got to go 'way

coats from asos

push the envelope

vogue

thestreetfashion5xpro

i resisted indulging in labels when i was in korea. i'd thought about the etro scarves but i didn't like the prints. and seriously i have no use of a scarf no matter how i've been toying with the idea. when i came across the mcm bags, i'd let my eyes glide over cursorily. i'd have considered these... i don't think i saw any. then again, do i have use of it? my favourite pastime is: kidding myself.    

rewind

i thought about whether to write today. tomorrow. ever after.

i'd like to be read. do you not?

but i guess i must write. sooner or later.

so i've been to korea and back last month. it'd turned out to be an unexpected delight. although it didn't occur to me sometimes when i wasn't so 'aware'. an example's the food. i was quick to declare that i never loved korean food. it's still a fact... i mean, i prefer japanese to korean anytime. but if i were to be really honest, they don't differ by tooooo much. korea was occupied by japan for a spell. so why am i being such a snob?

korea turned out to be rather scenic. not unlike the wonders i've witnessed in china and countless other spots on the planet, i'm certain. it's all the work of His mighty hands anyway. and it's universal that we must praise when in the presence of awesomeness.

apart from being the accidental tourist, i also got to do things i didn't usually set out to do, like going to a spa and a theme park. my travel companions were thinking of a ski trip the next time they do korea. i said skiing is not on my list of things to do before i die. but i think i should be taking that back. you see, it's cheaper to do it in korea, so it could only be the better option for me. i hope i'd be able to go if they do decide to go sometime in the near future. 

a few other firsts happened during this trip and they had to do with my luggage. i bought a combination padlock for it and it's gone when we reached korea (one of the girls got the same padlock but hers was intact). then the combination lock on my luggage decided to quit on me on the last day. but thank God, nothing was lost. 

i'll be honest with you. i'd like to do korea again for some... shopping! lol. i didn't even buy a single pair of shoes. it's something i always made a point to do when i travelled (but i think hk and china are still the best places to get cheap yet decent shoes). i hafta admit that it's a refreshing change that we didn't get to do much of it. we didn't even have time to drop by the famous dongdaemun market! i'd have liked to have my hair done at sinchon but we're given one hour only. i ended up buying two brollies (one of which is pictured below) and a canvas bag there. i'd like to go back to this store to check out more of their wares. we had more time at myeongdong where i scored a shirt and a dress. my friend got the same dress in a different colour for slightly more at sinchon. yayness. ha ha. 

as for skincare and beauty products, i did haul back some things. if it were a decade ago, i might not have left the shops w/o emptying half my wallet. even though they're significantly cheaper there, they all added up to a substantial sum of money. a week or so after our return, we found out that nature republic seemed to be no more in singapore. my friend ended up buying some lip and nail products here since they're on clearance. lol. me? i was a very good girl.     

ok, i think that's all for now. till i write again! 

manifesto

hor lee lay

via

taking the night flight to korea right this moment.

catch you in a week's.

ta!

stray rose

this is probably my 3rd or 4th time wearing the dress since...

... 2008? dare i admit that i'm missing my longer locks? i do think i can do both long and short. maybe it's just age. of course i'd looked better when i was younger, eh? 

i don't know what's with the hem of the dress. i thought it's collapsed somewhere and needed some stitching but nothing's amiss leh.

time to start packing! and i'm so worried i'd fall sick. been feeling feverish and giddy these past 2 days.

stray rose is the name of the mac blusher worn here. thanks, style g!

chief happyness officer

i went to exchange money for my upcoming vacay. either it's the time of the month or i'm just a frog in a well. there're lines formed at almost every money changer at the arcade. i didn't realise the exchange rate for usd has gone so low (would've been wonderful if i were still clamouring for them bags, haha).  

i almost wanted to wax lyrical about the skirt (again). i'm pleased with the lilac or lavender men's long-sleeved polo from american apparel. i could walk under the sun and not feel the heat in it. it's been blowing hot and cold again but i think the weather's still bearable until evening time. i'm good with heat.

tv ran this piece of news last night. i didn't catch it until after i ran the above errand. then a friend's convo thread on fb caused me to think about what i saw at the arcade and the content covered in the news. my friend said our country would probably score 51% for GNH. ironic, much?

ambulatory

see how i've ruined my bag, ha ha. 

the shorts were from a local blogshop, only cos they're on sale. the other items were expensive. no more of these, i just can't afford it.

the top's from ASOS, my very first order, ever, from that site. i liked the colour and shape so much that i got it in UK10. i think their items are expensive as well. i haven't seen my bill for the rate conversion. 98 quids for a pair of boots, two shirts and a pair of bottoms. but i'm pleased with most of them. i'm tempted to get more stuff...

but did you know that i'll be heading to korea next month? seoul exciting!!  

quando, quando, quando?

annabu

facehunter

h2o

surprise

the deployment results were announced by the boss today. 3 months have passed since. it's really scary when you look back and recollect what have (or rather, have not) transpired. anyway, i was caught off guard when i was asked if i'd go with the change of portfolio (i didn't choose analytics in the end, btw). it took a while for me to understand that i was successful in my application. well, sorta. i did  also apply to stay put in the current post.  there were 3 contenders for the post. all eligible officers were given 3 choices. i didn't exercise the 3rd choice for a few reasons.

my application for the change was frankly half-hearted. i owed the idea to my supervisor, actually. i think she also applied to be deployed to that section but the boss decided that she should remain in her current post. no, it's not that i wished to follow where she's going (although our working relationship has been quite fine). i felt awkward as i told her about my decision to move. i think she didn't expect this outcome. nor did i.    

am i excited about it? i wish i can tell you "yes!". the truth is, i'm wondering if i'm enjoying self-sabotage too much. i just selected the modules for the next semester last night. i'd usually limit myself to 2 modules. i was tempted to pick one only. but i went for 2 in the end. there're people who do 4 modules per semester. they're abnormal. wait. i'm the abnormal one. oh i don't know anymore. i feel very small i just wanna disappear. why am i such a chicken?

上野

ok, this is going to be a lame post. this is all i got.

^yep, my friend OD on the mayo. i didn't try it at all. she said it's really yummy she'd wanted to pack some before we headed home. but we didn't go back the same way. please don't ask me what it is.

 ^this was where we found the green tea kit kats. the guy's showing the customer what he's putting into the bag: a few types of snacks for 1000 yen. customers don't get to choose.  

ebisu

1st stop in ebisu: mahana restaurant

^my friend and her friend ate the loco moco

 ^i chose the steak don. tasty but a tad too salty for me

(most of what i ate in tokyo was too salty) 

my friend's friend said the eateries in ebisu were generally good. she took us to this dessert place where people would queue willingly for hours on weekends.

^that's moi outside Quil fait bon

 

^staircase leading up to the dining area

 

^passageway to the washroom

^jackets for the teapots

 itadakimasu!

 ^see how kawaii this cafe-cum-boutique is

i like the haphazard way the houses are lined on the street. no two houses seem to be identical. we passed by this one that's overtaken by weeds. it's so quaint, i wonder why anyone would abandon it. 

 

^wiw - the one time i wore colours  

i'll post the ueno photos tomorrow. we didn't take many. my friend's already passed the frenzy photo-taking stage. she goes to tokyo like more than once every year. lol.

warmy in harajuku

^my friend told me 木村 拓哉 loves the headwear by CA4LA. he should be one of the most powerful guys in the world. y'know, one of those who just has to break wind and people would worship his fart with bliss type of people. ok, i exaggerated. but you get the drift. i went in the shop to look see. i have a bunch of cheap hats bought from tibet, and which're being cold storaged. why'd i buy one more? i saw quite a few guys with such style. 

^i dig their style.

 

^i borrowed the term "warmy" from the photographer/blogger, Rei Shito. 

^i won't mind wearing this since my face would be hidden. should be a warm outfit in the freezing weather.

all photos from STYLE from TOKYO

i think i must have been blind to not have seen much street style fashion and the vintage shops mentioned on the blog. anyway, it must be too expensive for me.

another place that gives me the clean vibe is ebisu. not so crowded like harajuku (strangely i didn't feel it at all - it's like you see this sea of heads as you turn out from the alley, yet you don't hear any noise at all, nor do you have to fight for space). it's likely just as expensive. my friend hasn't sent me the pictures. i'll share when i can.