the secret life of a bohemian princess who writes for nothing

singapore - what's great about the place

i've been to this little city a few times. I remember once, when I was in high school, me and my family took a bus trip from jb to go to  a sunday flea market somewhere near to Arab Street.

that was 1997.

again, this year, me and mas was thinking of a trip somewhere foreign. Just to get a different shopping feel this time around.

there's always a reason to shop. and since the wedding is around the corner, I could always save that excuse for my little adventure! ;-P

our adventure began on sunday.We hit the Orchard Road and spend the whole day touring from one shopping mall to another. Our first stop was Cineleisure, solely for parking purpose ( we shop so much that we have to drive in the city) and we move to Ngee Ann City. I believe that's the largest shopping mall in Orchard Road so far.I practically shop everything here including things I bought for Mr Swank.

Takashimaya is like Isetan, Metrojaya here.But it was the largest departmental store that I ever came across with.The men section,drove me crazy!! I couldn't decide what type of cufflinks I want to buy, especially when they have hundreds of selection to choose.The best cufflinks but I consider them the luxury are Thompsons from London, it was priced somewhere in between rm200 to rm400 per pair.

Then there are the shirts,I was all over the place analyzing the crispness of the material. There are some brands which absolutely fell nicely on the skin, and some gave me this imaginary huggable feel and some giddy thought about seeing my guy with it. Even though he wasn't around, I could always have him on my mind and picturing how good he looks in everything...

later I enter The Atria, and Levi's Store was actually having 60% off, and it never happen here in Malaysia. We hit almost every shoe store we could find, and I brought back a nice glamorous pair for myself, perfect for a private fine dining at some fusion restaurant perhaps, one day!

I wanted to look for cosmetics too, like Prescriptives and some other unfamiliar brands in KL, but I lost interest when I saw the price comes about the same in KL.I would rather drag myself to Laura Mercier in Lot 10 and ask the salesperson to do a full makeover and make me feel good about myself!

I shall spill more details soon.

for now, I'm off to do spring cleaning!

the ultimatum

every morning when I had my breakfast at the cafe, me and my colleagues found the same old mundane stories about our job.Yes, it has become a routine, and we all became so bored but we keep on working so hard on it.

i was really at the end of soul searching. I've lost the passion to blog, somehow because I could only do so when I'm back home.

But fortunately the journey towards gaining sanity and pursuing happiness and freedom of wisdom has found me last weekend.

it happen when mr swank and I decided to make a pitstop at Borders, because clothes browsing are getting so boring.

I happen to find this lovely book ; The Art of Travel where it tells everything about the exotic places he went, and the history behind it.Then my search grew deeper, I was bemused by the fact that there are so many travel narratives here, and great readings too.

Last year when I when to Europe, I tried to write something in a small notebook that I carried everywhere with digicam. but strangely everytime I sat at the cafes, I just couldn't bring myself to write it out.

When I found the Art of Travel, I found this new motivation to write again.Maybe blog and write. I could still remember the crisp freshness of Holland, and everytime I closed my eyes, I could feel the winter wind surrounds me.

yes, I have found this new will, but I will have to find some time to dream and write...

the makeover

I had a month pre-book session with YSL makeup artist Patrick, who flew from Paris to be in Malaysia for a week. Currently YSL is introducing the new LipTwin Duo, wrap classically in a golden cylinder with two different shades of lipstick and gloss in it.Just click it around and you'll find colours that suits your style for the day.

So finally, the day arrived, I was there in Mid Valley for the makeover session, dragging Mr Swank along and left in torture for the next few hours while Patrick was painting my face.Sorry, honey!! I don't mean to leave you for that long, but this is once in a year kinda thing!

This year is better promo compared to last year, although I managed to bring back a couple of great stuff with me, including the blusher pallete in bronze and golden brown. I was expecting the other guy to turn up but Patrick came instead, but we switch makeup tips like crazy. Like how to intensify the same colour for day wear and evening wear, how to let the lip colour stay,and dramatic makeup and so on.

I end up getting myself the foundation airwear brush , the watermelon fragrant - face primer and the all time favorite two way powder. all from YSL.I've been a loyal customer to this brand, ever since I found Radiant Touch, who works like magic to create a fresh glow and all glamorous look for the whole day.

Having tried so many products before, minus MAC which Hariah genuinely recommend, I keep on experimenting with other brands. but I can tell you which brands are good, like Laura Mercier for creating the second skin ( sort of like a foundation -tried the good combo of foundation primer,oil free liquid foundation and the Secret Camouflage) I wear that to hide those freckles at bay.

For a perfect weekend light makeup or dewy look, try face balm Dr FeelGood by Benefit and dab three dots of Benetint ( the liquid blusher; have you ever heard of that) and some more on your lips.It looks as if you glow naturally from within.

For eye colours, yeah, MAC is still the best, but for face powders, you can count on Giorgio Armani , T LeClerc , Guerlain , just to name a few. But definitely cost a few hundred bucks. But I tell  you, it looks good. Understated but naturally sexy.

I end up the makeover session with a photoshoot, and agreed to go for upswept hairdo, urging him to pose with me with his favorite hat. Haha..so much for doing something different for the weekend.

With him, for he finally came home... :D

stuck

i'm stuck again in my office.

the old habit is back.

i can see myself returning late every day lately.

honey, I think you need to come home fast before this workaholic disease bug me.

do come home..because i miss you.

on the thought of ; nomad life

if there's one thing I would like to clarify here, is my current fast track - on the go life.

I had an experience of living in a suitcase after graduation, and keep on changing apartments. sometimes, when working out of town, the hotel rooms or the hostels are the second best thing. I can sleep comfortably every where.

Contrary to that, I refused to stay in my own room, large enough for me to do a yoga practise or any form of dance that I can try if I got bored.Two large kitchens and one big study room. Switch TV anywhere you want at the comfort of your own home.

That was my parent's.

Yeah, I'm getting used to nomad's life.

It's tiring but its fun.

It's like, you could decide whether you want to go home anywhere you want. If you feel like catching up with old friends, go back to the ol' PJ.else, if you're down right tired, just drive to SK and take a good nap.

well, thats me.

its always fun to expect what the unexpected, heheh.

shop till you drop

there was this famous catch phrase for shopaholics ;

Shop till you drop!!

I had the experience of real shopping adventure last weekend. Its kinda exhilarating and worth every Ringgit spent.Although it got me half broke, because I never shop like that in my entire life!

I initially plan to travel light and finally resulted with a huge airport trolley with lots and lots of paperbags collected from various boutiques I went in Singapore.Now I realized why people are so crazy about Orchard Road, yes...its freaking crazy!! You can't cover the road in a day for shopping, because it looks like you have to come back for more and more the next day!

but the real pleasure was taking the various transportations from KL to JB- S'pore.Right from KTM train, our very own LRT, buses, and S'pore's MRT, yeah..its definitely a fun trip.

I'll spill it all in my other details soon, but for now, I have to share these stories with my daddy and tempt him about Sim Lim Square, where gadgets selling at a fraction of price from Malaysia!!

See y'all soon!!

off to merlion city

TGIF!!!

And finally, here comes the highlight of the week, shopping!!

I have a train to catch tonight, yet I haven't start packing and still sorting out my assignments. I was supposed to go back early today, but I can't!! Bluargh!! Had the longest meeting from 9 till lunch hour. what is so good about long meeting anyway?

yeah, i'm done with it.I'm taking my day off next week. Cruising down south this weekend, and head to Merlion city and do a shopping marathon at Orchard Road.Armed with the lightest backpack, a digicam, and Mas with her videocam, we're planning for the great weekend outing this week.

Yeah, better start packing now.

Till then, see ya!!

these girls

last friday night I invited hariah for a quick dinner after work. One thing about  planning to meet up and gather everyone is somehow impossible.Fortunately, Hariah managed to rang up our always-buzy Radin and I texted Lily, and we managed to meet up for posh dinner at Delicious Cafe before hitting Coffee Hut for an extended chit chat after the shopping mall operating hours. That long chit chat kept us awake until 1am and everybody went home with eyebags waiting the next morning.

Doesn't matter. Once and finally, I met them. Including Nadiah and her friend Maya.Nad, its nice meeting your friend, she's so cute and bubbly!Yeah, and all you girls, I'm so ecstatic that I finally see you guys again after the engagement.

So, we did the normal girl stuffs. Shop, dine and gossip. And exchanging wedding invitations. Hariah's twinnie  gonna tie the knot this month.
Another friend with hilarious character but also very charming and fabulous looking Yoe, will have her reception in July; ( yeah Yoe, I just have to share this happy news ;P) , and few more coming, including mine. :D

These girls were my cup of tea during the campus years, and we hold on close to each other ever since the first day we landed on the matriculation campus. The land of the holy IIU, thats what we called it back then. The university with its own charms and multiracial community, it was so hard to define a Malaysian life back then. Everything was considered international and it somehow keeps our sanity alive.Instead of feeling the pressure of upholding the Islamic image and typical Malay at the same time.Its quite a free practise  in those years, we choose to be Modern young Muslim instead of the typical ones.It works.Somehow.

Now after almost three years of graduation, we finally see the big open doors to more opportunity. I'm happy when each one of them are being so excited planning out the career plan and being optimistic about love. And who would have thought, after so many years of struggling in IIU, we think we've learn enough, and yet, there is so much to learn in the inside world. And we still falter but manage to keep fighting in the rat race.

We need each other. I'm beginning to understand the values of friendship more after I meet them.

To these girls, thank you.

hey; let's plan for the bachelorette!! I'm so gonna have it real soon!!

shopping season

the dangerous habit is back.

the need to spend your cash over seeing something neat and pretty on the rack.

yeah, we've been eyeeing for best shoes and handbags for the past few weeks.

and cosmetics,skincare ranges, aromatheraphy set.

men shirts,cufflinks,ties.

perfumes. well,you name it. and the new list of friends from the beauty parlour keeps developing.

im gonna start first with the shopping trip to Singapore. and later .. wait for the Megasale Carnival ....

yeah, its the shopping season this year for me!

miss him

he's going away again.

only this time around, it will be for three weeks.In some remote areas in Terengganu.

I guess I'm used to it now.For the hectic schedule, working during weekends,attending different events at night and going out of town.

I wish I could be with him.I wish we could see each other first thing in the morning and be the last person to ever spoken to before we go to bed.And I wish, we could have lounging hours over the weekend for conversations,rather than just chip in the most important discussions on the road.

But some relationships were never made that easy.It was the time that we bargain for most of the time.

The good thing about it is that, when you don't have much time for each other, you will make sure every minute spent worthwhile.It matters to me, even if see him before I go to work or when we have this extra little time to squeeze for movies in ridiculous hours.

We are happy. We are grateful.

But when he's away. I missed him.

So much.