I'm a little late on this, but the SAG Awards were this past weekend and I couldn't let beautiful gowns pass me by! There were hits (and misses... eek!) on the red carpet last Sunday, but here's my favorites from that glamorous night!

Photo Credit: LA Times

Photo Credit: LA Times

Photo Credit: LA Times

Photo Credit: LA Times

Photo Credit: US Magazine

Photo Credit: Tumblr

Photo Credit: Hollywood Reporter

Photo Credit: Tumblr

People always ask me why I do it. I definitely don't get paid to do it in any way shape or form, but it takes time out of my day. So it's always a question: Why blog?


From xanga blogs and myspace bulletins (remember those?), to tumblr posts and twitter tweets, I've always loved the idea of writing my thoughts down. I love the idea of having your thoughts down on something that can't be erased, or thrown away. But obviously, there's cons to that.

There was a time when some posts/tweets were more of rants than blogs. I would rant and rave, having this I-do-what-I-want attitude. (Oh boy.) And it was not healthy. As I've grown up from those teen years (and rebellious early 20's, yes that's a real stage), I see how that negative energy can literally s u c k the life out of you. So I've learned to distance myself from it.

Over time, I've come through the other side of that. (Sometimes, yes, I still slip, but I do try to keep myself in check... and when I don't, Lorenzo does and he's pretty good about that when he catches it.) In this whole journey of trying to be the best version of myself, I've come to find that putting the negative (judgy) energy out there is not going to reel in the positive vibes. Easier to say & harder to do, I know, but as long as your best is your best, it's all one can ask for.


Stay happy,
-Gardenia Rose

As I've previously mentioned a few blogs back, I started working out again. I wanted to be more consistent and not fall off the grid with my fitness. I wanted to start all over and give it my absolute best.

It began in October with a work fitness challenge to workout at least three times a week. Every week we didn't make it was money in the jar. This is what started it all on a personal level. This is what started for me to want to change.

I also had my inspirations. Sam (my sister's friend who has come to also be my friend as well!) and my sister, Liel, were the two main people in my life who inspired to want a better & healthier life for myself my future. Sam amazingly meal prepped and ran until she can only wog throughout her pregnancy. On top of that, she lives the paleo lifestyle. My sister has three children and is studying to get her Master's degree, but chose to go gluten-free and make other healthier choices. Even with her busy supermom lifestyle, she finds a way to fit in her workout.

When I saw these two ladies, I thought to myself... I'm not pregnant. I don't have children. I'm no longer in school. What's my excuse? Then I saw this...

So I'm known to have a sweet tooth. A major one. (Doesn't every girl?) With my fitness journey, I definitely can't eat at these places all the time, but every good girl deserves a treat every now and then. (Amirite?) There's blogs that love to focus on the extremely popular Los Angeles spots that have such delicious goodies, so I wanted to do something different. Here are the underdogs that deserve a little spotlight for doing dessert right. Here's some of my favorite sweet spots.

Dolcissimo Bakeshop
Where: 13855 City Center Drive, Chino Hills, CA 91709
What: cupcakes, cakes, cake pops, macarons, ice cream macaron sandwiches, cannolis, cheesecakes
My Ultimate Faves: cap'n crunch macaron ice cream sandwich (below) & the nutella macaron.
Why: Umm... ICE CREAM MACARON SANDWICHES. Need I say more?! They have so many awesome flavors that I have yet to try. They're definitely not around the corner, but every bite is worth the drive.

Paris Baguette
Where: 5307 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, CA 90621
What: cakes, pastries, macarons, bread
My Ultimate Faves: rose macaron, blueberry cream cheese cronut (below), & pineapple pastry.
Why: This is my favorite location because it's so tiny and there's hardly any lines! I always come here on the way home for church on Sundays. Their macarons are my guilty pleasure, but hey! NO REGRETS!

Sprinkles Ice Cream
Where: 952 Avocado Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92660
What: cupcakes, ice cream, cookies

My Ultimate Fave: red velvet cupcake with red velvet ice cream (below)
Why: Okay, so this one is a little on the famous side of the hipster life, and I don't really come here often since it's not exactly near, but it's so delicious. TBH, I've never gotten anything besides red velvet on red velvet so I only have one fave, but it's so good! They also do cookie ice cream sandwiches and have red velvet waffle cones!

Cheesecake Factory
Where: 321 W. Katella Ave. #100, Anaheim, CA 92802
What: CHEESECAKESSSSSS.
My Ultimate Faves: fresh strawberry, ultimate red velvet, & oreo cheesecake.
Why: WHY NOT?! it's cheesecake. I narrowe my favorites to three, but I love a LOT of them. They're so delicious! I know it's a cliche to have the TCF on this list, but I love their cheesecakes so much!

The Melting Pot
Where: 88 W. Colorado Blvd., 2nd Floor, Pasadena, CA 91105
What: chocolate fondue
My Ultimate Faves: flaming turtle (below) and yin & yang.
Why: WHY NOT?! it's cheesecake. I narrowe my favorites to three, but I love a LOT of them. They're so delicious! I know it's a cliche to have the TCF on this list, but I love their cheesecakes so much!

Try these places and let me know what you think! :) To see all the sweet spots I visit, add me on Yelp! :)

-Gardenia Rose

Hello wonderful people! :) Just wanted to provide some food for thought this morning. In these fast-paced times we live in, it's always good to take a moment.


Have a blessed day, loves.
-Gardenia Rose

Five women. All in the entertainment industry. So beautiful. So flawless. We know that... or at least I think that. But more than their physical appearance and their show, music, or movies, I admire them most for their courage. They chose to use their talent as a platform to make a difference. They chose to stand up for what they believe in... and that's something to aspire to.





Beyonce has done at lot in paying it forward and she's done her share of standing up in what she believes in. From partnering with foundations like Make-a-Wish and donating to organizations like Chime for Change (as shown above), she definitely does all she can to help others in need. A year or so ago, she started the #BeyGOOD movement. Click here to read what it's all about.


Topping the dosomething.org's list of celebrities who have "done good," Taylor is not one to shy away from spreading the love around. To name a few of her good works, she donate $4 million dollars to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which led to the opening of the Taylor Swift Education Center. All profits from her current single "Welcome to New York" are actually going to the New York City Public School system. She even gets personal with her good deeds. Just today, the world found out r (thanks to her #taylurking) gave $1,989 to a girl for her student loans. Read all about it here.

I've known Luis since I was the 9th grade. We had geometry class together. We became best friends in 2007 and though us and life have changed, we still remain close friends.

I asked him if there was a question that he wanted me to answer. He told he had one, but I had to take time to think about it... like really think about it. So I said would, and he asked:

Reese Witherspoon in Calvin Klein and Tiffany & Co. jewelry

Emily Blunt in Michael Kors and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry

Emma Stone in Lanvin

Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad

Katherin Heigl in Zac Posen and Neil Lane jewelry

Lorde in Narciso Rodriguez and Niel Lane jewelry

Julianne Moore in custom Givenchy Haute Couture and Chopard jewelry

Amy Adams in Versace

Anna Faris (in Reem Acra) & Chris Pratt

George Clooney & Amal Clooney (in Dior Haute Couture & Harry Wintson jewelry)

Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan-Tatum (in Carolina Herrara and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry)

Adam Levine & Behati Prinsloo (in Kaufman Franco)

I love my darling mother. She recently turned 62 and trust me, she's livin'. Every since I was a teenager, she taught me simple notes about how to take care of my face. They're pretty simple, but sometime oh so hard to do (you'll see what I mean in a sec). So let's get right to it!

Tip #1: Wash your face at least twice a day. You should wash your face when you wake up and before you go to bed. You don't want to carry the day's dust and germs to the place where you rest your head. I know some days are more difficult than others. You've been out all day and night and you just wanna change into your pajamas and plop onto the bed. but NO! (I can actually hear my mom. hahaha.) "Wash your face, babes!" she'd say when I'd get home. Now, on top of cleansing my face, I use a complexion brush. I talk about it in a #WOW blog, but to put it briefly, this tiny tool can change your life and makes your skin glow.

Tip #2: Always take your makeup off before going to bed. Obviously this ties to the first tip, but taking off your makeup is another step in beauty night rituals. My mom always taught me to use oil free eye makeup remover. It's gentle and not harsh on your skin. She also recommends to use cotton balls or those fluffy cotton pads. Don't use a face terry towel and avoid cloths because taking off your makeup should be done gently. You're taking off your makeup, not wiping the kitchen counter or scrubbing the floor. So, do it gently, especially around eyes. My mom taught me to sweep outward on your eyelids and inward under your eyes, because of W R I N K L E S! So swipe the cotton in an outward circular motion gently & you'll be good!

Tip #3: Wash your face and apply your moisturizer upwards and outwards. Yes, another directional tip! And yes, it's also to prevent wrinkles! My mom always told me that gravity works against our face, dragging it down. So to counter act that gosh darn gravity (lol), always wash and apply upwards and outwards. Oh! To add to that, when you dry your face, dab your face with the cloth or towel, because of... well you already know. ;)

Tip #4: Apply all your treatments right before you sleep. Your moisturizer. Your blemish treatments. Your dark spot gels. Your under eye depuffers. Apply it. Something magical happens when your face is at rest and you're prettily dreaming. ;) I forgot the science of it all, but I remember my mom telling my to put all those treatment gels and let it do its work overnight. Go on and do your thang, honey!

Tip #5: Moisturize. Moisturize. Moisturize. Your face. Your hands. Your elbows. Your legs. Your feet. You get the picture. Moisture it alllllllll. It's good for you. It keeps your skin hydrated and it fights against... you guessed it, wrinkles. My mom believes in taking time to spread the love around, you skin will thank you one day. :) And depending on your moisturizer, cream, or lotion, there can be other benefits as well (aloe vera, shea butter, vitamin D)!

And that's that! I hope you learned something new that'll help in your beauty rituals! :)

Stay flawless,
-Gardenia Rose