Bling Poochies

the new blingalicious poochies from Swarovski!!

the bulldog (1st roll) is so chubby and I think the pin will make a cute statement too. too bad they did not do one of my fav breed. $$$ not spent = money saved.

Wedding Favors to Keep

we have often gone to weddings and find the favors left on the tables after the guests have left. the reason is simple. many a times the favors are boring (chocs that are not exactly nice) or repetitive (i have seen too many bear hp straps, ceramic containers with some yucky flower designs, blah blah). But if I were to attend a wedding that gives favors like the below, u can be sure i will leave with it cramped snuggly into my evening bag =)

from ola designs (sweets)


from simple arts planet (customised crochet dolls & fridge magnets)

ok enough already of corny heart shaped chocolates in paper boxes! i want the jelly bean dispenser miniature!

Birthday Treat - il Lido

26th Jun 2008, Thursday
we were both on leave =) so happy to have a day off work!

it was not a lazy day though as we had to wake up early to send the mini for servicing and rushed back by 10am to wait for the contractors to rectify the sliding kitchen door and toilet cabinet. left 6 mths of the warantty period yeah so we had to do all the repair possible.

we feasted on the Goodwood durian pastries that the man had sneaked home last night. yummilious! visited Traders Hotel and then to the surprise dinner venue that the man had in mind. smart me knew where we were going the moment he travelled along tiong bahru haha.

the view and where we sat

the lounge area at sunset

our starters a la carte fresh oysters *drool*

I had the Summer Truffle Set (June Special)

• Scallop Carpaccio with Balsamic Vinegar Dressing and Truffles
• Gratinated White Asparagus with Poached Eggs and Truffles
• Parmigiano Cheese Rissoto with Red Wine and Truffle
• Roast Jumbo Quail with Truffle Cream Potatoes
• Dark Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Heart & Truffle Honey

The man had the Menu Classic

• Pan Roasted Goose Liver with Green Apple, Honey & Hazelnut Sauce
• Homemade Spaghetti with Live Lobster
• Cod Fillet with Pistachio Nut Crust, Green Apple and Squid Ink
• Molten Lava Chocolate Cake with Sardinian Saffron Sauce & Wild Raspberry Sorbet

the Pan Roasted Goose Liver was to die for! After stealing a few bites from the man, we ordered another order a la carte. it was that GOOD. Orgasmic! thinking of it now makes me salivate already. It has a very mild flavor when you first taste it then as your chew and swallow, the full flavor hits you from the back of your tongue and you feel in total bliss! Coupled with the slightly sour tinge of the apple, it is not overly rich or oily unlike others we have had. A Must Try.

the man loved the live lobster spaghetti, unique rich seafood taste. the truffle cream potatoes were so delicious, i was swaying with every bite. i am not really a fan of the molten lava cake but this one really hit the spot. the cake was slightly crunchy and the molten choc was of such good quality that i just reached over and finished half of the man's dessert =P.

The meal was so good that I forgot to take the pictures of every item. hehe...thanks darling, i loved the meal, it was just divine!

il Lido
Sentosa Golf Club
Bukit Manis Road
Tel : 68661977

Food: *****
Ambience: ****
Price: ** (total damage about S$450)

Flower Power

Other items on my window? Flower shopping. Camelias to be precise....

Swooning over Swarovski

i window shop online (pun intended) ALOT

today i was browsing swarovski, bling blings at a more affordable rate as compared to diamonds! Swoon worthy

Heart Beat USB Memory Key

USB memory key disguised as heart pendant on a silver silk cord. Polished stainless steel heart combined with Silver Shade crystals set in Ceralun(TM). The 2 halves are held together with a pin. For 1 GB of data (about 250 songs or 1’000 photos); high-speed USB 2.0 interface.

Price:

US$ 178.00

How gorgeous this is! Fashion statement cum practicality for work. Adds instant glam factor and inspires me to start bring work home perhaps just so I can download something into it =)

Medium Hoop Pierced Earrings, rhodium-plated

Rhodium-plated medium hoops with channel-set clear crystals.

Price:

US$ 85.00

Saw something similar with diamonds and white gold costing S$600 at a local jeweller. See told you bling at less!

there is also a tennis bracelet at US$95. the picture online is not very clear so i have not added it in. Always great for the fashionista on a budget to have options!

Searching

Not afraid of the dark

there are days whereby i just feel like hiding. i feel like an imposter now smiling to everyone and talking in a cheerful manner when all i wanna do is to curl up, let depression take over and space out. i do not wish to know how great your day was as mine feels like a bottomless pit. today i feel i need to hide in the dark so i do not have to put up a smile for anyone.

Broken Puppet

by me

There by the window

Sitting by the ledge

Cast aside and forgotten

My strings lay slack

The sun’s rays are making my wooden face crack

The rain’s droplets are making my pink costume wet

Once I danced on that glittering stage

Once they stood spellbound there in front of the stage

Now the pink has faded to grey

Now my painted smile looks less gay

I been sitting here exposed yet unseen

I been sitting here looking at the same backyard scene

My Dior

if you tot the launch of this range of Dior phone was overpriced from USD5000 (drooling already over the cool my-dior mini-phone it comes with -on the right-)

Christian Dior and Mode Labs have teamed up on a version with 640 Swarovski stones. The asking price is more than USD28k!!!

I cannot even be bothered to copy the specs since I figure if I can afford this phone i prob do not care about the specs anyway. the way it matches any outfit suffice!

Shoe Alert

Hands up if you love shoes!

Shoes are like the highest order in my fashion drool. The contradiction is that my feet blisters too easily and many shoes including running shoes have my feet in pain after couple of hours. Still that is not reason enough to stop buying as i have to keep hunting for THE shoe right...ahem...anyway eyeballing is free la so this is what i spy now.....

Giuseppe Zanotti High Heel See Through Stilt Wedges

so gorgeous! the clean soles with just the right amount of details. I believe although it is really high it may not be as difficult to walk in as it seems since the front is also elevated so the arch is not that steep and thus not as painful on the sole. beyond my budget for sure.

Dolce Vita Dijion Owl sandals


the color is nice (i like the pewter! so easy to match) and the details are so good. http://www.barefoottess.com shipping is expensive really love this one...

something closer to home and friendlier on the feet:

Lacoste Ballet Flats. Sweet and in my fav shade of pink! footilicious!

Chanel Babe

Dear future daughter of mine

mummy promises to let you have this look when you are old enough to pose

disclaimer: paper bag inclusive. actual bag please refer to daddy.

Value of Life

Just read this on yahoo news, incredible really and I would love to sell my life too at such prices. its like being in a story whereby you get a chance to start your life all over again. have to think about how to spend this amount wisely....... set up another life in another city, set up a online fashion empire and spend my weekends on a small yacht with my pup. *dream*

Man offered $2.2m for his life in Australia

AFP - Tuesday, June 24

SYDNEY (AFP) - - A lovelorn man who put his life in Australia up for sale on the Internet was one step closer to starting over Monday as bids for his house, job and lifestyle hit 2.2 million dollars (2.1 million US).

Ian Usher, 44-year-old from Yorkshire in England, launched the unusual auction after announcing on his blog: "I have had enough of my life! I don't want it any more! You can have it if you like!"

Usher, who has lived in the western city of Perth for the past six years, said he decided to sell after breaking up with his wife because everything in the house was a "reminder of the wonderful past we shared."

The former rug salesman said the auction surpassed his hoped-for price of 500,000 dollars on the first-day of the week-long auction on Sunday.

When Usher went to bed on Sunday night, his life was worth 650,000 dollars, according to bids on the Internet auction site eBay. By early Monday, it was valued at a staggering 2.2 million dollars.

"I turned the computer on (Monday morning) and it was 1.9 million and I burst out laughing," Usher told AFP.

While it was possible that some of the bidders were "idiots trying to make a name for themselves," Usher said he was confident there were genuine offers in the mix.

Even so, Usher said the value of the physical assets for sale -- including his three-bedroom Perth home, 19-year-old Mazda 929 sedan, a 1986 motorbike and a jetski -- was just 450,000 to 500,000 dollars.

Usher has also promised that the winner will be introduced to his friends and lifestyle and will secure his former job as a rug store assistant for two weeks initially. This may be extended depending on the store owners' agreement.

All Usher will retain is his passport, wallet and the clothes on his back if the deal goes ahead.

Bidders may want to buy the life package to resell items separately, profiting from their value as collectible items, he said.

"I had emails from people asking 'Can I buy a pair of socks or something small from your house, I can't afford the whole thing,'" he said.

"Someone could buy the whole house and sell it off."

Usher, who plans to travel, donate to charity and climb the Eiffel Tower in Paris once the sale is finalised, said he won't make any definite plans for his new life until this one is over.

"It still has an air of unreality about it," he said of the auction.

Copyright © 2008 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.

The 90/10 Principle

10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react

What does this mean?

We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us.

We cannot stop the car from breaking down. The plane will be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off. A driver may cut us off in traffic.

We have no control over this 10%. The other 90% is different. You determine the other 90%.

How? ..... By your reaction.

You cannot control a red light but you can control your reaction. Don't let people fool you: YOU can control how you react.

Let's use an example.

You're eating breakfast with your family. Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt. You have no control over what just happened.

What happens next will be determined by how you react.

You curse.

You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears. After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and critisize her for placing the cup too close to the edge of the table. A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt. Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus.

Your spouse must leave immediately for work. You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school. Because you are late, you drive 40miles an hour in a 30mph speed limit.

After a 15 minutes delay and throwing $60 traffic fine away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible. As it continues, it seems to get worse and worse. You look forward to going home.

When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your relationship with your spouse and daugther.

Why?? Because of how you reacted in the morning.

Why did you have a bad day?

A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?

The answer is "D".

You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reacted in those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.

Here is what could have and should have happened.

Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently say, "It's okay honey, you just need to be more careful next time." Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You arrive 5 minutes early and cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.

Notice the difference?

Two different scenarios. Both started the same. Both ended different.

Why?

Because of how you REACTED.

You really do not have any control over 10% of what happens. The other 90% was determined by your reaction.

Here are some ways to apply the 90/10 principle. If someone says something negative about you, don't be a sponge. Let the attack roll off like water on glass. You don't have to let the negative comment affect you!

React properly and it will not ruin your day. A wrong reaction could result in losing a friend, being fired, getting stressed out etc.

....
By Stephen Covey.

Ideal Proposal?

back when some DVD store were having a sale I bought the korean drama Hwang Jini. As the man was again away on biz, I rellied on Jini to help me occupy my time. I have watched 8 episodes so far and on one of the episodes Eunho (the guy Jini likes) kinda wanted to show Jini he loves her when Jini was about to tell him there is no chance for them due to the old cast system which forbids marraige between nobleman class and gisaeng which are korean version of geisha and considered low cast.

whats with the hair anyway. they always have this big hair which supposedly shows grooming and beauty. I prefer her like this

Anyway Jini went to look for Eunho and when she arrived at the bridge, the entire path was covered with flowers. She tread her way like a fairy over the bridge to a pavilion and there was a string hanging down. Naturally she pulled it and down sliding came a ring inscribed with a message from Eunho.

The scene was beautiful and I starting thinking maybe one day I will come home and find our apartment floor covered with rose petals (yah color coordination is still a must and the bright red will stand out given our black/gray scheme). I walk in feeling like a princess and find tied to the doorway to the room a string. When I pulled it, a hugh 1 carat diamond ring came sliding down and the man walks slowly towards me and kneel to ask for my hand.....

But who will sweep up the rose petals later? moi most likely kwa kwa kwa and unlike in the show whereby the ring can slide slowly into her palms, i think my diamond would fly top speed and probably roll off to some corner and we will both be on bended knees then looking for it. Shucks with a practical mind like mine how to have a dreamy proposal? duh

bikini babe

nope not referring to myself but rather my new bikini from Victoria Secrets and the babe is the model in the photo la. loooove it as it is quite different from the typical bikini. The white portion is lace or look kinda knitted and the brown is faux leather. It is on sale now so go grab!

The perils of online shopping resulting in a top that is a tad too small for me. Thought that american sizes were bigger so I chose a size smaller =( so I think you can actually buy your singapore bra size safely and not be like me.

In total I have 4 bikinis now.....wait a min.... I can't swim......

hello hello

yeah a brand new blog again! I must have at least 6 blogs already and dun ask me why. it seems with every new chapter of my life I would start a new blog! Anyway i am loving this blog template.

life has always been changing for me. after a 2 yrs posting in Spitland aka Shanghai I have been back in Sg for almost 1.5yrs and life has again changed. Will import some meaningful posts from my other blogs here but otherwise this blog shall document my life from this point onwards. Expect lots of bimbo fashion posts as i am a online shopaholic and shoe mad. every morning i still find myself lamenting that i have nothing to wear! hmmph....woman.

will also have some old posts added so no cause of alarms if there are post older then this greeting post. attempting to consolidate another blog into this one so i can delete the other. change is good.

Busy Bumblebee

Life has been very fulfilling and busy since Slurpie joined us. We try to do housework on Friday night so we enjoy the weekend better.

Sat is now healthy living with swimming (us time) and strolls around the neighborhood (slurpie doo doo time). Followed by a lovely homecooked dinner and R&R. I love my weekends now =)


Some pic updates of my latest kitchen trials


Home made cranberry scones for tea

Roast Chicken with Herbs and Wine, Steamed Garlic Scallops and Stirfry Tofu with Minced Meat.

The chicken was tender and fragrant, lots of work but totally worthed it when my man slurped it up.

Pineapple tarts made from scratch including the pineapple. Tart was crumbly as it should but pineapple was a tad too wet. However I like it that it was not as sweet as the usual store type. Achievement!

2008 Q1

2008 1st Q Reflections

2007 was a year of new beginnings. I returned to Sg after 2 yrs in Sha, we fell in love, we bought our first home etc etc. 2008 started off with more new changes. We completed our new home and shifted in. We bought our first puppy together. There is just so much to get used to and so much to learn on this new way of life.

Ever since we shifted in on 12th Jan, I have been trying my best to manage a home that will provide us with warmth, comfort and joy. There was endless packing and cleaning. Till now, not everything is in place. I still have loads of stuff at mom's place and of those that have been shifted over, many items are still laying in a mess in the study room wardrobe. I just keep avoiding having to plan where to put everything.

Cleaning is really a chore. No sooner have I empty one laundry bucket, it gets filled again. Each weekend I have to do at least 3 loads =( Ironing is the next stage in hell. And the floor....no matter how we have vacuumed or mopped, the place still does not seem clean enough as we always have the balcony doors open and living on the 2nd floor does not help. Still I have now manage to sort how to clear the laundry most efficiently but I need to think how to make ironing less tiring and cleaning more efficient. There are cobwebs in the corners and the surfaces have a layer of dust. My god how often does one have to clean every corner and wipe every surface! How does one work 50% of the time and try to squeeze R&R, cleaning and washing into one day, everyday?

Cooking wise, I am glad to say that I have thus far stick to cooking at least 3 meals a week. I stick by this principle as I want us to have some healthy no MSG and less oil food sometimes for long term good health. I cook soup every Sat, good ole cantonese soups that are nutritious and I have been experimenting new recipes. So far I have not repeated a dish yet and its been 2 mths. Yeah i am proud of myself. A slight problem though is the fact that I cook by feel, adding condiments and ingredients as I go along (prob watch too much Mrs. Fang when I was young when she always says this Shao Xu that Shao Xu), luckily usually the dish turns out fine, unluckily I may not be able to replicate the same taste the next round. The cleaning up after is tedious but I think its stil worth it. Somehow within me is the old fashion aunty who believes a good wifey has to know how to cook and make soups =)

There are endless things to do everynight after work and bedtime always creeps on us so quickly. I want to work towards better routines so we can have quality time. Imagine 2months and I have yet to try the pool or explore the linear park.

Every weekend we should at least do a sport be it swimming, tennis or just walking by the beach (so near yet we never go enough). Weekday nights as Slurpie grows, I hope we can go for a nightly stroll after dinner. We have to also balance our life so we should go for at least one formal date every fortnight, just the 2 of us, dressed up for a night out. Dun want to look back and only rem cleaning the house everyday!

CNY at Home Sweet Home

The house is finally completed and we had friends over on the eve and 1st day of CNY.

the stickers are up and they really spice up the space. Especially the ones in the MBR, it really makes the mirror looks much more interesting and the whole room more "designed". Managed to get the clock from HK up to finally after playing around with the various permutations possible we decided on the most "artistic" combi of a straight line...AHEM...not easy hor, had to figure out which color to place next to which!

We had gorgeous red tulips from Ikea which bloomed really well and we loved it on our dining table...also look at the "LOVE-ly" meal we had.

I love our home =)

Sawadeeka

the trip to the land of smiles was booked before the man could protest right after the HK trip =) and coincidentally both trips starts on 8th and ends on the 12th.

BKK was not as cheap to go to as compared to the past although airfares are now cheaper, the prices of food, shopping and entertainment there has kept up with the inflation everywhere. To start off, we loved the hotel. Adephi Suites on Sukhumvit Soi 8 was clean, big (king bed with a 2 seater sofa area, microwave, cooking hob and washing area and a full size fridge, Samsung LCD with a hifi dvd player as well...wow) and the service was good too. Soi 8 was also a pleasant lane with a few small alfresco non sleazy pubs and several massage joints. The lane had plenty of caucasian tourists rather then the normal cluttered lanes and it was only like a 3 min walk to Nana BTS and a 10min walk to Sukhumvit MRT. Highlight of the Soi 8? On our last night I was shocked when i looked up from our roadside sit outside the cafe having our before retiring drink and saw an ELEPHANT! yap not kidding an ELEPHANT was walking towards me! 3 men who popped out of no where and who had the poor beast on a leash with a bicycle rear red light tied to it's tail, was trying to sell bananas to tourists to feed the elephant. How often does one sees an elephant at 11pm while having a chill-out caffeine break? too bad we did not have our camera then.

Food...hmmm the best was at Lumpini inside the Suan Lom Bazzaar at the Thai Puppetory Theatre restaurant. Food was good, ambience really chic and we had lots of company having dinner at the same time sucking on our blood. mozzies attack =( went for 3 different massages, slept late watching discovery, woke late as a result of the slept late and ....

we shopped. and shopped. and shopped. haha poor man swelled up one night due to shopping overdose he claims (more of water rentention darling). we bought some nice Ts each, shorts and berms and some misc item for the haven. i am depressed...we did not even make full use of the luggage allowance! and to think i brought along 2 extra bags for carry-on incase we exceed the weight DUH!

On the flight back, we were entertained by Wah Bi Kong, the amazing top performer from Qinghai as inflight entertainment. Who says budget air is boring? Mr. Wah performed the amazing dig his nose with all 10 fingers in various mind-boggling angles, twisting his wrist and bending each finger to reach every possible nook and cranny in his nostrils. He was accompanied by Chang Qi, who with is amazing lung powers, cried his heart out for the last 10mins of the flight. We have to highlight the rest of the Qing Hai members too for creating chaos and for all the shoving and pushing which truely made the flight home so much less mundane.