Unboxing: Birthday 2024 Gifts

So, as it turns out, my friends know me really well and gifted me some AMAZING things for my birthday this year:

Harry Potter: MinaLima Edition Boxed Set

Harry Potter: MinaLima Edition Boxed Set
(Left to right: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone — MinaLima Edition(Left: Cover, Right: Interactive element)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets — MinaLima Edition(Left: Cover, Right: Interactive element)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban — MinaLima Edition(Left: Cover, Right: Interactive element)

Easily the most beautiful books I have ever seen in my life. They are designed by MinaLima (the studio behind the visual graphic style of the Harry Potter films), featuring stunning covers with elaborate gold foil, full-colour illustrations on every page, and eight interactive elements in each book. I had actually saw these MinaLima editions at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando last month and really wanted to get them, but they are really heavy and I knew my luggage would go over the weight limit, so I left them and promised myself I would order them when I got back. As it turns out, I didn't have to because Minji ended up getting me the box set. Only the first three books have been released by the MinaLima Studio so far, but I will absolutely be buying the other four once they come out. This collection is a must-have for every Potterhead.

Harry Potter: 15th Anniversary Special Edition Box Set — Cover Art by Kazu Kibuishi

Harry Potter: 15th Anniversary Special Edition Box Set — Cover Art by Kazu Kibuishi

Harry Potter: 15th Anniversary Special Edition Box Set — Cover Art by Kazu Kibuishi
(Left to right: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban)

Harry Potter: 15th Anniversary Special Edition Box Set — Cover Art by Kazu Kibuishi
(Left to right: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)

Harry Potter: 15th Anniversary Special Edition Box Set — Cover Art by Kazu Kibuishi
(Left to right: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows)

I re-read the Harry Potter series every year, and as I was tucking into my hardcover copy of The Philosopher's Stone last month, the first page FELL RIGHT OUT OF THE SPINE. (Okay, mind you, it's from 1997, BUT STILL.) I was complaining about this to my friend and colleague, Samuel, and I said, "I guess I need to get a paperback set just for re-reading purposes." But then he beat me to it and got me the 15th Anniversary Special Edition Box Set, which is the complete series in paperback featuring cover art by Kazu Kibuishi, and they are GORGEOUS. (It's definitely because I have had my Harry Potter books from their original years of publication — yes, starting with The Philosopher's Stone in 1997 — but I never realized there were so many beautiful editions of these books out there. I mean, comparatively, the UK first editions that I have are actually quite hideous so it's really no wonder they went out of print...)

LEGO x Harry Potter 76414 Expecto Patronum

Knowing my love for LEGO as well, he also got me the LEGO x Harry Potter Expecto Patronum set, which coincidentally, is my favourite of all the sets released so far. I had, admittedly, been avoiding the LEGO x Harry Potter collection because I know once I start, I can't stop, and between BTS merch, Harry Potter merch, and Lego, I HAVE NO ROOM (OR MONEY) LEFT. But now I can't help it and I'm eyeing this one as my next set. Damn it.

Harry Potter Wand Chopsticks Set

My colleague, Seema, who quite literally started at the company right when Minji and I came back from Orlando (and therefore were talking about Harry Potter ad nauseam), bought Minji a Harry Potter onesie for her maternity leave gift and got me a set of Harry Potter wand chopsticks for my birthday, which was just freaking adorable of her. I will obviously not use these chopsticks for their intended purpose — they will join my Harry Potter display, right by my Collector's Edition wand.

BTS Wootteo x RJ Cushion Doll

BTS Wootteo x RJ Plush Mini Pouch and Plush Keyring

BTS Wootteo x RJ Pajama Pants

Okay, so I love Wootteo (the character Jin designed for The Astronaut) and I love RJ (the character Jin designed for BT21), so obviously, I was obsessed with the Wootteo x RJ collaboration collection (basically, it's Wootteo dressed in an RJ costume, and IT IS SO CUTE, I DIE). My friend and fellow ARMY, Iris, knowing how obsessed I was with this collaboration, got me pretty much the entire collection, including the cushion doll, the plush keyring, the plush mini pouch, and the pajama pants. This collection was on pre-order in JULY and was delivered in September, so this was planned FOUR MONTHS IN ADVANCE. BLESS HER.

Homemade matcha macarons with anko filling

Finally, my friend Daniel, who got really into baking during the pandemic and was particularly good at making macarons, made me a massive box of matcha-flavoured macarons with anko filling. I had asked him last year if he would make me macarons for my birthday and I would pay him for it, but he had to undergo surgery during that time so he couldn't. And thus, he made up for it this year with these macarons, and I gotta say, the texture of the meringue cookies are on par with some of the best macarons I've had from Ladurée, Daan Go Cake Lab, or The Social Blend. The matcha flavour wasn't overpowering, and the anko wasn't too sweet — just perfection.

Oh, man, turning 28 for the 10th time was really quite awesome. 

Birthday 2023: Work Edition

You know, going to work on your birthday isn't all bad. In fact, there are some pretty great perks.

Sushi platter from Gal's Sushi
Pistachio cheesecake
Caramel crunch, chocolate brownie, and cookies and cream mini cakes
Birthday flowers
A sushi lunch and a pistachio cheesecake from my favourite co-workers. An assortment of mini birthday cakes and a lovely bouquet of flowers from my boss. I had to work late which kinda sucks, but it's been a pretty fun day!

Unboxing: Boxing Week Haul and Holiday Gifts

This post probably seems a little late given that we're already mid-way through January, but I did quite a bit of online shopping during Boxing Week and all my items finally arrived.

Rebecca Minkoff Edie Maxi Crossbody Bag
I'd been eyeing the Rebecca Minkoff Edie Maxi Crossbody bag for months now, and they finally had a sale — 25% off sitewide! — during Boxing Week, so I decided to bite the bullet and splurge on it. Frankly, after paying for the shipping (which includes the taxes and duties already), it came out to the same retail price of the bag without the discount, so it was really just getting free international shipping. But still, at least I saved $140 CAD and the bag is exactly what I hoped it would be.

Quay Australia High Key Extra Large Sunglasses in Gold/Brown Fade and Wired Extra Large Sunglasses in Milky Tortoise/Smoke

I was looking for some new sunglasses and decided to check out Quay Australia after a while to see if they were having any Boxing Week deals, and lo and behold, they were having a BOGO sale — the best deal I've ever seen from them. So I got a pair of my favourite High Key Extra Large sunglasses and got the Wired Extra Large sunglasses for free. I did have to pay some duties at Canada Post when they arrived, so it was more like Buy One, Get One 50% Off, but it was still a great deal.

Shiseido Limited-Edition Holiday Eyelash Curler + Clarins Supra Volume Mascara and Supra Lift & Curl Mascara

This one isn't really a Boxing Week sale, but more like I randomly went into Shoppers Drug Mart after work one day to buy a carton of half and half, stopped in the cosmetics department and picked up the Shiseido Limited Edition Holiday Eyelash Curler to replace my old MAC curler, and then realized I had $100 worth of Optimum points to redeem at checkout. So I decided to look for some new mascara, and the Beauty Advisor highly recommended two from Clarins, of all brands. Now in the 15 years that I worked in the cosmetics industry, I never, ever thought to try Clarins mascara. To me, they've always been a skincare-focused brand so I never gave their makeup a second thought — but then again, when I worked at MAC, no one even realized they made some great skincare, either. So I decided to give Clarins the benefit of the doubt and bought both the Supra Volume Mascaraand the Supra Lift & Curl Mascara. I redeemed my $100, and all I paid was the tax and my coffee cream. But I gotta tell you, I regret not trying Clarins mascara sooner because these might just be my new holy grails.

COSRX Propolis Synergy Toner Double Pack, Propolis Light Ampoule Double Pack, and Propolis Light Cream Double Pack
COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence, The Hyaluronic Acid 3, Cica Serum, and Cica Cream

Then, Olive Young — my kryptonite, apparently — had a huge Boxing Week sale where they were giving a 25% discount for all purchases over $190. I've been really interested in COSRX's Propolis line because I've been suffering from dry, irritated skin this winter. Coincidentally, COSRX was on a promotional sale already, so with the extra 25% off, the discount was closer to 60%. It would've been churlish not to stock up. So I got double packs of the toner, the ampoule, and the moisturizer, and also picked up a few other products for extra hydration and calming because when in Rome, you know?

BTS x AmorePacific Lip & Pop Edition Lip Sleeping Mask Set
BT21 x The Crème Shop Chimmy and Cooky Hydrogel Undereye Patches + Universtar Printed Essence Sheet Mask
BT21 x The Crème Shop Printed Essence Sheet Masks
BT21 x Chatime Colour Changing Cup (Outer Box)
BT21 x Chatime Colour Changing Cup (Empty vs. Filled with Cold Water)
BTS Album Cover Ceramic Coasters
Finally, I got some holiday gifts! Like, really belated holiday gifts. (And that's okay because New Year's gifts are so much more fun and unexpected than Christmas gifts.) Between Ying and Iris, I got another set of BTS x AmorePacific Lip & Pop Edition Lip Sleeping Mask Set, a variety of BT21 x The Crème Shop Printed Essence Sheet Masks and Hydrogel Eye Patches, the BT21 x Chatime Colour Changing Cup, and a beautiful set of BTS album cover ceramic coasters. All I gotta say is, ARMY friends never disappoint.

Anyway, I think Boxing Week was pretty successful. 🙃

Unboxing: BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set

(Warning: This post is long and extremely photo-heavy.)

I picked up my BTS 2022 Season's Greetings box set just in time before the new year! My friend Ying actually bought it for me as my birthday present last month, but since shipping began in early December and then she went back home to St. Martin for two weeks and is now in quarantine until Monday, I haven't actually had a chance to see her yet. So she left it on her porch for me to pick up. As per usual, this year's Season's Greetings is packed to the brim with goodies.

BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Outer Box
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Outer Box

This year's theme is "SUPER STARS." Weverse Shop's description of the the theme: "A super star who's funky and cool, a celebrity on the purple carpet in front of a packed crowd, and the real person behind the glamour of it all. BTS 2022 Season's Greetings displays the wide range of BTS' personas." This year's box "has been designed to resemble a miniature news stand, and as usual, it's full of only the best items for ARMY to welcome in the new year." The first thing we see when we flip open the lid is the Daily BTS magazine — a.k.a. THE PHOTO BOOK.

BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set  — Photo Book
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Photo Book — "Rock Stars"(Clockwise from left: Jin, RM, V, J-Hope, Jimin, Jungkook, and Suga) 
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Photo Book — "Rock Stars"(Left to right: Jimin, Jungkook, V, and J-Hope)
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Photo Book — "Rock Stars"Jimin (left) and Jungkook (right)
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Photo Book — "Rock Stars"V (left) and J-Hope (right)
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Photo Book — "Rock Stars"Jin, Suga, and RM (left) and Jin (right)
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Photo Book — "Rock Stars"RM (left) and Suga (right)

BTS 2022 Season's Greetings features four photoshoots: "Rock Stars," "Villains," "Superstars," and "Tropical After Party." The photobook includes all four shoots across 92 glorious pages in a soft cover format with perfect binding. 

BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Tabloid Posters
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Tabloid Posters — RM
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Tabloid Posters — Jin
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Tabloid Posters — Suga
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Tabloid Posters — J-Hope
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Tabloid Posters — Jimin
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Tabloid Posters — V
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Tabloid Posters — Jungkook

Then we get 32 pages of "tabloid posters," which are double-sided posters made out of newsprint. Each member gets their own poster, of course. On one side features a double-paged photo of the respective member from the "Villians" photoshoot, and on the other side are two single-paged photos from the "Rock Stars" and "Superstars" photoshoots. For the "Villains" photoshoot, RM plays a "Mad Scientist," Jin plays a "Shadow Hacker," Suga plays a "Gray Pianist" (not sure what a "gray pianist" is, but I'm thinking it's someone like the Phantom from Phantom of the Opera), J-Hope plays a "mystic strategist" (I think that means "fancy pirate"), Jimin plays an "Alley Cat" (I think they meant "cat burglar"), V plays a "Fate Reader" (a.k.a. a fortune teller), and Jungkook plays an "Action-Taker" (I have no idea what kind of villain he's supposed to be, but he looks like a hot delinquent and that's all that matters).

BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — 2022 - 2023 Diary
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — 2022 - 2023 Diary
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Desk Calendar

Then, of course, you get a diary, which includes weekly and monthly pages, blank notes pages, BTS group and subunit photos, as well as a sheet of stickers. My only qualm about this year's diary is that it is both perfect-bound and soft cover, which means it is not ideal for laying down flat on your desk (which is what I like). It's really for those who need a travel-friendly agenda, maybe for school or to keep in a bag. You do get a desk calendar, though, so at least you can have a month at-a-glance displayed at your work space. As usual, you get a different solo, subunit, or group photo for each month. 

BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Postcard Set (front and back)
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Memo Pad + Digital Code Card
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Member Paper Magnet + Tattoo Stickers
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Member Photocard Set + Member ID Photo Set
BTS 2022 Season's Greetings Box Set — Wall Calendar

This year's set also includes a postcard set, the requisite photocard set, a member ID photo set, a memo pad that looks like a cassette tape, a randomized member paper magnet (for which I got Suga), a sheet of member-drawn tattoo stickers, and — new for this set — a digital code card. In lieu of physical DVDs, this year's Season's Greetings includes a plastic card featuring a QR code/registration code instead. You register the code on Weverse, and it leads you to the "Making of" video. (This year's is about 70 minutes long. Like every year, it includes behind-the-scenes footage of the photoshoots, the members reflecting on the past year, playing a BTS trivia game, and talking about their goals for next year.) I actually quite like the idea of using digital codes to access video content online instead of physical DVDs. I've always had to buy a separate USB DVD player because MacBooks haven't included a disc player for years. I wonder if this is how their video box sets are going to be going forward? It's a pretty smart idea.

That having been said, can I just get an AMEN for PUNK ROCK BTS? I've said this before, but punk-inspired BTS is the hottest BTS, and they went all out for this photoshoot and I am obsessed as it is all my fantasies come to life and I CANNOT WAIT TO BUST OUT MY CALENDARS TOMORROW.