Kyoto #1

Summer of 2010, in Kyoto, Japan, with my mum. Gorgeous weather, peaceful, quiet streets, and if we strained carefully enough and remained absolutely still, almost always, the sound of a flowing river.

Seriously, I want a dog just like that next time. Anyone know what breed it is though?? My sis says it's the TinTin dog butbutbut... doesn't it look different?? 

That said, Kyoto is one fantastic place to go to if you're looking really to lose yourself in another culture, away from civilization/cell phone/car (whatever ties you down) and just rest quietly for a few days. It's got a beautiful river, Kamogawa (The Kamo River), and if you walk to the right spot, you'll be able to see stepping stones that you can skip across merrily or get your mum to take many many photos of (with you inside attempting many many jump-shots). :) That photo should be coming soon. 

xx

It's Monday - we're alive!

Recently discovered local artist and illustrator, eeshuan, and his work online through my sis who sent me a link to one of his cuuuute illustrations (that will come later!). Was browsing through his website, gardensilly, and saw all the album artwork he had designed for a CD (featuring local artists) sold by the Singapore Cancer Society as a fund-raising initiative. I just thought it was pretty perfect for Sunday night/Monday morning blues. ;p

 


 Source: All images from gardensilly. (some slightly cropped for display here)

I just thought the words on the album jacket were so apt. So many of us suffer from weekly/perennial Sunday night/Monday blues. I especially, whine and complain to anyone who'll listen on most mornings that aren't Friday/the Weekend. But really, when you think about it, every next day we get is a simple blessing that not everyone gets to enjoy. We always think of Mondays/tough days as days that involve a ton of work, stress, fatigue, a lousy time in general...when maybe, another way to look at it is another day of opportunities - of chances to do our job well, to face up to challenges and grow in our mental strength and competencies; of time spent enjoying fun moments with friends and family; of the ability to pursue a dream one step at a time. I'm sure you get the gist. :p I fear this will start becoming overly cheesy if I continue on. But sometimes cheese in moderation is pretty good for the tummy. And to me, it makes a whole lot of sense. At the end of the day, 'tomorrow' represents another day of hope and opportunity to make it a darn good day. I'm going to try and remember this whenever I feel the Sunday night and Monday blues creeping up on me. 

 Ohh and before I forget, here's the illustration my sis showed me that really got me interested in this artist:  

CUTE, YESSS?!!? :D Our dear ol' Courtesy Lion!!! It was his entry for Project Singa that was launched under the Singapore Kindness Movement in an attempt to re-invent the age old Courtesy Lion icon. Unfortunately, I read on another blog that it's supposed to show how he's kinda jaded after many years of campaigning for us? :P I never actually noticed that! I just thought he looked really adorably stoned.

Ermie - prints, dresses and scarves

Stumbled upon some of the most gorgeous fabric prints I've seen..!!! :DDD

Aren't these incredibly beautiful? All hand made by designer Jennifer Parry Dodge. According to the website, these are "original prints digitally printed in North Carolina and San Francisco using water-based pigment inks on natural fiber textiles".

This one's my favorite. I love how the print reminds me of beautiful Bokeh lights.


 
There's an almost tribal feel to the fiery colors in this one but they're much more toned down and the color combination just makes it so elegant. Of course, it's also how it's been accessorized, with that unique embroidered belt. 


Honestly, just looking at those dresses makes my insides go queasy in an ahhh-i-just-want-to-lay-my-hands-on-that-soft-fabric way. I can't wait for the day (IF i get to that stage) when I can afford one of a kind pieces like these. They're so beautiful and individually made by the seller so I my eyes only widened just that much more when I saw the price. A cool $370-$385 for the dresses. I would so fill my wardrobe with perfect pieces like these. In my opinion, it's always good to get a couple of choice pieces that are so unique you'd never run the risk of wearing the same piece as another person at a gathering and of course, if it's comfortable and memorable... plus plus plus points! I tend to gravitate towards print dresses more so than solids because if they're gorgeous, they just do the job for you. :) No need to think about accessorizing with statement jewelry or adding makeup or getting a spiffy handbag to act as the focal point for the outfit. It's complete as it is. Easy peasy for lazy pies like me. 






And just look at these scarves... I've started having a thing for lightweight scarves since they're probably the only thing you can layer onto your outfit in the hellishly humid SG weather (after cardigans) without collapsing from the heat. It's so easy to layer a pretty print scarf over a plain basic top and suddenly the ensemble gets transformed to something different. Now to find out how to tie scarves in more ways than one. 

So, if you can take it, check out the store, Ermie, here. 

Public Garden Flea Market

Went to the Public Garden Flea Market held at the F1 Pit Building last Saturday and it was funnnnn. :)) I love flea markets; well, shopping of any kind, but what I like about flea markets is the thrill of tossing, flipping, scavanging through piles of items, really not knowing what you'll find. It could be old stuff, cleverly marketed as 'vintage' (since everything 'vintage' is an immediate sellout), painstakingly handmade items from independent sellers, quirky and creative accessories or lifestyle pieces from boutiques whose owners have decided to set up stall in the flea market, and so much more. Oh, I forgot to mention FOOD. This particular flea market had all of the above so I was very pleased. :D
 

Cupcake shaped pin-cushions that look good enough to eat! Good thing they had the warning sign stuck in? And they even come in their own adorable porcelain cupcake holders. Makes me want to take up sewing.



Pretty pins made by the owners of the same stall! Here's a link to their facebook page, My Sweet Desire.
 

I like how this particular stall was so dressed up. I remember when my friends and I tried selling our stuff a few years back (or was it just last year) at another flea market and it was not QUITE so successful; possibly because we didn't put in much effort to decking the stall up. This one looks quaint indeed.

Cutie little (some were HUGE) water droplet pouches from the seller, Mimi Pong! I think these are simply adorable. MAYBE I shall get one for my sis one of these days since she's a huge fan of Water Wally, the err  Public Utilies Board (PUB) mascot. Lots of other really darling items from this seller's online shop, HERE .




An interesting stall was this one by local artist who goes by the name of Messy Msxi and suppose this stall can be thought of as an artistic statement of sorts. It's entitled "Breakfast Barter" and basically, you get to draw out a breakfast (can be your favorite or any random one; some people were cute and drew a dog's breakfast instead, dog included in the picture) on a template given and in exchange, you get a pretty polaroid picture of a breakfast that was probably taken by the artist herself. At the end, all the drawings were pasted on a nearby wall and while even her helpers weren't sure what the end result was going to be used for, it was interesting seeing what others drew out and how detailed/creative they could be.



3D globes from the store, The Occasional Traveller. I was checking out the items and overhead the owner talking to another customer about how she calls herself "The Occasional Traveller" because she doesn't get to travel as much as she would like to but one day she hopes she'll become "The Frequent Traveller". :) To think that there are so many intrepid souls out there just dying to get away to explore this huge world of ours. Most people leave travelling till after they're retired but in my opinion, that's a little too late. After all, what if you never retire!!! (dun dun dun!! *scary music) Yeah, just to get ya thinking yoz. Check out her website (which is also a great read) HERE.



Delicious looking cupcakes!! I love how the labels have such elegant font and are all stuck on tall satay sticks that way. Gives it a touch of class, no?



One of the best stalls I came across!! :D Alter:sg is a small independent publication from a few like-minded individuals who came together to produce a guide book of all their favorite, less-touristy and more down-to-earth spots of Singapore. I'm ALL FOR THIS because really, I do think there are so many places that are worth exploring and appreciating in Singapore. No point bemoaning the fact that it's small and boring compared to other major cities. It's something I used to do so often but really, might as well make the best of what we have and look a little closer at the place we call home right? Go to their website HERE to find out more and you can get a copy of their book too! Though I recommend reading it on say, a Friday night, because after flipping through it you'll want to go exploring immediately so at least that way you have the whole weekend ahead.



The super friendly brains behind alter:sg who were nice enough to let me take a quick snap of them and their booth.

HEH. I thought these items were GENIUS. 

On the left: Crumpled City Maps also sold by The Occasional Traveller. Quite a good idea because these maps are made of some special material so it doesn't tear easily and you can crumple it up/get it wet/fold it in any number of ways and it'll still spring back to a pretty flat state for easy reading. 

On the right: A company called Epigram sells all these AWESOME books. I think this probably applies to many people? :) They all have the same sort of structure to the quotes. I am not XX. I am XX (something cooler or more truthful). I got another one for my friend which says, 'I am not high. I am just happy'. Of course, you can guess which one's the truth.

I ended up meeting my sis and a few of her friends there as I was leaving but then I conveniently mentioned that there was ice cream being sold there and we all ended up eating VEGAN ice cream. >:) It really was kinda tasty! Better than vegetarian meat which is absolute rubbish. The vegan tastes good probably because it also makes you feel less guilty since there's no butter/milk...but brown rice something inside there instead. So yes, these things do exist and are worth trying... after which you'll probably realize that if you're meant to like the real thing, you're meant to like it.

For more info on the Public Garden flea market, you can check out their website HERE. :D Totally looking forward to the next one. 

 On a side note, this weekend was pretty great. Am kinda sad that tomorrow it's going to be Monday morning again...BUT this weekend was a great one of absolutely zero studying, and I managed to meet up with great friends, eat a ton of great food, and attended my first-ever jamming session which was FUN STUFF. Kinda like a different version of Kbox. :D What did you do this weekend? Xx Here's wishing everyone a great week ahead. 5 more days till the next weekend!

how to draw cute

Source: Tumblr! 

For someone who's always looking for new ways to doodle on my own and friends' notebooks in class, this was too perfect! =) I tried a couple of them out and they actually DO look pretty cute. So surprise your friends with your new-found artistic capabilities tomorrow.

Song of the Week #1

Song of the Week! :) But really, more like 2 songs of the week since they came together in the same youtube video. The song I'd originally wanted to post was Too Deep by J. Mascis, a beautiful, soulful song that I heard on the 7th episode of the tv series, Castle, Season 4. I tend to get a lot of great songs from that series. =D One of the reasons it's one of my current favorite tv series (along with the inimitable MODERN FAMILY!) The second song, Several Shades of Why, just happened to continue one after the first one ended and it was such a great song I ended up listening all the way.

just like the old days

The Little Drom Store (one of the cutest and quirkiest gallery shops in Singapore) has some incredibly unique tote bags that bring to mind the good ol' days of Primary School! :D Seriously, I'm pretty sure all primary school kids would've played these (pretty lame) hand games at least once in their lifetime.

Photo from the little drom store 

These just bring to mind such a sense of nostalgia. Of course, the red and blue colors against the weathered look of the canvas make it very reminiscent of old school posters. Now that I think of it, I can't believe how as children, we were able to learn a hand game, replicate it, and pass it on, all the while not really understanding a single bit of what we said/chanted/chorused during the game itself. Cherry Cherry Long Chiam Pass?? I can't believe I fell for that, once upon a time. :P

These bags are available at their online store or their shop at 7 Ann Siang Hill. :)

Antoinette for Tea

Recently discovered this lovely gem of a place for tea! :) Antoinette is a cozy dessert cafe located in a rather less-traveled part of Kallang (I for one, have probably only been to Kallang a handful of times in my life. I must thank Sandra though, for introducing me to this place. When she first mentioned it was in Kallang it didn't actually hit me how far it actually was from my place (yes, I realize nowhere in SG is really far but still) until I actually had to travel there and ended up being way late (heh, sorrie guys) BUT i think it was such a worthwhile trip. :DDD

 

Macaroons galore!! Who here likes macaroons?? I definitely adore the sweetness and the slight crispy exterior that crumbles so readily when you bite down on it... but then each one always costs a hand and a foot. I hardly ever buy them because every bite I take all I'm thinking of is, "there goes $1... and that was just 50 cents down my throat... to my thighs..." Might as well buy a huge-ass slice of cake for the same amount of money.
  Photo by Sandra

Doesn't it all look amazing? :D

Gigantic meringue puffs. :) They remind me of little bits of cloud! Though I can imagine how disgustingly sweet they'd be in the mouth... 

Photo by Sandra 

Upon walking into the cafe, we were greeted with a long table piled with a display of mouth-watering cakes and pastries of all kinds, placed on the prettiest crockery and tucked into large glass jars. Wouldn't it be awesome to return home next time to this scene upon walking through your front door? I just wish my future house would be like this...

Absolutely mouth-watering! I mean seriously, how can one walk past without needing to suppress the urge to just take every single one of those scrummy looking croissants and muffins and stuff them inside one's mouth??

 

Finally, these two were the pièce de résistance! Chocolate cake and The Antoinette Strawberry Shortcake. I'm sure there were much classier names for these two cakes but I can't for the life of me remember them. I actually like the chocolate cake a lot more than the shortcake, which was pretty average. But that said, I do have a weakness for all things chocolate. The cakes were a little on the pricey side (most were at least $6 per slice) but they are pretty worth it given that you get to enjoy them in a place with pretty decor and lovely ambience.

 

So happy to have had the chance to meet up with my dear secondary school friends after such a long time. :) And the best part was, we're all such cam whores there were minimal complaints when the cameras were whipped out to take photos of the food. I love it when people are patient when others are taking food. HINT to someone who never fails to grimace when I pull my camera out. ;p

 

Photo by Sandra

 Antoinette 
30 Penhas Road

If you have the time, I definitely recommend that you check out this place. It's a beautiful, quaint cafe tucked away in a quiet nook of Singapore. And it's totally unpretentious. While we were there, people of all ages (grandpas and grannies, families with kids etc) were walking in and out enjoying their tea and pastries. Great way to spend a weekend afternoon with friends. NOT TOO CROWDED YET so go before it's too late! :P

NYC: Butter Lane

I was just looking through some  photos I took a couple of years ago during the summer holidays when I came across those that I'd taken when I was in New York City. :D I think that was probably the second time I'd been to NYC; the first was when I'd been much younger and much less appreciative of the many treasures of the city (Soho for one, had not even been on my itinerary at all back then!). Needless to say, I'm a huge huge fan of the city. It's one of my favorite places in the entire world for so many reasons - one of which being the fact that you never know what you might come across anytime of the day, any day of the year. This quaint cupcake bakery was a total serendipitious surprise. I don't even really remember what I was doing that afternoon but I do remember two things: 1. It was a cool, breezy day; the kind that you can walk around in in a light cardigan and not break out in a sweat, 2. I had no map, and no idea where I was going.

    

So who wouldn't stop to take a closer look at this place? :) I was hungry, thirsty and eager for something to SIT DOWN ON.

Too many choices often give rise to a mild headache but I think it's a welcome one. When in doubt, I think it's best to go for the ORIGINAL flavor (whatever that may be depending on the store you're in) which is probably what I went for.

    

OMNOMNOM. I think this was probably... vanilla with key lime cream cheese? I wish I could remember! But given that it was the Summer FAVE I most likely went for that. ;p I probably ended up spending 10 minutes deciding and 10 seconds stuffing it down my throat with relish.

   

Butter Lane 

123 East 7th Street 

New York, 

NY 10009

(212) 677-2880 

Hours: Sun-Mon 11am–10pm; Tue-Thu 11am–11pm; Fri-Sat 11–12am 

 Do give it a try if you happen to be in the area! :) And tell me if there are new flavors in store. 

So... I'd say it was quite a perfect afternoon snack. And after sifting through my files I've discovered I took quite a lot of street shots while I was there of the typical stretch of apartment buildings with their fire escapes. So here's one for the road.