Nicole Chocoa Heaven

Afghan Girl - Sharbat Gula

2013-05-22T09:00:00.000+08:00

One of my favorite photographed images of all time is the "Afghan Girl". Shot in December 1984 and appeared on the cover of National Geography June 1985 edition.

It is said that Afghans have the most beautiful eyes in the world. After all, the most enchanting feature in this photograph is the piercing yet haunting eyes that showed fear, innocence, and beauty.

Her identity was uncovered in 2002 when the original photographer of this image, McCurry, went back to Afghanistan to locate this girl.

Her name is Sharbat Gula.

OOTDs with my shortest hair yet

2013-05-20T09:00:00.000+08:00

I managed to dig up an old vintage looking dress in my wardrobe and thought I'd give it a go before deciding if I should keep it or donate it away.

Last you saw me I had trimmed my hair for the second time in 10 days.

This post you will see me in my new even shorter crop, aka my third hair cut in the month. I hope I don't find it addictive, because I think I'm threading on dangerous zone here.

Day and Night:

Top: Vintage dress from a boutique in Melaka

Bottom: Uniqlo

Hairband: Sunway Pyramid

(it was too short, thanks to my height, so I had to wear something underneath)

Boots: Aldo, selling this on my blog. Relatively new.

The same day, same dress
Did a day and night transformation ootds in the same dress. I'm so creative. lol

Belt: can't remember

Shorts: Taiwan

Casual Wednesday

I think it was a Wednesday. This maxi dress is too long, Note to self to get it trimmed.

Maxi dress: MNG or Mango

Boots: Taiwan

Watch: Fossil

Belt: Massimo Dutti

NEO beach tote: Adidas

Blue Feathre Earrings: Diva

Casual Dinner Friday

It was one of those lazy TGIF night so I decided not to style my hair.

Top: MNG or Mango

Boots: Taiwan

Miniskirt: Sungei Wang (almost never shop there, everything is so tiny for me)

Try Out

Not an ootd. I was trying out this dress at MNG. Loving the maxi.

Hawaiian Beach

Top: Topshop

Bandeau Bikini: gift from gf

Maxi Skirt: China

Necklace: India

Earrings: Diva

Another Lazy Day

Sometimes I just like to put on random things that looked comfortable and call it a day.

Jacket: Taiwan

Top: Whitesoot

Skirt: H&M

Heels: Forever 21

Black and Lacey

This was another ootd that was done spontaneously. It turned out pretty good. I wasn't even bothered to go out with make-up that evening.

Black Lingerie Shapewear: La Senza (gift)
Shorts: Taiwan
Lace Top: Zara
Heels: Charles and Keith

By the time I put on the lingerie, I decided to adorn a set of earrings and necklace because I've already gone that far.

by Ollie Jewellery

where all their jewelries are made of .925 sterling silver (92.5% pure silver) set with "AAA" grade cubic zirconia stones. And they're really reasonably priced.

This set of "X" earrings are priced at RM85.

the Teardrop Pendant (exclusive of necklace) is RM110

Very lovely set. You can also find their facebook here.

My iPhone 5 Princess Casing has Arrived!

2013-05-19T12:34:00.000+08:00

I almost never use the word "princess" to describe any thing I own.

But in this case, I can't find any other word to describe my brand new super girly iPhone casing. Love it!

I know Anna Sui's color is purple but I just so much prefer pink. So pink cover it has to be.
I actually bought the exact same one last year for a cousin's Christmas present but after looking at it for few weeks sitting on my desk before the gift was shipped out, I already decided that I have to get one when I change my phone.

Pearls, pink handbags, crystals, hearts, flowers, perfume and all things girly; what's not to like? <3 p="">

Winner of Moment Watches

2013-05-18T22:56:00.002+08:00

And we have a winner! (read contest post here)

By Shaz Mukhtar (if you know a Shaz Mukhtar, it's the younger brother, as I've just found out).

I have received a number of entries and just when I was deciding on a winner, Shaz's entry came in and I thought, yes it's a cliche, but gosh there's nothing more deserving than a tale of a college sweetheart.

Here's his story:

My special moment happened on the 3rd day of Pre-U studies. That Monday morning was just a normal morning like any other morning except that since it's our first chemistry lab session we kinda of went to the lab 30minutes earlier just to give a good impression to the lecturer. But my main point here is, my special moment happened during that 30minute wait. While waiting with my other newfound classmates, I suddenly noticed a girl passing by and stood beside the lab door. I don't know why but I felt a little weird emotionally. That girl her name is Hwee Ching, a teenage girl hailing from Kuala Terengganu. Who knew she'd make a big impact on my life since our first chemistry lab session.

The rest of the story goes on like this. After about 3 weeks or so, we were assigned together for our MPW assignment. We didn't talk much but later on at night, things started to well bloom all of a sudden. From that day onwards, we kept on talking and sms-ing each other. We'd go out for lunch and dinner together along with our other friends ofcourse.

Then sometime around October which is the 2nd month of college, we started to have late night chats, sms. whatsapp, you name it we've done it. By now, I think we both might have noticed we're flirting with each other. Even some of our friends started to get suspicious especially since I sms her while I'm in class and she's hanging out in her friend's room.

All good things will come to an end. One night in November just before our finals started, our group of friends had a BBQ party and after we were don eating, we played truth or dare. I didn't participate cause I was busy BBQ-ing the last of the remaining food but she did. When it was her turn, she chose truth (based on what I heard from the BBQ pit). One of our friend asked her who has she been sms-ing with from morning till late night. She admitted it was me. Maybe it was because of that or something else that I don't know but we kinda of talked less since that day.

But things were back to normal after our finals. During the semester break, every morning we'll sms each other Good Morning with a smiley and some sweet words same goes at night if you consider 3am night xD hahahaha

Our flirting went on for the next 4 months of our 2nd semester. But at times, we got bolder. At night around 10pm or so we'll try to sneak away from our friends at go for walks around the hostel compounds or go for late night supper. We bumped into another couple(our friend) from time to time during our walks.

And now, May 2013 is our 3rd and final semester. Throughout the 2 week semester break, I thought about a lot of things, asked around and planned on how to finally confess to her. Spent a few sleepless nights, asking her close frineds if she ever thought or felt the same way. In conclusion, she did.

With that, on the 8th of May 2013. I organised errr you could say quite grand party on the roof of our student centre building. Rose petals were scattered everywhere on the floor, scented candles laid along a path that she'll be taking to walk towards the benches on the roof. Her friends were kind enough to go along with the plan and take her out for dinner while the rest helped to decorate the venue.

When she returned from dinner, her best friend Emily asked her out for a walk (secretly it was to make her walk towards the student centre rooftop). On the way, I set up 11 guys to give her a single rose stalk (the 12th rose is with me). The moment she opened the door to the rooftop, she was so shocked and surprised to the point that she was stunned and couldn't walk. Her friends has to hold her hand and make her walk along the scented candle pathway. When she reached the end of the pathway, she saw the letter I left for her. (She read the contents outloud since it was an instruction I left). The moment she said the last word, I appeared from behind with the final 12th rose and kneeled down infront of her and infront of all our friends (I was shaking due to nervousness). Finally, confessed to her with these magic words "Hwee Ching, do you think we can be more than just friends? At that moment she was already crying and I heard our friends shouting say YES! Well after waiting for about a few seconds, she said yes

So yeah, that's the story of the starting of our relationship an interacial relationship to be exact. Something that is very rare in Malaysia but we both don't mind and since that day have talked about certain things so that we don't encounter any problems during our relationship.

Congratulations to Shaz and his new girlfriend on winning this pair of Love Moment Watches.
You deserve it.

Jaden Smith and Will Smith on The Ellen Degeneres Show and "After Earth" Bonus Scene

2013-05-15T18:42:00.002+08:00

"I'm not going anywhere..." LOL *tears*

I've Died and Gone to Pomeranian Heaven

2013-05-14T08:00:00.000+08:00

Now I want my own dog.

Pangkor Laut Resort: Pool, Monokini and Sea Villa

2013-05-12T08:00:00.000+08:00

Morning in Pangkor Laut Resort.

Had a monkey-attack in front of my villa the day before.

Well, more like 12 of them.

Whole troop. Ate the remaining plate of sandwich I left on the balcony to intentionally attract the hornbill next door.Failed.

They stole the fruits and cigarettes from next door too. I have heard that monkeys can get addicted to smoking.

I decided to spend the whole day at the pool.

Lunch at the restaurant in front of the beach overlooking the sea villa.

Can believe these two dish cost more than RM100. The rendang quesadilla was good.

Then it was time for music and books and cocktail for the rest of the afternoon under the shade looking at the blue water. Something about reading by the pool.

Hornbill by the pool. surreal moment. Only in Pangkor Laut Resort.

Poor hornbills were relentlessly chased by my camera for a good shot. Secretly I think they enjoyed being paparazzi-ed.

Had dinner at Uncle Lim, said to be the nicest restaurant in Pangkor Laut Resort. Honestly I thought it was the only restaurant that's worth dining in. You'd have to call in early to reserve a table through the reception.

beachside dinner means no make up needed

The restaurant is situated on a small stone cliff that offers great views to the sea.

After dinner I asked to visit a friend's sea villa. the bigger unit on the island. Which has a fancy entrance and a massive toilet.

Balcony from the bedroom

Also sports a living room with its own balcony as well. Great for couple on a short getaway.

Massive toilet. Separate toilet and shower room with a big tub on the other side. The four-piece glass in the middle offers a view to the sea below.

If you have to choose a place to stay. I'd suggest this villa. Nothing else. Just opt for the biggest sea villa available.

The following morning, we left Pangkor Laut Resort on the speedboat arranged by the hotel back to mainland.

Nicolekiss Clearance Sale: Juicy Couture, Jimmy Choo, etc

2013-05-10T15:04:00.000+08:00

I tend to buy too many things and end up not using/wearing some of them, some not often enough and some not at all. So I'm selling them here.

I will be posting more items up when I have the time to dig the items out and take photos of them. In the mean time, these are the things I want to sell, all in mint condition/brand new.

Email me at nicootan@gmail.com if interested.

First is the Juicy Couture Trellis Striped Maxi Dress.

Original price tag included. Original retail price is USD428

Brand new, never been worn.

Bought it at a wrong size. Non returnable because I bought it online from Juicy Couture site. The dress is no longer available and it's selling on ebay for USD250.

US Size 6

(according to JC site size chart: UK size 8; bust/waist/hip: 35/27.5/37 inches)

Selling price USD155 or RM460 / SGD192

Accept Paypal, COD (self collect) or bank-in.

Open to Singaporeans and Malaysians.

I'm visiting Singapore this weekend till Monday so if you want to do COD in Singapore please respond within this time.

Next is Odbo Wrinkletox. Said to fight wrinkle, like going for botox without surgery. Apply day and night till finish. Four 5ml bottles inside.

Had a friend bought from Korea.

I bough two. Used one box. Have too many sponsored skincare products till never get the chance to use the second box. Just sitting around. So selling it.

US selling for $169.90, Singapore blog shops selling for SGD120 (around the price I bought it at).

Expiry: 2014 April

Selling price: RM217 / SGD90

Next, Jimmy Choo Key Chain.

Original Price: RM650 (price tag still on)

Brand new, never been used.

Never found the chance to use it. Bought it this year.

Selling Price: RM360 / SGD150

Last one, my favorite pair of Aldo lace-up beige booties.

I have to let this go because it's a size smaller than my size.

I bought it because I loved it so much: the color, the design. Wore it two times and each time never more than 1 hour because it was painful to squeeze my feet in them. So convinced myself to let them go.

Condition: 8/10
Size: 38 (Aldo size)

Bought it two years ago in Taiwan (it was sold out in Malaysia, early year 2011).

You can read its review by another shoe addict blogger.

Original price: RM360++ (can't remember exact price)

Selling price: RM120 / SGD50

ps// I'm visiting Singapore this weekend till Monday so if you want to do COD in Singapore please respond within this time.

pps// Buyer has to bear delivery cost if transaction is not done via COD (cash on delivery)

Please email nicootan@gmail.com if you're interested or have any question. Thanks.

...

2013-05-07T18:57:00.001+08:00

Sorry. Just been distracted. Will resume blogging tomorrow.

Pangkor Laut Resort

2013-05-03T13:07:00.001+08:00

I remembered passing by this island (Pangkor Laut, the tiny island next to Pangkor island) as a teen on a motor-boat along with other tourists while the tour guide boasted about the magnificence and exclusivity of this island resort.

Fast forward ten years (or more), I was spending a chilling 3D2N on this island in the resort last weekend. And while I was lazing by the pool one day, I saw a boat with tourists slowing down and eventually stopping in front of the sea chalets before zooming off.

Some things never change.

I didn't have the pleasure to stay in the sea villa, but the hill villa did offer a splendid view.

Though honestly the price didn't justify the quality of the villas here. Then again, for a resort with its own private island, I don't see any other hotels/resorts offering better rates. If you're budget conscious and still demand luxury, this will be your resort, just don't expect much privacy.

I woke up the third day from the moaning sound of my neighbor (50 year old guy, mind you) making love to his wife.

You could probably get more privacy from the sea villas (opt for the bigger ones). My verdict: sea villa, or nothing. Unless, you know, peeping's your thing.

Ordered lunch and have it brought over to the room.
Normally hey don't offer room service here (which is strange, perhaps it's because it's a long walk from the restaurant to the hill villas).
I'm special.

My outfit of the night for a dinner in a seaside restaurant: Fisherman's Cove.

My dinner date:

Celebrity Chui Ling
So pretty.

Pangkor Laut Resort
Check the rates here

3-minute Make Up

2013-05-01T13:54:00.002+08:00

This girl is so hilarious. I would not have been able to do this.

But watching her stressing out and taking this so seriously is just too funny.

Cherry Season in Beijing

2013-04-28T09:00:00.000+08:00

Colorful traditional dolls selling in a local market in Beijing.

Do you know there are 56 ethnic tribes in China, including the main ethnic group - Han Chinese which comprises of 91.59% of the entire population of China. With perhaps an additional 15 ethnic groups that were not recognized by government of the People's Republic of China.

Cherry season happens in Summer during some of the hottest months in China. Starting from June. The cherries here might not be as red as they are in the USA, but they are mighty cheap, and abundance. And actually not too bad. Crunchy though generally you don't get all the sweet ones off the street vendors unless you request for a premium selection in a fruit store.

On a quick recap to my previous Great Wall of China post:

Not this mountain, it's the next mountain.

The scariest part... was knowing I had to walk the same distance back.

The Beijing Cough

2013-04-26T09:00:00.000+08:00

Hello Great Wall of China.

Tian An Men

In the distance written on the mountain: "Mao President"

random scribble on wall (top right) : "my second round"

great shot of friend Stuart and girlfriend

long way up...

means... long way down.

Beijing was where I lost the most weight in a single trip. There was just so much walking. Buildings are massive in Beijing, even crossing a roundabout was a real feat. I spent quite a number of hours climbing the Great Wall of China, I didn't go to the main gate where the tourists usually flock to, instead I went to a farther gate so I get to do my 'wall hike' in peace. The sun can be painful so lots of sunblock is recommended, and loose change to buy water along the way from random single vendors. Price of water escalates as you move further away from the entrance, but your dehydrated body will soon prove these matters petty.

Oh yes, the Beijing cough. The city is constantly covered in a thick 'fog', which is actually pollution from coal burning factories that functioned mainly as the source of electricity for the country. It's one of the most polluted cities in the world; living here, you will develop a constant 'cough' due to the heavy pollution. Hence, the 'Beijing Cough'. By far one the scariest stories I've ever heard.

Vanity Fair Throwback: Katy Perry photographed by Annie Leibovitz

2013-04-24T14:36:00.002+08:00

This was photographed in the 2011 issue of Vanity Fair.

I simply love Annie Leibovitz portrayal of Katy Perry in this old Parisian high society setting.

I have this sudden urge to have myself photograph in a wedding gown on a merry-go-around.

Another 7 Reasons to Having Short Hair - Part 2

2013-04-22T09:00:00.000+08:00

And here's another 7 reasons to celebrate for having a short do. And hopefully another 7 reasons to motivate you to take the 'step' *snip snip*.

8. Save on hair dye
You get cheaper rate for hair coloring at salons! If you tend to DIY at home, one bottle of hair color chemical can last you TWO rounds instead of one. You can even share it with your short hair gal pal, or your boyfriend!

9. They grow faster
Though this is technically untrue. But visually they do seem to grow faster. From boy's cut to bob hair to shoulder length; all happens within a few months. You don't see much difference when a girl's hair is long. Above waist, at the waist or below waist, it's all just waist length. And the great thing is, you can play and style with different lengths of hair gradually. Have a different look every month.

10. Less shampoo time
For all guys out there, it is difficult for you to understand how difficult and troublesome it is to wash long hair. How one has to bend one's head sideways so the long mane can fall to one side, and starting from mid or bottom section, slowly lather in the shampoo till it foams and work my way up slowly till my whole hair is covered with shampoo. It is SO cumbersome. And it takes forever! Not to forget conditioning time!

11. Quick to dry
When I had long hair, natural drying usually takes up to 3 hours or more; even with the hairdryer, it will still take at least 2 hours before I can head to bed, else my hair will be stuck in a bed-hair shape when I wake up. Now that my crop is shorter, washing hair in the evening becomes less of a problem because towel drying or blowdrying is a breeze.

12. Working-out becomes less of a chore
Be it swimming, jogging or going to the gym. You pony tail no longer gets all tasseled and tangled up from rubbing against your back while you run on the treadmill. My hair got so long, that at one point it was too heavy to tie up in a bun to run. And because it takes less time to shampoo your hair, and less time to dry, less time to style, I become more willing to go to the pool for a quick swim or a quick jog in my gym.

13. Prevent hair fall
This is one of the biggest reasons why I was getting so tired of my long hair, aside from getting bored with the same look all the time, is to stop hair fall. While it is a myth that the weight of the hair will cause weaker hair to break, a healthy hair should not have problems with this; however it is no myth that it is likelier to break when you have long hair. Long hair gets more tangled and thus when you comb it, it's easier for hair to break. When you have less volume surface expose to risk, less risk will manifest. It's just simple math.

Every time I sweep up my hair, I see tons broken hair sticking out of my hair, especially in the front part. I couldn't tie a ponytail without looking like a deranged woman. I had to always use hairspray to force them into place, but then my hair would look so glossy and fake. Now all my broken hair are slowly growing out, soon I will have a full head of healthy mane.

14. You no longer sit on your hair
This may be funny till it happens to you. My hair got so long at one point that sometimes when I lie down on the bed, my bottom would press on my hair. Then when I tried to get up, my head would be jerked backwards and I would fall back into bed because my hair was stuck beneath my bum. To get up then I would have to roll over to free my hair before crawling up. Okay, you can stop laughing now.

Imagine something like that happening when you go to the toilet...
Yes, it happens, it's not a joke.

7 Reasons to Having Short Hair - Why Short Hair is Better

2013-04-20T09:00:00.000+08:00

So I cut my hair lately, if you haven't already known from my previous blog posts. While I'm still getting a kick out of how awesome short hair is after 20 long years of having long hair, I figure I might write down the reasons on why short hair is so much better.

1. Save on shampoo and conditioner
One thing I realized after I've cut my hair is how little shampoo and conditioner I use, and how much I've saved. In the past, one medium bottle of shampoo can never last me more than 1-2 months, depending on how often I wash my hair. It has been a month now since I cut my hair and my shampoo bottle is not even reaching half! Yay to less trips to the supermarket for expensive hair conditioner and shampoo.

2. Never need much combing
Honestly I hardly ever needed to comb my hair when it was long. For some reason it hardly gets tangled up. But now that I have short hair, the need for that has reduced significantly. Less combing means less hair fall, and also more time to do other stuff! Yay.

3. Easy to style
Grab a hairband and you'll look cute as a button. Curling requires one third of the time now. And because there's no more weight, your hair gets more volume; which means no teasing or little teasing required.

4. Fun to style
Wax it, gel it, curl it, frizz it, fluff it, bob it, bun it, tie it, decorate it. See the many options you can do with shorter hair?

5. Looks great with hats
This is absolutely subjective. But then coming from a person who owns hats and have had super long locks and then suddenly super short crop, I did find that it's much easier, and a lot cuter to wear hats when one's hair is short.

When it's long, not all hat type are suitable, but the choice became more versatile once my hair went from waist to neck. I was walking along KLCC one day and was randomly trying out a few straw hats and was shocked to discover that I looked extremely cute in all of them! And I was only sporting a simple Japanese bob.

6. Looks more energetic, fresher and younger
For some reasons, we relate short hair to energetic girls. When I had long hair, I had so many people telling me I wasn't suited for short hair because it doesn't fit my personality, that it wasn't my 'style'. Now that I have short hair, guys will tell me it's okay for me to have short hair because it suits me? I don't think I've become chirpier or happier. Somehow, my hair has changed how people perceive my personality, or maybe, my hair has changed my personality?
Either way, I feel good. And in more ways than one, I feel cuter, younger and lighter.

And believe me, contrary to popular beliefs, having short hair doesn't rip you off of your femininity if in any case, I have more people telling me how sexy my new crop is now. (No I'm not bragging, well, maybe a little)

7. Cooler
Literally. It can be quite unbearable when living in a tropical country and you have to be under the sun all the time. The heat gets to your head. And the long thick mane won't help ease the heat. Shorter hair means breezier neck.

OOTDs with Short Hair: Part 2

2013-04-18T09:00:00.000+08:00

Glam Rocker Chic

Top: Mango / MNG

Ripped Jeans Shorts: Bershka

Watch: Fossil

Bought a new necklace from Forever 21. Love how it hangs low at the belly button section

My Fair Lady - Japanese Version

Lace Top: Miss Selfridge

High waist skirt: Miss Selfridge

Shoes: Aldo

I'm really digging this style at the moment.

Laid-back chic

Dip-back Top: Whitesoot

Leggings: Uniqlo

Shoes: Charles & Keith

And then... I cut my hair.

So stay tune for new ootds in, again, a new hair cut!

OOTDs with Short Hair

2013-04-17T01:14:00.002+08:00

So I cut my hair again. See previous post.

Before, after first cut, after second cut.

And again.

I cut my hair three times in a single month.

Definitely a record. Since I only cut my hair once ever two years in the past.

This post you will see my hair after the second cut. Yes it's shorter than this now. LOL. It's kinda addictive having short hair. No wonder girls who have short hair just can't resist cutting them again and again.

Sato-san = my stylist

freshly cut and un-styled.

Here are the outfit of the days during my semi-short semi-long hair.

Japanese Bob Hair

Top: Massimo Dutti

Ripped Denim Shorts: Bershka

Tights: Sungei Wang

Then I bought this Tsuyagla Wave (imported from Japan) by famous Popteen main model and all-time covergirl Kumiko / Kumicky since I decided it would probably look nicer having mermaid hair with shorter hair.

And it didn't disappoint.

And it looks really nice with hats.

I got to get more hats.

Mermaid Hair

Mermaid hair Nicole

Top: Massimo Dutti

Skirt: Massimo Dutti (loving this brand)

Kimono Belt: H&M

Flowy Elegant

Jumpsuit: Taiwan

Watch: Honda (lol)

Bag: Gucci

Necklace: Bangkok

Bracelets: Thomas Sabo

Sandals: Aldo

Mini rainbow cake served at the Aloft hotel launch

The Comfy Hipster

On the third day of not washing my hair, still looking good. Was testing out the endurance of this hair length (actually was just plain lazy lol)

White tank top: Guess

Black off-shoulder top: Zara

Black slacks: Victoria's Secret (bought it a size too big :S )

Shoes: Voir

Oriental Beauty

Dress: Key Ng

Necklace: Forever 21

Shoes: Aldo

Loving this new purchase

Moment Watches: Be Loved - Be Torn

2013-04-15T13:06:00.000+08:00

(Giveaway at the end of the post! Read on)
Do you remember that special moment in your life?
When your perspective of the world, the entirety of your life changed, the course of your future completely altered, just from that one special moment.

Krka National Park, Croatia.

My moment hit me when I was 21. Right after graduation, when I loaded up my flimsy backpack and roamed north (I was studying in England).

And in a way, I never looked back.

I have fallen in love with travelling; since then I have visited 38 countries, each one rather thoroughly and counting. Whether it was freedom I tasted, or the sheer excitement each unknown journey brought. It was endless discoveries and endless butterflies.

Years have passed and I can still remember that first instant, the turning point in my life that made me see the world differently. And it's so easy to pick up and go, so easy to leave your comfort zone and form a new one, so easy to adapt to change; such was the youthful days.

Sometimes, the most valuable thing you can have in your life is the story you can share, the memory you've built your whole life.

That's the concept of moment watches. Just like us, each of these watches comes with a story. (fb link)

Be Loved - Be Torn:

Two halves certainly do make up a whole - but this can lead to a whole world of pain. Love is a double-edged sword after all...and even the sweetest red rose has thorns which can prick you. But it's the beauty of this rose which blinds us to the reality of the thorns. To love is to live - and for what greater cause would you risk being hurt, than for the chance of being adored and cherished in return? On this Valentine's day week we are featuring two watches - his and hers. Side by side they complement each other perfectly. Be prepared to be torn. To love and to be loved...

I received this lovely pair of watches lately and been meaning to post them up around Valentines month but been caught up with life that I'm only posting them now.
One of their latest limited edition collection was a Easter moment watch which I find beautiful.

You can end up winning this pair (not one, but TWO) of these lovelies. Yep, I'm giving them away!

Took this with my new iPhone 5. No edit no filter no flash. Direct upload. Gorgeous, isn't it?!

For Him (Black), For Her (White)

How to Win:

Share with me your special moment story in the comments below together with your email address and you will stand to win BOTH of the watches in the photo above.

OR

You can 'like' my facebook page and personal message me your story.

I will pick a winner by 15th May 2013 (a month from now) after I read through your stories.

Online Jerk

2013-04-13T03:37:00.002+08:00

Today I encountered a jerk online.

Well what's the fuss?
I used to find jerks (or they find me) every single day when I was still doing this blogging thing.

After few years of comfort and away from all these negativity, I guess I got so used to my comfort zone of close friends and friendly people, I forgot how it was like to find rude, arrogant, full-of-themselves people on the internet.

It made me angry. Upset. Frustrated.
Because you couldn't confront such person in person, because they're hidden comfortably and safely behind a veil. A veil that's protected by law and terms.

It made me defensive, and eager to fight back, verbal attack as a defense.
But then I remembered how this game was played in the past.
How more often than not offence is never the best course of action.
How one bad move could lead to a string of chain reaction which in the end would just end up in your arse.

Then neither is remaining silence.
Because people take you for a ride. Take you for granted. Take you for a fool. Continue to be a jerk to you.
So I fought back.
F*** being nice.

I forgot I'm no longer someone who needs to care about how she presents herself in public or the internet, all the time. Though for my sake of my mom and her well being, I still do in other aspects. The last thing I want is a heart attack patient in the family.

But this time, I've refrained from harsh direct crude words.
I've changed. Of course.
I was taught, while growing up, to speak my mind. To be honest. Strong character. Fight hard in life and fight back to those who ill-treated me.
I seldom filter my words, I speak my mind.

No one close in my family taught me to be otherwise.
But then four years of hardship did wonders to my personality and characters.

I figured not everything your parents taught you was wise and right. People make mistakes. It was mine to take their words literally, throughout my childhood, teenage years and well into my adulthood.

So I fought back, filtered. Because sometimes that's still the best policy.
And if the person remains a jerk, it's as simple as banishing him from your life, whether in reality or virtually.
Life's too short to keep awful people in your life.

If the person realized and make amends, perhaps there's still hope for a friendship afterall.
We're all human. People need a reminder, even if it's a harsh one, or a few, every now and then.

xoxo

This Hives Will Be The Death of Me

2013-04-11T04:10:00.001+08:00

I caught something recently. To be exactly, 6 weeks ago. It started like small itches, or bed bug bites.

Every day I wake up I will find new patches of small red dots, like a tiny mosquito bites, itching away.

I didn't think too much of it.
But three weeks on and each day the patche change places, sometimes it's on my thigh, sometimes it's on my arm.

Then patch became patches.

And then it was all over my body.
By then I thought something was definitely wrong there. My mom suggested it could be an allergy.

Allergy?! What could have triggered it? I know I am allergic to dust and dirty sheets.
Then I remembered I changed to Dynamo detergent exactly three weeks ago.

A bell rang in my head.

Shit.

I went to my first skin specialist and was administered some meds. Took them and it controlled the itch somewhat. I don't wake up in the middle of the night scratching my brain out (it did feel like that every time the itch comes and I started scratching, it felt like the itch was never going to go away, in fact, till now, it still feels like that).

One week has passed and nothing has changed. Three weeks soon became five weeks. I decided to go for second opinion, again was administered some meds and this time the dose got stronger and meds got really bitter (I swear these are the most bitter pills I've ever taken in my life, just them grazing my throat was enough to make me gag of bitterness).

The night med was supposed to help me sleep, with added sedation.

And here I am awake, sitting in front of my computer, after lying wide awake in bed turning and tossing scratching every now and then, I decided to wake up, and headed for a cold shower, at this hour!

I wonder if this is god's way of punishing for not updating my blog.
So here I am, updating my blog.

There. Happy?
Now please make my hives go away.
They're driving me insane.

I can't go out into the sun.
I can't sweat.
I can't gym nor jog nor workout cause sweating makes it worse.

I feel like I am slowly dying inside from this torture.

And I miss having hot shower. :(

How to make 2D Cartoon Nails

2013-04-09T13:34:00.000+08:00

I saw this online and thought it was brilliant. It's adorable.

Key is to apply matt nail top coat at the end.

The next time I visit the nail salon I'm going to ask them to do this.

Smokehouse, Bangsar

2013-04-02T21:33:00.001+08:00

Always been a fan of Smokehouse and the British colonial interior they have, and ultimately a big fan of afternoon teas in such a place.

When Smokehouse opened in Bangsar, I didn't know why I never jumped straight to it for a dine out. Perhaps because it wasn't set in the right environment nor climate, like Fraser's.

Then the opportunity presented itself and immediately I invited my friends over for an evening dinner out.

However what I didn't know till that night was that the chef hired by Smokehouse in Bangsar is a renown Thai chef who specializes in Thai food. So apart from the staple British comfort food they serve there, the menu also boast a great selection of rather authentic Thai food. Who would have known?!

The first dish was the Miang Kham, always a crowd-pleaser and almost a standard appetizer in Thai cuisine.
However due to my recent allergy I wasn't able to fully savor this dish since I was cutting off all possible trigger element in my diet which would have caused the rash, including all seafood, proteins, beans, and the prawn paste in the sauce that accompanied this delicious dish. sobs.

I did sneak a bite at the first two appetizers, second one being a prawn fritter that shaped like a bird. Served with sweet Thai chili sauce. Yum.

For soup we ordered the clear base Tom Yam soup which was HOT HOT HOT. If you're a fan of everything hot and spicy, Thai food here will rock your world.

Even the green curry was HOT. It was good, but oh so hot. T_T
I'm so ashamed to be a Malaysian.

Generally Thai food here could go no wrong, seeing how it was being cooked by a Thai. But I was absolutely smitten by their Pad Thai, my ultimate true love in Thai Cuisine.

I have always ordered Pad Thai is all my Thai cuisine outings, but only a handful of restaurants in Malaysia could impress me with this dish, Smokehouse was one of it. Again, who would have known?!

We also ordered some western meals, what's Smokehouse if they only serve Thai food, eh?
However, it's sad to declare that my dining partner's favorite dish: Beef Wellington was bit of a let down.

Ordered medium rare but came well done.

The lamb shank was huge in portion though dry, the sauce it was smothered in helped.

The grilled cod, however, was a winning dish.

Hardly have I had good cod cooked to perfection in a non-fine dining restaurant. This was definitely impressive.

The desserts were, if not, sinful and very unexpected.
Instead of bread pudding, we have European desserts: crepes and ice creams.

Scottish crepe, with rum. Rather yummy if you're a crepe fan.

We also had the chocolate crepe which was a little bit boring.

My favorite Thai desserts became my least favorite dessert that night.

Mango with sticky rice
Glutinous rice was tough and not very sticky. And where's my generous dollop of coconut milk!? T_T

Luckily, there's a winning dessert, which was also the more heart-attack inducing dish.

Banana fritters with ice cream.

It was so crispy, yummy and honestly, very innovative how it was made. Not to mention, massive.

Warning: not to be eaten alone.

Oh look, my new short crop.

OOTDs with New Short Hair

2013-03-29T13:05:00.003+08:00

So here's the post I promised with my new short hair.

I have been playing with a lot of styles, who knew having shorter hair can be so much fun.

My first look was a cute matured Japanese volume curl.

Sweater: Liz Lisa, Japan
Skirt: bought in Harajuku, Japan

Second I went for a Korean kpop look, which was kind of my favorite.

Though it was at this length I realized I wanted my hair shorter.
I also started playing with hair wax.

Top: Shibuya, Japan
Ripped denim shorts: Bershka
Tights: Taiwan
Heels: Miss Sixty
Watch: Shibuya, Japan

Third look I opted again for Korean look, but this time, country girl version.

Top: Japan
Belt: Zara
Sandals: Charles & Keith
Bunny band: Shibuya, Japan

It was at this point I thought that I needed a new pair of flat pumps, which I never own before.
Simply because I have long toes and flat pumps my size were always too small and it makes me toes hurt.

Turn out I only needed to buy bigger size. LOL
So I simply bought a random pumps from the nearest convenient shop I was hanging about one day.

Shoes: Voir

On my final ootd, I decided to go for a very 50's look.

Hair band: Shibuya, Japan
Spotted Tights: Taiwan
Dip-back navy collared top: Zara
Mini Skirt: Sungei Wang

Right after this look, I went for my second hair cut, within the span of 10 days.

My Birthday

2013-03-26T15:25:00.001+08:00

So my birthday has come and gone rather uneventfully. Over the years I've learnt to lower my expectation when it comes to birthdays.

I used to expect so much given the fact that I'm a romantic at heart and has always put in so much effort in conjuring the perfect birthday gifts, surprises and parties for others. It must have been such a waste for the womankind to not have me as a man. I've learnt that not everyone can be like me, and to expect the same or similar out of someone else was too much to ask for.

It took me a long time to learn to not expect so much out of others, and being a girl, it's really is hard to not want to be sweep off your feet even for that once in a blue moon. I blame it on being a Pisces.

This year I got a couple of endearing gifts.

Mr Tiny came into my life.

And a gorgeous pair of Chanel earrings and a lovely ice cream cake, which, believe it or not, was a first for me (the cake and Chanel).

Thank you my love ones for being there for me, always.
And for being there for me as I get older.