Lumières Byzantines de Chanel

So I was looking for a lost password in my old mail accounts. And hey ho what did I see?

*Slaps myself on the head for having missed out on all of the flyers from Chanel.sg!*

I totally missed out on the Spring collection with a tearful wave to the covetable Rose Tourbillon. On the bright side, I fell totally in love with their now-in-classic-collection Espiegle.

So what is this latest collection about?

Inspired by the Byzantine period - a period where women could participate in public life and had a voice - this collection bears resemblance to Co Co Chanel’s unorthodox life in a time where women wore dresses. Not a bad continuation to Chanel’s Spring collection where it is all about Co Co Chanel’s love for pearls.

Make up: Regard Signé de Chanel in Topkapi and Joues Contraste Powder Blush in  Or.

The make-up is a little bronze with a tinge of gold. Befitting since Byzantine women loved to be adorned with gold jewellery.

Oh the glamour.

#17

So I’ve been knocked out cold.

Recall #32?

It was #17’s turn.

To cheer myself up, I bought a Barbie kid’s toothbrush a day before the surgery.

Not that I really needed it much since I could barely eat after the op.

The moment of regret came when my dentist started to saw a part of my jaw just to pry #17. The sound of the saw in thy jaw was so sick, I probably said 20 prayers. My dentist made it worse by playing classical music - seriously, it reminded me of a horror movie.

My dentist sure knows how to make an impression.

The next time round I’ll opt for a GA.

Fred Perry Summer Mook 2011

After 3 busy weeks, I finally got out of the house and got around to do my long overdue shopping spree.

Retail therapy works wonders.

I was pleasantly happy to see that Kino had stocked up on the latest Fred Perry Mook. I did hear that it was already in stores 2 weeks ago and I am gleefully happy that the locals must have been too busy with the GE and the april work fever and had bypassed this mook.

It’s one of the best quality gwp bags I have seen thus far. Even better than the Paul & Joe mook that I purchased.

Funny how I really pondered for a long time before I decided to purchase the mook. On the magazine cover, the bag did not seem too enticing. It looked like yet another one of those flimsy ‘recyclable bags’.

However, I’m was completely sold the moment I tore the mook open.

The seems are stitched really nicely.

The logo is super big as well - for those logo fanatics.

The bag is roomy and soft. Awesome bag for my lug-and-go days or for that matter my stand-by computer bag.

Definitely worth my $29.60.

Well in the mean time, as I was browsing through Kino’s magazines selection, I also picked up this month’s issue of Bazaar.

It comes with a 11ml Dr Brandt’s pores no more anti-aging mattifying lotion and 7.5ml pores no more refiner. Whilst stocks last!

Rock it Balenciaga

Nope. I haven’t quite changed allegiance.

But at the rate Ms CC is increasing its charges, I think I can secure an Hermes bag.

Thank God I’ve purchased my precious 2.55 and classic accessories way before the price hike!

While lamenting at the exorbitant CC prices, I thought I shall have a fling with…

Balenciaga.

My new found love in biker chic accessories.

Did I mention that I’ve like 20 other stud bracelets to match it with?

It’s not a phase I swear.

The attack of online shopping

In the midst of the busy week.

My long awaited parcel arrived. And for that matter, my long awaited many parcels arrived.

Stay tuned…

My favourite scents

Part of my morning ritual is to spray a spritz of sweet perfume. I feel naked without it.

These are the treasures in my little acrylic box.

Clockwise from left: Night jewel by Jill Stuart, Marry Me by Lanvin, Petit Cherie by Annick Goutal, Eclat D’arpage by Lanvin, Chloe perfume.

I’ve always felt that it was too personal to share my favourite scents; but good things are meant to be shared.

Night jewel is my current favourite. Sweet, yet not overpowering, with a tinge of mystery. It holds special meaning to me, having successfully hunt the stand-alone boutique in Shijuku. I only wear this on special occasion or days when I’m feeling really awful and need something soothing to put a smile back on my face. A pity that it requires a spritz every two hours.

Petit Cherie is the first perfume that I purchase and it will always have a special place in my heart. It’s sugary sweet and can evoke the girly person in you.

Chloe’s perfume was introduced by my sister. I wear this pretty much on a daily basis. It has lasting power; the flora whiffs stay with me till mid-day. It’s a romantic scent.

Lanvin surprises me all the time. They are able to churn out fragrances that I fall head over heels with. I currently have 3 Lanvin perfumes. The original, a spring edition and now Marry Me.

I recently read in an article in a magazine that our brain registers notes that we like and dislike. Perhaps that’s why all my favourite perfumes are flora, sweet and purplish!

I left my heart in Vancouver

As I fight off these mounting piles of work, let’s tour one of my favourite cities in the world - Vancouver.

I’ve grown up in a city state so I enjoy the buzz and the hype of a cosmopolitan town. Vancouver is all that plus fantastic weather thrown in. I can run around in boots all day for all I care.

The moment I step off the plane and have dumped my luggage, I started my mini tour at the harbour.

I do think Toronto’s harbour looks way much prettier. Vancouver’s harbour look strangely similar to the one in Hong Kong.

A short walk thereafter, I enter the historic gastown. The streets were pretty empty.

Terribly shaky picture I know. But yeap, touristy picture… checked. Strange how I really liked the whole denim skirt with black tights combo then. If only I can ditch the fur jacket for a long coat.

There is just something amazing about the traditional vibe in gastown that made me smile. Cluster after cluster of shops that reminded me of cowboys and horses.

Adjacent to gastown, one should check out the Sun Yat Sen garden that lies somewhere in Chinatown. It is said to be really pretty with awesome botany.

I didn’t stay too long to linger in Vancouver’s chinatown and headed straight to the city centre.

Unlike Singapore’s orchard where you have to jostle with the crowd, Vancouver’s city centre is busy yet has a tinge of calmness to it all.

Taken from Banana Republic’s flagship store in Vancouver.

Until you see a car like this.

Just like our local sunflower motorbike, this has become Vancouver city centre’s resident car. Everyone takes a snap shot with the car.

Well you would have thought that I would have gone crazy shopping, but I realise that I wasn’t as shopaholic as I was a famished girl in the cold winter. After digging into Kebabs for breakfast, I had the most delicious nutella waffles along the street at Cafe Crepe Express. So delicious that I do think about it ever so often.

Ah, and with that I leave you with one of my favourite moments in Vancouver.

Calm, serene, beauty.

If only.

The Hectic April

I’ve always been warned that April is a hectic month.

And it has been so busy that I’ve left my blog stuffed somewhere in the drawer! Even my repaired Chanel accessories have been sitting comfortably in the MBS oulet for *Gasp* two weeks!

Seriously, someone please take me for a shopping trip.

Ladies, I promise I’ll be back in action in no time at all.

Happy Good Friday!

Canada: Winnipeg in the Winter

First November 2007 is a day to remember. It was the day when I experienced my first snowfall!

The start of a -40 degrees Celsius winter.

I did warn you that Winnipeg’s winter is crazy right?

So crazy they need bulldozers to cart off the thick snow.

But the snow does make my school campus look really beautiful.

That winter, I learned the new definition of a refrigerator. It is to keep your fizzy drinks warm from the cold harsh winter. They will explode due to the coldness, if left in the open.

That winter, I also learned that it is wise not to hang your clothes outside of your home to let it drip dry. It will be frozen.

That winter, I also tried my hands at many things that I can never do in Singapore. It was the first time I made a snowman. I was super duper happy.

I also attended my first ever ice hockey game.

Boy, was it violent.

And snowboarding!

I’ve never had so much bruises on my knees before. Pain aside, it is really so exciting to snow board down the never ending slope.

I can’t wait to jump at the chance to go snowboarding again!

Summer in my backyard

Hello ladies, how have you all been? It has been a while, hasn’t it?

It’s cool to have a shopping boutique somewhere near your backyard. I say somewhere, because it ain’t exactly near, but ain’t exactly as far as downtown.

I have been obsessed with frolicking laces and maxi dresses of late.

My favourite purchase of the week?

It has got to be this ivory lace tower tank (bottom, right) as seen on Anthropologie (bottom, left). I paired it up with the same blue tank as presented by Lemon Chiffon. But you can always pair it up with a cream-base inner wear.

Heavy lace is a must for spring / summer 11.

The other dress that I fell in love with, is this casual tank dress.

I know, it looks like yet another plain simple black dress that blends well with my other 20 odd LBDs. But what I like about is that it is so light to wear and it fits my petite size to a tee. And it has pockets! It is reversible, but I really won’t try to wear the inner cream version.

Last but not least, yet another black top. I know, I have a gazillion stashed at home. But there is no harm in adding just one more black laced top to the collection is there?

Photos from Lemon Chiffon and Anthropologie.