Fun police

Top: New Look (Similar here) | Pants: French Connection (Similar here) | Shoes: Charles & Keith (Similar here) | Clutch: ASOS

It’s dawned on me that I am not a fun person. I say this because I enjoy doing really boring things that people typically find to be a chore. I love a good spring cleaning – the joy of tidying up and making everything shiny and new is just so rewarding. Also, I love running errands like grocery shopping and picking up household products. Honestly, doesn’t finding the perfect broom sound just swell??

When the boo had his birthday party at home, I was running to turn down the music every time he turned it up because HELLO WE HAVE NEIGHBOURS WHO SLEEP NORMAL HOURS. And I was theone running around picking up the garbage and clearing the dirty plates which I think is normal since I was hosting that shindig. But I would probably do it even if I wasn’t the host.

Anyway, these things don’t exactly make for a very exciting person that others want to be around, but that’s ok. I’ve become very comfortable with who I am and with my weird quirks (like preferring to spend my Friday hugging my dog rather than chugging a pint).

Thankfully, I have a saving grace - I’m quite good at contributing to the fun others have.

My colleague had a hen’s night party and I became the unofficial clothes lender because apparently I have skanky clothes that would fit the theme of (skanky hos). AWESOME. Anyway, I just like other people to have the fun, and then I do the non-fun prep or clean up so I think I'm very useful. 

Anyway, that’s all I wanted to say. Hope you are having fun in all the ways you enjoy! Unless it’s gross and/or illegal. Then NO.  

Thanks for reading!

No pain, no gain

Top: Seed (Similar here) | Skirt: Bysi (Similar here) | Shoes: Zalora (Similar here)

Bag: Gracious Aires (Similar here) | Ring: Twentyeight Lane | Earrings: Chinatown (Similar here) 

In a bid to be a little bit healthier, and also in line with my diet, I’ve initiated a weekly workout session with my friends by my poolside.

It started off as simply as realizing what a wobbly blob I’ve become – I’m not the sort who needs to be super skinny but I do like a bit of muscle, which I realize I definitely was/am lacking. So we asked our fittest friend Anil if he’d coach us and while he thought we were joking at first (I think the idea of us squealing ladies and exercise probably didn’t gel), he agreed and thus began our fitness club.

It’s only been 3 weeks so I can’t say that I really have changed in terms of musculature, but I feel healthy and also happier so I guess it’s going in the right direction. Plus I ached like a b*tch after the first session so I must be waking those fatties up (and probably shocking them) and turning them into MUSCLES.  

For most of our workout sessions, Anil refers to Fitness Blender which is a great site for free workout videos that you can select based on level of intensity, time, what areas you want to work on, etc. Beyond our fitness group where we hopefully motivate one another, I also refer to the site on other days so I can follow the videos and do the workouts in the comfort of my own home (fan at full blast, sweating disgustingly all over the floor) at my own pace (normally slow) and at my desired level (level couch potato with aspirations of being an outdoor fitness yam… I can’t think of what would be the most opposite thing of a couch). Most of the workouts don’t require expensive machines or workout gear like weights and blah blah fitness stuff so it’s really perfect for noobs like me who just want to sweat it out and feel good that I didn’t die.

Anyway, here’s to hoping that I’ll be able to share more on my fitness journey as I become as strong as an ox.

Thanks for reading!

Summer greens

Dress: Diane Von Furstenberg (Similar here) | Shoes: Red Valentino (Similar here) | Bag: Y-3 (Similar here) 

Earrings: Lovisa (Similar here) | Bangle: Kate Spade (Similar here) 

It's summer all year long in Singapore so I guess The Summer Kit from Net-a-Porter is perfect for me! I've just gotten my grubby paws on it but I'm really pleased so far.

Fancy package is fancy

SURPRISES INSIDE!

All the goodies inside smell so good, I am sure I will smell like a mixture of baked chocolate cookies, fields of lilacs and a warm summer breeze.

Good thing there's a manual.

They're all sampler size so I can test out the products and figure out what I want to phase into my daily regular routine.

I want you and you and you and you and you

They are great for bringing on vacation. I know a lot of people take the toiletries from the hotels they visit but since I don't stay at fancypants hotels, I often find the toiletries at my disposal a bit abrasive and not very luxurious. I will totally bring these and go full spa service on myself. If vacation time is not the time to be pampered, then I don't know when is.

Moooooooooooooore!!!

I hope you're having a fantastically pampering summer, thanks for reading!

I can see again (part 2)

Shirt: ASOS (Similar here) | Shorts: ASOS | Bag: Gift from CC from Sportsgirl (Similar here)

Sunglasses: Ray Ban | Earrings: Accessorize (Similar here) | Shoes: Charles & Keith (Similar here)

Continuing on from my last post where I had Lasik surgery/my eyeballs were abducted by aliens...

The surgery cost us about S$4000 each and I don't think we have regrets although I definitely still feel a little emotional trauma from the actual eyeball suction thing. Also, our eyeballs were a little red for about a week or two after the surgery, caused by that evil suction but it went away with no lasting effects. During the healing process of about a month or so, we weren't allowed to wear makeup around our eyes, go swimming, and rub our eyes for fear that the flap of the cornea would open and I guess we'd go blind or something.

Emo face

The night of the surgery, we went home and were given these goggles to wear to bed to protect our delicate eyeballs in case we scratched or rubbed them. We were also given 2 tubes of eye-drop antibiotic solutions and were told to stock up on Refresh eye-drops to apply at regular intervals to keep the eyes lubricated and help with the healing. The goggles came off sometime during the night because I sleep like a zombie eating brains (lots of grunting and slow but jerky movements). We were to visit Dr. Cheng again the next day and then I think a week after after which we should be more or less out of the woods.

I'm preparing for scientific experiments

Except I visited him maybe 4 times after because I kept accidentally putting sh*t in my eye. Handy tip, do not put your vitamin E oil bottle that resembles your eye drops on the bedside table with your eye drops because you will drop the vitamin E oil into your eyes and it will be oily and you will taste it and it is DISGUSTING. Also, do not let your hair dye from your DIY hair job run down your face into your eye because you will stain your face and it will sting like all hell.

Mousie suffered from the halo effect and continued to be extremely light sensitive. Even a year on, she says she's light sensitive but maybe she's just showing off. I know people who have complained of severe dry eyes but thankfully that didn't affect me that much. I think aside from my general stupidity, I didn't have any adverse effects from the surgery except poverty and fear of aliens. I think my eyesight is quite good, although I wouldn't say it's perfect. I'm pretty sure I still have light astigmatism in my right eye.

I'm happy I got Lasik done, and the more time passes, the more the memory of that extremely scary procedure fades from my mind, and I think that I would probably recommend it to others who are considering it. Dr. Cheng is a nice and attentive doctor with quite good bedside manner, although he does say 'Okay, alright' quite a lot, and in quick succession. And during the procedure, no, I was not okay, alright.

Thanks for reading!

I can see again

 

Shirt: J. Crew (Similar here) | Jeggings: From Jee Fang (Similar here) | Shoes: Superga

 Sunglasses: ASOS (Similar here) | Bag: Gracious Aires (Similar here)

Once upon a time, possibly when I was 10 or 11, I became short-sighted or myopic, and needed to wear spectacles. Of course I looked like a total dork. Small lenses, big lenses, thick frames, skinny frames, no frames - I tried them all. And looked horrible in all.

Gather around students.

I never really felt comfortable wearing specs so I started wearing contacts during the day when I went to school and while it felt much more comfortable, I guess I really wished that I didn't have that additional hassle to put them on and take them off, and ensure they were clean so I didn't get an eye infection. Finally, in March last year, Mousie and I decided to try for Lasik since we felt like our degrees had more or less stabilised and it would be a great sister bonding experience.

We decided to go with Dr. Jacob Cheng from Eagle Eye Centre because the rates there weren't crazy expensive (my friend paid $8000!! while we paid half of that) and my sister had heard good reviews of this clinic (and also because this hottie doctor wasn't available I think). We booked our first appointment to see Dr. Cheng and were advised not to wear contact lenses for a week prior.

At our first appointment, they applied some eye-drops to dilate our eyes then we went through a bunch of tests run by nurses to scan our eyeballs to see if we were eligible for the surgery. Basically, what I understood was that I would need pretty meaty corneas so that they could slice away at it to make the eyes see good. Science pro right here.

When the good doctor concluded that our corneas were indeed fat enough to be spliced, we were slotted in that very afternoon for the surgery, once the dilation had gone away. Mousie tightly wrapped her sunnies around her face because she had major light sensitivity while I just wore my sunnies and exited the hospital pretending to be a celebrity who had just had plastic surgery.

We went back later that afternoon and Mousie's eyes were still dilated because she's just the best at everything she does, including maintaining eye dilation. Dr. Cheng decided it was ok to proceed on her so the nurses gave us some pills, one of which was Valium, to calm our jitters. Mousie, normally anxious and tightly wound floated like a cloud, while I just felt sleepy. We laughed a lot wearing our hospital gowns, shoes and shower caps.

Pre-surgery feeling sleepy while trying to rock the shower cap look

I don't even remember this. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

The latest in fashion footwear

Then I died.

Ok, I didn't die. It was time for my surgery so I went into the sterile room, and lay on a bed surrounded by machines and had the big zappy laser pointer that was going to cut my freaking eyeballs pointed at my face. I believe they clamped my head down but honestly I kinda blocked a lot out because TRAUMA. I went from kind of sleepy to extremely tense and scared. The doctor pressed something firmly down with a lot of pressure over my eyeball, I presume some suction thing to keep my eyeball in place before the laser cutting. With that, the sight went from that eye and I went dead quiet. That feeling was so foreign and so uncomfortable to me I might as well have been abducted by aliens and experimented on. The suction held on for about 30 seconds, there was a burning smell (my eyeball being cooked by aliens), and then they removed the suction thing. One eye down, one more to go. My heart was racing and it felt like it took FOREVER when in fact each eye probably took less than a minute.

Those are my toes curling from the fear

Mousie was totally floating

And then she prepared to give birth

After Dr. Cheng had completed both eyes, they helped me sit up and asked me to tell them the time from a large clock that was about 2 metres away. I was so flummoxed that aliens were asking me for the time, then it dawned on me. I could see. Not perfectly, but quite well! Hallelujah I wasn't blind!! Then out of nowhere, someone whipped out a camera and said, 'CHEESE!' and took possibly the ugliest photo* of me ever. They later gifted me this photo in hard copy. So they give you sight and then make you see the ugliest thing ever. That seems a little cruel.

Immediately after surgery. It looks like I'm crying because I totally felt like I should have!!

OMG this post has run really long so I'm going to stop here but I'll write another post about the healing process in the next one! Sorry to leave with such an awful picture LOL! Thanks for reading!

* I was unable to locate the picture which is seriously a pity because I looked SO bad and you would have definitely enjoyed the laugh but the above one is probably second runner up in terms of ugliness so you're welcome. 

Kid

Dress: Just Taylor (Similar here)

Bag: Gracious Aires (Similar here)

Shoes: Nelly (Similar here)

Sunglasses: Karen Walker

Ring: Jessica Buurman

First off, sorry for the ultra bad quality of the photos. This is what happens when you leave the camera in the air-conditioned room overnight and immediately start taking photos. The reason why I'm still sharing them is because I'm a warts and all kind of blogging person (but not moles, I remove those because YUCK). Also I'm too lazy to retake. Anyhoodle....

I really like this dress, I bought it ages ago but the material has maintained its shape and held up quite well. Much like this dress, I also hope to hold up well and maintain my shape. But that's proven to be quite an uphill battle because as I've mentioned before, age just isn't on my side. (AGE, YOU BASTARD!!!) 

Someone once told me that sunblock is the only proven successful anti-aging product (besides a time machine or delusion I guess) so obviously I've gone all out to block that sun the best I can. Some good methods include: 

1. Don't leave the house

2. Wear a Hazmat suit 

3. Destroy the sun 

But sunblock seems to be the best option and I've got a new sunblock to recommend! I've told you before that I use Biotherm for my face and Sunplay for my body but I've recently decided to try out a new sunblock by Cetaphil Daylong.

Liposomal just sounds sciency

While Sunplay states that it's SPF 80++ or even 130++, I tend to be a little skeptical, mostly because so many established and famous brands hover around the SPF 30 to SPF 50 kind of levels. It's as if Sunplay just said 'hey we're SPF whatever's-higher-than-the-other-guys'. So I selected this one which is called Cetaphil Daylong Kids SPF 50. I chose this not because there wasn't an adult option and not because I imagine myself to be young and sprightly but rather because it comes in a larger bottle so I just felt more inclined towards it. Also, if it's good for sensitive baby skin, it should be good for me, right?

I like it so far with all its claims of goodness on the box (non-comedogenic, fragrance-free, water-resistant, dermatologically tested, paraben-free, oil-free, non-sticky) and I've found it to be less sticky than Sunplay. Another plus, I like the squeezy nozzle pump which controls the amount of sunblock I use more effectively than the aerosol spray. 

So I hope that I'll suddenly see my skin becoming more like that of a child's (untarnished by the sun) but so far I'm happy with this product and would recommend it. I bought mine from Watsons in Raffles City, but I don't think all the outlets carry it though so I'd call and check before heading down if you're intending to get it from your nearest Watsons.

Thanks for reading!

Karma

Top: Far East Plaza (Similar-ish here)

Skirt: Love Bonito (Similar here)

Shoes: Jessica Buurman

Ring: Gift (Similar here) | Bag: Charles & Keith (Similar here)

Sunglasses: Karen Walker

I'm sure I've mentioned before that the momster is a food hoarder, right? I'm always secretly (or not so secretly) chucking her food out because seriously just because it's frozen doesn't mean it's still edible omg woman get a grip. She thinks that the freezer is a magical paradise for food where nothing bad ever happens. So I make fun of her a lot.

Well, the momster went to Laos to do some charity and some sightseeing and clearly the joke's on me, I poisoned myself with my own food. I made some pasta and then had the leftover pasta the following day. Within 2 hours, I was retching. So basically, karma is a biatch. And I can't cook.

Love your moms guys, and don't make fun of your mom because it doesn't end well. Thanks for reading!

Because CHRISTMAS!

Shirt: J. Crew (Similar here)

Skirt: Bysi (Similar here)

SHING SHING!

Sunglasses: Karen Walker

Ring: North Bridge (Similar here) | Bag: Gracious Aires (Similar here)

Earrings: V&A Museum (Similar here)

Shoes: Pedro (Similar here)

I love the holiday season because it gives me the perfect excuse to indulge my inner magpie and adorn myself in all things shiny. Today, my colleague looked at my skirt and said, 'wow, shiny.' to which I responded, 'CHRISTMAS!!!' and he nodded sagely.

There are a few places where "because CHRISTMAS" would work I think.

1. When you've just consumed your third piece of pie in a row and you want to help yourself to a fourth.
2. When you spend a whole day lying in bed watching movies and snacking on chips.
3. When you burst into tears in a store after trying on a pile of clothes only to find that they all don't fit.
4. When you forget to send in assignments or pay your bills.
5. When you have a wrapping induced mania and you're covered in duct tape and ribbons.

You guys, I am SO going to go full because CHRISTMAS. I can't wait!!! Thanks for reading!

A special shout out to my brother from another mother Michael the mickey poo who came to Singapore to be the official photographer of sir nacho xiaocho hui-pan and who took those pictures. Your model is GORGEOUS!