Loot of the Day

Okay, it's actually loot of yesterday. Been buying stuff but being on a tight budget, I'm buying sparingly now. No binge shopping...I don't wanna have an overweight suitcase a la my last trip where I donated $160 for excess baggage. But a small carry-on suitcase I need though! I just bagged a Mac Book Pro and I was told that Hong Kong is the cheapest place to get Mac Book...can't remember why but the IT dude told me so, so it gotta be real...yay, new mac book!

Anyway, went to my "hood" in Causeway Bay and Central yesterday. Didn't bleed the wallet but it's still good....

• I wanted to buy a Holga camera but then I didn't see the color I want. But I saw leather casing for my Diana F+!!! And I have a full size and one mini Diana F+ so they both need a sleek cool casing! I got a white one for my mini and black for my full size (perfect cos it's shocking pink body for my Diana F+)
• A key chain of a Diana F+....super cute...
• A "Le Petit Prince" Moleskine notebook....OMG, when I saw it, I grabbed it and I got a small one for my sister too...it's major LOVE!!!
• New bikini from H&M in teal color. I went to H&M and there's nothing to buy!!! Most of the size 34 and 32 are gone and only the big sizes left! It's like a fatso paradise there! Didn't see anything there! (hehehe...but I might have a 3.1 Phillip Lim black dress coming...waiting now)
• A bunch of beaded bracelets from H&M

Not too bad right? But let me show you the finer details of some of the stuff...

How gorgeous is this??? Little Prince is my favorite book...and now this is my favorite Moleskine

See the mini DianaF+!!! So cute! The details are awesome

The DianaF+ cover for the mini...I popped my Diana in there...so cool. Expensive though...ouch

Gorgeous! Now my Diana looks pretty!

That's all for now! More to come for sure! Sparingly it will be though!!!

The Must Haves

No no...this isn't a post about the latest things to buy but it's about the stuff or things you absolutely NEED to pop into your bag when you're going out or say, traveling....it came about when I remember how my sister Becks had this oh-so-precious baby bolster that she MUST have with her when she was young. I remember we went for a family holiday to Thailand when she was still little and it was a package tour. One of the days, my mom and my sister realized that they've left the little smelly bolster in the hotel room and we were already in the tour bus and it had already left the hotel and on the way to the next stop. It was all hell broke loose cos my sister cried like as if someone she loved had died and that forced the entire bus load of tourists to turn back to the hotel to retrieve the precious smelly bolster.

I just got back to Hong Kong to see my dad some days ago and I got started thinking about some of the items I must have with me for comfort my equivalent of the little stinky bolster (only it's more than just a bolster)...some daily, some when I'm traveling....Here they are...my pillar of strengths in the material world...

• My crystals...I use crystals for healing and energy and specific purposes (like to calm down, to focus, to charge up etc). On a daily basis, I normally pick 1 or 2 with me for good vibration. When I travel, I'll normally bring four to five with me.
• Aurora Alchemy Goddess Oils....again, this is the spiritual side. I use anointing oils for its spiritual and magical purpose...it helps balance emotions, space clearing and brings in the good ones. On a daily basis, I bring 1 or 2 with me, depending on my mood and what I need. When I travel, I pick 4. 
• My Moleskine leather notebook. Me and Moleskine have started our long relationship back when I started my first job years ago. It holds record of my inspirations, my rants, my thoughts, my hard-earned life lessons, and beautiful words my little head thinks of. It's always been a source of comfort.
• iPod...music is memory triggers and mood shifter...very powerful. Nuff said...oh gotta have my Audio Technica headphones too...I hate ear buds cos the sound quality sucks...But I'm really lusting after a Bowers & Wilkins headphones. Triple the price of my current one though...okok, soon....maybe....well at least it's not the $6000 type that Mr Bear told me about...
• National Geographic (when I travel). I don't know why but Nat Geo has this amazing comforting power on me...cos I think it helps me switch my mind off and focus on something else
• 1 or 2 good books when I travel. I can't deal with not having good books with me....As seen here, it's Nabokov's Lolita and Camus' The Adulterous Woman
• My DianaF+ Mini lomo camera....I need an analogue camera to capture special moments. I love shooting on film and no digital camera can take that old school charm away
• A favorite fragrance....seen here is Chloe by Chloe....sometimes it could be Annick Goutal's Petite Cherie...I feel naked without fragrance....
• A comfort dolly. I'm bringing "Sprout Ninja" here and she's given to me by Mr Bear....sometimes I bring a little cat dolly to remind me of Mr Bond when I travel....
• Unicorn cards....I travel with my deck of unicorn cards....it gives me a sense of spiritual comfort...

The best way to spend Monday

So I'm back home for some much needed R&R and I just had a grrrreat Monday. Yes, so Grrrreat you gotta make sure your tongue roll the "r"s in the word "Great" just to emphasis how awesome it was....

It started with me waking up at noon (sleeping in ROCKS!) to munch on my mom's homemade curry fishball and then off to the Harbour City Mall we went! And I got a bunch of stuff!! Just a dress but three pairs of shoes....ta daaaaa

Exhibit A: D&G Spring Summer 11 Black Lace Dress...super yum! You can wear it with simply some nice lingerie underneath for a night out, or with either black/nude slip underneath for a more subdued look

Exhibit B to D (left to right): Louboutin Netted Bow sling back, Louboutin Yolanda Black Slingback, Louboutin Bianca Nude.....OMG, I'm in LOVE!!!!

Perfect Monday continued to the next morning cos after shopping and dinner, my Fairy God Cousin Grace decided she wanted to have pedicure and manicure at 1030pm and where the hell can you get that? Oh no no, yes, you can!...We grabbed our passport and zipped off to Shenzhen, China, for some spa session. Apparently they have 24/7 service there and it's so lush cos you get plonked into a nice plush seat (think first class Singapore Airline seat with your own tv, sound system and butler) and I had one person giving me a shoulder rub while another massaging my feet and giving me a pedicure. It's decadent to say the least. I walked out at 6am after a massive pampering session and just as I shrugged my shoulder and thought it's probably some dodgy place in Shenzhen, I walked out in day light to realize the spa place is located next to LV, Prada, Bvlgari and Hermes....ohhh...I really didn't know China is this happening these days.....

Anyway, now that's how not to get Monday blues!

Meow

Meet my new friend. I haven't given her a name yet but OGT is already saying that she'll be one of those in my clutter but NOOoooo...it's COLLECTION, not clutter....and I always say that I've got Mr Bond another "friend"....and this is quite an expensive one in fact cos I got it in a shop which imports exclusive cat plush and she's from Osaka. Her velvet dress comes with a proper lace petticoat underneath...

Thing is, I've always had a thing for plush toy and all things cute....I have to buy them. Silly things like Ugly Dolls, Miffy etc make me smile and I buy them not because I have too much money cos I'm actually quite broke but the fact that they all look happy is something...it's like they look so perfect that in their little imaginary world, nothing bad is every gonna happen and there's always happy ending. Sometimes looking at them makes living in the real world easier cos it keeps the childlike "Little Prince" in all of us alive....it's comforting...Don't we all need some source of comfort close to us?

Notable Quotable

“Seeking security or perfection, rejoicing in feeling confirmed and whole, self-contained and comfortable, is some kind of death. It doesn’t have any fresh air. There’s no room for something to come in and interrupt all that. We are killing the moment by controlling the experience. Doing this is setting ourselves up for failure, because sooner or later, we’re going to have an experience we can’t control: our house is going to burn down, someone we love is going to die, we’re going to find out we have cancer, a brick is going to fall out of the sky and hit us on the head”

- Pema Chödrön

Caudelie

New stuff again! But it's justifiable cos I needed a new facial wash and a toner for the morning and I picked up the Caudelie Foaming Cleanser and the Beauty Elixir from Sephora...Well, I read that Julia Restoin-Roitfield uses Caudelie Beauty Elixir and if it's good enough for her, it can't be too bad. Also because I've heard really good review about it from some make-up artist friends too. And I'm delighted to inform you all that these two products are such gems!! Well, Caudelie products are about "vinotherapie" that uses grape seeds for its powerful antioxidant properties. Also, it doesn't contain sulphate and parabens and the products contain more than 100 different natural ingredients for maximum goodness.

First up, the Caudelie Foaming Cleanser....you don't even need to add water to foam it up cos when you press the nozzle, it comes out as foam and you just need to massage it on damp face. Well it's strictly a face wash cos it doesn't remove make up but it's such a wonderful face wash that I think I'm likely to buy it repeatedly cos it cleanses gently without drying your skin and the skin feels soooo very smooth and supple after. The scent is also very refreshing too and the best thing is, it's sulphate free and it means it doesn't strip skin of its natural moisture. I absolutely adore this facial cleanser and I really can see it being a staple of mine.

Then the Caudelie Beauty Elixir rocks! It's essentially a very fine face mist you can use as a toner or to refresh skin through out the day. It's actually minty so it's super great for the morning. I use it in the morning as a toner and it helps to tighten pores, smooth the skin and provide an instant burst of radiance to your face. And yes, it actually does all that! So I spritz it on before I put on my face cream after cleansing. Now I can't imagine not using it at all and it's definitely gonna be a staple cos it's so easy and there's no need to dab it on cotton wool to apply to face. It takes seconds literally. It really wakes up the skin and it's perfect for your morning routine...I highly recommend this to everyone! You can always try it out in the store cos they have testers thing anyway.

Notable Quotable

"There are two reasons why people change:


First: They've learned a lot


      Second: They have been HURT too much"

Elephants...

Elephants have always been one of my favorite animals among others like Beluga Whales, Penguins, Cats, llamas, and many more....And ever since I've framed up the paintings painted by actual elephants from the Chiang Mai Maesa Elephant Reserves (read the old post here), I've loved these gentle giants a hell lot more. I have a soft spot for them. The two pictures are hanging prettily in my house, one in my room and one in my dining room. I love them....

 The one in my living room

 The other precious one that's jazzing up my bedroom

And the other day, I came across a website on anything elephants and it's awesome. 

Lots of nice elephants visuals. Makes me happy looking at them....check it out here I love it...I love elephants!

Thunder Perfect Mind

My all time favorite ad...this is my number one....cos it sums up who I am (of course I wish I'm a gorgeous at Daria Werbowy

Fat & Bitchy or Bitchy & Fat

In my career thus far, there has been 4 female of the specie that fall under the category of "Evil/Mega/Vicious Super Biatch". I'd rather have root canal for all my teeth at one go than to deal with them. A couple of days ago, I had to take a Xanax so I could sleep cos I had such a horrible day at work where not only did I have to deal with mad bosses (who are so demanding and difficult that they might as well as me to jump through fire hoops), I had to find out that some biatch back-stabbed me. Oh and she apparently back-stabbed another department and the people who have been very helpful to her. Their crime? They couldn't think of any except that they had to be firm and assertive with her when she questioned them things she didn't know of. My crime? I don't quite know except that one time where I left work early cos the boss said that I could and she wasn't happy with that.

So I thought of all the biatches throughout the years and here they are...

Biatch 1: Miss M
From my first job, she wasn't THAT much of a biatch to me but she was terrorizing and bossing this other colleague so much she was crying a lot and had panic attack in the morning thinking about going to work. She had weird hair with strange colors like blue, pink and ugly blond, a flat face, flabby arms, a pear shape body with thunder calves and "Cankles" (my ex used to call him "pig's trotters"), no boobs (what's the point of being fat when you have no tits? sad sod) and a very loud voice. She talks about herself ALL THE TIME, every day during lunch and think herself as hot.

Biatch 2: Miss L
Second job. This frizzy haired bossy middle-age aunty is fat, has bad hair that looked a bit like a "fro" (she spent a few hundreds on it at Passion Salon), a very loud high nasal voice, an argumentative personality and an obsession with Jacky Cheung (She was a groupie and would call him her "brother" and take leave to follow him everywhere if he's in town). She once lost her cool on me for being sick when I was about to faint from food poisoning and there wasn't anyone around the office and I really needed to go home. She was yelling on the phone and I was literally in tears from anger.

Biatch 3: Miss K
The most vicious of all I've met. The best way to describe her body is "a potato on tooth picks". Her pins are pretty nice but her body is like a ball and it's not proportionate. Her paunch belly was soooo huge it juts out beyond her saggy Double D boobs. Again, she has a loud voice and if she talks, the entire office could hear her. On the first day at work, she enthusiastically bitched about her previous boss. Then a couple of days later, during an event, she openly bitched about her then boyfriend saying he's a loser (like wtf? the question is why the hell was she still with him then?). Then she openly taunted this other colleague who's a bit chubby and voluptuous saying shit like "Hey, how the hell do you live with the fact that you're so fat?"...and she thinks of herself as skinny cos there's once we all burst out laughing when we overheard her telling someone "But I'm so petite!"...I've never got back stabbed so much in my entire life and she would openly lied and talked shit in front of management. The sad story was, the management KNEW and her lies were verified but the fucking management did nothing.

Biatch 4: Miss C
Another fatty. She has hair that looks like instant noodle aka Maggie Mee and she's chubby overall, flat face, very small eyes, wears her blusher in concentric circles on the apple of her flat cheek, buck teeth that looks a bit equestrian. Oh, she, too, has a very loud voice and she constantly burps loudly a couple of times a day, and she snorts when she laughs. She bosses people around, thinks she's always right and would argue about it, back stabs and apparently, there are a lot of people who have come to me to tell me they, too, hate her guts. Some even outside of my company but have worked with her before. She is delusional too cos once she asked someone how fat was this new gym instructor in the gym she goes to, the person replied saying "really quite fat" and then she said "Oh but you have a very warped idea of what fat is, please, you think I'm fat!".....LOL....

So do you see a trend or what? It seems like Biatches have the following traits:

• Bad hair
• Loud voice
• Fat body
• A general sense of delusion about their "robust" physics
• Bossy disposition

Hmmmm....strange huh? I know there's some skinny bitches and I've dealt with one before for sure whom I've worked with but it seems like the main bulk of them are fat and loud! Well, it's just an interesting observation I've seen. At least from the ones I've dealt with. Am I missing something here? Do you know any who fit into that mold? 

Cosset Me!

Good stuff to share! And before I begin, I gotta tell you that this isn't some kind of advertisement I'm paid to do but it's really something I love so much that I can't stop gushing about it. A friend of mine Sarah recently started her own label of intimate wear named Cosset and it's all made from organic bamboo fabric from sustainable sources.

 They're all basic pieces like boy shorts, thongs, bra and tank tops and they come in basic colors: white, black and nude. It's now a major staple in my wardrobe cos it's OH SO COMFORTABLE!!! It's so damn soft and it feels like cashmere jersey that's silky to the touch and the fabric is so comfortable on the skin. I can't stop stroking the fabric cos it feels so very nice. It's breathable, draws moisture away from skin and has thermal regulating property to give you maximum comfort so it's perfect for our shitty humid weather. And as if that's not great enough, the packaging is so pretty and it's made from recycled material.

For the knickers, the cute box can be reused and it's so pretty. The tank tops come in a hanger packaging and you can use it at home so the whole eco conscious approach really scored some major brownie points with me.

It's currently available at Retail Therapy at Wheelock Place and Avana:J at Pacific Plaza. You can also get it online too but I suggest you head down to the shops to touch and feel the fabric for yourself. I went to pick up mine from Retail Therapy yesterday and I can totally live in it! I told Sarah that if I can walk around everywhere in the tank top and boy shorts, I would cos it's really THAT comfortable. And for the superb quality, they're so reasonably priced! The thongs and boy shorts come in a set of three in the nifty gorgeous box and it's only at $55, the tank top is at a mere $28 a pop which is an absolute steal! The bra they called Bralettes are soft non-padded with no under wire and it's going at $50 for a set of 2. Thing is, it's not a structured bra so if you want something very structured, you'll still have to go back to the conventional bra. But this one is perfect for lazy days and I can wear it to sleep in fact, or wear it under sheer top.

I've been hounding Sarah to make basic t shirts like the 3/4 sleeves with v-neck and round neck and if she's gonna do that, I'll be the first to buy them by the dozen cos the fabric is unbelievably lush. I'm gonna buy a few more of the tank tops cos I wanna have spares so I can wear it to sleep too. So yes, I'm going back to Retail Therapy to get more for sure! Do yourself a favor and pamper yourself by getting something this great! Oh, if you wanna read more, check out their website here.

To do List....

Aurally pleased by Marina & the Diamonds. Chemically calmed. Vibrationally balanced with Green Flourine. Spiritually anointed by Unicorn Oil. In a somewhat fabricated bliss, I think of my "To do" list.

Remember things that matters. Spend time with my cat more. Choose the good things. Let go of bad vibes. Remove toxic people. Stick with people with good vibes. Mix with good genuine peeps who sincerely have your best interest at heart. Be even more self sufficient. Stop complaining. Count my blessing. Give gratitude to small things.Be understanding. Appreciate people Eat healthy. Stay vegetarian.Meditate more. Do good. Send out good vibes. Take my daily vitamins and supplements. Apply body butter more diligently. Stop rubbing eyes. Think positive. Show compassion. See the beauty in things. Be generous with compliments but genuine. De-clutter wardrobe. Simplify. No whining in journal. Stop buying unnecessary stuff. Breathe deeply. Workout more. Wake up early. Catch the bus. Call mom more. Text sister more and send her things. Write to young cousins. Ignore buffoons at backstabbers at work. Do charity. Donate money. Sleep early. Walk with lightness in my steps. Be chirpy as much as I can. Know what's good for me. Don't bite off more than I can chew. Look for inspiration. Follow the good role models. Never bend backwards. Show kindness. Stand up for my own rights. Not apologise for my opinions and beliefs.When fighting dirty people, make sure I'm dirtier, otherwise, don't wrestle with pigs. But don't get bullied. Keep calm. Carry on.

Standing Ovation

How cute is this standing cat??? Puss in Boots lookalike! Just add boots and hat! Funny how his hind legs are so short like Mr Bond's!!

April Muse

Reading: Monocle...I've given Monocle a break and I'm back on it. I dunno why but it seems like these days, men's magazines have got more things to read up on in terms of culture and the arts compared to women's magazine. I'm totally not loving most women's mags these days cos it's always revisiting the same old themes like men cheating or how to give good blow job. It's getting stale...so these days, I love Nat Geo, Monocle, UK Harpers Bazaar and Nylon....they're my staples now.

Listening to: Mayer Hawthorne...Love his sound! A Strange Arrangement is his debut and I love it. Shared his song, Just Ain't Gonna Work Out, awhile back on my blog and that's my favorite track. Love his retro breezy easy tune that's super upbeat. Lots of falsetto singing but his way of singing is actually nice and snappy unlike those annoying one like Justin Timberlake or something...and when he drops his falsetto, he can sing too...so double yay!...Recently, he's done a couple of nice collaboration with people like Snoop Dog too that's got a really nice beat to it (check it out)...Puts me in a good mood.

Wearing: Mango Silk Green Blouse and retro blue pleat skirt...okay, not at the same time but couple of weeks ago, I went shopping with Joanie and I bought stuff from Mango. It must have been years since I bought something from them but when I got the Silk Blouse, I totally love it cos it's so comfy and I love it's relax chic when paired with roll-up skinny jeans and nude heels. I wear it tucked out (shown tucked in in the picture) with jeans, but tuck out only if you are wearing slim cut pants or it'll look too slouchy. I pair it with skirts too but tuck it in. Love the color jade peridot color that's a nice twist from the usual nude and black....The blue pleat skirt is another favorite cos it's so cute. It's shown here with a coral top but I wear mine with a red cardigan and white camisole on the inside, and I'll throw in my metallic blue Chanel 2.55 reissue. Viola! Perfect!

Sage Machado Citrine perfume oil...I'm revisiting an old love. It's lovely! It's a very feminine yet refreshing blend of citrus scent that reminds me of a lovely spring garden in the warm sunshine. It's got an accent of grapefruit, bergamot and sweet cassis built around a delicate white flower to give it a great balance. It smells divine and it lasts super long too. You just need a dab or two and it'll last for the entire day. I don't think it's available in Singapore anymore cos they used to sell it in Apothecary but it's closed down since. Gotta buy online from now. 


Also wearing the Clarins limted edition Rouge Hydra lipstick in 02 Nude Coral. Clarins came up with a very sheer and glossy nude that's so comfortable to wear! It's so moisturizing that it's really like wearing a lip balm and I love it. It smells and tastes a bit like vanilla ice cream too so I have to consciously try not to eat my lipstick.


Using: Ole Henriksen's 3 Little Wonders. Truth Serum Collagen Booster, Invigorating Night Gel and Sheer Transformation Cream. They're the 3 basic products from Ole Henriksen that promise to deliver great result by boosting collagen, refining skin, evening out skin tone and shrinking pores. It's my current night regime. You're supposed to use it day and night but I have a different regime in the morning. I would say this works pretty well. My skin feels clearer but the results are quite progressive so don't expect it to work overnight. I've been using it for a month plus now and it seems to have refined my skin a bit. Not miraculous but it's good enough as long as there's improvement right? It's worth a try and I bought them during the Christmas special at Sephora so it's totally worth it cos the 3 items cost only $125 then.

Loving: Filthy Farm Girl Filthy Pussy soap....omg! Filthy Farm Girl does the best soap EVER and the Filthy Pussy is a super divine Minty Rose flavor! It's soooo nice and smells so good I can't wait to shower everyday and inhale the wonderful aroma! It's sulphate free and parabens free and made of mostly organic ingredients! I've got a couple of other flavors too! And I love their risque and naughty copy writing and beautiful designs...If I have the money, I'll buy ALL OF THEM to display at home...I've really never been a soap person until now!!

I LOVE Aurora Alchemist Goddess Oil!!!! I've recently found these wonderful oils that I can't live without now! Owner Yvette rediscovered her spiritual path and she started making goddess oils and channeling the magical energy of different goddesses into her oils after learning the ancient art of alchemy in Egypt. Her oils are infused with natural ingredients of the highest quality and crystals to give them the healing properties. It's excellent in working through physical and emotional blockages and when I heard about the oil, I was a bit skeptical and I bought a bottle for myself. Now I have 4 (Virgin Mary, Aphrodite, Lakshmi and Fairies) and the collection is definitely growing cos I'll be getting the Kwan Yin, Green Tara and Queen of the Night oils too. It works for me definitely. And I use it everyday now to align myself on a vibrational level. It gives me a really good sense of well being....read more here...The oils are available at A Curious Teepee at Scape.

Just Ain't Gonna Work Out....

Love this song by Mayer Hawthorne and love the MTV even more.....



I was talking to Scotty the other day and we're philosophizing that elusive thing called LOVE and he said something so sad but true "...At least you know that physical material products last longer than human love does.." This is definitely Notable Quotable worthy cos if you think about it, people fall in and out of love so easily these days that many don't even bother trying to really make things work but call it quits instead...modern day love stories? Perhaps....