Archive for the ‘MateriaLust’ Category

The Challenge: Visa go Hong Kong Super Shopper

July 20th, 2011 by Scarlett Ting

I am not gonna lie.

I am filled with trepidation in writing this post because I am tasked with a sacred mission – this post is not for myself, but it is closely knitted to the fate of this brilliant couple whose honeymoon of a lifetime is pretty much dependent on this, but more so, on you!

Tell me, how to not to be stressed like that?!

The destination: Hong Kong.

I have fond memories of Hong Kong, which had marked the milestones at various phases of my life, and it was just recently that we discussed to organise a family trip just so Minibean can experience the Ocean Park like I did when I was a wee mite, or go berserk at Disneyland (which kiddo doesn’t love Disneyland?!).

In fact, it was where I had my very first holiday with my parents, when I was 10. I was just surfing my old posts and saw this picture, which I took in Hong Kong.

WAHAHAHAHAHA. Stop laughing.

And then, it was just last week when I was revisiting my old posts, and found myself as a… ahem young blogger, writing about my last trip to Hong Kong and the funny episodes that ensued, and how I would have write about my travelogues differently these days. Gee, that was 6 and half years ago.

I digress.

Let me just rewind a little before you go all clueless on me.

This summer, Hong Kong, Asia’s world city is shifting into party mode with the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Summer Spectacular (do check out the site to see what you are missing!), and with this, comes a series of exciting and vibrant programs and promotions. To add on to the thrill-factor, there’s also the Visa go Hong Kong Super Shopper contest!

Hong Kong Tourism Board and Visa will jointly stage the “Visa go Hong Kong Super Shopper” contest for the second time to showcase Hong Kong’s cutting edge as a trend-setting destination. And participants from overseas will be in Hong Kong on the 30th and 31st of August to take part in the contest to be crowned the ultimate Hong Kong Super Shopper, and walk away with HK $200, 000 Visa spending credit.

And Hong Kong Tourism Board would like to send a pair of Singaporeans to Hong Kong for this contest so that we can do Singapore proud!

Thus, Hong Kong Tourism Board have come together with omy.sg to hold a local contest to scout for the most creative local winners, and as of yesterday, 6 brilliant pairs of finalists were shortlisted for this honor.

These 6 pairs will then be paired with a fashion blogger (let me get to that in just a minute…), who will pretty much act as their.. some sort of consultant, and the said blogger will then document their brainstorming process, and elaborate on the ideas, and in a way, introduce the team and the team’s idea to you, and not forgetting, champion for them so that you guys will vote for them.

Which explains why I am here. I AM HERE TO WHORE VOTES FOR MY TEAM!

Yah… whatever happened to the fashion blogger who was supposed to pair with them, right? COS WHO WILL EVER CONSIDER AUNTIE HERE A FASHION BLOGGER?!

Case in point:

Dad had to show this to Minibean the other day,  which I believe is an effort to make her undermine me as her mother. But realllyyy.. fashion, yours truly?

Truth is, I was a last minute stand-in because the very gorgeous 6th fashion blogger was down with food poisoning, and was replaced by the auntie-who-has-fever-and-swollen-cheek.

I was muttering to Alvin from omy.sg that wh0ever who gets me is incredibly unfortunate, because I was ill + ill-prepared, and I can’t write very well when I am sick, and it might be a disadvantage for them, knowing I have to birth this post in less than 24 hours (of which I spent an hour napping on the bench outside Suntec Tower 2, and many others concussed out cold, laughs!).

I met Alvin at the lobby of Suntec City, where 2 very distinctive individuals were with him whilst some of the others were already in the room, and some were not here yet. Alvin introduced us to break the ice.

We were led to the meeting room where we were briefed, and had picked a card each. The finalists then picked their cards, and we were matched to the finalists who got the same number as us.

Serendipitously, the finalists who picked my number, were the exact couple I had shared the lift with earlier, which significantly lessened the initial awkwardness!

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet my very awesome and cool team mates:

Ryan and Jennifer! Though this is not how they look like now… cos they are undoubtedly more “distinctive” in real life than this picture.

And Ryan chose the name… Ctrl + Alt + Shift as the team name. I suppose it means Jennifer got the control, I am the alternate being in the group and as for shift, in his words… Finding the fun in the shit and you will have a shift of perspective. HAHAHAHA!

 

Here’s why:

Jennifer is now bald. And for a very good cause. She had shaved her head for Hair for Hope, which is one of the charities I firmly believe in, and had raised funds for in the past. That makes me very much want to sit under the shaver too!

Ryan then reached out to pick the theme, and the theme we picked is…

Yes, Ryan went under the shaver for an extremely noble cause, and somehow their vivacious and adventurous personalities really shine through with their awesome new do. Respect!

Undoubtedly, this shows how big hearted this duo truly is.

I was trying to ostrich my way out when my team asked me if I write much about fashion since I’m supposedly a fashion blogger, before I sheepishly confessed… I am more of a generic blogger who tries to be fashionable but end up disastrous at times, and would try my best to value-add to their team even if it means to jump through hoops and all!

But the down-to-earth pair is unbelievably understanding and didn’t throw me any dirty looks, and in fact they were quick to make me feel comfortable and fit into the team, and their sense of humor floored me so many times that I really hope they will win.

They are one of the most amazing couples around, finishing each other’s sentences, laughing at what each other says, feeding each other’s creative juices, and they shared that they had recently gotten married on the 5th March, because Jennifer’s birthday was on a weekday and thus they chose the weekend nearest to her birthday.

Her birthday is surprise surprise, on the same day as mine!

Gee, I really hope they win this because I am convinced they are so gonna inject even more life into Hong Kong with their presence, and hey, and it would mean so much cos it’s their honeymoon with a purpose!

With the initial awkwardness out of the way, we quickly got down to discussion with how they want to represent Lan Kwai Fong to be.

We got down to serious business.

First we discussed our personal interpretation of Lan Kwai Fong.

Personally, Lan Kwai Fong is a place where the expats and party-goers gathered, and a must-visit place for tourists to have a feel of what is the representation of the Hong Kong nightlife. It is also where the much-read about Hong Kong celebrities party animals hang out and there might be a chance to catch a glimpse of them in their chic outfits with glazed eyes, tumbling out of clubs. Vibrant, chic, absolutely stylish, and sophisticated.

It is also where individualism wouldn’t be judged, but is celebrated, where expression of self is free. Everyone is dressed to impress, prey, or be lured. A liberation or some sort. And thus, countless trends were set at this very place.

Jennifer furiously reading up on what we might have missed out of this much heard about place that had housed plenty of rave parties. I just have to mention how super cute the reference booklet is.

Upon further research, we learnt that Lan Kwai Fong was a street dedicated to hawkers before WW2 (I love history!), and it was eventually a lane where the… you know, the chinese aunties with moles, carrying fans and help to set up XX’s son with YY’s daughter (well, who are essentially where SDU and modern mail-order bride agencies modelled their businesses from) stay!

That was when Ryan and Jennifer decided to take an angle of blending the new and the old, and perhaps take a route of showing the transformation of Lan Kwai Fong from the way it was, filled with so much traditional history, evolving into a L-shaped lane of hip happenings, and hybridization of cultures and trends.

The initial idea they had was to transform red to black, like a transition of east to west. Skirt to pants. Traditional to modern.

They toyed with the idea of something from a red long skirt to a black punkish outfit, and I thought the idea of how we could use safety pins, fabric and recycled materials to boost the creativity and Ryan even had the fantastic idea of chaining plastic spoons together to make a chic necklace.

Ideally, this was what we hoped to achieve in the ideal world, with a flip of the red long skirt, and then the transformation takes place:

Not quite possible in the short amount of time…. nor the stingy prudent $50 budget!

As it would mean we have to come up with 2 outfits and a tight constrain of budget, we pretty much had to brainstorm for yet another idea.

As the crowd dwindled out of the meeting room, the couple then headed for dinner and the 3rd party, here, ended up dozing off on a Suntec bench cos I was too groggy to move. We continued our discussion via Whatsapp, and then they made a few suggestions throughout the night, and sourced for their materials and all…

and then we decided on our theme… *drums roll*….

“ALTERED EGOS”

Upon reading up more, we also realise how Lan Kwai Fong’s vibrancy is contributed by the yuppies who would flock there to unwind after a long, hard day at work, and where people wanna be themselves, and take a change from their usual personas.

It’s a kind of liberation, a kind of release.. and a place where you let your hair down to seek solace from the pressure cookers of a workplace.

In a way, it is where you get to be yourself, or whoever you want to be. And letting your alter ego come out to play.

It is a place where you embrace changes.

We have something up our sleeves but I won’t give too much away and we can’t wait to show everyone the finished results… which I will definitely do in a couple of days’ time and hope that you guys will give Jennifer and Ryan as much support as possible and send them on their dream honeymoon. Disclaimer, I don’t get a share of the prizes, so I won’t be the third party in their honeymoon, hahaha!

Though you will not get to see the finished products till later, here I will share with you Ryan and Jennifer’s perspective and the flow of how they came up with the ideas so you get a more intimate version of how the ideas came about instead of coming from me :)

1) Task
Design an outfit that portraits the identity of Lan Kwai Fong

2) Background and experience from the team about Lan Kwai fong
The mood
- small but compacted with immerse energy

The Location
- located beside central CBD

The place
- Pubs and clubs/ food and festive celebration

The people
- Chillout/ party goers/ after work/ exectives/ expats

The dress code
- comfortable/ smart casual/ sexy/ chic/ after work office wear

The History
- From a small area reserved for hawkers, it has be transformed into the sophisticated clubbing central, with celebrities and trends setters

3) Our conclusion about LKF

A place of shift, an escape from the hustle and bustle of the nearby urban jungle where people are ‘tied’ to their routine. Finding some fun to shift their mood/body/mind

A place for pple to release themselves, their alter ego, a place of fun, relaxation and transformation. From work to play.

A place of gathering, like a pirate cove, whereby people of similar ideology comes together despite their diversified backgrounds (locals, expats, all in one)

3) Our design direction
- To capture the essence of  LKF and personify this shift from work to play visually
- Fuse the 2 different mood/energy together

4) Our team name : ctrl+alt+shift

5) Our creation

Head – Color Scarf
- add a touch of color
- simply piece of invention that can create a complete change in mood and outlook

Body – Cotton top + jeans
- ingredient for comfort/ individualism/ casual freedom

Footwear – Boots
- add some spice to the overall look. give it some zest and sexiness

Iconic identity – The tie
- links back the identity of the corporate world
- we want a change but we still want the audience to be able to relate what it ‘came’ from
- e.g. DC comic incredible Hulk, changed from a brainy meek scientist to a green crude muscle bomb, but the pants (shredded) gives the audience the link that this thing was once human, is civilised etc.
- we chose the red scale like texture as we like the feel of a chinese dragon scale.
- take that as a dab of cultural influence ;)

I absolutely adore their train of thoughts cos they really gave so much depth to the theme as they brainstormed, and I think being an amazing couple who knows what each other is thinking and all helps. And they did this while they were busy working today, and I guess they really are embracing their altered egos, just like the theme suggested ;)

I had mentioned something about gelling their hair before I stopped myself cos I realised… they have nothing to gel! Well, but hey, they have the HUGEST make-over potential, okay?!

Hopefully they will be the chosen ones to be sent on this once-in-a-lifetime trip to do Singapore proud, and sashay their outfits down Lan Kwai Fong, but I also conceit that competition is very stiff (many of the others have established fan bases! Gasp!) so keeping my fingers crossed and praying very hard!

Stay tuned as the presentation will be tonight, and I will update you with the going-ons during the presentation, and of course, the much anticipated finished products from the fantastic duo!

Once the voting process opens, you can cast your votes and YOU stand a chance to win a 3D2N trip to Hong Kong!

Oh, judges, if you are reading this, go easy on them okay, I not a fashion blogger to begin with, and the flu virus is clouding my blogging capabilities! *doe-eyed polite smile*

Posted in MateriaLust | 2 Comments »

For a dreary Monday…

April 25th, 2011 by Scarlett Ting

You can almost feel the dread in the title.

I am overwhelmed by how the recent weeks have picked up pace which explains why my abrupt end to the previous post and then… I never did follow through with it.

Much had happened and taken place the last few weeks, plenty of changes and challenges, yet pretty fruitful, which I guess I have much to be grateful for.

Especially the glorious food episodes which are A-MA-ZING cos everyone seems to be celebrating birthdays and any other cause for a good celebration. So yeap, I am pretty much fed to the brim that my girth is now issuing some serious warning to me.

Nicely wrapped up work on Thursday (HALLELUJAAAAHHH!!!) with yet another project closing though it signalled the beginning of another, spent some time with Minibean before taking off to meet the Gooners Couple for dinner and a game of L4D2.

I was impossibly chirpy on Thursday and I am still trying to find some elements of me on last Thursday to fit it into today, but they are nowhere to be found.

But maybe because Thursday was perked up by a group of foreign workers sitting outside my office having durian and after seeing the longing look on my face, when I walked back to the office, they had packed some into a styrofoam box for me and the durian rocks! And I don’t even know them!

Then there was this candid uncle who made me laugh when I had called to invite him to an event for a client, and when he realised the event is in mid May, he gave a loud WAH and said, “so long more.. don’t know after elections I kenah captured already or not…” and I burst out laughing and went, “HORHOR UNCLE! I KNOW WHO YOU VOTING FOR ALREADY!”

Had the chance to catch up on rest, and of cos it wouldn’t make sense if I didn’t make use of the lovely storm on Friday to sleep till 7-freaking-pm, then crawling out of bed for dinner in town.

I shall not mention I had a very good lesson on knowing the line from MBS and subsequently, the mahjong kakis at Lee’s place that night. Laughs.

It was also the night I realised HDB has affectionately named 1-room flats as “studio apartments” these days. Uhm… or… kayy…

When I finally had my lovely rest on Saturday, I was just super excited when I received something in the post that brought too much apprehension and at the same time anticipation.

Gee, cryptic much. Yeap, even my toes are on cue to keep crossed for a while.

Laksa dinner that night was pretty annoying because I had to sit through know-it-alls who offered no respect for alternative views. And a particular statement was too rude for me to even mention on twitter or this space of mine cos I am pretty sure it will get people into trouble. I had to hush my tones just to relate it to the bak kut teh kakis on Sunday evening because well it was just too much.

I have refrained from making much reference to the elections these days with the stifling views from all angles, and I can’t possibly have much say in this. But being human, there are things I do personally feel strongly about cos I do very much love this country more than my own after spending my entire life here.

And I dare to say I love this country much more than many other born and bred Singaporeans.

I am sure I ain’t alone, and there are so many of us here, that you probably can’t even tell us apart from the real Singaporeans, who are faced with growing ostracism, just because of the issues with foreign workers.

Recently I have the fortune, and misfortune in some instances, working with some local youths.

Some are darlings to work with, but yet many are the exact opposite.

There is no thirst nor need for them to work, and with the lack of passion, responsibility and reliability, eventually I had to try using a foreign talent out of desperation, which brought surprising results. No skiving, plenty of initiative and always keeping the positive energy up.

I know this isn’t a glamourous job but I am paying decent, I can understand some people might nitpick about anything about jobs, but if you truly need it and is humble to take it as a task to complete, I think it says plenty about a person’s attitude.

And then there are the others who just cancel last minute the day before job starts after committing and feel no ounce of accountability, go MIA suddenly, and the horror staff I had who had lied her way through almost everything and took a 3 hour trip to get to work and smiled and told me like it was the naturalest thing in the world… there got to be someone who is willing to do their jobs for them, no?

Foreign talents are not the culprits for stealing your jobs, your attitudes are probably guilty for doing so, regardless which levels you are talking about.

I am not saying this cos I was bribed by durians on Thursday, honest!

Crux of it is, there are also unwelcomed social issues that are inevitable, like wait a minute, let me barf, the uncouth, I-think-I-am-oh-so-handsome-and-cool China men from gigolo bars spitting EVERYWHERE they go, leaving their I-wonder-if-diseased bodily fluid sticking to the bottom of my poor FitFlops.

Gee, now I am curious, where did ALL those spits come from? Didn’t they all hear of Chuan Bei Pi Pa Gao (chwahn bay pee pah gow/Fritillaria Loquat Syrup)? Seriously!

What I am trying to say it, it is always difficult to strike a balance of everything, a slight improvement might tip the balance and issues are always magnified if it is relevant to, or affect you.

And it’s not the person who shouts with the loudest voice wins.

But some changes are necessary, and I am hopeful. Alas only time will prove if what are promised can be delivered. It’s like selling a slimming package to you, preying on your insecurities and attacking issues that plague you and then after you are hooked, oh-sorry-it’s-too-bad-you-are-too-fat-to-be-salvaged.

I wish there will be more candid, charismatic candidates like… okay shall not name names, without their personalities being frowned upon just by being themselves, with a heart for the people, and have the sensitivity to empathise with the mass.

I will always urge everyone to look at the big picture (stability much?) and make an informed, mature decision instead of throwing baseless, nasty and juvenile comments just to get your point across with no wish of endorsing it.

Eh, I must be crazy. I said I ain’t gonna talk politics!

Then can I just say I watched Star Awards last evening and saw my childhood prince charming Nicky Wu and I squealed? Cos I wanted so much to marry him when I was 11!

Lee said she just wanted to sleep with him last time, and I looked at her totally flabbergasted to say that I was conservative, must get married then can sleep together, that’s why I wanted to marry him.. to sleep with him of course. HAHAHA.

Okay, we all know how things pan out with my moral values… Hur hur.

Anyway, SUPER YAY to not having Felicia Chin shoved into our faces (@weeteck says she receptionist! HAHA you gotta love that guy!) and that chef show with Kym Ng got the recognition they deserve. Just looking at the men in white just made me hungry, though I realise the pre-elections raging emotions had everyone thought of a certain political party…

I wanted to keep a short post so I can go back to stuff at hand, but I supposed the dread is really setting in which makes me just wanna type non-stop,

Just something little cheery to keep spirits up on a dreary day:

Was shopping for a gift to share for someone who probably has it all, when we had buffet dinner at Mandarin Hotel on the 10th April, and I saw this exquisite Prada case which is a deviation from the usual leather goods.

It was love at first sight and though it was slightly over the budget when we had originally wanted to get a card-holder or something, we still went for it.

PWEEEEETTTTYYYY RIGHT?

The colours are all so seductive, and no prize for guessing my favourite.

These are actually clutch-size cuties which allow you to put 2 handphones in there with a zip pocket separating the 2 compartments, and honestly, it works like a charm as a clutch or lunch case (you know when you need to bring cards, money, keys and stuff out of office?) too.

And between a Prada card holder at $350 or this baby at…. $490?!

We have a clear winner!

Think it was a pretty awesome gift and it was not the usual leather goods so we were quite sure the birthday girl doesn’t have something like this, and turns out she adores it.

Now, the red one does look like it’s giving me the come-hither.

Will. Work. Harder. This. Month.

Okay, that gives me enough motivation to switch the window over to some serious work stuff. If this works next time before I start slogging I shall just write about something that give me the extra push and oomph I need.

Posted in MateriaLust | 6 Comments »

Chilly Cosy Christmas

December 29th, 2010 by Scarlett Ting

(23rd December – 28th December)

Today’s weather was a purrrrrfeeeect 26 degrees, IN THE AFTERNOON. How awesome is that? I verbalised my yearning for Singapore to keep the good job up and it will be purrrrfeeeccctt country to be in.

I can do with no white Christmas, as long as it stays as beautiful as this.

This year’s Christmas turned out to be an exhausting affair, I have as much flair in shopping as much as David Beckham’s flair for ballet, and the constant search for the “perfect gift” proves to be as futile as the search for “the perfect one”.

After my IKEA shopping (yes, auntie buys Christmas gifts from IKEA, anything to avoid the suffocating crowd!), I barely had the time to breathe before rushing to the airport at 2.30am to pick up an aunt, and then head for a very fulfilling supper at Siglap’s Hong Kong cafe on a chilly night.

Went on to stay around for a chat till it was late (like 5ish) while getting 2 of my ASOS loots from her, cos I had sent them to her place to make use of the free next day delivery services.

I can barely contain my excitement though it quickly became disappointment I could barely mask when the 2 gorgeous pieces which arrived in the snow turned out to be…. a tad small for someone who had been overindulging in suppers and all things sinful.

What can I say? Serve her right? Dammit.

I have outgrew my size, and then I grew worried for my other ASOS orders….

Which proved my point when I woke up to find a parcel waiting for me on 23rd’s morning.

I couldn’t fit into one of the dresses (ha-blardyyy-ha, someone could die from my undisguised wrath), and they had sent one item that looks NOTHING like what I had ordered despite the name and product code matched.

Upset. Though I know I have no reason to, cos ASOS customer service had been nothing but great with their prompt replies (okay, only 3 of them are good), and that is despite the fact that it was snowing and much of their staff went not there, and I hadn’t spent all the much moolah since I was just sniffing through the sale items to look for bargains.

Headed out promptly to celebrate Eddie’s birthday at the office, where I gleefully helped Caryn to sign up ASOS account, and gave her instructions on how to do her online shopping. Like I tweeted, good friends introduce you to the site, cruel ones will sign up an account and drag you to an abyss of sin.

That girl, she is truly, truly a gem. I cannot say enough how much I admire her, how much I feel her presence always give me hope… and her resilience.. I have no words for. A girl I truly respect.

Printed some pictures, before rushing all the way down to Changi for a nice dinner.

If you guys hadn’t been to the Bark Cafe, with marvelous ambience to charm and good food to seduce, it is a cosy retreat worth checking out for the Easterners.

By evening time, each table was perimetered by guests, and why hadn’t I heard of it before?!

Rushed back to town right after to collect 60 over bucks of developed pictures. It was where I had bumped into an acquaintance, one of the nicest possible people I was blessed to meet at some point of my teenagehood early that evening.

She had since married the very guy she dated back then, when some of us friends were worried that he was nothing more than.. well, taking advantage of her niceness and innocence.

They have a boy now, and she eluded bliss, and deep down in my heart, I had a lingering guilt of listening to hearsay and judged him back then, and I didn’t say, but as I bade her goodbye, the words that never came out was, “Stay this happy always, I wish you and your family the very best…”

Sent Caryn home, and there was a moroseness that bugged me as the night drew to a close.

Made a detour to see Minibean, before rushing home to get all Christmas prep ready.

So can you imagine all the work needed to be done because Christmas eve is the very next dayyy?

Okay, you probably couldn’t but you would probably understand when I finally reveal what Christmas gifts I mustered out of my hemorrhaging bank account.

Not-so-subtle-hint:

***

Wait a minute.

I needed to deliver some Christmas goodies. So off I went to Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Panjang.

I have to confess my guilt that I did the unthinkable. Succumbing to Body Shop for Christmas presents because it was so last minute when Jenn from Passion Chiffonier messaged me to meet up cos she and Ling had a Christmas present for me.

I nearly cried tears of shame when I saw it is a GORGEOUS BAG from GG5, because it was something that is severely lack in my bag collection – a classy bag that is worthy of formal dinners and all.

And yes, I used it on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day. Basically my pet bag because of the thoughts and style that went into it.

Which actually had people asking me where did I get the bag from (and I mean from professional tai-tais, not tai-lets in training hor), and showered praise on whoever had given it to me.

They liked the quality and were ooh-ing and ahh-ing over it.

I ended 23rd only when the sun of 24th reminded me I didn’t have that much time to rest before waking up to finish what I started.

Plus this and that (read: wrapping and other friends’ presents), the Alaskan crab/awesome lamb/tender steak/stuffed goose dinner was held up by our late arrival.

One little episode.

As I got into my car, I decided for a change that I shan’t be driving, so I got into the passenger side instead, which was rare, cos I often want to drive and staying in the passenger seat bores me.

As I got in, I saw a lizard lingering on my car’s body so I got up promptly.

Along the way, I turned to look out of the window, when I saw the lizard staring back at me, right beside my face.

If it was staring back at me, and I am not seeing it’s belly……….. KAAANNNNIIIINNNAAAAAHHH!

I gasped a loud “OH SHIT“, and didn’t dare to make a big fuss, cos the driver, as we know, is mortally afraid of lizards, and I am mortally afraid that he is behind the wheels.

But good also lah, cos or else, if the lizard was of that proximity to him as it was to me, I might need to stop on the expressway and resuscitate him.

And he did the very smart thing I didn’t want to do… he wound down the freaking window, which panicked the slimey lil thing, and caused it to… leapt onto what I was holding in my hands (sweater and iPad), and then as he did a sharp turn, it decided to nestle comfortably on my dress instead, which made me yelp, because as much as lizards are bearable to me, I resent the feeling of something wriggling around crawling on my bare skin.

Wearing a short dress, a tube one no less, makes me wonder why I didn’t wrap myself up for the chilly nights.

So, the staring contest started. It moved around on my dress, occasionally staring up at me with those eyes, and was cautious with its next move as I stared down at it.

It stayed still enough for me to start tweeting about it, and I think it got a little comfortable, almost like pleading me with its eyes to ask me to adopt it as pet.

I didn’t want to freak it until it start to run off around in my car, and in the process adjourning the Christmas celebrating to a hospital.

I almost wondered if I should just grab it and place it on my palm, and then bravely slide it out of the window. I didn’t.

I half suspected that as it was staring up at me, it had wanted to crawl up my dress via my tummy, but the climb would mean as arduous as conquering Mt Everest on a human level, so it gave up.

When the car stopped at the traffic light, metres away from destination, I was shoo-ed off the car and started jumping up and down to shake it off me.

I kept my head low so I didn’t have to find out the amused looks on the drivers who stopped behind my car.

Sorry dear, there is no way you would ever make it to my pet list.

***

Am I a bad mother to think that my offspring is too spoilt and pampered with the amount of gifts she gets every year, that I am starting to nag everyone to stop buying her gifts until she doesn’t take them for granted?

I am not kidding when I say her gifts always occupy an entire car’s boot, and since I ain’t rich enough to drive a ferrari which doesn’t have a bootie like mine (no pun, ahem, absolutely no pun there).. that says a lot.

Look at this charmer… and her little spawn. Ahem.

(And yes, I paired my bag with the dress I got from Passion Chiffonier!)

The dress on Minibean is a loot from the outlet store in Bicester Village, which is selling for a kill-people-set-fire price of 450. POUNDS. in Ralph Lauren store, which makes me think of ebaying it once Minibean grows out of it haha.

Can you believe it, she is going to kindergarten next week.

Which probably is a depressing news to her.

She is still such a baby to me…

And I am flooding you guys with her pictures, I know.

Here’s her with her Christmas present from us.

A lego camera which you can drop and it will be just fine. It can even stack on more lego pieces!

Last year was a never-ending task of taking pictures of her and her loots, so I don’t think I want the other presents to overshadow ours my memory card could have contained all those this year.

And the little penguin.

Cute ah! I want one of those!

I had unexpectedly received Chanel Gucci and Prada (not what you think they are, I WISH!) this year from the girls, and make-up from the guys (I swear it is like some coded, subliminal message they were trying to send).

So some stuff:

I thought these were just the best gifts. I find the red book a dud, though the How to be British was already telling me things I already know, but was really funny.

A great casual read (funny! witty! Love it!), which makes me have absolute no desire to ever own a Hermes Birkin. Then again, I ain’t gonna refuse one if you send one my way. Since nothing on my blog is legally binding, it is my female rights to change my mind in the future.

Now my car can show off its key.

Eye shadow from the boys.

From the 96 year-old Gong gong.

Make-up! An all in one box is just what I need.

Must be the most over-priced skin art, ever. It wasn’t that I don’t like or I don’t appreciate, but my first thought is, “why waste such moolah on meeee?” in the utter, unglamourous auntie way.

A new make up pouch from the ladies to replace last years (where I received TWO, and one still unused), which I suspect will become my card holder/cash purse.

I didn’t take the Uniqlo + Jil Sander zip up parka which probably makes me wanna travel again (I don’t care what you say about the snow…) nor the Ted Baker baggy dress which I wore for Christmas day.

Of course, the 550D..

And the in comparison stingy gifts in return to all the goodness above?





Which explains the late nights… an virgin attempt, so I forbid any nitpicking.

(Edited: Decide to post more pictures of the other frames, though there were two others, one which went to Lee, another that went to Cheyenne that I forgot to take picture of!)



Got home from Christmas Eve exhausted but went on to do a couple more… and I was just glad to find solace in my bed later on…

Spent Christmas noon with Minibean with her growing bored with some of her gifts already. Tsk.

Made the way down to James’ for a sumptuous meal and had my virgin game of Taboo, and I didn’t get Xanax-ed out this time round. Phew.

And yes Cheyenne, I will think of you everything I get down and dirrrrttttttyyyy in the future (until the bottle runs out).

I was just happy to clean out my closet and rearrange everything, which I hope will stay that way so I can tick spring cleaning off my list.

***

Sunday was church day.

Went to New Creation church with Minibean attending the children service.

I prayed. I prayed hard for my parents. I prayed hard for their healths. I prayed hard for Minibean. I made my grateful speech over and over again in my heart as I felt the liberation I never had, in the year of 2010, and am thankful for the chirpiness that is borderlining on annoying.

I can’t explain, but I am thankful, I felt free of a lot of emotional burdens and dare I say it, I am actually feeling, happy. In the real sense. I mean, a lot of things I cannot control, and there are things if hadn’t changed would have been ideal, but I think the friends I truly care about are in good places now.. and that’s good.

I actually feel rather fulfilled doing my own stuff, and it is actually busier and though it doesn’t bring home the dough (like, baking soda is, like, you know, like how awesome to rid of pee stains and order and bleaching those white clothes!), and playing a more major part in Minibean’s growth.

I feel my wits had been sharpened just by hanging around her.

***

Got back to prepare for boxing day tea where I baked scones and did waffles (not pre-mixed okay!). I think it gave me biceps from all those folding, stirring…

The comfort of home beckoned and I just couldn’t stop reading and enjoying the late night because it was such a bliss to be a homebody again.

***

I refused to get out of home on Monday, though I did manage to drag my sorry ass to meet Eunice for some pole action (still haven’t thank you for the bling polish!), though it wasn’t much of a lazy session of catching up with barely any pole action cos I feel my hamstring just wasn’t up to it.

Got home and after busied with the chores, I just read, assumed the role of Ninja chopping up fruits, be as angry as the birds, and ignored the lure of the internet and my phone.

LIKE HOW MUCH OF A LUXURY IS THAT?!

Speaking of which, I left my phone behind after visiting today and I didn’t even panic nor bother to pick it up, though I probably have to tomorrow.

***

I can’t even start to describe the beauty of today.

ASOS’ final loot, the biggest and cheapest (4 dresses for 50 pounds!) arrived and woke me up from my slumber and I FIT INTO EVERYONE OF THEM COMFORTABLY WITHOUT STOPPING MY BLOOD FLOW! *Sending flying kisses up to Heaven*

I immediately wore this casual piece out, and it actually reminded me of this:

(Which by the way, coincidentally is Passion Chiffonier’s latest collection launched today, and I am NOT paid to mention this, Christmas is all about giving! And I give my love to this dress! But yah lah, I also got guilt from getting Body Shop stuff that I promise myself I won’t ever get that for pressies, EVER)

While trying on the dress from ASOS similar to this dress from Passion Chiffonier, albeit a boring solid colour one, at the exact timing, Liwen messaged me to ask me about ASOS as I was wriggling out of my dresses I was trying on. And how coincidental is that?!

And from the way Ling and Jenn chose my Christmas present with impeccable taste, I can deffo see the reflection from this dress. Very pretty and special dress, and in the same design like the one I wore out today (except mine doesn’t have bubble hem).

Oh, got Sale on Passion Chiffonier too. You can be excused as you go browse. Come back later, will ya?

So the weather and everything gave me happy thoughts, which even the need to alter my dresses to shorten them (cos I am TOO short for them) did not dampen the positivity that I might actually start to flirt with female sales assistants EVERYWHERE.

Today got a few stuff done in town, Dad’s birthday present and birthday plans are settled, though I have to say.. it is not something I am used to cos we don’t celebrate birthdays in my household.

Though a pauper, I really want to make things special for him and mum this year.

Our family has this thing of celebrating all the big birthdays on the same year. 70th for Dad, 60th for Mum.

Thank goodness I picked the pressie for Dad in London, so it wasn’t something I have to worry about.

Knowing the right people also mean I have a special menu drafted up for his dinner (no sharks’ fins was my instruction).

Lunch at Raffles City, Dinner at Spizza (can I just mention Jalan Kayu’s Spizza has really warm service that makes you feel so at home?) where Minibean charmed the pants off everyone and she was on her best best best behavior. She has so much gems I need to share. And I can almost start a post on my counter-Minibeanism which sometimes I surprise myself (baby, you can’t shout or talk so loud in a restaurant like this, or else the chef might hear you and the food might not be that delicious anymore. Imagine: “What’s that sound? Whoooooops, did I just drop the tub of salt into the food?!” IT WORKED!) with however lame and however effective they are.

It was a lovely evening, though when we were walking into a place too far from the loos after she had drank too much water, we had no choice but to allow her to do it by the bush.. somewhere.

I had ambitiously thought I could finish 3 posts, and thought this would be a short post.

How wrong was I?

Nahbehly wrong.

Another long day of errands tomorrow. Praying no jam at causeway!!

Haven’t had more than 8 hours of sleep since don’t know when. I am in need of that break.

But while you excuse me, I need to go cut up some fruits.. damn the person who showed Minibean the game over Christmas.

And if I hadn’t said it, Merry Christmas everyone!

Maybe, have a great end to 2010, and a great start would be more apt!

Be safe, be good, be happy.

Love,

Ting (though I suspect I might be back soon with another post before the new year is ushered in. Fuck, I need to stop blabbering on. Did I say I am high on the festive season or something?)

Posted in Life's Fillers, MateriaLust, Perk-me-ups | 8 Comments »

Wardrobe to start 2011

December 17th, 2010 by Scarlett Ting

Good morning everyboddddyyyy!

I have tried hard to refrain from online-shopping with some of my favourite overseas sites.

Man, have I tried awfully hard.

In fact, I was pretty successful, until the project that had taken up quite a huge bout of my time and energy for the past couple of weeks ruined all of my self-control.

My excuse is, over the course of my highly-strung days in the office, I had found myself finding the perfect instant-chill solution.

You guessed it right. Online shopping.

Just like the other day.

I dialed a number. I was put on hold and I started to open www.asos.com, simply because everyone had raved about the free international shipping and every tweet I read, every conversation I overheard in the eateries, and even every man (okay, that’s exaggeration there but 2 guys on my chap are talking about ASOS too!) I know, has to do with ASOS.

It took me only last week to finally jump on the bandwagon.

So during the holding time, I browsed as I hummed to the annoying on-hold music.

2nd phone call I made out had me putting some items I kinda like into the shopping cart.

I was so delirious from the energy-sapping task that by the 3rd phone call, I found myself checking out.

And then, the realisation hit me. Hard.

I had not shopped on ASOS for almost 2 years. And the last time I spent moolah on Victoria’s Secret? That was exactly a year ago.

Wah lau, I freaking deserve a pat on my shoulder can?

I don’t know when did I start to impose such shopping abstinence on myself, but I almost forgot how fun it could be… AND how frustrating it could be.

For example, the exchange rates took me by surprise at times cos the rates are different on my credit cards from different banks, and there were multiple complaining tweets (quite aplenty I might add) from friends who had made an order, utilising the free shipping, and their parcels don’t seem to be reaching in time for the festive season, causing them plenty of frustration cos the stated date was much earlier, and they still hadn’t received anything yet, thus causing the fear of parcel loss.

Which can’t be blamed, the international free shipping would have caused the demand to shoot up drastically, and maybe the mail system/dispatch system just can’t quite cope with the volume.

And if you are looking to purchase your festive items now, don’t even think about it, cos the estimated date of delivery stated on the site would probably tell you it will be much later than your patience allow you to (don’t know will come by Chinese New Year or not!) wait unless you don’t mind paying almost $50 for express postage.

So just when I thought my purchases were all done fuss-free, I was hit by an annoying mail to tell me that they had ran out of the item, and there was a glitch in the system even though it was out of stock, it did not reflect so.

It happened not once, twice, thrice.. but fucking FOUR times in the past week, and the robotic Robyn who replied me, didn’t manage to get anything I was trying to get across, and it took a very competent Kim to finally dispense some helpful advice, though most of the time, they are too helpless in a situation too.

So what better excuse for me to turn my focus back onto the local market, where the local blogshops are certainly very much lack of love because of fickle-minded ladies like you and me, and yet so much more deserving of love compared to the customer service we get elsewhere.

I was catching up with C, the owner of Zepherra the other day on Gtalk after browsing her site to curb my disappointment with ASOS (and then I saw the new collection was up and was mightily impressed!), I casually asked if there was an impact on her business, and she agreed that the impact was certainly enough to be felt.

Since most of the blogshop owners I had written advertorials before had somewhat became friends (seriously, these ladies are so sweet it is impossible not to love them), as time goes by, I feel certain mentions are more of helping friends to raise awareness, rather than how it had started out to be mere advertorials. So, this is not quite an advertorial, and it really depends on how you see it.

Just a lil bit of background.. Zepherra is the baby of C,  who first wrote to me in March, and left an impression of being someone who is a bit on the quiet side.

Over the past months, even though I had ceased to write anymore advertorials for Zepherra, we still keep in contact with the constant email exchanges, and me going green with envy with her trip to Ireland, and dashing my hopes that Ireland is a NOT land full of hot, Irish men.

Along the way, Zepherra also joined Jipaban and the blogshop has came a long way since it had started.

But what impressed me most was over the exchanges we had, was how C is very meticulous about the quality of the clothes she manufactured, or chose for Zepherra.

Like in the beginning, when I had received the sweetheart sundress that was featured on my blog, I remember praising the material, and that was one of the times I had seen the extreme excitement in her e-mail tone (remember how I said she came across as pretty quiet?), and she was just so glad that someone noticed it, and affirmed what she believes in.

In one of the later exchanges, she was particularly saddened and sounded vastly disappointed when she shared that she had a shipment that came in, and she was devastated that the material was just mediocre like you would find everywhere else, and she didn’t have the heart to put in on her site because it would go against what she believes in.

I have seen the pictures to the items which she termed as mediocre, and they actually look pretty, just that the material used are cheap, and if she puts it up on her site and pass it off as one of her collections, it is likely that it would be sold out anyway, but yet she didn’t want to do it.

She ended up detailing the quality of the dresses with ample honesty, and sold them off at almost cost price.

She didn’t tell me what she did, but since I browse her site pretty often, I found out for myself and was impressed how she really refused to jack up the price just to stick to what she believes in.

Such ethics in blogshops are almost too rare, so I truly appreciate it.

Since then, whenever something on her site says good quality, I whole-heartedly believe so.

Zepherra has since made a mark for itself as the quality definitely brought back more repeat customers, and the favourite piece of dress I got from C?

It is now manufactured in a gorgeous shade of pink, which is utterly sweet.

And a shade of bluish-purple, one of this season’s popular colours!

I was not the only one who thought the material is awesome.

I recently wore it for a church wedding where I witnessed Minibean walking down the aisle in it, and it had garnered praises, and I would actually get them to try to touch the hem of the dress to have a feel of the material and they totally digged it.

Don’t take my words for it, some of the responses from customers also reflected the same thing:

I bought it for my gf and she loves it. Thanks! – Mark

I’ve received the dress already it’s very fast thanks! :) Quality’s really good and i like the cut :) – Suzanne

I like it. It fits just right. =) – Viola

I bought the light blue one the last time and it was beeaaaauuuuutiful! even my boyfriend loves it, haha :D . – Val

I love your sweetheart dress. It is so pretty – Deb

I just wanted to let you know that the 2 ASOS inspired dresses (white & light blue) are my very best blogshop buys!! They are so pretty, they fit beautifully, and the workmanship is
superb!!

Thank you very much!! Will definitely shop with Zepherra again!! – Shirley

And I saw this dress in Zepherra’s manufactured label, and instantly fell in love with it!

Very sweet right?! I like it very much and it was the unique back view of the dress that capture my attention.

It is sooooooo prettty!!

I was doing a search on google for some review on this piece, and then I was led to the blog which belongs to the model who modeled this piece. Apparently she mentioned she kept this very piece and she mentioned how much she really loves this dress’ cutting and material.

C’s taste just seems to appeal to the girly-ness in me, somehow.

Like this pink Grecian dress. I have a weakness for anything Grecian and Kaftan.

I saw something that I like on the site, and it was sold out before I could ask C more information on it:

Bummer! I could make do with a really good quality jacket right now, but thankfully the black one is still in stock :D

I thought it is a very versatile piece that would elegant-ise any dress for that corporate look, and is perfect to stock in the wardrobe for the new year as the ladies return to the work place.

Another work dress that caught my eye is this, and this is coming from someone who isn’t that much of a long-sleeve person:

One piece which isn’t found on the site itself, but is on Jipaban was Angeline Scarf Dress.

Since I am still unemployed, I am still very much trying to think of an excuse for me to get this dress cos it looks very nice and very elegant!

Made of matt satin+silk mix (inner layer) and chiffon silk scarf!!

I remember I used to be so curious about the blogshop business, and C was always willing to share her insights with me, and I know all these dresses have recommended retail price of S$90 – S$110, which is what some of those shops out there are selling, and yet she is selling at prices that go easy on the wallet, and yet does not scrimp on workmanship and quality.

There was this green dress that was featured on Zepherra and I adored it to bits, and before I knew it, all snapped up. Grr…

C mentioned that there will be couple of more casual dresses coming up on the site and I personally can’t wait.

And with the brilliant mix of casual and work clothes, I think I might have to restock my wardrobe of work clothes for the new year (hurhurhur), and for those of you who are looking for new work wardrobe to start the new year, maybe you should look no further than locally for the dresses to reach you in time!

Casual dresses for the festive season gatherings and countdown parties should be in order too… and gee, with the weekend looming, I think the best use of my time, and yours too would be go do some serious browsing and shopping online!

Now, I am seriously thinking of getting this Black Chanel-inspired jacket..

C.. can I put in special requests for the white one to be brought in again? *Bats eyelashes doe-eyed look* Pretty please, with a cherry on top?

Posted in MateriaLust, Tried & Tested/Advertorials | 3 Comments »

Twenty Ten: Reads

October 30th, 2010 by Scarlett Ting

I haven’t been reading much. But everytime I read, I like to remember what I had experience through the books.

However, sometimes, as I put away book after book, I ended up letting those sentiments slip by as well.

This year, I didn’t read much. Because I am well aware how I will be absorbed into a world that does not belong, nor exist in mine, and I will retreat into it, and find the perfect excuse to exit mine.

Nonetheless, being able to hole up in other worlds is a luxury these days, and it is only to the last quarter of 2010, did I finally manage to find it within me to read again.

6 weeks of reading which got off to a slow start and it picked up pace and peaked in the last week.

I think I have OD-ed slightly on reading, and have perhaps gotten a little jetlagged with the obscene hours I stay up just to finish my read. That was what I thought yesterday, that I would retire from reading for rest of the year when I finished a book on Friday morning and simply couldn’t find it within me to read anymore.

Finished Kiss the Girls on Friday morning, and had reading fatigue which made me declare I would retire from reading for 2010 so I can get my body in tune with the standard schooling hours, until I found a pdf of the Kite Runner which I allowed it to mind-fucked me and manipulated my feelings pretty badly through the iPad for 5 and half hours, until I finally finished it.

I want to say how I was utterly devastated by the book, it was almost hard to read sometimes, and I loved the earlier part, until the later part of the book, there was just something that just killed the magic the book had on me or else it would have been the perfect read.

It is this precise OCD of having to finish the book at one go.. that has overtaken my OCD for cleaning the house. You know, I am never good at the balancing shite.

Will be updating this post for personal purposes.. of those things that I read, and if I do read more in whatever’s left of 2010.

I remember I used to have a read list on my computer, until it died on me in April.

And this space has since became the constant in my life, so it has to double up as my desktop, for now.

You know how sometimes a read can just engage you so much and then raise your expectations so high, until a point in the book where it just seems too… over the top that it ruins the entire book for you? I had the feeling for some of the books and still have not felt overwhelmed by any yet.

Like, good sex, bad orgasm, ya know ya know?

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson (a 3.5 out of 5, the start was a little hard to get me sucked into the book and I didn’t think the plot was anything that took my breath away)

The Girl who played with fire – Stieg Larsson (4 out of 5 higher ratings simply cos I enjoyed the pace and the writing better for this book)

The Girl who kicked the hornets’ nest – Stieg Larsson (3.5 out of 5)

Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert (2.5 out of 5 I fell asleep 3 times reading the book, though some parts were nice, especially the 1st 3rd, and some of the last 3rd of the book)

The Help – Kathryn Stockett (4.5 out of 5, really loved the book, but something about the ending just didn’t wrap up the story nicely for me)

The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins (3.5 out of 5)

Catching Fire – Suzanne Collins (3.5 out of 5)

Mockingjay – Suzanne Collins (4 out of 5, I know many didn’t like the conclusion to the trilogy but I think it carried deeper meanings and became an analogy of the writer’s expression on her views on war)

Kiss the Girls – James Patterson (3 out of 5. An easy read cos of the short chapters, but this one was a little too sexual for my liking. And yes, there are things that can be TOO sexual, even for me)

The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini (4.5 out of 5 I now know what’s the hype about the book, but it made my heart ache from the start to the very end. Moral struggles, consequential decisions, unforgiveness to self, forgiveness, friendship, kinship, war, and grappling with.. being human)

I think my teachers would be so proud of me, especially when I used to copy book reviews to submit monthly from schoolmates from other classes so that I didn’t have to read any cos I simply didn’t enjoy English back then. It was no surprise I flunked English Literature so badly and was in heaven when I finally took Chinese Literature.

But I did finally understand why my teachers were so adamant about us reading when we were kiddos, I didn’t, and refused to read English books till I was finally out of school, when no one was forcing me to do so, and I picked up my first book when I was 18, when I was in Croydon, from the bookshelf of the host family I was staying with.

I believe if I never did so, I would have never started writing. I would have never learnt the tricks to bullshitting, which was essentially the key to me passing my other exams since then.

Minibean is starting to read and recognising words, in both languages, and has been doing quite an amazing job. I hope that fire in her and the thirst for words will not be killed so that I can stop listening to the 3 little pigs finally and go on to something I am less familiar with.

I actually fell asleep when she tried to tell me a story the other night and you start to wonder if bedtime stories work on the mechanism of boring the kiddos with repetitive stories until they fall asleep.

If there are any more books worth reading (which I believe are plenty out there just that I don’t know what they are), do suggest to me and the best if there are ebook versions so I can say byebye to the clutter of books strewn around the house.

Oh, maybe before I retire, I should read the Pip Mister. Or to finish the few pages of The Time Traveler’s Wife I had started with (I have heard how great it is a book but somehow I still have not gotten the momentum to be “hooked” by it).

Maybe the Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

Maybe.. ai yah, like that how to retire from the hermit hole?!

Posted in MateriaLust, Piercing the mundane | 2 Comments »

The auntie strikes.. again!

October 27th, 2010 by Scarlett Ting

Nowadays when I tweet about contests or write about them, people seem to be genuinely interested (What prize?! where what how ah?) but will ask secretly, and I guess it is the thrill that is similar to buying 4D! I wouldn’t know cos as much as I have a teeny weeny bit of gambler in me, 4D and Toto have yet to get on to me.. but if you say mahjong or baccarat, I would say “Meet where now?“.

So yet another contest lobang I chanced upon on Twitter via Molemole.

This is for all bloggers out there (I mean, almost everyone owns a blog these days so I guess a lot of you are eligible too), there is a contest out there for you to win an Royal Carribean cruise adventure and you can stand to with a trip on Legend of the Seas, which was the exact cruise I went on earlier this year (yes, the one I am supposed to blog, along with the Sri Lanka trip which I HAVEN’T EVEN DONE SO!), and met some of the most fabulous people at the… casino (haha!)!

Then, the grand prize is actually…. *drums roll*… 7D5N Western Mediterranean Fly-Cruise onboard Liberty of the Seas!

Sounds damn awesome right?

So all you have to do is to register yourself so you can be one of 40 bloggers to be chosen to have a half-day ship tour onboard Legend of the Seas, on 22 November 2010 .

The organisers will shortlist 4 finalists to go onboard Legend of the Seas for a 5D4N Isle of Southeast Asia Cruise..

Finalists will be announced by 1 December 2010.

They are required to blog about their full experience onboard the ship and shore excursions as well.

The public get to vote for their favourite blogger based on their Royal Caribbean Cruise Adventure blog entries. Public votes and judges’ scores each account for 50% of the final results.

The winning blogger walks away with a 7D5N Western Mediterranean Fly-Cruise onboard Liberty of the Seas, which is one of the largest ships sailing in Europe.

Voters also stand a chance to win up to $1880 worth of prizes.

WAH. At first I was like, er, okay, since I already been on Legend before, then, WAH WAH, I see the Western Mediterranean Fly-Cruise my heart very itchy. Cos.. I don’t have to say how much I am dying to go back to Europe (doesn’t help I went to the Pompeii exhibition yesterday and I had the silly idea of going back to Pompeii AGAIN. For what? Er… just because!).

Then hor, at this point I wonder can I just blog about my experience ah then become wildcard for 5th contestant since I can conveniently write about it as I am drafting my travel posts for 2010? Wahahaha.

I can write so much about my time onboard with Minibean, the things that happened in Phuket and my time in the casino and people like Steven, Chi, Momci and many others!

I can even write when Legend had a stopover in Singapore for servicing and maintenance at Tuas and we often hang out till late around Jurong area before sending them back to Tuas when they didn’t have to “fire watch” (literally watching fire cos that was their duties). I became totally a Tuas industrial area route expert.

Okay, maybe I should just dream on. This is the kind of blogging contest that to be chosen and winning or even to be eligible the way I say it is about 0.001%.

Anyway, go try out people and good luck!

Oh!

Chi just emailed me 2 days back to ask me how I am doing, though I think they are no longer onboard since their contracts ended in September, and they said they would fly to Singapore if I ever do get married and invite them. Really miss those chaps. They are one of the nicest people I have ever met, and hilarious as hell.

Alrighty, quick post over, will try to blog more tonight when I get a break from babysitting for a couple of days :D If I don’t succumb to some intense reading again.

Posted in MateriaLust | 3 Comments »

Recipe for an image

September 22nd, 2010 by Scarlett Ting

‘I will not be just a tourist in the world of images, just watching images passing by which I cannot live in, make love to, possess as permanent sources of joy and ecstacy’

I will be the first to admit. I am not a good photographer, but I try my best to capture the moments that intrigued me.

Someday, maybe, someday, I hope to bring justice to the little fragment of memories I would like to immortalize through cameras.. and express the emotions triggered by the moment in a way that it could be read, be felt by someone else without the explanation of words.

I haven’t been indulging in photography despite being an absolute infant when I first started. Maybe the discouragement of how my lack of skills and perspective jibe me mercilessly whenever I hit the replay button had somehow prod me back to my safe land of point-and-shoot, but somehow, even the idiot-proof gadget had proved to be a challenge to me these days.

Nonetheless, looking on to the world through the eyes of others, and trying to decipher what went on in the minds when they saw what they saw, they witnessed what they witnessed, they felt what they felt.. can be quite a powerful experience.

And I always feel.. something a little more, for those with a keen eye, and what they can do with their tools. It is utterly sexy.. and it was never the case of the bigger the better, cos it was always what they do with that leaves the impression. Even with a tiny one.. like a point-and-shoot.

Anyway, I digress.

***

In a random jump of topic, it has been quite an interesting past couple of days, albeit a tad filled to the brim with activities. I think the hormones should be under control now since the flow came unexpectedly yesterday when I was out.

Tsk.

Got home late from a nice, nostalgic night out, and felt the dread to get out of bed this morning.

Wanted to nap but was drafting up posts and editing pictures to the point that I simply forgot to do so.

And by the time I felt tired enough, the sky was lulling me to sleep with the sudden overcast.

BUT, it was time to pick Minibean up from school.

And it was the most treacherous journey I ever made. A 5 minute journey that took almost 35 minutes.

The roads outside my place had 2 inch deep of water, and I was wondering if her school area would be flooded.

Then, the horror started when I see flashing lightning so often that I actually had my eyes closed most of the time (for everytime it flashed, I got scared and would instinctively blink hard). It was at a rate of one lightning per 5 seconds or thereabout, and I ain’t kidding.

And I HAVE A BIG PHOBIA of lightnings and thunders.

So that was obviously not good news.

The wiper to the car could not keep up with the torrential rain and the visibility was… wait a minute, what visibility?!

Then, there was a massive jam just before where I was supposed to exit.

Just as I was stuck in the barely moving jam, I tweeted how the lightning was so horrible and it looked like it was damn near as I could see the lightning bolt very clearly, and I wondered how long before it would hit something near.

You know what is worse than can see the lightning bolt very clearly?

When it strikes so near that everything is just blinded by a bright boom.

VERY SUEY CHWEE CAN?

The moment I tweeted it, this bolt of lightning hit so near that I instinctively dove and literally took cover with my hands to the side of my head and all my hair stood.

I yelped.

My heart was racing and I almost burst out crying.

I think I was confused. I was too confused to be worried about getting into an accident, being struck by lightning, being hit by a falling tree, or that it might be a flood waiting ahead.

SO TRAUMATIZING CAN?!

Thankfully I reached Minibean in one piece, and not fried. I ran into the shelter after like throwing a mini tantrum to myself cos I was just too much of a wimp to get out into the open with a brolly.

Minibean had creative classes today and she seemed like she had so much fun, and it looks like plenty of fun what those kids are doing, which perhaps explains why Minibean was so cheery today.

When I walked her out of the school, I think the fear was written all over my face that she asked.

“MUMMY, are you scared?”

“Why do you ask? Why do think I am afraid?”

“Cos thunder you know? You scared of thunder?”

SEEEEE I am so much of a scaredy cat that even my daughter knows that. Tsk.

She stopped short of pointing at me and laughed at my misery. To her credit, she actually sounded sensitive and concerned. *Sniffs* So touched.

The rain subsided and we made our way home safely.

Just wondering why is it that even the EMAS board had informed motorists that the exit ahead was closed, that ALL of them were still trying to exit. And most of them even went straight ahead despite the exit being blocked off. Were there hoping for the best or something? But it was so silly cos it ended up causing unnecessary jams.

Home. It was really sweet… cos her presence has so much calming effect to me.

***

Came home with the mind going into overdrive. I need that liberation I so badly crave again.

This time, I am gonna make it happen. Mehopes.

***

Okay! Oh. I was saying.

Photography.

I was probably having quite a bad phase of camera disaster, no thanks to Canon, as all my cameras seem to be going on a strike.

I remember the ex had given me my first Canon Ixus 8 years ago or thereabout, and it had since been a long journey with Canon. I never looked back nor was ever tempted by any other camera brands.

But I was so frustrated after my recent bout with Canon that… I will tell everyone to get a Nikon (not true, recently tried to suggest Canon 550D to a friend who was looking for something more entry level, but eventually Nikon D90 triumphed in this case cos of the peer influence – many others within the group had opted for the D90 – despite the price difference) cos of the problems I have with all my Canons.

The 450D had a motherboard issue and was so costly to be replaced that I had told them not to go ahead with the repair, and…. I have almost forgotten to collect it until blogging about it now reminds me to do so.. er, soon.

So yah, it was NOT that old. It had broken down quite some time ago. So, yeap, whoever says Canon is reliable, DO NOT BELIEVE.

The Canon chap asked me if I would like to upgrade instead (cos the repair cost was gonna be more than $300), and I replied in mocked horror “Upgrade and spend more money on an unreliable brand? NO WAAYYY!” and giggled.

Honestly,  I didn’t find Canon customer service to be helpful either when I tried to find out exactly what was wrong, and I have had heard people who had sought 2nd opinions elsewhere after their encounters with the service centre had managed to revive their cameras without the need to change the motherboard, which means they have a more accurate diagnosis of what went wrong, rather than just give a generic one-size-fits-all suggestion. So, will see how it goes with the 2nd opinion then.

Even when I asked if it was indeed the reason why the camera refused to boot up, they couldn’t seem to be very sure and just said they needed to change the motherboard because it couldn’t be on. A surf on the net for answers back then had gathered more constructive feedback that the mother company couldn’t give.

Oh well.

So, does it come as a surprise that my compact camera, which was yet another Canon Ixus, and yet another sentimental gift had some problems with its flash.

Even the family’s Exilim had survived better and longer than this Canon Ixus. I have a feeling my every first brick of Canon Ixus v3 could still work despite being the old hag in the family.

It is okay, just that the flash and the colours had been off. Very off actually.

Was reading up on cameras, and someone also happened to ask me which compact camera to get, and I actually suggested, yes you guess it, Canon again, despite the grieves it had been giving me. Loser alert!

I think the sentimental ties to Canon was one that was harder to break.

Just when I was adamant to break it.. guess what happened?

My 3rd Canon Ixus. Like its predecessor, this one came as a gift as well.

Like you know, I am a total loser, and a total cheapo, so with all bad feelings put aside, I actually adore this black beauty, cos it’s so sleek, and finally the first camera of mine that is not in a boring skin of chrome (though the original one was chrome, but I preferred it in black).

Over tea yesterday afternoon, trying the colour accent thingy which was what I had liked with the Ixus.

The sad thing is, I realise so many functions bore similarities to the one I was using, but I never did realise the settings in the previous one cos it was tucked to one obscure corner. I actually felt a bit of guilt when I realise the retired one had all those functions I didn’t explore fully, which was a revelation only today.

Nonetheless, what the mother owns, the daughter inherits, so I hope she has fun with the Canon Ixus and take good care of it.

And here’s a look of my new baby.

So I am such a sucker. I am back into the arms of Canon. And somehow I know a part of me would try to bring the 450D back to life…

Cos somehow.. I know this just can’t quite fill the lust of what I have in mind to do.

Till then, I am just excited to have this with me as I journey more of the coming moments, especially those with Minibean and her growing years. I don’t really like changes.. so hopefully this camera would be here to stay (if not… damn you, Canon) for a long while until I or Minibean outgrow it.

And thank you.

***

All photographs are there to remind us of what we forget.  In this – as in other ways – they are the opposite of paintings.  Paintings record what the painter remembers.  Because each one of us forgets different things, a photo more than a painting may change its meaning according to who is looking at it. – John Berger

Maybe, I just wanna be reminded of what I forgot.

Maybe, I just wanna find the slightest speck of untruth in moments, that would one day be reminders of pain. So painful that it reminds us that we are still capable of feeling. Still alive.

Maybe, I just wanna be that Dreamer.

***

Totally random yet again. I just remember today is my first ever puppy love’s birthday. Don’t know why that I just feel the need to… just say it.

And did I mention Mr KG had gotten married? I am still trying to breathe at the thought of the news (and the pictures).

And as you can see, this is a slutty post, one that is screwed by so many pieces of memories which, I fail to forget.

Happy Mid Autumn Festival people.

Posted in MateriaLust, Perk-me-ups | 2 Comments »

Resemblance of normalcy

September 16th, 2010 by Scarlett Ting

I don’t recall having much of a normal social life on weekends since I am consistently down with an extreme case of allergy to crowds, and there is a certain charm to my cosy little retreat under the duvet which I still can’t find a smart way to resist.

But somehow, last weekend, which came in an expansion pack, reminded me of the weekends I used to have when my energy was boundless.

Which perhaps was made possible since Minibean was away attending a wedding dinner with my parents in Seremban.

Like hanging out with friends and chill at Breko’s, having late night conversations of randomness under void decks, and chatting to random strangers on a holiday eve.

Then, having the luxury to chill at home till it was time for an evening of 3D movie in the heartlands on a holiday.

And this is an extension of how the weekend progressed prettily, and hopefully will be immortalised in my memories through words..

***

11 September 2010, Saturday.

I woke up in the morning, surprise surprise. It was supposed to be an early session of aerial at the studio with Jiali at 12 noon, before we would scoot off to Holland Village for an 2 o’clock appointment.

By the time we co-ordinated and whiled the morning away, it didn’t make any sense for us to head to town for just half and hour of practice, and then rushing off.

So, we decided to meet straight at Holland Village and take whatever time to catch up. Alas, with the weekend noon crowd and an adventurous me who tried to take a new route, we both reached with little spare time for a drink.

Jiali fabulously treated me to a session of body scrub and body massage at the spa and I had my cherry popped for my first ever body scrub.

IT WAS AWKWARD.

I was feeling damn ticklish all the time and giggled to myself. Why they scrubbed the base of the feet one? I think the experience would have been so fun if we had did the massage together, but as she had facial first, I ended up doing the massage much earlier than she did.

When the lady asked if I would like her to scrub my breasts, I was so embarrassed and muttered, ‘er… I think it is okay… I’m shy.‘

Then I caught myself right there and then, but it was too late. I said IT IS OKAY right? Obviously she took it as a yes when I had meant to decline.

VERY TICKLISH! But, I have very smooth nehs after that.

I was wondering to myself what difference would it be compared to the scrub I do at home, but really got major difference. After the scrub and massage, my skin was at its softest for the week and I didn’t even moisturise it.

The massage was a tad mediocre in my opinion, as I probably enjoy those masochistic painful sessions more than just something that feels relaxing but does nothing to the sore joints and muscles at the end of it.

And I realise I really don’t like placing my head into one of those open holes on the massage beds. I always ended up with towel burns to my chin. BAH!

Thanks to Jiali’s treat off her package, I was smelling fabulous after the shower and the massage.

I then had to rush off before she was done to town to meet Joly and Eunice, so we could make our way down to Supperclub to support the flea market, which was packed to the brim with blogshops and individuals! And we were there to say hi and look for Jenn and Ling, who are the blogshop owners of Passion Chiffonier.

Everyone of us went home with some purchases, and I finally got to meet sixpegs in person, though it was from a distance. When I finally muster enough courage to walk over to say hi (cos too shy at first!!), she wasn’t there at her booth anymore. Then I stayed around for a while, then I was too shy to go back cos wait Buttons think I am his girl’s stalker.

Saw Carol there and decided to buy a skirt to support her though it was her friend’s stall. Will leave it till the day when the slut in me comes back. Hurhurhur.

Was trying to look for one of ‘em t-shirt maxi dresses, but none of them carried it.

The happiest part was I walked away with one gorgeous dress that evening, and Joly walked away with two, and we happily went for beef noodle at the nearby Seah Street for dinner.

Though the horrible part was how dizzy I felt after surviving the very cramped walk around the event venue. Eunice had said everything inside there looked cheap, especially with many people selling their unwanted advertorial loots pre-loves. But it was understandably so cos of the space constraints. But Eunice liked the stuff from Jenn and Ling simply cos they were neatly and prettily laid out and are all brand new stuff.

Joly and I were sitting down to look at her dresses, and she decided to buy another dress similar to the one she bought from them the last time for work cos the material and cutting were really impression and exceeded her expectations (in her words!). She even got the butterfly belt I was wearing and all for a steal.

Jenn and Ling even had handmade gifts thrown in, and the necklace they made was so nice that Joly was saying she liked everything she had gotten from them, even the handmade stuff was a brilliant touch of sweetness to it.

It was nice time scouting bargains with the girls and we even got hair clips for Minibean from one of the blogshops (sheesh, don’t know where I left the namecard..).

Did I mention most of the ladies who own blogshops all look similar and are like damn pretty and can be blogshop models themselves?

But then also quite understandable cos they need to have the sharp sense of style to dress their models and follow the trend to appeal to consumers.

Though must say I feel very old amongst the crowd.

***

After dinner, we went to Esplanade for drinks and when I was in the loo, I couldn’t wait to try on the new dress from Passion Chiffonier’s latest collection which was launched at the flea market! It still has yet to be launched on the site, so stay tuned for this very hot piece of dress and other cheery, bright clothes!

I tried it on, wanted to look in the mirror, and like it so much that I didn’t bother going back into the loo to change.

So vain! I know!

It was nice chilling out by the bay, near the waterfront stage where a talented violinist was sending shivers down everyone’s spine with his nifty fingers, playing Canon D, the rock version. Damn, it was HOT!

Then, there was us, chilling.

Joly was just enjoying her alcohol, and we were afraid she might get drunk before the others joined us.

The new dress prompted the narcissist in me. Love the toga and semi sweetheart bustier.

It could actually double up as a formal concert going dress or for the nights you wanna dress up at a chichi bar.. or a weekend shopping dress.

Okay, enough of me being absolutely narcissistic. Some other pictures from that evening when the others joined us!

Joly and Merry. Taken with Edy’s Nikon D90.

WAHAHAHAHA. I like this picture.

Courtesy of Edy. Thanks for making my arms look smaller than they are. Though I can’t remember what I was doing then.

Though we had dinner just before this, but we were soon famished.

I think the soupy meal of beef noodles was too healthy a choice for us. So Edy, Brian, Joly and I walked over to the nearby Makansutra for some hawker fare.

But the lighting was pretty nice and we stopped to camwhore!

Told ya we were camwhoring.

You can actually see my slippers. HAHAHAHAHA.

The nightview was preeettttyyy! And I insisted on taking picture of one of my favourite-st places. Gambler instinct speaking.

I asked Edy what happened to the nightview? And shooting downside up is very face-enlarging!

Obviously my compact camera cannot match up, but at least can see everything behind!

We stood there for a while, trying to figure out what the egg shaped thingy at Marina Bay Sands is. We probably read somewhere about it but just can’t seem to recall.

We seemed to be unstoppable at the supper venue.

One large oyster omelette, pork belly rice (OMG, it is utterly sinful but just heavenly), huge plate of deep-fried ngoh hiang, cajun fries, aglio olio for me with grilled chicken, fish and chips and countless cups of drinks.

LOVE THE SUPPER CHOICES.

We chatted late into the night before heading back for some chilling.

***

Sunday was woken up early by some noisy chatters, and an unhappy episode with the mother cos she had cut Minibean’s hair when I had specifically told her not to do so. And it was the countless time she had done so and I certainly wasn’t pleased.

Things got better throughout the day since more time was spent with Minibean, and she just has this soothing effect on my mood.

Went for lunch nearby before she fell asleep in late noon.

The evening was occupied by hours of Left 4 Dead 2, and it was just awesome to pick it up again after so long. Just a session of brutality needed.

Before I knew it, long weekend was over, just like that -snaps of fingers-.

It doesn’t need to be plenty of unorthodox ways to make a weekend interesting. Sometimes it is just the luxury of doing something familiar, that gives that bit of normalcy back into the social life I sorely miss. But achieving the balance of doing a bit of everything over the long weekend, was indeed nice.

Very nice. Indeed.

***

Credits: Black/Pink Toga dress from Passion Chiffonier.
Posted in Life's Fillers, MateriaLust | 1 Comment »

Passion Chiffonier + POCC night out!

August 6th, 2010 by Scarlett Ting
Yay to a Friday morning! Long weekend is hereeeeee! Yeeps Yeeps Yippee.

I have great news. I have a new host, and it is going to be a transition hereonforth. What better way to celebrate my new site with a mega long ass post!

I have no idea what’s in my food these days. I seem to be high on something these evenings. Like, perpetually high. Only in the evenings.

Those at pole prac last night would probably attest to that. And then by the time in the morning, I would back to my listless, meek, subdued, demure old (keyword here is OLD) self.

Don’t judge me, but I am now follow Lady Gaga’s dance steps in Telephone MTV via Youtube and literally bouncing as I am typing this. Sorry for the horrifying mental images I just scorched into your minds, giggles.

This post would have seen daylight waaaaaayyy earlier (fresher!) if not for the hiccup I had earlier with my blog and the trip (still have so much spilling excitement from it.. *swoons*).

I had promised to get this post up last week, and CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW LONG I HAVE DRAGGED? Tsk, so irresponsible right?!

Nonetheless, everything happens for a reason I believe, and since it is gonna be a long weekend ahead, it would mean that this post would be PUUURRRRFEEECCCTT timing for those who had suffered a rough work week to slowly browse and cheer up to!

Cos you guys are gonna be introduced to a brilliant new blogshop, and it would mean plenty of prettys to browse through, and a long weekend to get those fingers clicking for some retail therapy with the comfort at home!

I mean.. imagine getting through the long weekend, with spare time to slow the pace, to pamper yourselves with some retail therapy.

By the time the dreary work week started and you get a bit down with dragging yourself back to work, the purchase would have reached you in the midst of the week to tide the blues over and to have that something to look forward to will certainly suddenly perk the entire week up.

Or at least that works for me!

As I was saying! Pretty dresses and party pictures.. Just the awesome combination to get the party, chillax mood started.

Gee. Honestly speaking, I don’t know where to start.

I have drafted this post like a hundred times in my mind, and started on it a few times, but I kept punching on the backspace key, probably because I am supposed to write an advertorial, but over the course of the past couple of weeks, it actually started to feel like I have a certain expectations out of this post, because instead of the fact that I am being paid to do it, I HOPE dearly that something good will come out of it because it feels like I am helping a couple of incredibly nice friends to promote their startup.

So with the expectations of myself, I actually found myself at a loss for words!

I believe I mentioned in my previous advertorials that I am not one of those typical mainstream bloggers people look for to do advertorials, and sometimes it does puzzle me when people do approach me, like in the case of Jenn and Ling (*evil laughs* Too late for you girls to back out!).

I actually took a long read back all the conversations I have had with the ladies who are behind Passion Chiffonier since contact was first established with all the formalities, before I was wondering if the person writing to me had split personalities (cos they had such obvious distinct characters that even came through their emails), until I realised they took turns to reply to me via the same email.

At first they had offered 3 pieces of items for me to review, and as usual, I stated that I would not normally take all 3 pieces for the sake of taking if the stuff is not to my liking cos it would be unfair that if I essentially promote something I wouldn’t and don’t wear.

They gave some background to the product of their efforts, and very delicately explained the little thoughts that went behind the concept of their blogshops, and what motivated them to start their own blogshops. It wasn’t one of those cut and paste mass-messaged PR statements, but it was just their casual remarks that make you realise how they cared about every details and seemed so happy to do so.

This was what they told me:

“…we thought that just solely selling individual pieces of clothes to customers was not enough. We wanted to present different styles of dressing with the clothes that we are going to sell (i.e. pair them up with different shoes, belts, accessories etc), create wearable looks that we both love.”

In fact, the most amazing part is, besides allowing me to choose what normally appeals to me and is within my comfort zone, they did something that some other blogshop owners seldom do which really impressed me.

They threw up suggestions for me based on their observations of my usual style, and they were spot on with my likes! I think that takes heaps of thoughtfulness and sweetness for people to take note of your likes (remember how we always coo about those guys who are have an attention for details?!).

Not only that, they utilised their sharp senses of style and made recommendations of things I had never tried (cos they are observant enough to know!), and what they thought I could carry off, so I could step out of my comfort zone and at the same time, have a refreshed image!

Then, I took a look at their site with their recommendations, and I took a long while to get back to them… because.. because.. I LIKE SO MANY THING AND I GOT GREEDY la!

Don’t believe? Let’s take a look what they have:

And this was from collection 1 onlyyyyy!

(Sidetrack a bit, the model looks a bit like the Yang Jinhua from Bai Quan Nu Wang right?!)

Thankfully I don’t need work clothes, cos I heart the mock wrap Peplum dress, which I saw Zoe Raymond carry the look off impeccably on her blog.

I struggled badly with whether to get the ziippppbrraaa preens skirt or not cos I think the girls did a fabulous job of keeping true to making their pieces so versatile that I love how the skirt could look so casual (and look youthful!) and sophisticated at the same time.

Nice right?! Alas, it was one piece I didn’t get and am kicking myself for it! And it comes in 2 sizes if you guys are interested in getting.

The green romper is cute cute cute! And the black puffed sleeve tunic was another piece that caught my eyes!

And of course, they were quick to spot the grey floral sweetheart bustier dress is something I would totally dig… and if you haven’t realised, it was the very piece I wore for my memorable time with the elephants in the previous post.

Then they had to make my life more miserable by giving me an exclusive glimpse at their latest launch of Polka Dot Romance:

I ended up liking EVERYTHING from this collection, which is a first cos I normally would only like SOME pieces when I browse blogshops, and it was the first time I actually like EVERYTHING from one collection.

How to choose 3 pieces like that, you tell me??

During one of the conversations, they knew about my upcoming trip and with my indecisiveness, they actually allowed me to choose 4 pieces, and when they knew I have trouble pairing my accessories (yes, I am a fashion handicapped that way!), they put in another item to make my life easier!

I love the black lace dress very much because I actually have something in my wardrobe that resembles it to the core which I paid much more for from overseas some time back:

After I posted the pictures of the night out with my pole-mates on facebook, I actually had a few friends asking me where I got the dress from, and since I could no longer find it online, when I saw a similar one on Passion Chiffonier, I was quick to inform them they could get a similar one at only a fraction of the price!

Since I have something similar, it could ease me from choosing that piece cos I was tempted to get the dress in blue but resisted against it so I can keep my options for others, and try out different things.

Eventually, with the help from the lovely ladies who painstakingly answered my queries to all the dresses (they always replied with such details and passion that it wasn’t those one-size-fits-all replies), the material, my choices were finalised.

As they knew I was heading for POCC event and going overseas, they offered to meet up and pass to me personally in between their busy dayjob schedules.

So sweet!

I was greeted by Ling’s bubbly and sweet smile, coupled by her girly dress sense… and she is one of those who looks gorgeous in white! She looks like she is in her teens and surely doesn’t look her age.

And here is how sweet they are:

And they paid me before I even wrote anything even when I threatened them that I might just leave the country (which I did) and then take their moolah and run away! Then like that HOW?! They didn’t even care :|

It was later when Jenn added me on facebook that I finally got to see how she looks like, and I must say both ladies could very well model their own line!

And it was the constant email exchanges of even the most mundane things (like my whines of my cornea cut, my trip, their work), that gave me more insights to their personalities and after putting faces to their names, I could so totally understand the concept behind their blogshop.

Both of them are vibrant, youthful, fashionable and fun ladies who are in the corporate world, and thus their styles very much spell out who they are, adding a little playfulness and spice to the rigid corporate world, and yet let their characters shine through with the items they chose for Passion Chiffonier.

In my personal opinion, they 2 of them represent different styles and that complement each other well, and give their collection a good range.

At the same time, they understood very well how versatility and creativity could mean the same item would bring a different feel to everyone, and appropriately fits all occasions.

When I brought the pieces to poledance lessons and were having supper with my polemates, I showed them the items and they were all gushing over the pieces and asked me for the site immediately.

So it doesn’t matter if you are 16, or 36, you could wear the same piece and it would look like it fits you to a tee!

So here are what I had chosen and my reviews of the item.. and plenty of camwhore pictures from my outings in the pwwwweeeeetttyy gears!

***

Polka Dot Stretch Romper

Surprise surprise! Yes, I actually decided to act cute and chose the polka dot romper!

I was actually pretty apprehensive that I might look too act cute, but it was such a comfortable piece and I am very happy with the selection.

The material was thicker and structured, which was fabulous cos it prevented the tube from sliding down, and hold the shorts’ shape prettily in place!

Someone actually said “SO CUTEEEE” when saw me in it, and seriously, who will ever associate me with the word “cute”?

I decided to wear it out on 24th July morning for the vaccination at Tampines!

And it comes with a belt slot which you could go without a belt or in my case, I took a frilly lacey thingy and just tied it around.

After the jab, Siren and I headed to Hougang to pick up some of her stuff, before I decided to lug along to her pole-prac session, where I saw some of the usual suspects doing aerial practice in the background.

I am now advancing to Pole 5, and boy, has it been that long since I started taking up poledancing? And I was so in awe of the aerial’s grace that I decided to pick up Aerial too. YAY!

As I was heading off to my holiday, I missed the first lesson, and Ming very sweetly allowed me to catch up with the lesson BEFORE the course started.

And since I was in the studio, I took the chance to pick up what I would have missed.

That is to do a.. uhm.. BEACH WHALE.

Why poledancing got all the super stylomilo name but when it comes to hoop, so not sexy one? Then they told me it is also called “Front Lay” and I giggled silly.

Mounting onto the hoop in the romper, feel very secure to even do everything (sheesh, now like promoting sanitary pad!).

Celestine been saying how I always look constipated when I pole, so trying to smile as broadly as possible.

And now… *drums roll* The beach whale!

The thing with aerial is it is always quite hard to get a good picture cos I am always swinging.

Me trying to look graceful but ended up looking silly. Was supposed to let go and pose..

Decided to brave the silk (which would be taught in later part of aerial classes), and here’s the amateurish pictures after I first mounted:

And then… the amazon!

All in my romper! I didn’t even need to adjust the romper after I landed back on solid ground cos the material held up very well :)

There was a tiny episode when Celestine said she would be damn upset with me if I manage to do a flip she couldn’t do on the silk, I giggled and asked if she was challenging me. I kept trying and trying and suddenly, I managed to flip and she walked away saying she doesn’t like me that much.

My expression was like I struck the toto, and punched my fist in the air.

But the end result of the move?

Bruises on my arms which are not so evident…

Bloodshot red which became big patches of blueblack! But I laughed how it was all worth it cos I upset Celestine (cos her reaction was damn cute!).

Oh, you can also see quite a close up of the romper here and its material :)

Camwhoring outside the studio!

Camwhoring when I got home before taking a nap for the evening at Zouk to come!

***

Been a long while since I last went to Zouk, and this time is all for a good cause, to support Power Over Cervical Cancer, and also the Acro Polates girls were performing as well!

And for the occasion, I was dressed in another Passion Chiffonier dress, which received compliments from some of the girls who asked me where I got it from!

Fab Dotted Satin Dress

When I first received it, it was the piece which material impressed me the most.

Though they had told me it was made in light weight satin, what I like is that it wasn’t the kind of cheap, thin satin that are too shiny for daily use. It was a bit more matt than the usual satin, and you would definitely not feel overdressed in it even for a casual day out. It also comes with lining underneath.

I actually felt girlier, sweeter, younger (ahem) and sexier in it.

It also is thicker than the normal satin so the shape stays and not look limp. And you know what they say about the ruffles at the bustline.. ILLUSIONS, baybeh!

Besides that, it comes with padding on top so you could cheat a little for that nice little cleavage, heh heh heh.

And now.. pictures in my new dress and the night out in Zouk!

Heading out.

And the best part was that Jenn & Ling decided to throw in a Suede butterfly belt (which they also have on the site in Collection 2) so I could accessorise the dress!

The belt is super easy to match with everything I found in my wardrobe!

The pamphlet at the entrance echoed exactly what I have to say.

Nikki and I arrived early and met at the entrance, getting ready to scream ourselves hoarse!

She did the auntie thing to check out the goodie bag offers so that I didn’t have to!

Jean, the closet kinky maiden with her stripper heels! I thought it is so adorable to have a cash slot at the transport heel… like so innocently kinky!

Bumped into Nadnut who was at the event too, and you can see the patches of bruise on my arm!

With Celestine and Jean, who were waiting to perform.

Nikki, Miss Mango Trina, me and Jean. They put up such a fabulous show that night, and made us wonder when we would one day reach that level. *dreams*

SO HOT RIGHT!

Group picture of the girls from poledancing studio (and the pole wipers, hahaha)! Most of us were there to lend our support and voices and they were amazing!

Back to her old self… she had inspired us to pick up the “reach out and pluck the rambutan gracefully” move.


They requested it.

Nikki and I with sexy Eunice, our instructor and motivator.

I said must take full body view so can see my dress. Hahaha. Nikki looks damn chio here.

The night ended with us heading for supper at River Valley Road before we gave Eunice a lift back and conveniently headed for another supper location.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Stagmont Ring, is this amazing dog-friendly place where we have been chilling quite often at.

It has seating area for dog owners to have a beer or two, and their food is pretty decent and economically priced!

An area for the dogs to run about, and the black fenced up area is actually a pool for the pups to have a dip! Absolutely sweet, sweet place.

This is me and Tyson, a Bull Mastiff puppy. I wasn’t strangling him! Please don’t report me to SPCA!

It was then I saw this lovely pup strolling around with staccato steps, revealing the leg problems it has.

Fell in love with it and it was just so calm, and quiet, except when Tyson tried to kiss him.

It was then the owner of the cafe told me how the boarding house has been a popular place for irresponsible owners to abandon their dogs.

This pup (which I have since nicknamed him “my dog”) is old and has legs problem, and it was abandoned at the gate of the boarding house one day. He is just one of the many, including 3 labs which were sent over by the same owner, and he never came back for them.

I got all teary just listening to the stories, and it perhaps explained why he always looked so… detached and morose. He looked on to the world with jaded eyes and he doesn’t get overly affectionate with anyone.

It is because of him I keep returning.

He is the only dog allowed to roam freely around the premises, and I always tell him he is very loved.. somehow that sounded silly.. but oh well.

We left around 3am that night, and usually the cafe opens till 1ish am on weekdays.

The address is No. 5 Stagmont Ring, further down the road from ten mile junction if anyone is interested in checking the place out!

***

It was a beautiful Saturday, it indeed was :)

***

The third piece I chose was obviously the grey floral bustier dress from the debut collection!

It was made of light cotton and that was why I brought it with me for a hot day out during my trip!

The material is very cooling and came with an inner lining too!

And it also comes with the “secret” of padded bustier, that you can see lotsa.. uhm, illusions!

Here’s some of the snippets of the trip (which I will do up a post soon!).. and everyone been asking me what’s that beautiful place, and the answer is..

It is Sri Lanka.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yah, I know, forsaking Sydney for Sri Lanka, many didn’t understand the logic behind my choice either, but I really liked what I saw, and decided to see them for myself.

Again, you can see that I have paired it up with the butterfly belt that Jenn and Ling chose for me.

I could even cross the river in it, heh.

The dress comes in 3 colours and they have even shown different ways to wear it. I wore it to a nice dinner with a cropped jacket and it looks formal and presentable immediately.

This was also the dress that when my pole mates saw, and unanimously liked :)

***

Last but not least!

casual embossed rose tank top

I opted for this for its apparent simplicity but upon close up, you can see the nice gold trimming of the rose that gave it an unique texture.

When I showed the pieces, many touched the material and complimented on its material.

I would say it is damn sexy to wear without tights, but please only keep it in the bedrooms.

With flash you can see the embossed rose more clearly. The material has a nice touch to it, and is really comfortable to wear.

I wore it on the last day of the trip, and was looking forward to run about the trip and doing jumps in it, unfortunately we didn’t have the time to go down to the Colombo beach, and I only had time for a picture in the airport.

Here, I coupled it with a pair of shorts, and it was the perfect thing to wear cos everyone had to be body searched at the airport, and I pretty much cleared without being touched much hahaha.

***

The best part is Passion Chiffonier has plenty of tips on how to accessorise your outfits, that would decorate you from head to toe, so just pop over NOW to have a look at the brilliant goodies they have to offer!

Simply go into the site, browse, and list your preferences in following format:

Name:
Email address:
Item(s):
Colour and Size (if applicable):

And they will invoice you via email! That simple! Or leave a comment with your email and I am sure they would answer your queries promptly.
If you can’t wait for their next launch like I do, just CLICK HERE to leave your email addresses to join their mailing list to be updated of the latest launches and get exclusive glimpses of the latest collections prior to launch.
GO JOIN NOW NOW NOW!

Like I said, I have grown to like the lovely duo, and I hope you guys can also show some support for the passionate duo by joining their mailing list, or their facebook page.
And after spending 10 hours in front of my monitor punching backspace buttons, getting distracted, plus photoediting and shifting my site to a new host, I am now gonna nap for couple of hours!
Happy shopping everyone, and have a great, great holiday weekend!
Posted in MateriaLust, Piercing the mundane, Tried & Tested/Advertorials | 6 Comments »

Foggiare’s first

June 14th, 2010 by admin

I remember it was not too long ago when I first knew Jo, and was struck about how this young lass has such sheer passion for what she believes, and has her heart in what she does.

It was just a quiet start-up, and slowly, before we realise it, Foggiare has gained quite a major foothold in local blogshop scene.

Foggiare is also now in the running for Best E-Commerce blog for S’pore Blog Awards (Jo didn’t tell me that and I happen to chance upon it and thought it is great news to share!), and you can vote for Foggiare HERE.

And I must say this girl totally deserves the success :)

Now, a new milestone awaits with *drums roll*….

…. FOGGIARE’S FIRST MANUFACTURED COLLECTION!

So exciting! To be able to put her sense of style and creativity to physical form! And with her collections thus far, the pieces she had chosen make me feel that her taste can be absolutely trusted.

Of course, style is subjective, but to me, I definitely see plenty of things I like in her collections which are just oh-so perfect for casual days out, chasing after Minibean in or for the simple, presentable work gear for formal wear.

So when she shared excitedly about her new collection, I was keen to see what she would put to form, and I can say I am not disappointed!

And what is in for the fashionistas out there will be plenty of gorgeousness in store, very very soon.

Meanwhile, here’s a sneak preview of what’s coming our way with Foggiare‘s very first full manufactured collection, while we wait with bated breath for its launch.

(Here’s when you mark the date on your calendar, put it down on a post it note or something if you are old-schooled like me, or there’s always the appointment setter on your mobiles!)

Foggiare’s manufactured collection will be coming your way on 16 June, Wednesday 9PM.

Told ya they look yummylicious! And here’s what I truly adore in the collection:

Satin Pleated Front Bustier Top in the style of BCBG in cupcake blue is so feminine!

Eyelet Cotton Skirt which comes in 5 colours!

Sweetheart Bustier Heart Button Top in gunmetal.

White boyfriend jacket and the scallop hem dress look awesome for work days!

3 more days to go before the collection will be out on Foggiare, and take time to make the difficult decision of which colours to choose. Grab them before stocks run out :)

Time to unleash the shopaholic in you and may you all look pretty in your new frocks (which I believe you guys will!).

Posted in MateriaLust, Tried & Tested/Advertorials | 4 Comments »
« Older Entries