I can't hear you

I've had to turn off comments for the time being as I'm being hit by stupid spam comments by a certain 'ed'. I've reported the user profile, so hopefully that should get fixed soon.

Fashion takes a backseat

You’re probably noticing the severe lack of fashion posts around here lately. For some strange reason, I don’t seem to be as fashion-crazy as I used to be. Whether it’s a combination of my personal situation not allowing me to shop as much, or I’m just not really digging what’s being offered out there at the moment (80’s style strong shoulders? Seriously? Sky-high shoes that are impossible to walk in? Honey, have you seen the cobblestones in Europe? Hell on a girl’s feet), or the fact that I’m in an environment where it’s completely ok to not recognise labels, I’m not feeling the urge to rush out and buy whatever the latest ‘it’ items are. I will admit that I’ve recently started a love affair with underwear, and have dropped some serious ££ on pretty but structurally sound undergarments. Right now, it’s all about ‘shopping my closet’ (a phrase that seems to be as ick-inducing as ‘troubling economic times’) and downsizing my skincare collection by finishing whatever’s sitting on my shelf, and trying out pharmacy brands. Surprising things I’ve learnt:

• Caudalie’s Vinoperfect serum is fantastic, but as we’re entering Spring and Summer, the Boots No. 7 serum seems to be working just as well
• I don’t need Kiehl’s Rosewater Toner. The Boots Damask Rose toner from its Original Range smells just as lovely and has a beautiful vintage packaging to boot
• Neal’s Yard Lavender body lotion smells wonderful and feels satiny-soft on the skin, but the Body Shop Moroccan Rose body butter does a pretty good job too. (However, I’m totally in love with the Jurlique Rose body lotion, and am seriously considering re-buying once the body butter runs out)

Having said that, I did walk into House of Fraser last week and tew-tally fell in love with a pink Mulberry bag. Also, this 'no shopping' thing might change entirely when I go back home for a visit next month.

This March, I am into...

Perfect for lounging around in the bedroom. Picture from ASOS.

Eating (or not): staying on a diet plan (saying no to cakes, ice cream, cheese, cookies, and carbs at night), healthy snacks from graze.com, Activia fat-free cherry yogurt, pears, newly discovered lunch spot Giuliano’s in Richmond

Wearing: Calvin Klein robe (pictured), pretty underwear from Elle MacPherson, Lepel, Chantelle and Wacoal (whee!), less layers as we enter Spring-like conditions

Beautifying: Nivea Natural Beauty scrub, Boots Original lemon body wash, Boots Original damask rose skin tonic, Original Source Bitter Orange and Almond body scrub

Watching: Season 2 of Gossip Girl, Heston’s Feasts, American Idol (sporadically), 10 Years Younger, Coleen's Real Women

Trying: at least 3 days a week at the gym, online dating websites (seriously, there’s a reason for this)

Planning: what to do, what to eat and what to buy during my visit home to Singapore in April (double whee!)

Long time no blog

Yes, it's been a while since I've updated. I had to give up my laptop when I left my last job, and along with it went Photoshop, which I always use to edit and resize my photos. Although I’ve installed Gimp in the PC at home, I’ve been too lazy to learn a bunch of different commands. That shouldn’t stop me from blogging, but for some reason, I seem less compelled to enter a post with just text. What can I say, I’m a visual person.

It’s been a strange start to the year. I’ve been in a sort of limbo, as if I’m waiting for my real life to start. It’s funny how I equate a permanent job with properly getting on with life. In case you didn’t know, I was made redundant from my job in Dec, and for the past few months, I’ve been with two companies, while interviewing for a permanent job.

I’ve got my fingers crossed for this job; the role is interesting and will stretch my abilities, and while it’s in an industry which I’d never have considered working for, I’m discovering that there’s more to it than I’d originally thought.

On the homefront, we’ve been getting our bathrooms fixed, and this has meant the entire house has been covered in dust, which means the baking and cooking has come to a temporary halt. I’m itching to get back to baking though, as I’ve discovered some fantastic recipes that I’m dying to try out.

I haven't given up blogging (I will admit I'm all about the Twittering now), and will be back soon. While I get myself sorted out, I’ll leave you with some wonderful links which I’ve come across recently:

• Desire to Inspire
• Serious Eats
• Smitten Kitchen