Well, not really.
When the team from Uber invited me to spend Diwali with them at their LA office, it was an easy yes for me – not only because I LOVE Indian food, but also because I was highly curious how a company like Uber would celebrate the Festival of Lights (this is what Diwali essentially means in Sanskrit).
Getting into my Uber to go visit … Uber.
So I got to their uber-swank (pun-intended) offices in Santa Monica at around 4:30 and was given a tour of the space:
L: Great view of the ocean.
R: Me smiling for no reason other than there is a camera pointed at center
I found out later that the space was designed by the same team that designers of the interior of the Soho Houses – it was very well planned out, spacious and best of all – with a view of the ocean.
The Uber LA office was filled with these heartwarming framed testimonials from riders and driver-partners.
So after the tour of the two-story space by the very friendly Uber team, we were led to their communal area and we saw that the area already had a lot of Indian delicacies ready:
…which made it really hard to concentrate on much else other than eating.
But there was also an Indian henna and semi-permanent tattoo artist who did a great job of selecting a piece of temporary art for me.
Of course, no festivities are complete without a bit of song and dance – and we were treated to a couple of Bhangra dancers who taught us some cools steps.
And I was so amazed that within minutes, the Uber team members were able to dance in sync with the dancers like they’ve been practicing for years. I mean talk about #skills:
Group photo for posterity: It was a great night with the Uber Los Angeles team as well as a few other influencers who were invited.
Being an Asian living in the US, I find efforts like Uber’s encouraging and it is very much welcomed, because celebrating Diwali, Chinese New Year or Eid-Al-Fitr is a step towards acknowledging my background and my culture as well as other minorities like me.
So thank you Uber for the wonderful Diwali celebration. Now if only I can figure out how the heck everyone was able to dance in sync after only 10 minutes of training.
This post is sponsored by Revlon through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write about Revlon, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Any time someone suggests diamonds, I’m listening. Which is why I was more than happy to try Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy™ 2-step process when I heard that Step 2 involves their new ColorStay Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat™. So, if Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy™ Longwear Nail Enamel could do all it claimed, it was indeed as rare a find as a genuine diamond. I was excited to try it.
The two steps include 1) A base + color combination polish and 2) Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat™. That seemed doable. The question was – would it pass the test of my applying it in the morning (when I’m not at my best) and then last during a hectic work-day.
I started my morning early, and after doing my hair and makeup, for the first time in years I applied my own nail polish. I started with a two thin coats of Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy™ Longwear Nail Enamel in Roulette Rush #620. I waited 5 minutes then I brushed on the ColorStay Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat™. I let this dry for about 10 minutes before getting dressed. I might not have had to wait that long but I was busy answering emails and we all know how time can pass quickly when trying to keep up on correspondence (and smiling at the cute kitten photos your friends know to send you.)
My day was pretty standard – I spent it going to a couple of meetings, writing, typing, texting, getting in and out of cabs, and more typing. I threw caution to the wind and even popped open two cans of soda over the course of the day. By the time I was ready to turn in for the night, I inspected my nails and they still looked gorgeous and chip-free!
My favorite things about the Gel Envy duo are:
The base and color are combined which saves a step.
The colors are vivid and rich-looking.
The top coat lives up to it’s “diamond” reference in that it both adds shine, but is also hard to chip, as is a real diamond.
It’s not expensive, but looks luxe.
The only down-side to their chip-resistance is that I don’t have to change my nail polish very often and there are over 30 colors of Gel Envy that I want to try! Ah well. They say patience is a virtue.
They also say diamonds are a girl’s best friend. In my case, the Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy™ Longwear Nail Enamel and ColorStay Gel Envy Diamond Top Coat™ definitely are!
PS: Revlon is giving a satisfaction guarantee for all ColorStay Gel Envy products – so go ahead and try it yourself! See Revlon.com for more details. Limit 1 per HH.
If there’s one fashion item that I’d have to invest on, it would be delectable Italian-leather made bags. A popular guilty pleasure but you know it’s worth every penny. Aside from shoes, it’s the one thing that could make or break an outfit or better yet, exist on its own as a fashion statement. Ladies, you’ve got to agree, everyone’s been a bagaholic once in they’re life! On this week’s IT LIST, see my must have bag list!
Go ahead, cop one of your own– it will be our little secret! 🙂
See more on how I styled my recent favorite studded bag in
white is from Thomas Wylde on this post!
