if any!), a fish tank, and tables stocked with condiments for your soup. For 12 PM on a Sunday, the restaurant was quite empty - uh oh.


The ordering process here is reminiscent of that at Pho Tau Bay in Edmonton, where you are given a little sheet to write down your order. I've never quite understood why something like this needs to be in place at a restaurant where the service is already bound to be at a bare minimum anyways. How hard is it to take down an order for pho? I absolutely understand this process when you will be ordering say, all you can eat sushi or hot pot, where there are multiple items that need to be gathered and put together. I just don't get it. How lazy can you be?!


Pho So 1 offers three different sizes for their noodle soups, and at very reasonable prices. I'd say the average for a small bowl of pho in Edmonton right now is about $7.50 - $8.00, so it's refreshing to see cheaper prices! I went with the small beef ball pho ($6.75), while Vince picked the large pho dac biet ($7.95).


small beef ball pho
After taking our order, the steaming bowls of soup were at our table in under 4 minutes. And what a relief! The bowls are rolled out on a cart to the table, avoiding my pet peeve: the waiter's thumb getting in the soup. I've seen it happen so many times and it makes me feel sick to my stomach when that happens!


large pho dac biet
With the steaming broth sitting infront of me, I quickly sipped the soup and it was delicious. The broth had a nice depth to it, and a natural sweetness that reminded me of my favourite soup at Thai Son in Vancouver. The beef balls had a very nice bite to them, and a peppery taste that I loved.


comparison of the large vs. small
Vince enjoyed his soup as well, but the beef was a little on the tough side for his liking. It wasn't quite the perfect bowl of pho for us, but pretty good especially when you factor in the price! After the meal, we didn't have any serious thirst issues, so the MSG content here seems to be pretty low. Check this place out if you're in the area.

I was quite full from my small bowl, but Vince was left wanting more food. So off we went, looking for something more...

To be continued :) Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Skincare is more important than ever when it comes to Winter and the dry climate it brings along with it. I find that no matter how many moisturizing products I use, my skin is still a little dry here and there, so I definitely need exfoliation to keep my skin glowing. I typically use my Clarisonic 3-4 times a week for deep cleansing and to promote circulation around my face - the brush works well as an exfoliator, but I feel like sometimes it isn't enough.

I received the Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator in my January Glymm box, and I love using it! The product feels like finely grained sand suspended in a liquid medium, and allows for gentle exfoliation of the skin. The fine texture is actually due to dermatologist grade microderm crystals, which are usually used in microdermabrasion treatments. The product contains papaya enzymes and nourishing ingredients like aloe vera and coconut to keep the skin hydrated. After using this product, I definitely saw a brightening effect on my skin, which slowly faded throughout the day. It also literally has no scent (you can hardly tell), and after using it, your skin is baby soft.



This product actually reminds me of the Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash by Philosophy, in that it is a white, semi opaque watery consistency. The feel of the products is almost exactly the same, and hard to distinguish from one another unless you compare them side by side. Philosophys product is more liquid and translucent, whereas Vasanti's holds its form a little more.

The biggest difference between the two products would be the price, where 4.23 oz. of the Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator will cost $34. Philosophy's version is 8 oz., and costs only $25. However, Philosophy's does not promise any brightening effects, or correction of scars and blemishes the way Vasanti's does. If you're looking for a great exfoliator with brightening effects, Vasanti may be the right product for you!

Took these pictures a couple weeks ago when it was pretty cold outside.. but evidently colder than I thought. I remember after leaving my house, I could not stop shaking cause my measly leather jacket was not thick enough for the cold! The scarf totally didn't keep me warm either. Oops!

Top: F21 | Jacket: Mackage | Bottoms: J Brand | Scarf: gifted
Jewelry & Bag: Coach | Heels: Zara







Oh! And the bag I'm sporting up there is a newer one added to my collection, and you guessed it - another Coach bag. This one here is called the New Willis, as it is an updated version of their classic Willis bag. I love the deep navy colour, and the simplicity of it - and surprisingly enough it carries quite a bit!

Didn't the groundhog see his shadow on groundhog day? I thought spring was around the corner.. guess not, since it started snowing here in Edmonton again today. Bundle up & stay warm, everyone!