Anna Dello Russo at H&M ( aka. Reptile Mania!!)

I'm happy to report that Bangkok finally opened its first H&M last week! As is the norm with all new things here in the Eastern City of Angels, people queued up for hours during the first few days to get in. I decided to forgo the those opening days and decided to drop by today as I was in the area, hoping that the crowds would have subsided.  What a surprise to find that today is the day H&M launches its Anna Dello Russo at H&M line - and no lines either! Yay!

People were hustling and bustling at the AdR display and I managed to elbow my way through to the front of the display. Things were disappearing fast and people were literally grabbing boxes from right under one another - I actually had one box in my arm when a man ( Yes, a MAN! ) tried to reach for it FROM OUT OF MY HANDS!!! How crazy is that?!? Here are a few of the beautiful pieces from her line - 

Love love love the reptilian theme! I apologize for the bad picture quality - the staff didn't allow me to take pictures of the actual pieces so I had to take pictures of the picture of each piece! But I did manage to sneak in one shot of the turquoise snake necklace when noone was looking! hehe.

Seeing things being snatched up left and right from all around me, I knew I had to act fast! I looked and immediately grabbed, going by the theory that your gut instinct is always the right one. If my gut said a piece was nice, that was that. No second guessing, no time for pondering! Luckily, my gut is well seasoned when it comes to making choices in high pressure moments like these, esp. when it comes to accessories!!! 

Here are two pieces I got from the Anna Dello Russo's collection line. Love this reptilian line! ( my own name for it, not hers! ). Even though there was only a limited selection left by the time I got there, I am very happy with the pieces I managed to get!

Snake Attack!!

Besides the lovely pieces, I also fell in love with the shopping bag for her line - take a look...

Isn't it cool?

My inaugural visit to Bangkok's first H&M and I am extremely happy with my purchases! As all of you know, I am an accessories gal at heart so I am thrilled that I happened upon Anna Dello Russo at H&M today. Her collection is trendy and modern yet so timeless as well. Love!

Paradise Dynasty - a meal to remember!

For our recent Singapore weekend, I carefully made selections for some well appointed meals in restaurants that we loved, and also left some meal times "free" to explore and try interesting places we might happen upon unintentionally. We were lucky enough to find this great place that I feel compelled to write about - it's a must!

On our second day, hubby and I were wandering around Ion Orchard at lunchtime and were getting hungry. As I had left this particular mealtime "free", we walked around on the 4th floor looking for restaurants that we might find interesting. From afar we noticed a huge crowd of people mingling infront of a specific outlet and of course that piqued our curiousity. As we went in closer, we found it was a Chinese eatery called "Paradise Dynasty", famed for its 8 coloured/flavoured "Xiao Long Pao" ( Chinese dumplings with soup inside ). The queue was so long but we knew that the longer the queue, the better the food must be ( one of our all-time no-fail ways to select a restaurant when travelling )!! We took a number and settled down for the wait. It was well worth it!

Settling down for the wait...check out the computerized queue system! Very well organized indeed!

As we waited, we checked out the menu and the signage detailing the various colours and flavours of Xiao Long Bao - they even had instructions as to which order to eat them in to maximize enjoyment! While we were still in line, hubby and I had already decided to share one order and immediately began negotiating which flavours we each wanted - I ended up with Foie Gras, Cheesy, Szechaun and Black Truffle.

Love the colours and the instructions!

We finally got a table after about 20 minutes, and ordered the signature Xiao Long Pao along with some other accompanying dishes. The food came quickly and did not disappoint!

The famed 8 flavours! 

Had to order my favourite string beans with spicy pork - a must for me whenever I find it on the menu!

A truly enjoyable meal and one that I would love to repeat on my next visit to Singapore. Coincidentally, when I got back to Bangkok I found that Paradise Dynasty has just opened a branch here at the Paragon Shopping Mall  as well - so I will be able to enjoy the unique 8 flavours of Xiao Long Pao easily whenever I want! yumss!

Sunny Singapore and the Gardens at the Bay!

Hi everyone! Last weekend hubby and I took a short break to Singapore - one of my favourite weekend getaways for shopping, eating, and catching up with good friends. I used to work in Singapore ( a long long time ago!) and ever since, I have always felt a strong connection and find every excuse to go back for a visit when possible. Also, a few of my nearest and dearest friends live there so its always great to meet them for a delicious meal and fun times whenever I am in town!

This time we stayed at the Grand Park Orchard and I have to say, this hotel gets my vote hands down for location. It's right on Orchard road, opposite from The Mandarin Gallery and Paragon shopping mall - perfect for popping in and out to drop off the masses of shopping bags accumulated after a long day of intense shopping in Orchard's numerous shopping malls! The hotel itself is trendy and modern but still quiet enough that it feels like a respite from the ultra urban Orchard road.

Our Premiere room at Grand Park Orchard - hubby is enjoying it!

On this visit we decided to visit the newly opened Gardens on the Bay which is located right by Marina Bay Sands. Its kind of a indoor/outdoor botanical gardens with lots of flora and fauna attractions. I wasn't sure what to expect and although I'm not a big fan or expert of trees and fauna, I admit I was impressed and enjoyed it alot! We visited one of the many attractions, The Cloud Forest, which is a huge dome spanning about 7 floors with a central "mountain" of trees, plants, flowers and all kinds of beautiful fauna. At the entrance of the Cloud Forest there was a huge waterfall that flowed from the top of the dome. Stunning!

The entrance to the Cloud Forest with a massive waterfall that spanned about 7 stories! love it!

Once you are inside the dome, you can take a lift right up to the top and slowly walk down the various levels, which they have designed as a kind of "skywalk" where you get the feeling that you are walking in the midst of the sky and clouds. I was impressed with how well designed the walkways were - but I am super scared of heights so I had to hold on tight to the handrails while we were walking along the skyways up high! Here are some shots of the walkways taken from the ground upwards. 

Looking up towards the sky walkways high up above within the Cloud Forest.

Being afraid of heights, I wondered if I would be able to brave the walkways!

Another view of the sky walkways high high above.

Some sights along the way....

Curious looking plants...

Hubby was interested in this specimen!

We made it to the top by lift! Now we start the long descent down via walk ways!! 

Even though the walkways were sturdy and strong, I was nervous to be so far out from solid ground!

Carefully and slowly making my way down...while clutching onto the handrails...

Notice how everyone stayed away from the netted middle section!

Finally we reached the indoor Crystal cave ! From this level you can take escalators down to ground level. Thank goodness!

There were numerous other fun and educational attractions at the Gardens at the Bay, but we didn't have a chance to enjoy them all as we had to get back into town for lunch. This calls for another visit back, and soon!

Bag Lovers Reveal!

As most girls are, I am a bag lover at heart and have spent countless hours poring over bags reviews and selections on the web and in magazines. I used to buy designer bags on a whim, by season, determined to be on top of fashion and lured by the vast selection of amazing choices - but throughout the years I found that after a few seasons some of these "must have" items lose their allure and I hardly bring them out to use after the season is over. I realized that these "seasonal" bags are a double edged sword because along with being the "it" bag to have when they are launched, they can also become very quickly out of date and oh-so "last season" once their time is up!

Nowadays I find myself choosing much more carefully when it comes to investing in a high end bag and I tend to go for the classic timeless designs that I truly believe will last through the years and even decades. I like designers that do not change their classic line often and as such I lean towards names like Chanel and Bottega Veneta now for bags that I know I will still use and love decades from now. I wanted to share with you my first Chanel classic bag purchase!

Love the wrapping and presentation - truly a gift to cherish!

Out comes the dustbag!

Here is is - the Navy Blue Caviar 8" mini from FW 2011!

Love this seasons mini because it comes with 4 holes so you can wear it doubled up or as a long shoulder bag. My fave go-to bag and it fits so much!

Besides my pure love of Chanel, what I enjoy most is that I know I will continue to use it many years from now for any occasion - it works well during the day and fits an amazing amount considering its size, and can easily transcend into an evening bag as well :) An investment well worth it in my opinion!

Have a great day everyone!

A few of my favourite things ( part deux )

Hi everyone! Lately I have been feeling nostalgic and abit wispy and when I do, I gravitate automatically towards things that make me happy and give me comfort. I decided to continue my "favourite things" series and talk about one of the things that always gives me a warm and peaceful feeling - Yankee Candles! 

I have loved Yankee Candles since my East Coast college days and I remember going to the Yankee Candle Museum in Deerfield, Massachussetts, where they had every single yankee scent ever produced. My idea of heaven! What I love about Yankee Candles are the scents and that they can really fill your home with yummy delicious smells that are so inviting yet are never overwhelming. When I am home I almost always have a Yankee Candle lit and it just brings such a festive and warm atmosphere to the day. I especially love the fruity and spicy scents that remind me of fall and winter in New York and Boston, and some of my most loved scents are Farmers Market, Autumn Wreath, Cranberry Chutney and Macintosh. 

Nowadays, living in Thailand makes it harder to get Yankee Candles. Some Dept Stores here do carry Yankee Candles, but the pricing is so high and the selection is so small. During my recent trips to the States I found a solution to my Yankee Candle obsession - I found a delivery service that ships items to Thailand. Of course I got so excited and immediately went to Bed, Bath and Beyond to stock up on a few of my favourite scents!

My collection of Yankee Candles  from the States! 

Have a wonderful day and I hope you enjoyed the post!

A few of my favourite things...

First off, I have to apologize for disappearing for so long! Things have been quite hectic since I got back from my trip and although I have so many fun things to share, I haven't had the time to actually sit and formulate my thoughts! I decided today to write about about some of favourite things - accessories!

I think I have mentioned before in my blog how much I love accessories. I mostly choose very neutral colours and patterns in my clothing palette, and use accessories like necklaces, bracelets, scarves and even bags, to add character and a unique touch to each outfit. Lately I have been putting more time into carefully selecting each accessory to match my daily outfit, as I find that the one right addition can really make or break an entire ensemble!

One of my all time favourite designers for costume jewellery is Kenneth Jay Lane. I find his collections and pieces so timeless and classic, yet at the same time they manage to stay fashionable and trendy and can  give any outfit a special "pop"! During my recent trip to the States I got this beautiful Kenneth Jay Lane gold studded cuff which I love, due to the fact that besides that it is so pretty and versatile, it is smaller in circumference and doesn't look massive on my wrist when I wear it! I find it amazingly easy to match with an assortment of bangles and bracelets, and each match create a totally different look. Love!

A bohemian-ish look - my Kenneth Jay Lane gold studded cuff with a "peace" bracelet from Ginger, a local Thai designer. I love this combo for casual days!

The Kenneth Jay Lane mix - a combo of my gold studded cuff with this charm bracelet, also from Kenneth Jay Lane. The mixture of gold, ivory and wood accents can dress up any outfit - don't u think?

Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed my post!

beauty lies everywhere...especially in necklaces.

When I decided to write this post I got so excited and giddy because it's about something that is on the top of my "trending" list right now! I really hope you will enjoy it too (a small warning - word heavy post ahead!)! A few months ago a friend came to see me and she was wearing this beautiful necklace - it was designed and shaped like a diamond or gemstone chandelier necklace...but was made completely of rubber! I know my description totally is inadequate, believe me, my words do not do it justice! The necklace was amazingly intricate and detailed and I fell in love with it! I immediately asked where she got it and it turns out it is from a Thai designer named Ek Thongprasart. Now this got me even more excited - I love local designers and am so proud that many current Thai designers are earning a worldwide reputation for their creativity and artistic talent. I came home and googled Ek Thongprasart and found that he sells his line in very exclusive high end boutiques in Europe which is totally fitting given the quality and design of his work. I also found that his jewelry collection can be found here at Club 21 accessories at Siam Paragon ( Bangkok ) - so of course how could I resist a visit there!!!

The saleslady was super nice and brought out every single piece of his S/S 12 that they had for me to try on - here are a few of them! Aren't they beautiful?

I confess I did go abit crazy trying them all on and once or twice I felt a true sense of despair as I asked the saleslady over and over "which one should I get?" like an insanely obsessed person, which I was. The saleslady was so patient and wonderful though and let me take my time.

Aren't they just wonderful? I feel they are so distinctive and besides being unique and beautiful, they they are very lightweight as well! Finally I made up my mind and guess which one I got?

This light purple one! I love this one because it fits around any neckline perfectly and the teardrop design just feels complete and elaborate enough without being overly so. The colour in this picture (above) is however not true to life - the real colour of the necklace is actually more muted, almost a light grey - let me try posting another picture in natural light.

This is the true colour of the necklace in its box taken in daylight. I love it! Actually I love his whole collection but right now I am having fun and enjoying wearing this gem - I wear it during the day casually with a tank top and jeans or at night a bit more dressed up with black slacks, a silver top and a clutch! Its the perfect addition to any outfit.

Obsession of the day - exotic textures

I am a tried and true bagaholic and lately I have been so obsessed with exotic skins and diffferent textures of leather...for some reason they really draw me in and I can never resist! I have been on the prowl for bags of various skins and textures and have found some that I really love and cherish. Whether they are true exotics or embossed doesn't really bother me, what I appreciate most about them is that they are truly timeless...I can see myself using them in 5 or 10 years and they will still be fashionable and classic.

I found this ostrich skin hobo in a leather shop here in Bangkok where I live. What I love about living in Asia is that you can find really high quality leather goods for very reasonable prices. The leather is buttery soft and what I love most is that it just gets softer and more supple with use. I use it everyday!

Another true love of mine - red and embossed! This is a furla bag I bought during a recent trip to Singapore - the deep red colour, leather texture, and shape caught my eye immediately. It is very easy to use and goes with just about everything in my wardrobe. Red is truly one of my favourite colours for hangbags because I normally dress in very neutral tones and a red bag is a great way to add a pop of colour. Don't you agree that this is a classic?