i’m a fan of marc by marc jacobs’ quirky, colorful dresses that are brilliantly infused with a dose of eclectic feminine charm i can’t resist. while online shopping this lazy saturday afternoon i spotted the perfect accompaniment to my classic dr q groovee bag - the classic q natasha messenger bag. it’d be a timeless addition to my bag collection - for some reason classic pieces and staples catch my eye more than of the moment ones, but i also love it when they’re dressed up in some color, which marc really does well, than the same old muted ones. i don’t have much black bags, so i wouldn’t feel too guilty about it, and it’d be so great for dress down days, with an airy blouse and jeans or a casual dress.  

credit//shopbop

so on monday, t and i had a self-declared ‘couple’s day’, took the day off from work and spent some major quality time together. for lunch, we decided to stop by twg tea and it’s one of those places that made me fall instantly in love with it. i suppose i’m partial to it’s air of opulent european grandeur, warm honeyed hardwood interiors, marble floors, fine bone china, french music, and glass displays showcasing neatly arranged, delightful tea-infused macarons all lined up in pretty rows, amongst other equally delectable looking tarts and cakes. 

extensive doesn’t quite describe the tea menu enough, with a mindboggling selection of more than 600 blends that run the gamut from classic to exotic to rare, served in sleek gleaming teapots. t had this samurai japanese tea while i had the lemon bush tea. we didn’t spend too long to make up our minds nor read through every tea, since we figured we’ll be back here again anyway. although i thought it would be cool (yet ultimately tiring) if they had some kind of description for each tea. i think it would be a really fun job for the writer to dream up far-flung lands and times long past as inspiration for some lyrical lines (something i would enjoy very much), but i digress. both our choices turned out to be very light and delicate, his had a bit of a bitter edge while mine was more citrusy.

for our entrees, he had the piked perch fillet while i had the scrambled eggs with pure saffron threads, accompanied with smoked salmon, shrimp and salad. i felt these were average at best – twg’s strengths lie in other areas, and palpably so. a big plus point was that there was still quite a bit of room for dessert and we had a chocolate croissant and chocolate fondant – a lavish calorific treat to sweeten up any rainy, gloomy monday.

twg tea

ion orchard

#02-21

6735-1837

overdosing on lactose at once upon a milkshake, a new milkshake and ice-cream parlor in town. had a strawberry milkshake, with vanilla and rum and raisin ice-cream. very rich, thick and creamy but wholly and indulgently fabulous. my only grouse - the uncomfy chairs and somewhat awkward layout.

once upon a milkshake

32 maxwell road

#01-08 maxwell chambers

homey italian fare is the heart of osvaldo (formerly of forlino), and i think it truly delivers. we had a meat platter to start, followed by seabass for t which looks deceptively insubstantial but leaves you nicely filled up and satisfied. i had the hard-to-photograph yet totally awesome dish that made my night – the boat pizza with parma ham. it’s calzone-inspired, except that instead of resembling a curry puff it looks like a boat, hence the name. honestly it didn’t look impressive when it was first served but when i started on the pizza i was genuinely surprised by how  seriously good it was. beneath the parma ham is where all the magic lies - a perfectly balanced (and terribly addictive) combination of cheese, sauce and a thin chewy yet crispy pizza crust. fresh from the oven, ripe in juices, flavors and aroma. and that’s the thing i like most, osvaldo bills itself on simple italian home cooking and the food really, really shines.

osvaldo ristorante

32 maxwell road

#01-03 maxwell chambers

(behind red dot)

6224-0978

rediscovering an old favorite – korres basil lemon showergel. i really dig the scent – it’s light, refreshing and invigorating in an understated kinda way – lemon laced with basil and aloe. also, it leaves your skin feeling so incredibly smooth, relaxed and comfy.

credit: korres

hot chocolate, marianne’s special (swedish pancake with strawberries and ice-cream) and 3 little pigs in blankets with apple sauce

when’s the last time you sat down to have breakfast? that was a good three months ago for me, when i was holidaying in taiwan. in fact, going on vacation is probably one of the rare times i have a sit-down breakfast. i miss those. most days (weekends included), i stand by the kitchen sink and scarf down soft-boiled eggs or eat my cereal in between prepping to go to work. sitting at my cubicle eating sandwiches while reading the news does not qualify. pathetic, i know. these days, i long for a slower pace of life, when i can dawdle a little, luxuriate in having nothing to do/nowhere to be, slowly pore through the papers, to  just be still for awhile and soak in the honeyed sunlight spilling through the windows. and then maybe crawl back into bed for a bit. everything else can wait.

when i visited the oregon coast, i fell in love with  the breakfasts at pig ‘n pancake. cannon beach is one of those few breathtakingly beautiful attractions with nary a recognisable commercial name in sight for miles. except maybe for pig ‘n pancake which has three outlets along the coast. it’s a bright, airy and casual spot with a treehouse feel, just a short walk away from the beach, and it’s extremely popular with families (but that can be overlooked given the fabulous comfort food they serve up). they’re famous for their homemade specialty pancakes (the ones we sampled had a deliciously fluffy and light texture), of which there are many variations to to try.

Pig ‘N Pancake
223 S. Hemlock
Cannon Beach, OR 97110
(503) 436-2851

at the MOMA

caught what are possibly my two favourite movies of the year over the past week – 500 days of summer followed by julie & julia last night. highly inspiring, wholly satisfying and witty visual feasts with lots of comedic moments and paired with awesome soundtracks…i need to watch them again. also, loved zooey deschanel’s eclectically feminine vintagey wardrobe.

i think i need to take up some form of exercise soon-ish, i’ve been in a sluggish state for way too long and my level of fitness is practically nonexistent. in fact i  cannot remember the last time i engaged in some form of sporting activity that does not include walking to the train station back and forth during the weekdays.

reminiscent of old world glamour and dripping with sophistication. i love how you can pile everything on at once…i’ve found that layering necklaces can  be a chore, because i sometimes spend so much time untangling chains that i don’t feel like wearing them anymore. which has led me to use a better, organized system, but somehow,  i still do quite fancy these “put together” pieces.

credit//banana republic

…where troubles melt like lemon drops

tonight t and i were just talking about how much we wanna go back there, – it’s definitely a happier place for us (also, the weather isn’t  as dreadful as everyone thinks) and i’m mad about its offbeat culture, laidback pace of life and the plethora of gorgeous scenery that comes with being surrounded by water and fringed by mountains.

in the photos above, i’ve captured one of my favourite things to do – spending hours at the waterfront.  i love watching ferry boats ply the bay, the occasional sailboat gliding across glittering waters, the loading/unloading of goods (and the cacophony that often comes with it), daydreaming and staring out at the horizon, and soaking in the general bustle of this awe-inspiring place.

aren’t these buttercream confections the best moodlifters? too pretty to eat, yet irresistably delectable at the same time. i recommend the red velvet lovelies, although i’m sure everything tastes pretty darn good. this airy and light-filled 1940s-style cupcakerie also has a party section with the quirkiest collection of cards, curios and one-off vintage finds for your little soiree. positively delightful, even when it’s a party of one.

trophy cupcakes

1. wallingford center

1815 N45th Street

Suite 209

2. university village

eagerly anticipating the weekend – nothing exciting planned, i’m really looking forward to watching 500 days of summer with t, having some peace and quiet, curling up with my magazines (i have some from past months still in their wrappers!) and catching up on gossip girl/entourage/the hills. due credit for this lovely photo goes to my bro who snapped it in good ol’ madison.

uw campus

where the light feels purer somehow, and where, even in the throes of winter, there’s still an unmistakable beauty about the place.

shrugging off the last week’s nasties and starting  this new one on a fresh clean slate i.e. whip some order into my (recently)  incredibly messy life. i have been so out of it lately.   

mad love for balmain as always. am laying off the heels for a bit though, after this week’s unforgivably long hours walking around in them.

and on a wholly appropriate note: why do women wear crazy shoes?

credit//net-a-porter

golden gardens park, seattle.

the past few days have been crazy, with back-to-back-to-back events (the preparation is insane), and it’s not over yet. also, walking around in heels all day has left me with aching legs and i can’t wait to just go back to my usual routine of wearing flats. actually i can’t wait to have some semblance of normalcy again. so tonight, in spite of everything else that needs to be done, i’m giving myself what i most need right now – some good ol’ sleep.

what a grand and pretty statement piece…a bib necklace adorned with strands of pearls. looking for more of such pieces (albeit affordable ones) to add to my collection.

credit//anthropologie

with cookies, soothing music and long random conversations on a friday night.

mozzarella cheesesticks, mushroom bruschetta, spaghetti bolognese, lobster and crabmeat ravioli

the set lunches here are ridiculously good value for money, understandably so since it’s location puts it awkwardly out of reach of the general human population, unless you’re a tourist. we were the only customers there on the day we went, but that meant more privacy anyway. on a whole the food’s pretty decent, good quality for what you fork out. i couldn’t get enough of the cheesesticks, strawberry milkshakes and ravioli.

senso bistro

#01-03 singapore flyer

6338-8550

scouring flea markets and unearthing droolworthy, one-off quality pieces = one of my favorite vacation pasttimes. which is why i love paddington market in sydney because you know you are going to find something beautiful, collectible and wonderfully crafted, albeit a bit expensive. it’s also where some of australia’s biggest designers like collette dinnigan and nicole zimmerman started out, so you can definitely find some fashion students purveying their  refreshingly cool or unique and brimming-with-personal clothing designs. other than clothing you’ll get the usual hodgepodge of wares  – jewelry, bags and assorted accessories, delectable pies and tarts, freshly milled soaps with scrumptious scents, and all kinds of colorfully kitschy bric-a-brac, knick knacks or handicrafts you’ll want to scoop up and bring on home. it’s a major plus point that this isn’t touristy like the rocks is, so you get a nice mix of curious tourists and locals pottering about picking up pots and bouquets of fresh flowers or pie.

situated on the grounds of a church, i love the wonderfully quaint and rustic feel of this market, which is a such a treat to amble through even in winter, on a beautiful blue-skyed saturday bathed with gorgeous doses of sunshine. it seems that most of the photos i took were of flowers, probably because i was too busy perusing through everything else:P

paddington also sits on what is possibly sydney’s chicest address – oxford street. it’s chockfull of hip, upscale boutiques alongside little cafes made for people watching and consuming copious amounts of coffee and tarts.

the magnificent toronto skyline, as seen from a river cruise.

so, i’ve been recovering from a nasty bout of food poisoning this weekend and it’s been quite the uncomfortable experience. i couldn’t really think about food yesterday because of the intense nausea, but today i woke up much better, although there are a ton of things i still have to stay away from:(