It's about time

My dad's been bugging me about being unable to tell the time whenever he's at my apartment because I do not have a clock anywhere. It's true... I don't wear a watch as much anymore and usually rely on my cellfone to check the time. It's not that I don't need to know the time or don't benefit from having a wall clock (I do!) but I just haven't quite found the right clock yet to get for my apartment. I have however scoured the internet for a bit and found several time-telling devices which caught my attention.


1. Orbit Wall Clock, 2. Icon Clock, 3. Noriyuki Shirasu Peep Clock, 4. Wood Wall Clock by West Elm, 5. Nuevo Living Lotus Wall Mounted Clock, 6. Party Time! Excellent! Clock


1. Bamboo Wall Clock from The MoMA Store, 2. Gideon Dagan Timesphere Clock, 3. Aluminum Hands Wall Clock - NeXtime, 4. Black Hands Wall Clock - NeXtime, 5. Chroma-logical Order Clock, 6. Mississippi Clock at Target (One Mississippi, Two Mississippi, Three Mississippi..... ), 7. CB2 hour/15-minute glasses (I bought these at the NYC Soho store and they're now sitting happily in my study.)


1. Ceramic White Alarm Clocks by West Elm, 2. White Wall Clock by West Elm, 3. George Nelson Sunburst Clock, 4. George Nelson Flock of Butterflies Clock, 5. The Backward Clock (Benjamin Button, anyone?), 6. Established & Sons Two-Timer Modern Wall Clock by Sam Hecht

Yeah, clearly from the selection above you can tell that I am partial towards either a simple, mod and minimalist design, or a sunburst design. :p I think it's most suitable for my pad anyway, which is... yes, you guessed it, simple, mod and minimalist.

Oh, let me share with you a couple of things which you may find interesting. The first one is, in Chinese culture it is a taboo and NOT appropriate to give clocks as a present or gift. This is because in Chinese language, the way to say "giving clock" is 送钟 (read as "song zhong") which is pronounced exactly the same way as 送终 which means "sending one to his end". This term is used in instances when one is in his dying bed and his loved ones gather around to see him off one last time.

送 sòng to deliver / to carry / to give (as a present) / to present (with) / to see off / to send

钟 zhōng clock / time as measured in hours and minutes / bell

终 zhōng end / finish

Therefore it is really a very bad idea to gift a Chinese person with a clock, due to the gesture's negative symbolism! BIG NO NO. Don't do it.

The second one is, back when I was in design school, my typography teacher told us that there's a psychological factor to the way clocks are shown in advertisements. The hands are always be at the positions of 10 and 2. This way the resulting formation resembles a smiley-face and it will in turn subliminally sends a positive message to the viewers. This is much more visually-pleasing and effective than say, the opposite where the hands are positioned at 8 and 4, which is kinda like a sad face. Don't believe me? Start looking around, you will find that in catalogs, tv shows, magazines, advertisements, product shoots, editorials, etc. most if not all of the clocks will have a happy face.

Anyway, with all that said, it's time for me to buy a clock soon and display it in a prominent place somewhere in the apartment. That way everyone can see the clock, my dad will quit complaining and we can all tell the time. In the meantime though, just bear with me — now that you know I don't have a clock anywhere in my house, therefore... I'm always late, but worth the wait. ;P





Tick tock,
-MB.

French Toast

Sorta craving french toast since last week, particularly after remembering the super yummy breakfast I had years ago at Eggs n' Things in Hawaii. The syrup and toppings were so good. There was guava syrup, coconut syrup, pineapple topping... *SLURPPPPPS* That was a really kick-ass breakfast.

Anyhoo, I don't have any of those fancy syrups and toppings around in my kitchen but I did finally find an occasion to bust open my can of Vanilla Salt from Terre Exotique *yay*. And I ate the french toast with a nice cold glass of pink guava juice on the side, to sorta somewhat relive the Hawaiian experience. ;p



French Toast

Ingredients
6 slives Bread
2 Eggs
2/3 cup Milk
1/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg (optional)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (optional)
Salt to taste

Method

1. Beat together egg, milk, salt, desired spices and vanilla.

2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or skillet over medium-high flame.

3. Dunk each slice of bread in egg mixture, soaking both sides. Place in pan, and cook on both sides until golden. Serve hot.


My fancy schmancy Vanilla Salt.


My wobbly scribbling.


Breakfast.... yum.


Pink guava juice to give this meal a wee bit tropical island feel. I had wanted to also put some shredded coconut bits on top of my french toast, but the leftover packet in my fridge had already expired so I nixed the idea.

Infinity Dress (Part 2)

There's been tremendous interest in my original post on the Infinity Dress, so I decided to write a follow-up entry. If you're still looking to get one, these online stores have them for sale in a variety of colors.

WHERE TO BUY


Zoza Designs


ConvertibleDresses.org


Tart Collection Infinity Dress

HOW TO WEAR

It does take a bit of figuring out on how to wear this dress for the first time and naturally, because of its infinite potential, we want to learn as many different ways to wear it as possible. Can't go wrong with learning by watching so here are some instructional videos on how to wear the infinity dress:

Convertible Dresses Instructional Video Series

Zoza Designs Infinity Dress - Ways to Wear Video Part 1

Zoza Designs Infinity Dress - Ways to Wear Video Part 2

MORE IDEAS

Here are more pictures to show you even more ways of wearing an infinity dress. Yes, some may be duplicates but you may spot one or two styles not included in the other images you've already seen. I like how the dress can be worn as a skirt (with a separate blouse/top) or as a top (with leggings or shorts underneath). Get creative! :D


via


via


via

If you are still on the fence on getting this dress, I say just go for it already. It is definitely a good investment! :) Here's a tip: If you're getting married, consider getting the infinity dress for your bridesmaids. I think it makes a good bridesmaid's dress because after the event, your bridesmaids can wear the dress again and again in different styles. How cool is that?

Last but not least, don't forget to check out my original post on the Infinity Dress. Again. ;p

Peace out,
-MB.

Kitty vs. Roomba

Hot hot hot.
Humid humid humid.
Kitty is melting into the rug. :|

Are you staying cool?



First meeting between MM and the Roomba. Neither cares much about the other, hence they decide to go separate ways. :p

I totally TOTALLY dig my Roomba. It's the best thing ever. Because of the voltage difference, I ended up busting the home base charger (US Pet Series Model 562). Plugged it in and BANG!!! Tripped the power and blew a fuse in the apartment too. D'oh!!! Thanks to the wonderful interwebs, I managed to find an online source (Robovac iRobot Store) to modify the charger and my Roomba now works beautifully in SG. The guy even switched out the two-pin plug to a UK 3-pin plug for me! Wooohoooooo! *jumping for joy* (If only there was a similar resource for modifying a KitchenAid mixer, then I would've been able to keep my previous KA.)

Bottomline: I highly recommend getting a Roomba.
Especially if you have a long-haired cat/pet (and she sheds).
Especially if you also have long hair (and you shed). :p

The million dollar MJ dress

Ever since I saw the Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2011 RTW collection online a while back (and blogged about it), I couldn't stop drooling and was pretty determined to check out some of the items at the boutique in Soho asap before I drown in my own saliva. Out of the handful of dresses which I tried there (I WANTED TO DIE, everything was so friggin' pretty beyond words), I decided on this number and brought it home with me.



Alright, so this dress did not cost a million dollars, but it might as well did because it certainly burned a pretty big and deep hole in my pocket. I was still feel light-headed about this purchase. Omigod, can I just tell you that this dress is super duper outta-this-world Gorgeous? Gorgeous, with a capital g. The fit is very flattering, the colors of course punchy and cheerful, the material ultra luxe... This dress is sooooo easy and comfortable to wear. Worth every single damn dollar, if you ask me.


The dress on runway model, Kim Kardashian and yours truly (sans bare leg).





I sure feel like a million bucks when I wear this dress. ;) Heh!

Out of the handful other dresses I tried on from this collection, there were a couple others which I was totally lusting for also but couldn't afford to buy so many more than one dress at a time. Check out the other two dresses which I fell in love with also:


Runway vs. Fitting Room


Runway vs. Fitting Room

*SCREEAMMMMSSSSSS* Everything's so nice!!! >_<

My recent splurge isn't the only MJ sitting inside my wardrobe, but I'll say it is the most I've ever spent on a single item of clothing in the history of my life ever. Therefore just to keep things in perspective and back to being realz, I think I shall sit on my hands for a bit and ban myself from going near any Marc Jacobs store for the rest of the year. Yeah. Yups. :X

Sigh, a girl can only dream (of winning lottery grand prize, of finding a tower of gold bricks on the sidewalk, of being adopted by a childless billionaire couple, of bumping into a bunch of bank robbers on the run after a successful heist but suddenly they start dying of heart attack one after the other hence leaving me with all the cash, etc). Ah, such happy thoughts. Heheheh!

Trendy Asian Clothing from Asoya

There's high-end designer label shopping, and then there's affordable shopping to offset that nagging guilty feeling and reset our personal economic equilibrium. :p I discovered several years ago when I traveled to Taipei, Seoul, Hong Kong and Singapore that there is a plethora of affordable trendy Asian clothing available in the marketplace. Keyword: AFFORDABLE. By trendy Asian clothing I mean the stuff that you see on the pages of Japanese fashion magazines like Vivi, Nonno, CanCam. And maybe you've heard of these wonderful shopping destinations in Asia for inexpensive clothes: Wu Fen Pu in Taipei, Dong Dae Mun in Seoul, Ladies' Market in Hong Kong and Bugis Village in Singapore. These places totally rock and what's not to love when you can get great bargains? The clothes at these places aren't dissimilar to the offerings at Forever21 and quality-wise, you get what you pay for most of the time - which is frankly a-okay in my books.

Affordable prices are great, but there is one caveat. For the most part, because these clothes are meant for mass-market in Asia, they are made in just one size. The one-size-fits-all size for average Asian girls (which I can tell you right now that the myth of Asian girls being small and dainty no longer stands today; yo have you seen those girls from Mainland China nowadays? They are all tall and shapely~~~ What they been eating? Uhm, rice? I eat rice too, don't I???). Anyway I, who is of average Asian female size - neither tall nor short, just ... average, personally haven't had a lot of problems wearing these clothes. Just use common sense and do what I do when buying, which is basically picking loose-fitting styles like puffy blouses, stretchy knit tops, oversized t-shirts, jumpsuits or flowy dresses without darts. I don't pick pants because god knows I have a rubber belly that sometimes decides to be bloated on its own accord. There is no such thing as 30-day return policy when you're shopping at Dong Dae Mun (or any of the other places I've mentioned above)!!!

Anyway, if you like shopping at Forever21, I'd like to share with you an alternative (one of many actually) to satiate your guilt-free retail therapy online. One of the online stores that I came across recently is Asoya.com - a retailer of trendy Asian clothing, based out of Malaysia. (See below for moolah-saving coupons.)



Some of my picks from the website:


Lapel Collar Cardigan, Printed Cross-Back Dress, Lotus Sleeved Chiffon Dress


Rhinestone Heart Printed Tee, American Flag Printed Long Tee, Blooming Knitted Long Top


Deep V Jumpsuit, Princess Sleeved Blouse, English Style Ruffled Blouse

There are tons more on the website, so do check it out and start shopping. Get your currency converter ready; presently at the time of this blog post 1 USD = 3 MYR. You can also select your preferred currency (mine being USD) at the top right hand corner of the site's homepage. To get a better bargain and more buying power, here are two current promotions that save you even more money, so you can shop to your heart's content.

10% Off of $100+ Code: KCW9 Valid May 23 - 29, 2011

$10 Off of $150+ plus free express shipping Code: JZL3 Valid May 23 - 29, 2011

Look trendy, but don't break the bank. When I come across other similar sites, I will share with you on this blog. You can thank me later. :)

Cheers,
-MB.

Why online contests rock!

A fabulous item arrived in the mail not long ago, it came in a black box tied with gold ribbon. HOW EXCITING! Well, thanks to an online contest which I participated in a while back, I got really lucky, ended up being shortlisted as a finalist and snagged a super duper kickass prize. And it's not just any prize, it is a Tod's D-Styling Small Satchel! *Happy dance*.

If you have missed my earlier blog post on this, go on over and find out what I had to do to win this awesome prize. According to my interior designer, who is a self-proclaimed bagaholic and knowledgeable about designer bags, the Tod's satchel is one of the hottest items this season. She also told me that the identifying feature of this bag is the sloped chunky double top handles that are attached to the bag body. Or something like that. (Uhm, okaaaay... She spoke in some cryptic bag lingo which really sounded jibberish to my novice ears.)





Now I will be upfront and say that I have never been much of a bag person. I'm a hippy-dippy chick and generally feel most comfortable carrying affordable name-less bags. I only have two criterias: 1. Large enough capacity for my junk (hence, I have been sporting hobo bags as a default). 2. Rugged enough to withstand urban conditions (I don't have any qualms in putting my bag on the floor when I'm in restaurants or sitting on the subway). Of course, I do own a couple of nice bags also (such as this one) but they sit inside the closet pretty much all the time because I prefer carrying the cheapie hobos on a daily basis. :x

So with that disclaimer said, being the owner of the in-season, brand new Tod's satchel is an incredible treat indeed! Thank you very much to Reebonz for putting together such a fun blog contest, and of course, giving away such a generous prize. :)

As for the bag itself, it is certainly a luxury item as the leather feels butter soft. I love the soft cream color, it is very spring-ish. ✿ I am happy about the friendly size too, as it is more than adequate to contain my purse, coin pouch, pocket camera, cellfone, keys, sunglasses and other miscellaneous knick-knacks. The bag comes with a strap so slinging across the shoulder can be an optional style too.

In summary, two words: *WOOT WOOT*!!!!! :) :) :)







See? It can be rewarding to join online contests or blog promos. You never know when Lady Luck will smile upon you and send something nice to your mailbox. Nothing to lose, everything to gain.

Summer of Straw Hats

This summer we're going to be seeing lots of straw hats. You already know how I feel about exposing skin to sun and what the rays can do to one's skin, so I definitely endorse wearing a hat. Stay cool under a hat and keep your makeup from melting at the same time. With the variety of fashionable straw hats hitting the stores now, you can enjoy the summer looking on-trend and get some protection from the sun too! (Remember to still put on your SPFs; common sense.) From oversized floppies to fancy fedoras, here are some of my faves.


Kate Spade Hello Sunshine Straw Hat


1. Miss Selfridge Bow Trim Hat, 2. Bead-Trimmed Raffia Fedora, 3. Large Straw Stripe Sun Hat in Dark Khaki, 4. Nordstrom Two Tone Straw Fedora, 5. Over Size Fedora Hat with Natural Black Band, 6. Eugenia Kim Hemp Combi Feather Hat, 7. American Retro River Hat


1. Pins and Needles Basic Straw Floppy Hat, 2. Estivo PANAMA Hat in Brown Perforated, 3. BCBG Panama Straw Hat, 4. Eugenia Kim Craig Knotted Sisal Fedora, 5. Brenda Lynn Panama Feather Fedora, 6. Mint by Goorin Braided Straw Bow Cloche


1. 1971 Reiss Straw Trilby Hat, 2. Natural Straw Squashed Bow Floppy Hat, 3. H&M Straw Hat with Patterned Scarf, 4. Rag & Bone Short Brim Beach Hat, 5. John Lewis Women Stripe Straw Floppy Hat, 6. All Saints Claude Hat, 7. Helen Kaminski "Provence 12" Crochet Hat

What I love about these straw hats is the base straw color makes it a neutral accessory to any colored outfit that you wear. Also no matter what shape or size you end up getting, these straw hats are universally flattering. (Tip #1) I can almost hear my girlfriend WW exclaiming, "The wide floppy ones will make my face appear smaller! (Tip #2)" And I totally agree with her.






Straw bucket hat from Urban Outfitters, Khaki Dress with Beading from Calypso St. Barth Collection for Target.

Have fun this summer and stay stylish under the sun, y'all! :)

Peace out.
*xoxo*
-MB.