Delicatessan....China Version

First it was soy sauce made from boiling human hair from the barber. Then it's the rumored char siew bao made from cardboard. Next, the horrible poison milk and fake egg. Now the sci-fi luminous meat is totally this season...Seriously, this whole fake/poison food thing in china is getting more and more creative and ridiculous that I literally laugh-out-loud reading it. Only that it's anything but funny for those who got affected.

You just gotta give it to the China peeps for being so fucking inventive with coming out with toxic food. I mean seriously, it's quite inventive to even think of making fake eggs no?

I just read an article in L.A. Times with all the deeds...it's horrible...read here...Apparently they have:

• human hair soy sauce
• a fake egg making kit (like wtf??)
• chemically altered pork (spiked with clenbuterol which is meant for asthma)
• exploding watermelon...yes, watermelon that's spiked with so much growth hormone that they literally explode...sorry, it's super funny if you ask me and HL's friend actually had a watermelon exploded in the kitchen...
• some glazing material that makes pork look and smell like beef (since beef fetches more money)
• Glow-in-the-dark pork due to some luminous bacteria 
• Fish fed with human birth-control pills
• Recycled oil collected from sewage water!!! (which has carcinogenic fugus!)

YUCKS! It's basically toxic anything and everything! And the most ridiculous thing is that, if you go sue and report the case, you get fined and might go to jail cos the Chinese government is so freaking good at covering up shit like this!

A man whose son was so badly affected by the toxic milk powder (his son developed kidney stones) led a campaign for safer baby formula got a 2.5 jail sentence for "inciting social disorder"....what the fuck is that???

Sad, really sad....I don't think I'll ever consider going to China for a holiday. I wanted to go to Yunnan and the original Shangri-La (not the hotel, but the place that the hotel was named after)....Now I don't think so. Not unless I pack enough instant noodle with me.....

New shots

New shots on the blog...here

A Mid Summer Night's Mane

It's been super hot. The oily-face and greasy-hair weather is back but then again, it's always been hot here on this sunny island of Durian eaters. Is it me or has it been a hell lot worse these days? Sometimes it's so bad it feels as if the humidity level is 1000% and I've been getting really bad hair thanks to the stupid heat. My hair is super fine and flat like pancakes as it is and now, it's worse and I need lighter hair care for this time of the year.

Thing is, when it comes to shampoo, conditioner and body wash, I can't stand using those that smell too rich when the weather is too hot cos it just feels too heavy. For instance, anything vanilla is too much for my liking in the summer and I've shelved all my "heavy smelling" toiletries and whipped out all those with summery scents. The same has been done for shampoo and conditioner. I'm surviving on the Avalon Organics Lavender Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner these days and I LOVE IT!

Some years ago, I had used the Avalon Organics Lavender Shampoo and condition but I didn't quite like it. The shampoo was too drying and conditioner not rich enough. Then a couple of weeks ago, I was looking for a shampoo that would smell fresh. With my affinity for anything Lavender, I've decided to give it another try based on my obsession with the lavender scent. But guess what? It's so much better these days! I believe they've probably improved the formula heaps. It's so good I've been using it everyday.

Honestly, I was in purely for the smell cos Lavender smells so fresh and nice. However, not only am I happy in the olfactory department, I'm pretty happy with its performance. The shampoo lathers really well and this isn't as drying as the old formula and I can easily comb through my hair after rinsing off. If you have shorter hair, I'm pretty sure you can get by without conditioner. The conditioner is good too cos it's very rich yet light and doesn't weight the hair down by over-coating it.

The result? Very soft, light, clean and fresh smelling hair perfect! After towel drying my hair, I'll spritz on John Masters Organics Sea Salt Spray before scrunching it dry for extra volume and viola, I'm good to go! This must be my favorite now!

Notable Quotable

"I'm not what happened to me,
                    I'm what I choose to become"

--Carl Jung

Happy Feet II

Okay, so it seems like all Louboutins might look oh-so-pretty but when it comes to walking around in heels, even Louboutins make my feet feel like they're in some ancient feet torture treatment. How some women could strut around all day in towering heels is beyond me . Needless to say, my three pairs of Louboutins aren't getting that much mileage cos I've gone back mostly to my trusted flats.

And now, I have a new addition to my Toms family cos I got a pair of Toms in Black Glitter (courtesy of Mr Bear) and I LOVE IT! I've loved Toms Shoes cos they're super comfy and the best thing is that, for every pair you buy, they give away a pair to a child in need of shoes. So it's a shoe brand with a very good conscience! I've written about it more than a year ago and you can read more here. These are so a dressier version of their usual canvas shoes and it's so pretty...

Apparently Toms makes wedges too and they look pretty nice as well. The only problem is that I've never tried them on and I'm not sure if it'll fit my feet. They're also not available in Singapore either so might have to wait until they come in. Or maybe I'll just buy one pair blind without trying online....we'll see...but they look really pretty! Oh in Singapore, Toms shoes are available at Rockstar

Playlist

Haven't done a playlist for a while....here goes...

Listening to:

Gangsta Luv - Snoop Dogg ft Mayer Hawthorn (G Mix)
Runaway - Kanye West ft Pusha T 
Jungle Drum - Emiliana Torrini
Howling for you - The Black Keys
I miss you (Telegram Remix) - Bjork
Use Me - Bill Withers
Summer Love - Justin Timberlake
Ex-Factor - Lauran Hill
Homecoming - The Teenagers
Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People

In memory of Uncle Vincent

You are dearly missed by all of us. Especially the amazing fried eggs with soya sauce you so lovingly made for me upon request! I'll always remember you buying me a Smurfette plush toy with your own pocket money. It was so generous of you because I was a tiny kid and you were probably just in your late teens. A very handsome one no less.

I was endearingly told that when I was an infant, you would carry me to look at Kingsman the German Shepard when I was a toddler just to make sure he wouldn't bite me and chew me up. You and Uncle Desmond apparently saved my little life when Kingsman saw a baby for the first time and thought that it was food!

One day, when I have my own kids (or have friends over), I would make them your amazing Uncle V's fried eggs and tell them fondly about you. I would recount how I would keep pestering you to cook me those eggs. So much so that you would jokingly say that you'd give me those "eggs" you poop out in the loo, refuse to cook because of the trouble but only to relent later because you doted on me so much.

Once, some years back, while I was having pretty horrible virile fever, you came over with Aunty Yuleen with orange juice and food because you know I live alone. I remember how my face lit up in gratitude at the sight of the groceries you so kindly brought over.

Oh! I probably have my passion for perfume from you other than from my grandma. You always smelled awesome and we all said you were always so heavy-handed with your perfume that your clouds of fragrance forever walked in 10 steps ahead of you lol!

Thank you for being the best uncle I've ever had. Being your niece has been a blessing. Lots of your friends came over for the last 2 days. They spoke so fondly of you. You were a great man and an amazing husband to Aunty Yuleen they said, and they are right.

I miss you deeply. We all do. I'll see you at the other end of the rainbow bridge one day and let me attempt to cook you your famous egg again for a change.

I love you Uncle Vincent. Rest in peace.

Serious Kelly Lusting

I want a Kelly Relax by Hermes! It's a serious lust item! I've never been a fan of Hermes despite the cult status of Birkins cos despite the meticulous and impeccable workmanship, I always think the their bags look overly structured, stiff and old-fashion. I honestly think that it's more like a cult status thing that they're so coveted cos if you have held a Birkin before, you'll know that it's freaking heavy!

Old versus new....side by side for a comparo

Anyway, that said, Hermes re-issued an updated version of the Kelly called the Kelly Relax and omg I LOVE IT. Among the Hermes's repertoire of bags, Kelly is my favorite and at one point I actually would love to have one despite it being boxy and brief-case like but then the Kelly Relax is just perfect! It's a soft slouchy modern-take to the classic and it's so much nicer. At least you won't accidentally jab your thigh or someone else's thigh with the sharp old Kelly edges for sure.

Sadly, this will remain as a lust item....unless I struck lottery of course.....

Mark Twain says....

Sex & Food

F: I just had KFC. It was so good when I was eating it but then after I'm done, I feel so grossed out now!

Miss B: I know...just like random one-night-stand shag. Good while it lasts but shitty afterwards

F: Oh, that's a pretty good analogy....hmmm.....so if that's random shag, what food is good sex?

Miss B: What kind of good sex?

F: How about those crazy lusty carnal good shags?

Miss B: That would be gourmet fine dining in fancy restaurants....

F: Erm...okay. Then those soulful, emotional love-making sex?

Miss B: Gourmet food that not only tastes good but is also healthy and non-fattening....

F: Oh then what kind of shag is food that looks good but taste lousy?

Miss B: Bad sex with good looking hotties or model type...good to look at, lousy in the sack....

F: The type that is yummy but leaves you hungry?

Miss B: Premature ejaculation and the session gets truncated and you get frustrated

F: Hmmm....what about those beer goggle shag? Wake up the next day to find out the person looks crap?

Miss B: Easy! That's realizing whatever you have just eaten has indeed been expired and now you regret eating it cos diarrhea is coming

F: Wahahahaha! How apt! Adulterous cheating sex?

Miss B: No brainer! Eating fried anything while you're on a diet or drinking fat coke instead of diet coke

F: Hahaha....now this one...hard one, pun intended....what food is sex with men with shockingly small penis?

Miss B:.....*think real hard*......cheap cocktail sausage

Pole Addiction

The unfortunate demise of my previous Power Plate studio marked the end of my personal training sessions last September. Since then,  I've been in and out of different fitness regime, switching between yoga and swimming while I spent many days giving in to sloth instead. I blamed it on the fact that I simply couldn't find anything that could really captivate and motivate me to be consistent in keeping fit until some months back where I started pole dancing again.

It wasn't my virgin attempt cos I popped my pole dancing cherry back in 2005 when it just started in Singapore but I only did one term. Now I'm back on it and I've been hooked. I'm a 100% pole addict and I can't imagine not dancing. To die for is the major adrenaline rush from it and the post-workout endorphin-induced bliss after. Ohhh suddenly the heavens open, the angels sing and life has a meaning! Exaggeration yes but the pole classes are something I so look forward to!

Yes the pole and the towering heels that look more like weapons of mass destruction

Two refresher lessons later, a pole suddenly appeared in my apartment...yeah, I got myself a pole and then came a couple of pole dancing shoes. Oh, yes, a a pole dance dolly personal too. When I dance, the universe transform me to Bambi Sparkles! Those pole dancing shoes are endearingly named "CFM" shoes cos CFM stands for "Come Fuck Me". Well, these towering heels scream porno don't they? Hahaha..... It wasn't just for show cos it makes twirling around the pole easier, adds weight to certain positions when you need extra momentum, and not to mention it makes the body line longer and sexier, making you LOOK like you have legs that run all the way up to your armpits.

Anyway, this post is for me to gush about how much I LOVE pole dancing and that all women should at least try it once cos it's super fun and a freaking good workout. It totally works out the arms, abs and legs and when you do a complete choreograph of routine, it's a pretty good cardio workout. It's nothing less than hardcore! I sweat buckets in class and it's the workout that I would never need to drag my ass to. In fact, I couldn't get enough and if it isn't for the sore muscles and bruises I get (yes, you do get quite some bruises), I would do it everyday!

There's absolutely nothing sleazy about pole dancing cos it's been frown upon quite a bit by the uptight peeps cos they'd wonder why you wanna do dances synonymous with strippers but trust me, it's all very tasteful. It's sensual and not sexual and it requires a lot of muscles to do it. Not convinced? Check these two videos out.

She's apparently the winner of this year's pole dancing competition...impossibly graceful with so much strength. It's really acrobatic. She's a teacher at the school too

I prefer choreography compared to the acrobatic display above but this is smokin' hot!

If my gushing has kinda enticed you to think about taking a class, you should really go to Bobbi Pole Studio at Queen Street cos it's simply the best pole dancing studio in Singapore. They started in Australia by the founder Bobbi (duh...but by the way she's the sexy hot chick in the second video above) and they made it to Singapore as a franchise. So the studio in Singapore has very structured classes that follow the ones in Australia. They have a one-hour trial class every Saturday so you can go join it if you're curious and would like to have a taste of what a pole dancing class is like. Just to give you an idea, you'll start off with a long warm up sessions to keep the muscle flexible and warm and it goes for about 10 to 15 minutes before the real class begins. We have women of all shapes and sizes in class so there's no need to be shy cos we all go there for a good time in a very supportive environment with very lively and witty instructors!

Anyway, I can't get enough of it and I'm a very happy pole addict and I'm writing this post while I'm high of the post-pole dancing class endorphin high!

Rachel K BB Cream

Okay, I've never thought I would write this post cos I cringe when it comes to any celebrity/public figure-endorsed products. To me, endorsements are always gimmick and a way to use someone's name to sell stuff and I know some people (I can't name names here) who don't even touch the products they endorse.

So when my friend told me the Rachel K BB Cream is good, I didn't even bother listening cos come on, what would a beauty queen know about making skincare stuff? To begin with, I've never been a big fan of BB cream and could never understand what's the big deal about it. So if those BB cream manufacturers can't make one that I like (trust me, I've tried many), then I can't possibly expect an ex-beauty queen to do a good BB Cream right?

That's when I was very wrong cos I hate to admit this, but the Rachel K BB Cream is really the best BB Cream I've used and since buying my own tube a couple of days ago, I've been using it everyday and intend to do so in the future.

My friend was insisting that I try it cos her mom bought it randomly and she tried it out of curiosity and now swears by it. So I gave in and said she should just gimme the tube to try cos I refuse to buy something and then chuck it out if I don't like it. And guess what? I ended up running to Watsons to buy one because this really is an awesome product. I'm now considering buying the pressed powder after being won over by the BB Cream.

Thing is, it's not really a BB Cream cos it's apparently a new version of BB Cream that's called CC Cream (So weird that it's no longer BB and now CC, what's next? DD?) and it means Colour Control Cream. It's supposedly the new and improved version of BB Cream and the Rachel K one is a mineral based version which is good for the skin. It also contains other skin care ingredients like white tea and green tea extract, deep sea water, Vitamin E etc. That I don't really care cos all BB Cream promises superb skin care properties but the performance of this BB or rather CC Cream is what's worth mentioning.

The traditional BB Creams I've tried always have a sticky and slightly oily texture after application and most of them don't really give good oil control despite what they claim and Singapore's a place that'll really give oil control skin care a good test drive. And many other BB Creams just failed for that and despite having dry skin, my face will still be oily by mid day. The Rachel K one, however, actually finishes to a very lovely texture and it's a matte finish with no stickiness and oily feeling. It's smooth and powdery in fact. The oil control property is excellent to say the least cos by mid day (I wear my usual 2-way foundation on top to set it), I don't see much of a shine.

I haven't been using any BB Cream for a long while before the Rachel K one and usually, I'll blot my face once in mid-day and the blotter will always pick up quite some oil. With the Rachel K CC Cream, there's a lot less oil on the blotter. It reduces by half at least (less in fact) and it doesn't cake my foundation and the lasting power is really good too. So I really love it. The nice scent is also a plus since smell is super important to me.

I'm totally sold. Truly impressed cos I really didn't expect our ex-beauty queen to come up with such a fabulous product. Apparently, HK celebrity make up artist, Zing, swears by it too. and I can totally see why as well. You can read more here (Haha, I think he looks a bit like Chen Xiao Chun 陈小春）...Okay, I'm side-tracking.

The verdict is: Rachel K CC Cream rocks and if you're looking for a BB Cream, get this one cos I've tried many (from Skin79 to L'erge to Elisha Coy to Hana etc) and this really is THE WINNER. And just so you know, I'm not paid to write this. So it's really based on my own review!

The Museum of Me

This is one super cool thing you should try. "The Museum of Me" puts together your own little exhibition using info from you Facebook...it's super nice. Click HERE to do yours!

June Muse 2011

Reading: A Spy in the House of Love by Anais Nin. Better known for her erotic novels, Nin had an expressive ways of writing despite being a bit convoluted in her description at times. Nonetheless, I do like her  style and creativity in her descriptive language.

Eating: Home made Tofu Burger with Tofu Burger mix....got this Tofu Burger mix from Meidi-Ya at Liang Court. Not too bad. You just need to mesh up one block of firm tofu and mix it with the Tofu Burger mix with bare hands and then knead them into little patties before you pan fry them and serve them up in burger, lettuce, tomatoes and a yummy slice of cheese...et viola! Vegetarian burger!

Wearing: H&M fuchsia pink skirt I picked up during my recent Hong Kong trip. Love the strong hue and it's in line with the current bright and neon spring trend....very comfy too. Love it.
I dig the H&M beaded bracelets too. I bought a big chunks of them in different colors and I wear them all stacked up. I love chunky bracelets and bangles! This is a very good alternative to all those nice big chunky bangles that are way too big for my wrist...I know you're supposed to have it lose and use that wrist bone to stop the bangle from falling off but I always have this fear of injuring my toe in the event that the heavy bangle falls off and land on the digits....so yeah, I'll stick to beaded bracelets for now....

Also wearing Lanvin Jeanne La Plume perfume. I'm usually not a fan of sweet fruity perfume but while I was at the airport passing time, I spritz on the limited edition La Plume and actually quite liked it cos it's super light and doesn't overwhelm like most sickly sweet perfume. It's light and smells like orange candy! And I got it as a present from Mr Bear...lalalalala......

Using: YSL Touche Eclat....Okay, I'm back to using the classic and much celebrated Touche Eclat cos I finished my Fresh concealer and wanted a pen type and I just went back to YSL. Let's just say I totally forgot how much I used to love this. I remember years ago, when I tried it, the formula seemed to be a bit dry around the eye area and it got a bit cakey, but now, I'm not sure if it's because they've improved the formula or what but it seems so much better. It's light and doesn't cake. I love it. Looks like it's here to stay.

Ettusais Quick Fix Powder. Oh, I gave in to the nice pink packaging...It's so pretty and it's nice to have in your bag but it's pretty good for touching up the mid-day shine. I wouldn't say it's exceptional but it does the job well

Loving: Sophie Theallet for Nine West shoes. So pretty! And it's by Sophie Theallet, a French designer who has worked with heavy weights like Jean Paul Gaultier and Azzedine Alaia. She collaborated with Nine West for a series of spring shoes and they're gorgeous. It's super comfy too cos they're high wedges you can absolutely walk in....

Ettusais Peeling Milk. Now this is awesome cos it's an exfoliating milk that's a bit similar to Cure Water but it's much better. It actually leaves the skin very soft and supple and I use it 3 times a week. Smells really nice too and I'm totally addicted to this. I't's by far the best clumping flakey (the type where you rub and flakes come off type...dunno how else to describe it) exfoliating product I've tried. Use it on dry face with dry hands though or it won't work. But yes, try this...it has a very good skin softening effect and my skin feels very smooth and soft after.