Happy Monday!

Filippa Hamilton by Santiago Esteban for Elle Spain 

I've been in Seoul for almost one week, exactly, and I'm kind of in love with it here.

This weekend I walked around my neighborhood, exploring the quaint little shops and cafes - in fact, there are tons of little coffee shops, with open patios and free wi-fi service. Another favourite of mine are the South Korea beauty stores, that carry high-quality skincare and beauty products for drugstore prices. I've already picked up a couple bottles of nail polish (about a dollar each), mascara, face masks and a spot treatment. Unfortunately, all these little beauty stores are within walking distance of my apartment - so I'll have to work at restraining myself!

Unlike Shanghai and Taipei, the streets here are very clean and the air quality is pretty good. Humidity levels aren't as crazy either, although it sure does get hot during the day, with an overall average of 30 degrees.

Adjusting to the time different wasn't too difficult for me. I suppose it must have something to do with my nocturnal habits in North America. I try to go to bed around midnight and wake around 9am in the morning. My two roommates, S and L, are both pretty quiet and having my own room sure helps with ensuring a good night's rest. None of us are party girls, thank god.

Other than that, my first week in Seoul has been very relaxing and productive. We've had lots of castings and I booked my first job, a wedding editorial. Apparently, as June progress it becomes very busy in Korea. So, now, I'm trying to make the most of my downtime, writing and catching up on my reading.

Links L♥ve!

Is Vogue living up to its health initiative? Fashionista grades the international magazines, finding out which issues are the healthiest of them all.

Style.com reflects on the makeup in the upcoming Snow White and the Huntsman...

... and Stylelist interviews costume designer Colleen Atwood about the designs and getups of the characters in the film.

5 Secret Japanese Drugstore Beauty Finds. The Japanese and the Koreans have very similar makeup regimes... so I can absolutely relate to this post.

French lingerie store, Empreinte, sure knows how to sell underwear during closing hours.

Bookshelf Porn.

Into The Gloss talks to Milla Jovovitch (a.k.a. Leeloo) about modeling and her beauty regime.

Does a brand need a charismatic designer to succeed? Fashion magazine investigates.

There will be a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada! Super excited!

And, finally, can't we all just be as sexy as Candice Swanepoel...

Tomorrow, I'll post all about my first week in Seoul, along with pictures and what I've been up too. I've been trying to take more snaps of my surroundings, the little shops and cafes, etc. Stay-tuned for that!

Have a wonderful week and remember...

xo