The Final Countdown

I know it may not seem like it (judging by the number of wedding vs new home entries), but i'm more excited about our new home than the wedding.

And this just came in the mail today.

If nothing goes wrong, the expected TOP would be in February/March and we should be getting our keys sometime in March.

What a splendid way to celebrate my birthday next year.

The countdown begins!

Dinner with M and S

It's been more than a month since i started my new role.

Although i enjoy the new environment and job scope, I miss the company of my ex-colleagues, M and S and how we used to drive out for long lunches and go for retail therapy after work.

Ah, good times!

It's not everyday you meet colleagues whom you can bond with and I'm really thankful for their friendship.

Here are some photos from our catch up/belated b'day celebration for M last night.

I heart Ippudo's ramen and milky pork broth! *slurps*

Sugar cubes at Jones the Grocer

Strawberry Tart and Jones' Cheesecake

Photos taken by the iPhone on instagr.am

Smurfs' Village

If you grew up in the 80s like me, chances are you will have a soft spot for this iPhone app too!

H&M IS COMING, FOR REAL!

Did you hear the news? Did you, did you?!?!



H&M has announced their store opening in Q3, 2011, right here, in this tiny red dot, on our shores!

This is crazy news!

I think my Monday just got better :)

Fish Spa-ed

We went to Underwater World at Sentosa with his family on Hari Raya Haji. The fiance and I also tried a fish spa there. Yes, i know we are slow to hop on the bandwagon!

For those who’ve never tried this, you basically immerse your feet into a pool of Turkish fish which nibble off the dead skin from your feet.

I was quite apprehensive because I am afraid of the tickles. The moment I put my feet into the water, I couldn’t stop screaming. Very embarrassing. If you want to know how it feels like, just imagine a hundred (or less, I really don’t know) fish pecking at your toes, soles, feet, ankles and calves. Extremely ticklish although you do get used to the sensation after a while. Apparently the treatment leaves your skin smoother and softer although i didn't notice a difference (that could be because I had just gone for a pedicure last week).

Friends from Deutschland

Michael and Vanessa are our friends from Germany whom we got to know on a 3D2N Halong Bay tour during our Vietnam trip in January.

Over cheap cocktails at a pub on Cat Ba Island on our second night, we shared stories on our countries, cultures, taught each other German and Chinese phrases and bonded as we discovered a mutual love for travel. The conversations continued over breakfast the next day and on the bus journey back to Hanoi. Before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye and we were exchanging hugs, email addresses and extending mutual invitations to visit each other in the near future. It was really sad when we parted ways because there was still so much to talk about. I wish we could have more time together.

Thanks to the Internet, we've been keeping in touch over email and Facebook. Earlier this week, they shared photos of their new bundle of joy, Paul.

I’m so happy for them and I think they will be wonderful parents. Isn’t the photo of Michael sharing a moment with his son lovely? I hope very much that we get to make a trip to Munich next year to visit them and their baby boy!

Missing the Sun, Sand and Sea

Koh Racha, August 09

Like many people, i enjoy urban holidays because i get to shop, eat good food and soak in the buzz of the city. But if i really wanted a relaxing vacation, I’ll choose bumming on the beach anytime. And right now I’m dreaming of clear blue waters and being able to read a book on the beach with my toes in the sand, especially since it's so long since my last beach holiday.

Wanna make a guess where we are heading for our honeymoon?

Confessions of a Bride-To-Be #13: The Wedding Shoes

The red ones are to die for. Alas, none of these belong to me.
Photo from here

I’ve been on the search for shoes, ever since my gown and cheongsam designs were confirmed with Dang last month.

Although the wedding shoes tend to get less attention because they are mostly hidden from view, I think it’s important to find a pair you feel happy and pretty prancing around in. Kinda like underwear, no?

While I had no trouble looking for shoes for my cheongsam (settled on a strappy pair from Aldo), the hunt for the wedding shoes proved to be more problematic.

Over a few weeks, I combed the shelves at Aldo, Charles and Keith, Hue, Nine West, Pedro, Pedder Red, Anna Nucci, Tangs, Isetan and Takashimaya. I avoided Christian Louboutin like the plague, for fear of falling to temptation to something out of reach.

But still, i found nothing.

For the record, I did think long and hard about a gorgeous pair of crimson, satin peep toes from Tangs (much to my Mom’s dismay), but in the end, I went with the safer option of ivory or silver. I also contemplated ordering from Zappos but didn't want to take the risk of buying a pair of shoes that might not fit.

Well two weeks ago, I found the elusive pair at Essex Walk, now located at the Mandarin Gallery (thank you Miss Ene for the tip!). Would highly recommend brides-to-be to check the shop out because they offer a good range of bridal shoes. The shoes aren't cheap but I guess you can be assured you are paying for comfort and quality. One thing I like is that they allow you to customize your designs i.e. change the colour, increase/decrease the height of the shoes.

I chose a simple, peep toe design which I’ve customized in ivory (the original comes in silver). I was on the fence on whether to add additional height so I could fulfill my near impossible dreams of being an Amazonian bride. I decided against it, because that would require adding a platform, which would kind of spoil the elegant feel of the shoes.

So the shoes are settled. Yay to striking off another item from my list!

The Sister's 21st Birthday

My sister celebrated her 21st with a belated birthday party with family and friends yesterday.

No effort was spared in DIY-ing her decorations to the door gifts, to match her 'Garden Affair' theme. This girl's a potential bridezilla in the making, i tell you. Well I guess some things run in the family :P

Happy birthday sis! Though you drive me mad at times, you know i love you lots!

DHC

Watson’s has become my haven for affordable beauty products.

Each time I step in, it’s hard to resist not buying anything, especially with the recent Japanese brands like Hada Labo, Aqualabel, which they have brought in.

I had gone to the VivoCity outlet over the weekend, to replenish my Vichy toner but it was out of stock. Just when I was about to leave, I heard this lady lamenting to her bf about how she should have waited for the 3 for $80 promotion to stock up on her DHC Acerola items.

I turned around to look at her and boy, did she have a clear, porcelain complexion! She might have been in the good hands of an excellent dermatologist for all I know, but surely, it still says something about the stuff she uses right?

Coupled with the sales assistant’s marketing spiel about how the products contain the highest concentration of Vit C from Acerola berries to brighten your complexion, are good for those whose skin is dehydrated but oily on the surface (me!), help to minimise pores, sans fragrances, colourings, alcohol or preservatives, I was sold.

This is what I bought - the Lotion (toner), Extract (essence) and Gel (moisturizer).

My verdict?

I wish I had discovered the brand earlier.

True to what the sales assistant had promised, the products helped with oil control and hydration. As I’ve only used them for a day or two, I can’t tell if they will help to lighten my freckles and blemishes, but I certainly hope they do. A downside is the faint Chinese herbs smell that comes with the au natural product but at least i know no fragrance has been used. Also, because I tend to sleep in an air-conditioned room at night, I’m not sure if the Gel (or moisturizer) with its light texture, can adequately keep my skin hydrated. Because of that, I have only used the series in the day.

I also tried the samples for the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, which I’ve read good reviews about and the DHC Olive Soap, which you use as a second step to the cleansing oil.

I don’t usually use cleansing oils because I’m not used to them (can your face really get clean from using oil to cleanse it?), but I have to say the DHC one worked rather well in removing all my make up, except my mascara. I couldn’t remove my Majolica Majorca mascara entirely, even after a minute of massaging my lashes. But MM’s mascaras are known to be heavy-duty and it always requires great effort to remove (if you know any products which can remove MM mascara well, let me know!), so I’ll let this pass.

Together with the olive soap, the cleansing oil left my skin feeling supple and clean without that feeling of tightness which you sometimes get when the cleanser is too strong. Again, in line with the brand’s philosophy of organic simplicity, the cleansing oil had no fragrance and smelt like its key ingredient, olive oil.

(P.S Would love to try Shu Uemura’s cleansing oil someday, but I find them too pricey. For now, I’ll stick to this.)

Favourite Fifteen Films

I love lists. Packing lists, to-do-lists, shopping lists, wish lists... you name it, i've got it. So when Miss Ene and The Pleasure Monger each did up a list of their favoruite 15 movies, I knew it was time to compile mine :)

1) Inception
Love the concept. Love Leonardo. Christopher Nolan, you know you’ve successfully incepted the minds of your audience, if you leave hundreds of thousands of people over the world debating over your film’s cryptic ending.

2) Romeo and Juliet
I used to study English Literature in school and enjoyed Shakepeare’s works (although Macbeth and not R&J was part of my curriculum). I liked how Baz Luhrmann put a modern twist to the story. Again, love Leonardo. My best friend and I were so crazy over this show we watched it at least twice.

3) Closer
A depressing but very real portrayal of relationships and infidelity. And Natalie Portman, in my humble opinion, can do no wrong.

4) Lord of the Rings
I’m usually a bit apprehensive when it comes to book adaptations, but I think Peter Jackson exceeded all expectations with this movie trilogy.

5) A Beautiful Mind
It’s difficult to pinpoint what I love about this show. Is it the moving story of how John Nash's fiercely loyal wife stands by him while he struggles with schizophrenia? The brilliant John Nash and his formulas? Or was it the stirring soundtrack by the prominent James Horner? Whatever it is, it definitely deserved the Academy Awards it picked up.

6) Up
I laughed, I cried and till today, I am still inspired to follow my dreams and make my trip someday to my Paradise Falls’, wherever that might be.

7) Harry Potter
I loved the books which obviously are richer in details but there’s nothing like seeing Hogwarts come alive on screen. Would love to visit the theme park in Orlando if I could!

8) Life is Beautiful
A poignant story of a father’s love, set against the backdrop of the concentration camps during World War II. This movie celebrates what matters to us most - life, hope and love.

9) Avatar
This is a show which you either love or hate. Despite what some people might say about the storyline being contrived (Dances with Wolves meets Pocahontas), I love the mysterious world of Pandora and I think James Cameron is a genius.

10) In The Mood For Love
In all honesty, I thought the pace of the film was a little slow. But I included this because Maggie Cheung (in a cheongsam) and Tony Leung make an irresistible combination. Plus, who can forget the beautiful cinematography?

11) 27 Dresses
Like The Pleasure Monger, I adore this chick flick and can relate to Katherine Heighl’s character. Like her, my favourite part of a wedding is the look on the groom’s face when he sees his bride walking in. Why do you think I’m keeping my gown a surprise (hopefully a pleasant one) from the fiancé? :)

12) Titanic
Again, another one of Leo’s shows. If I could, I’d include all of his shows in this list. Hey, I’ve got to be objective, right? But seriously, I had to include this movie.

13) Brokeback Mountain
I thought the leading actors, especially Heath Ledger, acted really well in this show and I was touched by the characters’ love for each other. A quietly powerful movie about forbidden love. Until today, the line "I wish I knew how to quit you" still resides in my memory.

14) Twilight
Don’t ask.

15) Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Audrey Hepburn. New York City. Tiffany and Co. Poor boy and wannabe rich girl fall in love. Moon River. A classic romantic comedy!

P.S I feel like re-watching some of these favourites this weekend!

Happy Long Weekend!

So it's the start of a long weekend and i'm home, waiting for the fiance to end work so i can meet him for dinner.

And what do i do?

Instead of being a coach potato or reading a book, I watch amazingly put together wedding videos on Vimeo or should i say cinematography, sob at the speeches and vows and feel a little gutted that we are not having a videographer. Yes, my friends, i'm sinking deep into the abyss of bridezilla-dom.

Anyway here are some of the lovely videos (including that of the gorgeous Coco Rocha). If a picture speaks a thousand words, i guess a video speaks a million more.

Enjoy, but don't forget your tissues :)

melinh + cwell's sde // toronto from stillmotion on Vimeo.

Christie & Andrew's Arthouse Feature at The One & Only Palmilla from Elysium Productions on Vimeo.

Coco + James // Short film from Americana Cinema on Vimeo.