Fluffy Stuff

Matt Stuart - fantastic street photography

2011-07-15T15:39:00.000+01:00

Whoa it's become a ghost-town here huh? I've been spending more time on my daily food blog and have practically neglected this one. Still trying to decide if I should continue blogging or just leave this as an archive.

While I mull it over, wanted to share some really cool photos I found (thanks to B3ta). Matt Stuart has a wonderful eye for the quirky and funny in his beautiful and often funny photos. I'm amazed at his timing. These are some of my favourites:

All pictures from Matt Stuart.

Remembering the Royal Wedding

2011-04-18T17:16:00.000+01:00

London is awash in lots of cheesy memorabilia commemorating the wedding of Prince William and Kate, but today, I bought what I think is the best of the lot.

A paper doll book!

"Use the figures of HRH Prince William and his bride Kate Middleton at the centre of this book to decide which social occasion you would like them to attend!"

The now-famous blue Issa dress is of course in the book

There's even outfits for walking in the country.

Wills and Kate "love indulging in a spot of shooting, walking or riding in the countryside".

I love that Kate is not wearing a bra, but is conservatively dressed in a camisole, while Wills is showing us his fun patriotic side with Union Jack boxers.

It's important to have the right outfit for every occasion.

Very garden-appropriate

"It's a right royal riot!"

The book also has their interpretation of THE wedding gown. Let's see how accurate it is come 29th April! I almost want to buy another book so I can actually cut out and play with the paper dolls.

Flowers flowers flowers

2011-04-12T21:27:00.000+01:00

We've been spoilt with beautiful weather for the last 5-6 days, with blue skies, blazing sunshine and temperatures that went into 21 deg. This, coupled with the blossoming of all the trees in spring, just makes me take pictures and pictures of flowers. I love spring. :)

Addicted to skiing

2011-04-03T18:12:00.001+01:00

13 boarders, 3 skiiers

It's taken 3 years for me to go on a ski trip since moving to the UK, and I can't believe it took that long. A large group of us took off to the Dolomites in Italy for a quick weekend trip, where we skiied and ate huge amounts of pasta and pizza. Having only skiied once about 20 years ago in Verbier on a family holiday, I wasn't sure how much I'd remember. Turns out it's like driving a car - you don't really forget. All I needed was one refresher lesson on the first morning, and after that, I was good to go. I'm incredibly proud of myself for going up into the mountains and doing the red runs. Sure, I tumbled quite a few times, and I was a little scared to go fast, but by the third day, something clicked and I was able to conquer my fear and just let go. My favourite part was high up in the mountains, where the snow was powdery and we descended gradually while being framed on each side by magnificent trees. Truly magical. I can't wait for the next trip.

Sweet in Singapore

2011-03-10T23:07:00.000Z

It's rather shameful to be posting pictures of my visit back home to Singapore 2 months late, but oh well...the last visit, which lasted 3 weeks, was another wonderful visit where I got thoroughly spoilt by family and friends. It felt harder to leave this time, and the feeling of homesickness took a little longer to leave me. Luckily there are always the pictures and memories of sweet things back home.

The sweet finish to a decadent high tea at the Shangri-La

A pretty setting for cake at Barracks in Dempsey. Sadly the cake didn't live up to my expectations.

Tantalising display of pastries at my favourite bakery Bread Society

I got hooked on Gong Cha bubble tea.

Sharing desserts at Ootoya

My favourite Japanese dessert is cream anmitsu. This is from Sun with Moon at Wheelock Place.

A taster plate at Osvaldo

Club Monaco Spring 2011

2011-02-24T14:34:00.000Z

Club Monaco is overpriced, but it doesn't stop me from loving their collections. The Spring lookbook has lots to love for a casual but polished daytime look - maxi-skirts, lace, white, a touch of sparkle, undone unfussy hair.

More looks on Fashionologie

Sunday at the V&A Museum

2011-02-20T21:22:00.000Z

I went to the V&A Museum today with a friend to catch the Imperial Chinese Robes and Shadow Catchers exhibitions. Because both exhibitions had timed entries, we found ourselves in the Medieval & Renaissance section to kill half an hour. Despite the many times I've been to the V&A, this was my first time upstairs. I keep saying this, but I really need to visit this museum more often.

All photos taken with the iPhone Morelomo app.

The girl who levitated through Tokyo

2011-02-20T00:42:00.001Z

All photos taken from yowayowa

One of my friends loves to take photos of herself jumping, so we started a mini-series of us jumping in various locations around Europe. However, our photos are nothing like this delightful series of 'levitational' shots of a pretty girl in Tokyo.

What I love about her photos is how serene she looks in her levitations. She really does make you believe she's walking on air.

Also, I can't help but compare her to one of my favourite animes The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.

See the resemblance? Maybe she can leap through time. :)

See her blog (also with lots of cute photos of her cat)

Quick trip to L.A.

2011-02-14T18:30:00.000Z

Along Santa Monica boulevard

I had to go to L.A. for a last minute work trip last week, which was a pleasant surprise. Aside from the extremely long time it took to get out of LAX and having to contend with the culture of tipping, I had a really great time. The work part of the trip went well, and I managed to slip in a job interview which ended well. It was also so nice to enjoy the Californian sunshine and explore Santa Monica. I'm hoping I get more trips back there in the near future!

Pancakes and eggs for breakfast at the IHOP next to my hotel

Walking along Santa Monica Pier

I love Pinkberry! Especially the blood orange flavour and added extras of mochi

I had to buy $4 flip-flops from CVS Pharmacy after getting blisters from walking around in heels.

Having the signature umami burger and sweet potato fries at Umami Burger. No one does burgers like the Americans.

Eating lots of cake at champagne brunch at the Beverly Hilton

Feet first

2010-12-20T00:22:00.000Z

Redoing my blog header has made me realise I've amassed quite a few photos of my feet over the last couple of years. Another interesting observation in going through my albums is that I don't seem to take pictures of my feet when wearing heels. Perhaps time to start another collection?

At the Kenwood Festival (Shoes: Havianas)

Summer in Paris (Shoes: Mitju)

Previously posted before, walking around Regent's Park (Shoes: Bensimon)

A very rainy spring day on my street (Shoes: Hunter)

On the beach in St Tropez (Shoes: au naturale)

Country walk along the Seven Sisters (Shoes: Oboz)

An accidental shot while cooking in NomNomNom (Shoes: Vincci)

Laughing in the mud over Easter in Axminster (Shoes: Hunter)

Eating razor clams at the Whitstable oyster festival (Shoes: Havianas)

Walking off some chocolate high tea near Knightsbridge (Shoes: Hush Puppies)

Very tanned and dusty feet while touring the Acropolis in Athens (Shoes: Havianas)

Pausing for a moment in our rented house in Galatina (Shoes: Carvela)

Crunching through snow this morning on the common (Shoes: Hunter)

Snow day Saturday

2010-12-18T20:37:00.000Z

(Taken with iPhone) Scene from the bus along King's Road

After a week of 'balmy' weather, the snow is back. And very pretty it is! The snow fell thick and fast and very quickly, everything turned white.

11.30am: Came out of the gym to a veritable blizzard.

2.20pm: On the bus somewhere near Sloane Square on my way to Walthamstow for tea.

3.30pm: I made it! Settling in for a very special Christmas tea. Heaven.

A new look

2010-12-17T23:23:00.000Z

I realised the header hadn't been changed in over a year. This time, I felt I'd do something without food, so I used a photo I took earlier this year when the cherry blossom trees were shedding all their pretty petals. It was really rainy that day, so I took the opportunity to wear my newly-purchased Hunter wellies.

Little pleasures for the season

2010-12-10T16:19:00.001Z

A good book

A delicious-smelling shower gel

A woolly beanie to keep the ears warm

A desktop decoration to make me smile

A set of fun eyelashes for parties

A pair of shearling cuffs for boots

Early birthday dinner at Sushi of Shiori

2010-12-02T13:02:00.000Z

I might not have mentioned this before, but Sushi of Shiori is my favourite sushi restaurant in London. If I could afford it, I'd be eating there omakase every week, but as it is, I've had to settle for monthly visits. I never get tired of the beautifully crafted and delicious food there. And it helps that the owners are so incredibly friendly and charming. My friend brought me there last night as an early birthday present. What a treat!

Starting off with abalone with aubergine

Tuna tataki, followed by seabass soup, which I didn't get a picture of

The sashimi plate never fails to delight me with its prettiness

Nigiri

Hitomi said this was a new dish. A neatly wrapped parcel to reveal...

Steamed sushi rice with tamago, unagi and bits of chopped mushroom. Very satisfying for this snowy weather.

Wagyu nigiri - one piece per person

Off the omakase menu, but we decided to have some uni because it's back in season

Finishing off with homemade chestnut ice-cream and ginger tea

Oishi!

Christmas came early thanks to Lanvin x H&M

2010-11-23T21:20:00.000Z

I was convinced the massive queues outside H&M at Oxford Circus this morning would mean everything would have sold out in minutes, so I wasn't expecting to find anything when I wandered into H&M during my lunch break. Was so pleased to find the pouch which was in my wishlist and bought what appeared to be the last one on the shelf. Happy early Christmas to me! :)

Sweets from Pasticceria Ascalone, Galatina

2010-11-17T19:43:00.000Z

It was the shopfront that attracted me first. The old-fashioned door, lace curtains, enticing baked goods on display and a tantalising peek of the interior's equally old-timey counter and patchwork floor had me hovering outside for a few minutes. I watched as people went into the shop and came out with little neatly-wrapped packages. The village shuts down after lunch for siesta. Was the place still open? Finally, I gathered my courage and went in.

As it turns out, my fear of speaking Italian was unfounded. Much can be achieved by pointing and using your fingers. The lady at the counter was very smiley and friendly, and the baker himself, a big man in white with his apron still on, came out and wrapped up my purchases himself. In 5 minutes, I walked out with a little neatly wrapped package of my own. They'd tried to explain to me what the pastries were, but with my masterful command of the language, only got as far as understanding they were cream-filled.

Little biscuit with ground almonds and dates

Later on, I found out that almonds are used a lot in desserts in Puglia, and this pasticceria specialised in old recipes passed down from generation to generation. The Ascalone family has been baking these almond biscuits and cakes and pastries for years and years, and have not changed the recipe in any way. Everything I tried was delicious, and I wish we had more bakeries with such a history in London or even Singapore. There's a lot to be said in heritage and keeping it alive.

Delicious cream-filled tarts

All I want for Christmas (and my birthday)

2010-11-16T17:11:00.001Z

Interrupting my Puglia memories by compiling a little list of wishes. A girl can dream. :)

Clockwise from top: Tsumori Chisato for Petit Bateau top, Reiss pom pom scarf, The Flavour Thesaurus, pink KitchenAid Artisan Mixer, Lanvin for H&M pouch

La Tana del Lupo, Galatina

2010-11-15T00:06:00.000Z

The best meals we had were at a tiny family-run restaurant a minute's walk away from where we were staying in Galatina. It feels like you're eating in someone's home, what with the warm welcome from the husband (who does front-of-house and all the entertaining) and the wife (who does all the cooking), and fabulous home-cooking.

There's no menu here. Instead, just walk in and trust that you'll be well taken care of. When we went in for lunch, the husband plonked down a freshly chilled bottle of rose on our table. The wife came out and asked us in Italian if we had our appetites. That was a sign of things to come. Lunch was a good 3 hours, but oh, was it worth straining our tummies for.

Antipasti: ricotta, aubergine, zucchini, pumpkin, artichokes, green beans, potato cakes, white bean mousse eaten with toast. That was like a meal in itself.

Primi: A deceptively simple but totally tasty orecchiette eaten with a huge cake of fresh ricotta.

Secondi: The star dish was the beef, but the polpette (meatballs), meatloaf with pancetta and veggies were also bursting with flavour.

Dolci: A massive bowl of fruit was placed in front of us. I decided to have kaki (persimmon) and an apple. A bottle of homemade coffee liquer was also brought out for us to enjoy

We enjoyed lunch so much that we went back there again for dinner on our last night in Puglia. While lunch was very meaty, dinner was all about seafood. It was a beautiful way to finish our holiday.

Antipasti: Prawns, mussels, langoustines, oysters, anchovies

Primi: A huge basket of seafood linguini was placed in front of us. Although I'd vowed to take it easy on the pasta, I couldn't stop myself from slurping up more and more of the linguini. How can you say no to perfectly al dente pasta?

Secondi: Whole orata (gilthead seabream)

Pure seafood heaven.

Windows and doors in Puglia

2010-11-13T17:44:00.001Z

Just got back from a week-long break in Puglia. It was a wonderful holiday, where I stuffed myself silly with delicious, inspiring food and met some absolutely lovely people. Puglia is located in Italy's heel, and isn't the most popular of tourist destinations. And I like it that way. The towns and villages still retain their rustic charm, buildings are crumbling, roads bumpy and the people genuine and warm. This feels like an authentic Italy, untainted by hordes of tourists and untouched by commercialism.

I particularly loved looking at the windows and doorways while walking around the area. Pictures were taken around Galatina, Lecce and Gallipoli.

Breakfast the morning after

2010-10-31T10:46:00.000Z

The tea party was a great success, but now there is a lot of food left in the house. Slowly starting to get my way through it all. Breakfast today is a chive omelette with rocket, tomatoes with basil and a slice of Poilane country loaf.

Preview of a bakefest

2010-10-29T16:03:00.000+01:00

The kitchen is filled with the smells of baking in preparation for tea tomorrow. First item made: ginger peach muffins.

Last country walk of the year: Hassocks to Lewes

2010-10-21T19:30:00.000+01:00

The temperature's dropped almost overnight, and we seem to have bypassed autumn and gone straight into winter. Oh summer where did you go? The rapidly shortening days had me remembering the last country walk we took in September. The walk from Hassocks to Lewes in the South Downs was minimum effort with maximum views. And we couldn't have asked for a better day.

Super deluxe lunch from Atari-ya

2010-10-17T16:21:00.001+01:00

Have I ever told you about Atari-ya? It's my go-to place for reasonably priced and delicious sushi. True, there are places that serve better quality sushi, the place is very small and no frills, service can be slow, but that doesn't stop me from having lunch there every time I'm in the Selfridges area.

My favourite dish to order is the super deluxe chirashi. At £14, it's a bowl filled to the brim with beautifully vinegared rice and generous portions of sashimi of the season. Everything is fresh and so flavourful. Ah, I'm salivating already.

Atari-ya
20 James Street
W1U 1EH

iPhone 4 picture fun

2010-10-13T23:16:00.000+01:00

I got my first iPhone a couple of weeks ago and have been enjoying it ever since. It's made life so much easier, especially the maps function. And I don't have to worry about having nothing to do on the tube anymore - I've got reads and games to play while waiting. I've also been having fun with the camera function and a great free app called Pudding Camera. You can get great lomo-style shots without any effort on your part. Here are a few pictures I've taken while out and about over the last couple of weeks:

All pictures taken using the Pudding Camera app except for the last photo, which was using the standard iPhone camera.

Breakfast project

2010-10-12T12:13:00.000+01:00

Breakfast for me is always a hurried affair taken at my desk at work. Seeing these photos from Flickr user bamsesayaka's Breakfast project makes me want to wake up earlier, slow down and enjoy the morning sun and prepare a nutritious, delicious and fun meal to start the day.

Another two blogs I love for their photos of breakfasts (and other meals) are Simply Breakfast and It will stop raining.

A rainy Saturday

2010-10-10T17:31:00.000+01:00

Last Saturday was gloomy and grey. Instead of staying indoors like sensible people, we found ourselves wandering around Camden Lock to Regent's Park. There is a certain charm to that though - no crowds, and the flowers look so pretty with raindrops on them.

Sunday tea

2010-09-28T17:44:00.000+01:00

When the temperature drops and it becomes grey and rainy, one of the best things you can do is to find a cosy tea room and indulge in some afternoon tea.

We went to the Tea Rooms in Stoke Newington. A tea set as pictured costs £12.50.

Kay Nielsen illustrations

2010-09-23T17:59:00.000+01:00

I grew up on a diet of nursery rhymes and fairy tales, packaged in beautifully illustrated books, of which the Edmund Dulac and Andrew Lang books were my favourite. Even though I'm now an adult, I still have an eye out for beautiful books, and take great pleasure in keeping and building my collection of fairy stories.

Today, I discovered Kay Nielsen, a Danish illustrator who was around the same time as Edmund Dulac. Just like Dulac, I love his beautiful use of colour and detail to build a fantastic fairy world. The pictures here are from 2 of his books:

East of the Sun and West of the Moon

Twelve Dancing Princesses

See more illustrations for East of the Sun and West of the Moon, Twelve Dancing Princesses, and other fairy tales.

That lace skirt from Coffee House

2010-09-22T17:11:00.000+01:00

L: As seen in Coffee House. R: On Queen's Wardrobe. Pictures from Dramabeans and Queen's Wardrobe

I've been getting back into Korean dramas recently, and my new favourite is Coffee House. One of the lead characters, played by the gorgeous Park Shi Yeon, has quite an interesting wardrobe. The one that really caught my eye was a casual-feminine mix of T-shirt and pretty lace skirt (above left).

Quite by accident, I was browsing Queen's Wardrobe and came across a very similar lace skirt (above right). I've gleefully ordered it and am now waiting for it to arrive so I can recreate the look.

P.S. I long for these Miu Miu-esque Mary Janes!

Cake is art (or art is cake)

2010-09-15T15:52:00.001+01:00

The people at Martha Stewart are absolutely genius. This time, they've taken inspiration from works of art and recreated them into wedding cakes. Love love love.

See the full gallery

Carl Kleiner's portfolio

2010-09-15T12:19:00.000+01:00

Carl Kleiner is a photographer based in Stockholm, and I'm in love with his quirky portfolio. Go have a look.

Late summer in Lake Garda (due)

2010-09-13T12:32:00.001+01:00

Renting a car around Lake Garda was a great decision, as it allowed us to drive around and explore the little towns around the Lake. We particularly liked Limone and Malcesine, both very picturesque and charming in their own ways.

Limone

Malcesine

Getting figgy with it

2010-09-07T18:14:00.001+01:00

Growing up in a tropical country means I wasn't exposed to figs until much later in life. I'd eaten dried figs before, but never really took to the taste. I've got a pretty sweet tooth, but I found the sweetness way too cloying. That all changed when I finally tried a fresh fig. So that's what I've been missing out on all these years. And now that I've started, I can't stop. We've got a fig tree in our garden, and for a few weeks over summer, I've been enjoying freshly plucked green figs for dessert.

I know there are recipes that incorporate figs, but I'm too greedy and impatient to assemble them into the dish. My favourite way to eat them is to pluck the stem off, and eat them whole, like an apple.

During our trip to Italy, I managed to try some black figs on a bed of parma ham. And I'm in love all over again. Now that I'm back in London, I'm looking out for them everywhere I go.

Late summer in Lake Garda (uno)

2010-09-03T12:22:00.000+01:00

Sunning myself by the Lake

Back from my trip. It was a wonderful holiday, with everything I hoped for: lots of sun, cool nights, gorgeous views, time to relax and read, amazing food.

We stayed at a charming B&B up in the hills of Albisano in Torri del Benaco. Each day, we woke up to a beautiful view of the lake and breakfast outside on the terrace. It was a very idyllic few days. All the following pictures were taken in Torri del Benaco.

Holiday in Verona

2010-08-25T17:24:00.002+01:00

Pictures from Verona Daily Photo

Off tomorrow on a much needed break to Verona and Lake Garda area. My friend and I will be spending a few days in the Torri del Benaco area, then venture into Verona to watch Aida at the Arena. This will be my first trip to Italy and I'm looking forward to trying the food. And gelato!

Meals for one

2010-08-14T11:38:00.000+01:00

I actually don't mind eating alone, particularly when it comes to lunch. That way, I'm free to order exactly what I want without worrying about appearing greedy to other people. It's also a nice time to slow down, people-watch, think or catch up on reading.

Omelette and char siew rice at Cafe de Hong Kong.

Lunch at home and I was very hungry. Soba with tofu and salmon.

One of the rare times I made lunch and brought into the office. I had a strong craving for thunder tea rice, and the only way to get it was to make it myself.

I long for the taste of home once in a while. Brown rice, kang kong (or morning glory as they call it here) and chili prawns at Busaba Eathai.

Breakfast at home: omelette with yellow pepper, rocket, chives and cherry tomatoes

Lunch at home (same day as picture above): Suimono soup with choy sum, green beans and tofu, lotus root and carrot & mooli salad which I bought from Tombo, slice of spelt sultana toast.

Yes, I eat a lot of Asian food, despite living in London.

Pierre Herme's Tarte Grenobloise

2010-07-27T22:20:00.001+01:00

My friend Dees loves pecans. And he had been bugging me to make pecan pie for a long time. After a delay of a few months, I finally dusted off my copy of Pierre Herme's Chocolate Desserts and made the fancifully named Tarte Grenobloise. I can't pronounce that either. But all you need to know is that this is a more elegant version of an all-American pecan pie. As a base, there's the beautifully sandy chocolate almond pate sablee, followed by rich dark chocolate ganache, and to finish it off, caramelled pecans. A pure decadent hit that should satisfy any sweet cravings.

If you don't want to rush around the kitchen, you should allow 2 days to make this. With so many components to complete, the entire tart isn't so daunting when you spread it out. Making this is a lesson in patience, but all the time in the kitchen is worth it. There's nothing quite like seeing the chocolate ganache gradually get shiny with the addition of butter, or to stand patiently and see sugar caramelise into an amber liquid. Just one bite of your tart makes it all worth it.

In which I entered a Masterchef-style food competition

2010-07-26T22:53:00.000+01:00

An award-winning main dish...ok maybe not

Generally speaking, my Sundays are sacred. They’re the days for me to relax, mooch at home and do absolutely nothing. It would take something pretty special to drag me and keep me out for an entire day. Something special like NomNomNom.

I’d never heard of it until a friend's friend tweeted me a few weeks ago to let me know about the Masterchef-style competition for bloggers. 2.5 hours to make a 3-course meal for 4 with a budget of £40. Oh, and you have to use seasonal produce and one course can’t be cooked or baked. And did they mention there are judges – proper foodies who actually knew what they were talking about? If I’d stopped to think about it, that would have scared me off. But in a moment of weakness, I agreed to join.

The competition was lots of fun, and I got to eat some really tasty food and carry home two really nice goodie bags stuffed with pressies. The icing on the cake was having our team getting a special shout-out for coming in third.

I've done a longer post about the experience on the main site, so if you want to see lots more pics and also get the recipes, hop over to the NomNomNom site. Also, if you could vote for us to win the Viewers' Choice award, that would be really nice too. :) Thank you!

Having one of those days

2010-07-26T12:12:00.000+01:00

I don't normally get a case of the Mondays, but it's really hit me hard today. My friend gave me this beautiful bouquet last Friday after attending flower arranging classes. While the original isn't in front of me right now, the picture is balm to the eyes.

Yet another perfect summer weekend

2010-07-21T21:00:00.001+01:00

I've learnt to appreciate the good days when we can get them. Pictures from last weekend:

Saturday

Taking Toby, our Jack Russell-Corgi mix to visit Zazou, my uncle's dog...

...followed by a walk along Chelsea Harbour and Imperial Wharf.

Sunday

Early morning breakfast at Baker & Spice before church service. Beautiful deli, tasty food, great presentation, but sour waitresses.

Lunch with visiting friends at Daphne's. Love the food, if a bit pricey. I had the sea bass special, and my friends had the truffle tagliatelle.

Fashion from Top Hat

2010-07-20T22:03:00.002+01:00

As movies go, Top Hat definitely has its flaws. The plot is not exactly very believable, has a rather too satisfactory ending, the humour sometimes rather out-of-date and slapstick, but the dancing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers is as ever, sublime. What I also love is the old school glamour depicted in the movie. Oh to be able to jet into Italy for a little break, to live in a time when ladies still wore hats and everyone dressed for dinner. Sorry, the screengrabs are a little fuzzy.

A sartorial discussion about the kind of tie to wear

Racing upstairs in her dressing gown to see who's tap-dancing and disturbing her sleep

In her nightgown

A smart riding outfit with the hat perched just so

Close-up of the outfit

Bows and glitz

What's not to like?

Even her friend Marge is a very spiffy dresser

Lounging about. I really love Marge's outfit on the left

Marge has on a very lovely evening gown

The gentlemen also look very smart. Natty is the only word to describe them.

Moving from bows to feathers.

They move about really nicely

Swish!

An elegant cloak to guard from the cold

In 'casual' wear

Detailing

Back to the sparkle - this is my favourite gown in the movie

It's got such a lovely skirt for dancing in

Twirl!

A clearer look at the whole gown

How to layer your eveningwear. Fred's greatcoat is very smart too.

What I ate today

2010-07-10T00:06:00.000+01:00

Breakfast at home: Greek yogurt with Waitrose Oat Crunchy (dried banana chips, papaya and honey) and fresh raspberries and blueberries

Lunch at Atari-ya, James St: Spicy tuna roll, salmon avocado roll, mackerel nigiri, toro sashimi. Yes, I over-ordered and yes, I ate it all.

Teatime at home: I made digestives, and of course I had to taste-test a couple.

Dinner at home: I've joined a cooking competition, so tonight was the practice run.
Starter - king prawn salad with fennel and fresh herbs
Mains - summer roast lamb with watercress, baby potatoes, carrots, peaches & mint

Oof I've eaten a lot today.

Summer Sunday

2010-07-04T22:36:00.000+01:00

Lunch for one at Tombo - iced sencha, tofu bento box, mooli & carrot salad.

Some Sundays, I like to spend alone. Today, I walked to church, attended service, had lunch at my favourite cafe in South Kensington, did a little unnecessary shopping (summer sales!) and stocked up on groceries at Whole Foods.

Beautiful food styling from Helene Dujardin

2010-06-18T10:44:00.000+01:00

Thanks to the wonder that is Twitter, I stumbled across Ms Dujardin's gorgeous portfolio of food photos. It took me a while to realise that I'd actually come across her photos before - on her beautiful blog Tartelette, from which I've drooled over and gotten inspired many a time. I love the light, airy, clean feeling in her photos, and how the food looks so vibrant, delicious and alive. I'm also very envious of the wonderful collection of tableware.

White hot dresses of summer

2010-06-14T11:49:00.000+01:00

Forget the little black dress. This summer, all I can think about are white dresses. It doesn't matter that I've already got a few hanging in my cupboard. You can never have too many dresses, right?

Clockwise from left: Banana Republic, Antik Batik, Miss Sixty, LaROK, ASOS, Reiss

Clockwise from left: Gap, Yumi, ASOS, T-Bags, Anthropologie, COS

I am also building an obsession for maxi dresses. But that's a post for another time.

iPhone cases

2010-06-09T15:10:00.002+01:00

The new iPhone 4. I wants it! Picture from Apple.

Well, I've decided. My next phone is going to be an iPhone. I've already registered my interest, and can't wait to get my hands on it. The next thing to do is of course to find a cute protective case. Uncommon has a collection of great artwork which you can customise to fit your case. I'm really impressed that they've already got cases for iPhone 4 that should be available for order soon. These are some I like:

Horse and boat, Bird, Starfish, The flock, Strawberry, Chirping birds

If you're feeling a little more flush with cash, Grove has a series of bamboo cases which they can laser-cut your preferred design on in 3 different colours of wood.

Top image: Customised case, Bottom: Tree, Birdland, Deer

New favourite place: Koya

2010-06-05T23:38:00.001+01:00

A table of goodness

I have a new favourite place to eat at whenever I'm in the Soho/Chinatown area. Koya opened a couple of months ago and was given a glowing review in the Metro. I went there with a friend the first opportunity we could, braving the long queue snaking out of the door. I'm now hooked. It's pure heaven when you find a place that doesn't overcook noodles or take shortcuts when making broth. I've been back 3 times so far, and my goal is to eat my way through the menu. Pictures are from 2 visits...I wish I could have eaten all this food in one sitting.

Udon with walnut miso - whoever thought to combine walnut and miso is pure genius.

Cold udon with spring onion and tofu - perfect for a hot day

Onsen tamago - perfectly cooked egg in a delicate broth

Renkon salad - lotus root is one of my favourite ingredients in cooking now. The lotus root chips were so light

Tempura - beautifully light batter, just the way tempura should be

Kakuni - Pork belly braised in apple cider

The prices aren't exactly cheap, considering food like this is fairly normal in Japan, but when you live in London and are starved of well made Asian food, this is just utter bliss. Now if only I can find a place that does the perfect ramen.

Vanessa Paradis for Chanel

2010-05-06T23:12:00.000+01:00

I'm not really a fan of the Chanel Cocoon bags, but doesn't Vanessa Paradis look so lovely?

The first sunny weekend of the year

2010-04-13T11:47:00.000+01:00

I had a friend in town, so I spent the weekend showing her around my 'hood.

Saturday

Wandering around Portobello market

A cafe I want to try next time I'm along Westbourne Grove

Lunch at Daylesford Organic

Raw vegetarian 'pad thai' salad, bread for 2, carrot and ginger juice. The salad tasted nothing like pad thai, but was tasty all the same.

Despite a good lunch, we couldn't resist sharing some churros and chocolate

Dinner at Boxwood Cafe. Really impressed by the very attentive and friendly service. Our greens were over salted and they replaced it with a minimum of fuss.

Chocolate fondant with caramel and mint ice-cream (not pictured). It was so good.

Finishing off Saturday with a cocktail at the Blue Bar

Sunday

Dim sum at Jade Garden

It's too beautiful a day to be indoors. Walking through Green Park

Squirrels in the park are obviously so well fed, they aren't afraid of people

Walking through the Duke of Wellington Square

I can't believe it's taken me this long to walk through Hyde Park

Spring wardobe of flowers and feathers

Finishing the afternoon off with tea and cake at my favourite South Kensington cafe, Tombo

Mini rosebud cakes for spring

2010-04-11T00:43:00.000+01:00

Lemon and rose - a very good combination

With spring comes the desire to make lighter cakes. When I was back home in Feb, my friend made some very tasty and pretty lemon rosebud cakes. It was the perfect recipe to test the new silicon moulds from Pantry Magic.

Anticipation. What will they turn out like?

They've turned out well. Hurrah!

Rose petal jelly surprise hidden inside the cake.

Golden rose - yogurt and egg whites help to achieve a lighter texture.

If you're in Singapore, you can learn other great recipes for cakes at Shermay's Cooking School.

Beautiful cherry blossoms (redux)

2010-04-11T00:25:00.000+01:00

Photos of cherry blossoms, this time my own. These were taken near my place last weekend while walking home. I love spring.

Spring is almost here

2010-03-26T23:38:00.000Z

I took these photos from a couple of Sundays ago. It was sunny and the flowers were out. I'm so happy that I don't need to wear heavy coats anymore.

We went to A Positive View at Somerset House. Shortly after taking this photo, I was politely told that photographs weren't allowed. Oops.

Finishing off the exhibition with lunch at Abeno Too. The okonomiyaki is always tasty, and they have one of the best Japanese dessert menus in town.

Beautiful cherry blossoms

2010-03-26T12:23:00.001Z

One day, I want to go to Japan and see the cherry blossoms in bloom.

More beautiful photos in the NatGeo gallery.

Memorable meals (part 2)

2010-03-16T17:25:00.001Z

I had to split this up into two posts because firstly, there are just too many food photos and secondly, there were two places I went to that really stuck in my mind.

Hachi

I'd been introduced to Hachi a few years ago before I moved to London, back when it was just the chef behind his counter in a small space tucked away in Orchard Emerald. The new location, along Mohd Sultan Road is bigger, sleeker and boasts a rather professianal fleet of staff. The food though, I was glad to find out, was just as good as I remembered it. Although it was lunch and I had many meals under the belt with more to come, I had to go for omakase. It was definitely worth it.

Tofu with wasabi and preserved vegetables - it had a taste of century egg. Light and delicious.

Pork belly salad. Perhaps a tad too much cream and while I won't say it was the best pork belly I've had, it was quite succulent.

Otoro, scallop and hamachi(?) sashimi. The scallop was so fresh that it was sweet, and the tuna just melted in the mouth. Heaven.

Wagyu beef. There are moments when food is so good the entire table goes silent. This was one of those dishes. After a few seconds of complete bliss, my friend and I could utter "Oooh ummmm, sooo goood" in manner of Japan Hour.

Beautifully grilled and charcoaly fish cheek - I loved the smoky flavour

Yes, it's udon, but this was udon the way it should be - in a very superior dashi broth, served with some radish and oily fish. The texture of the udon was perfect, with the right amount of bite and chewiness.

After this, we had a rather mundane scoop of green tea ice-cream for dessert, but I was so happy with the food, I didn't mind.

Hachi
6 Mohamed Sultan Road
Tel: 6734 9622

Tian Fu Teahouse

Tian Fu Teahouse, on the 60th floor of UOB Plaza, was a new find, but I was determined to find time to eat there. I went with my parents on Sat afternoon and we opted for the Chinese New Year special. Sadly, my camera ran out of battery, so I don't have many photos of the food.

Fantastic view, and it was a nice sunny and clear afternoon

Starting off with light and delicate bitan piaoxue tea

My favourite dumplings, with steamed seafood and minced meat, mainly because they were so pretty. For the rest of the meal, we were served pu'er tea which I drank copious amounts of.

Deep fried pancake with pork floss. Really crispy

Pork floss inside the pancake

You'd think with a to-die-for view like that, the food would be so-so, but we were pleasantly surprised at the quality and delicacy of the dim sum. I'm so coming back here again next time I'm in Singapore.

Tian Fu Teahouse
80 Raffles Place
60th Floor UOB Plaza
Tel: 6535 6006

Memorable meals (part 1)

2010-03-14T19:15:00.001Z

Nothing like living abroad to really make you appreciate the amount of good food we have back in Asia. My 3 weeks back home was quite literally an eating holiday. Non-stop lunches and dinners every day; I actually forgot what it was like to be hungry.

While the food was delicious, it was ultimately only the setting in which I got to catch up with all my family and friends. I had a fantastic visit back home - can't wait for the next one!

The first things I ate when I landed in Singapore were 2 kaya buns from Chin Mee Chin. Thick kaya toast and a chinese cupcake from Toast Box also made perfect teatime snacks with my mum.

I didn't spent all my time in Singapore. There was also a quick lunchtime visit to Malacca en route for a few days in KL.

Kampung chicken with chicken rice balls, wanton soup, hot tofu and beansprouts. Almost the perfect lunch.

Hands down the best chendol I've had in years.

A sumptous dinner of sang har ee meen (giant freshwater prawns with crispy noodles), suckling pig and tofu at Restoran Green View in KL.

Despite big dinners, I had to have a taste of my favourite tiramisu cake at Alexis bistro, KL.

Back in Singapore, having beef short rib at Crystal Jade Korean.

Ginseng chicken soup is something I cannot get in London. Oh how I've missed it.

After hearing all about the 45 minute queues to get a bowl of ramen at Ippudo, I finally get to try it. It is delicious.

Dinner at First Thai along Purvis St.

Among other things, we order prawn vermicelli.

My friend introduced me to Mai Thai in Holland Village. I can't wait to go back there to have the boneless stuffed chicken wings and basil tofu.

A craving for peranakan food is satisfied at Peramakan, Keppel Club. We ordered bakwang kepiting, otah, lamb curry, buah keluak, ngoh hiang and chap chye. Heaven.

Yet another craving for teochew porridge is scratched.

I just wish I could accomodate more food in my tummy.

Enter the Tiger

2010-03-03T21:36:00.000Z

Chinese New Year is all about family, food and gambling. This year, there were festivities galore at family and friends' houses. From fantastic feasts of Perenakan food, popiah parties to all-night blackjack sessions, I had a great time this year. Happy Tiger year everyone!

Coming soon to H&M

2010-02-02T17:01:00.000Z

It looks like there's quite a lot to look forward to from H&M this spring. There's the Sonia Rykiel for H&M collection, which looks quite similar in design to the Sonia by Sonia Rykiel collection, and there's also the Garden collection, filled with lots of pretty florals. Can't wait for warmer weather!

All images from Nitrolicious

Sonia by Sonia Rykiel A/W 09

2010-01-22T12:02:00.000Z

I remember Sonia Rykiel from way back when I was a schoolgirl, and always associated her clothes with black and white. Having lost touch with the brand for many years, I've started noticing it again this year after seeing the really cute colourful stripy jumpers in shops. A quick peek at the Autumn Winter collection shows that Sonia Rykiel hasn't quite lost the black and white, but has also thrown some really delicious colours and quirky details in the mix. Most of the collection appears to be sold out in online shops (Net-a-porter, ASOS, my-wardrobe), but you might be able to get a bargain in the sale.

All images from Sonia Rykiel

Beautiful Japanese desserts

2010-01-20T11:24:00.001Z

My love for Japanese desserts first started when I went on holiday to Tokyo and Kyoto a few years ago, where I discovered that it wasn't just about green tea ice-cream or red beans. It's hard to pick a favourite, but I can never say no to a matcha parfait, chestnut dessert or a cream anmitsu. It's really hard to find tasty Japanese desserts in London (most of the restaurants only serve green tea ice-cream), so when I came across these beautifully shot and absolutely delicious photos by bananagranola on Flickr, I immediately bookmarked them as a favourite. I could really use a trip to Japan right now.

Besides this beautiful wagashi set, she has other tasty-looking non-dessert foods in her photostream.

Topshop Spring 2010

2010-01-08T17:50:00.000Z

Images from Nitrolicious

My dislike of going into Topshop has been mentioned before, but I do like going through their lookbook. It's fantastic for inspiration. They really are masters at styling.

Fondant cat

2009-12-21T15:42:00.000Z

Holiday season is upon us. May you and your loved ones have a very blessed time.

(image is of a chocolate fondant cake with caramelised chestnuts, from The Providores. Maybe I should draw on my photos more)

Eating it up in Kamome Diner

2009-12-06T22:31:00.000Z

One of the things I like to do when flying is to catch up on movies that I've never watched. It's also a great time to discover foreign movies that I wouldn't otherwise have known about while living in London. Kamome Diner is a charming movie that I caught on my flight back to London a few days ago. A Japanese movie that was filmed and set entirely in Finland - it revolves around Sachie, the sweet and welcoming owner of a Japanese diner, and the quirky characters she meets while trying to introduce good food to the locals. I won't talk too much about the plot, but suffice to say food is a very central part of the movie. And oh, the food looks so good!

Dinner at home

Nothing like a home-cooked meal to warm the heart

Onigiri fusion-style

Trying out Finnish flavours (reindeer is one of them) in onigiri.

Let's make cinnamon rolls!

Squishing them in the middle

You can almost smell them

We can't smell them, but these ladies do. Enjoying the freshly baked rolls

Shogayaki - pork with ginger. I also really like Sachie's cookware

Yum salmon

Deep-frying what looks like chicken karaage

There is a very satisfying crunch as she slices through the meat

Someone orders onigiri

Everyone is curious. What is that?

The movie is great for coffee drinkers too. Lots of scenes of brewing

Service!

A happy ending - a full diner

If you can get hold of a copy, go watch Kamome Diner. You'll love it. Here's a clip of Sachie cooking shogayaki and salmon.

Hats in Lover Come Back

2009-12-04T23:22:00.000Z

Love the colours, fonts and cute drawings in the opening credits

Lover Come Back follows the same romantic formula as Pillow Talk, this time set in the ad world, which means Doris Day's wardrobe consisted of more office-type suits. This time round, I found myself utterly charmed by her numerous hats.

Going back in time with Nadinoo

2009-11-24T12:27:00.000Z

I love the 60s style, brocade, Liberty prints and Peter Pan collars on Nadinoo's collection. It would of course help to have those legs to carry these styles off as well.

See the entire Nadinoo online boutique.

Doris Day's wardrobe in Pillow Talk

2009-11-20T23:39:00.001Z

I'm really new to the wonderful on-screen pairing of Doris Day and Rock Hudson, but am glad I've finally learnt about their movies. Pillow Talk was their first movie together, and it's absolutely a joy to watch. Besides the witty dialogue, I just adore Doris Day's looks in this movie. I wish people still dressed like this today - how lovely to wear gloves, hats, fur muffs(!) and to dress up for dinner. Here are some of her beautiful costumes from the movie:

Victoria's Secrets show 2009

2009-11-20T15:02:00.000Z

All pictures from Fashionologie

The Victoria's Show didn't disappoint with its usual drama and sparkle. I always love looking at the pictures, and this year's was no exception. These are some of my favourite looks:

See the rest of the photos at Fashionologie.

Paris is pastry

2009-11-19T17:56:00.000Z

Paris is sweet, literally. Watch this little slideshow of beautiful desserts in Paris. I'm pretty sure quite a few of those sweets are from Sadaharu Aoki. This makes me want to go to Paris right now.

Found via dress, design & decor

Sharyn Cairns photography

2009-11-19T14:58:00.001Z

I know what I want to be when I grow up: a food stylist/photographer. Sharyn Cairns, a Melbourne-based photographer, has convinced me of that from looking at her beautiful website. She takes absolutely gorgeous, lush and warm photos of food. She's got some other lovely photos of interiors and people, but it's the food that really grabs me. Her images make the food jump at you - you can almost smell and taste the flavours. Beautiful!

See Sharyn Cairn's portfolio.

Colours in a room

2009-11-18T10:58:00.001Z

This 19 year old graphic design student from Montreal has the most charming apartment. She's got a wonderful eye for colour. Also, that reminds me - I should get a cake stand.

See more pictures of her apartment.

J. Crew's Holiday style

2009-11-12T14:50:00.000Z

J. Crew's stylists are absolutely brilliant. Every time they do an editorial, it makes me want to buy everything. Seriously.

Drool at the pics at J. Crew

Laura Laine for H&M

2009-11-10T15:12:00.000Z

Image from Nitrolicious

This is something that's got me really excited. Laura Laine, a wonderfully talented illustrator , has done some designs on t-shirts and tank tops for H&M. So far, they're available in Holland and US, but I wonder if they're in UK as well. Time to visit the big H&M in Oxford Street!

Golden days

2009-11-08T11:54:00.001Z

The best kind of autumn days are: sunshine, clear blue sky, a bite in the air and crunching leaves underfoot. Yesterday was one of those days.

What a man

2009-11-05T14:31:00.000Z

Image from Garance Dore

Be still, my heart. Not only is Cedric Bihr incredibly handsome, but he is a very talented photographer. You should also read Garance Dore's encounter with him and the really sweet story she tells about him. It'll melt you. Ah, why are the best men taken?

See the rest of his beautiful portfolio.

Latest jewellery obsession: vintage rhinestone necklaces

2009-11-04T18:10:00.003Z

I have a confession to make: a couple of months back, I tore my right earlobe and because of that, I've been unable to wear earrings since. While I'm waiting (and saving up money) to get surgery that fixed, I've had to get my jewellery-wearing kicks elsewhere, namely from necklaces.

Right now, I'm totally loving the vintage rhinestone, slightly art-deco look. A little window-shopping on the interwebs has turned up some very pretty and delicate lookalikes from Etsy, J Crew and Anthropologie. They're mostly pretty pricey and I'm loathe to pay for expensive shipping, especially with the Royal Mail strike going on. Yet another reason to visit Portobello to see if I can find any genuine vintage necklaces.

P.S. If you want to buy that beautiful fascinator, you can find similar-looking pieces from Stylesmith.

Sestra Moja

2009-11-04T16:27:00.000Z

The hippie, boho and prairie look is not very me, but I'm rather liking these floaty dresses and tops from London-based Sestra Moja. Unfortunately the website isn't the easiest to use and doesn't seem to be very up to date, but from what I can gather, while she sells at Selfridges, you can also find one-off pieces at Portobello market. I think it's time for a return visit there.

All I want for Christmas (and my birthday)

2009-11-01T12:23:00.000Z

The 'wanting things' itch has hit again, and what perfect timing!

1. Magic Mouse, Apple
2. iPhone 3GS, Apple
3. iPhone leather holder, Mulberry
4. Shakoha boots, FitFlop
5. Wool beret, V&A Museum shop
6. Kozyndan posters, V&A Museum shop
7. Teacup & saucer, Esther Coombs

Goodbye summer '09

2009-10-25T15:38:00.001Z

At home

Festivals

View from Tower Bridge

Berry picking

Notting Hill carnival

Country walks

The food of Greece (or what we ate)

2009-10-22T18:33:00.001+01:00

Travelling with companions who take mealtimes very seriously is a blessing, since I'm such a piggy. The recent visit to Greece yielded meals of cheese, Greek salad and seafood. I don't know if it was just the places we visited (read: touristy) or whether Greek cuisine is really pretty much that, I did find the food a little samey-samey after a while. While really delicious, I was glad to go back home and have a bit more variety.

First lunch in Santorini!

Baked cheese

Hoummus with some very delicious pita

When in Greece, you eat Greek salad. Of course. I must have eaten by body weight in feta while in Greece.

Sardines

Deep fried tomato balls. Absolutely delicious

Grilled octopus

Moussaka

Breakfast time! We went to this lovely crepe cafe twice for their lovely crepes, waffles and freshly squeezed juice. Heaven.

Cat biscuit! Ah, that's Greek yogurt - officially my favourite breakfast food now.

Prawns were very fresh

Haloumi and tzatziki dip

Cocktails while watching the sunset

Warm bread with olive paste.

Grilled seabass - a fish that was consumed throughout the trip

PS We also consumed a lot of gelato and baklava. Sadly, no pictures as I was too busy guzzling them.

A change will do you good

2009-10-20T10:21:00.008+01:00

Yep, that's a spanking big new header there. Perhaps a little too big - I'm playing around with a new and wider format for the blog, which will allow me to post larger photos. I'm still not completely happy with the new header, and might be playing around for a bit.

In the meantime, I've started a Tumblr blog to be able to quickly chuck things I fancy in. Not sure how long I'll stick with it, but I'll give it a go.

Update: New header design complete! Those scrumptious desserts are a platter the waitress tried to tempt us with during brunch a couple of months ago at Aubaine. Here's the full image:

Jeffrey Campbell shoes

2009-10-19T11:52:00.004+01:00

I've been reading quite a bit about Jeffrey Campbell shoes on blogs, and was curious about them. Are they really that comfortable? Would love to get a pair to test that out. It's so difficult to find good-looking heels that are comfortable.

All images from SoleStruck.com

My favourite room in the V&A

2009-10-18T23:21:00.002+01:00

I'm very pleased at being able to make it to the V&A to catch the last day of the Telling Tales exhibition this afternoon. While there, I had to visit my favourite section - the Fashion room. Ah, such beautiful clothes.

Last 3 pictures from the Future Fashion Now exhibition. Some very interesting pieces. You really need to go up close to see the details.

Ballet love

2009-10-15T18:10:00.002+01:00

Ah these make me miss my ballet days. Cade Martin has a beautiful way of presenting his subjects. I wonder where I can get a print of the first photo - that's my absolute favourite.

(Found via Black*Eiffel)

J Crew October

2009-10-14T22:42:00.002+01:00

J. Crew, you really need to stop tempting me. The colours, the styling - everything's just perfect. *sigh*

See the entire October catalogue.

Vintage wedding dresses

2009-10-13T13:57:00.003+01:00

All pictures from the website.

Don't read too much into this - I'm by no means anywhere near getting married, but I've spent the better part of an hour this morning browsing The Vintage Wedding Dress Company's beautiful gallery of brides in their gowns. If ever I do get married, I'd love a dress from here. Prices range from £1,000 - £4,000. Ouch. Perhaps I should start saving now?

Tight for winter

2009-10-11T19:36:00.006+01:00

Now that winter's on its way, I've gone a little tights-mad. In the space of 2 weeks, I've bought 3 pairs of tights.

The first pair I bought was these House of Holland for Pretty Polly tights (right) because I liked the over-the-knee sock effect. Also, those little houses? Too cute.

And then serendipitiously, after clicking through the Chanel S/S 2010 slideshow and falling in love with the lace-up-effect on the tights, I came across these Wolfords with a similar look, with the added bonus of ribbon which you can tie around your calf. Of course I had to buy them.

Finally, while browsing online, I came across these beautiful gold Sphinx tights from Bebaroque. On sale too. There was only one option - click and buy.

I know, they're all black. I really should branch out to more colour.

What is art?

2009-10-11T12:02:00.003+01:00

Image from Freshness mag

Interesting quote found within the leaflet I picked up while visiting the Pop Life exhibition at the Tate Modern yesterday:

I am fascinated with a distinction made between high and low art. I characterise art as that which is compelling to the viewer or listener. I characterise an artist as someone who can create something from nothing, that makes people feel an emotion they cannot experience through any other means.

- McG, director of Akhihabara Majokko Princess, in a collaboration with Takashi Murakami

The exhibition is definitely worth a visit, although admittedly not the best place to go on a second date, due to the rather adult nature of some of Jeff Koons' work. Slightly awkward. :)

Summer holiday

2009-10-09T22:06:00.003+01:00

In Fira, Santorini

Visiting the Acropolis, Athens

Whoa has it been a month since I last blogged? Time's a-flying, summer's over and it's now autumn. I just got back from a lovely break in Greece and have so many pictures to show...that's if I get to them. It's time to dig out the winter-wear and remember the sunshine by looking back at my photos.

Meals with G

2009-09-06T13:41:00.004+01:00

My friend G has been in town for most of Aug, and we've taken advantage of the lovely weather to go out and enjoy some great meals. Pictures are from over the last couple of weeks.

Borough Market

I think the next time I go to Borough Market, I'll choose to go on a Friday afternoon after lunch hour. Much less people and jostling.

Raclette

At Wright Brothers with a selection of English, Irish and French oysters with Prosecco

Cute little sign

Quiz night at the Harwood Arms

A rather dismal total score of 27 out of 40. At least we didn't come in last.

Roe deer and walnut terrine for starter

My mains of sea bream with runner beans and squid

G's shoulder of lamb with grain mustard crumbs

Dim sum at Min Jiang

A rainy Wed afternoon was perfect for delicately made dim sum

Prints Charming at Liberty

Sneaky photos taken at the top floor exhibition of Prints Charming at Liberty department store

Brunch at Aubaine

Oeuf benedicte and pistachio cream danish

A lovely selection of desserts to pick

We go with the chocolate with cherry

Yellow, yellow not a dirty fellow

2009-08-24T17:28:00.003+01:00

Image from Black*Eiffel

Blame it on the sunshine, but the colour yellow has been growing on me lately. I suppose being Chinese, I was taught from young that this colour could never look good on me, so I avoided it for the most part. Now that I'm older and wiser, I've since learnt that it all depends on the shade. Here are some yellow things I'd love to have:

J Crew summer dress

Marni balloon tote

Cute sunny cupcakes (I found these on Flickr a while back, but can't remember the source :( )

Pantone mug

Happy Friday

2009-08-21T12:58:00.002+01:00

A Friday half-day is already really good, but when you throw in a free cupcake from Sugar Rock Bakery while at work, it's an absolute winner.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

More for the wall

2009-08-18T16:33:00.003+01:00

I mentioned a while back about doing something to the white walls in my room. This picture illustrates pretty much exactly what I'd like to have. Incidentally, what is it with me taking design inspiration from children's rooms? Should I be worried?

From decor8.

Yes, please

2009-08-17T14:28:00.003+01:00

Having a slight case of the Mondays, so I looked for pretty things to add to the wishlist.

If I could dress like the entire J Crew catalogue, I'd be a very happy bunny. So many beautiful jewel tones and gorgeous jewellery.

I made the mistake of ambling into Daunt Books yesterday afternoon, and flipped through Sophie Dahl's cookbook. It's chock full of beautiful photos, personal stories and homey recipes that don't look hard to do.

Bunneh vases from Hannah Zakari. I don't really need to say more.

Jil Sander for Uniqlo

2009-08-14T11:21:00.003+01:00

The pictures probably aren't selling the clothes, but I'm curious to see how Jil's Sander's +J collection will look and fit like once they hit the shops on Oct 1. These are some of what I'm interested in:

Images from The Cut.

A long Saturday

2009-08-02T23:02:00.003+01:00

Yesterday was a long day, but in a good way.

Lunch at Atari-ya

Lunch for one: Spicy tuna roll and a salmon & avocado roll

Everything I need for the day - a change of clothes for partying later, pair of killer shoes and make-up.

At the Iguana Studios in Brixton

Dinner at Las Iguanas. We're hungry! Sangria isn't enough to keep us happy.

At last. Fajita!

It's a bleah morning

2009-07-31T10:45:00.002+01:00

Image from 2threads

Sometimes I wish everyone still dressed like this. How much fun that would be!

Image from the NYTimes

And if all dogs wore raincoats like these, the world would be a better place.

Pret-a-Portea at The Berkeley

2009-07-16T11:52:00.007+01:00

To continue the cute food trend, here are some pictures of a lovely tea I went to over the weekend at The Berkeley. This tea was cleverly inspired by the Spring/Summer '09 collections of designers like Lanvin, Josh Goot, Oscar de la Renta, Balmain and Alexander McQueen. A marriage between fashion and high tea? Sign me up, baby.

Tea in matching Paul Smith tableware

Starting off with some sandwiches

The main event - what to start off with?

Crab-cake on watermelon

Alexander McQueen marzipan handbags - one of my favourites

Michael Kors-inspired chocolate cake. Tasty!

Christian Louboutin coconut cake. I was slightly disappointed it wasn't in the shape of the shoe. Not my favourite either because I don't like coconut.

Herve Leger swimsuit on the left, and Oscar de la Renta dress on the right.

If they ever do an Autumn-Winter collection, I'm so going back.

Cupcake cuteness

2009-07-14T12:11:00.004+01:00

It all started with these adorable puccho cupcakes. My friend had this photo posted in her Facebook album, and I was determined to see more of them. A little sleuthing led me to the very talented owner's Flickr photostream, and lo, there was even more, and not just limited to Japanese candy. There's even an entire set dedicated to cupcakes. I am in cupcake heaven. Here are a few more:

And then, if you search cupcakes in Flickr, you also get fantastic works of art like this:

From abbietabbie

Drool.

Spotted blueberry & clotted cream cake for summer

2009-07-13T22:43:00.004+01:00

The longer days and warmer weather have heralded a rather packed social calendar, which means baking has taken a very big step back. I have tons of recipes bookmarked and ready to be tried, but it looks like I'll have to wait for the weather to get colder to send me scurrying back into the warmth of the kitchen.

I did however manage to bake one cake in June for a friend's birthday/farewell party. Since she was leaving London, I decided to make a traditional English cake - Victorian sponge, but with a slight twist. Simply by folding in blueberries into the batter, you get a lovely, moist and utterly tasty cake perfect for summer.

Recipe is from BBC GoodFood.

Sundays are for lazy days

2009-07-12T22:41:00.002+01:00

Paris Paris Paris

2009-07-09T10:13:00.002+01:00

In a random food place somewhere in Passy

I went to Paris last Thurs for a long weekend break to meet up with a friend from Singapore who's there for work and to eat and shop to my heart's content. And what an eating and shopping marathon we embarked on. I left London with a half-empty suitcase and I returned with it bulging with goodies. My summer wardrobe is sorted; I don't need to shop for the rest of this year.