Hello, lover!

While you're reading this, I should be either munching on a Pierre Herme macaron, shopping at Spitalfields Market or just taking a leisurely stroll along the River Thames. As you can probably guess, this is a scheduled post; just so there isn't such a long gap between my last post and the next.

The above picture was taken back in August 2010 and that was my last visit to London. It's been TOO long. 

Hello, London, we meet again :)

Fruity Giveaway [CLOSED]

[CLOSED]

Hi, everyone!

First of all, I know I keep saying this, but thank you so much for dropping by my blog and taking the time to comment on my posts. I especially love reading those long, sincere comments; I like reading about you. The reason I always visit back (unless the comment is spam) is because I want to know more about the people who read my blog. I have met so many genuine people since I started this blog.

Secondly, I did notice that some of you have added me to your blogroll and for that, EXTRA hugs to you, my dearies!! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I keep telling myself I need a blogroll, too, but life just keeps getting in the way. I know I'm full of excuses, but I promise a blogroll will be up soon-ish.

I hope my thank yous don't lose its meaning, but there's really nothing else I can say. So to thank you for your support, here's a mini giveaway of some Rimmel nail polishes!!

Oh my God, these are amazing, I tell you! 2 coats and you're good to go. But that's not the amazing bit...once dried, they actually smell fruity!! My favourite's the Apricot Punch and I can't stop sniffing my fingers (er...) when ever I use it.

I purchased these with my own money and I chose them because I, myself, am a fan of Rimmel nail polishes and just wanted to share these with you.

How to enter:

1) Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect

2) Leave a comment with your name and email (so I can contact you if you win)

That's it! Since this is a tiny giveaway, there will be NO extra entries for following me on Twitter and Bloglovin'. However, if you do, that will be highly appreciated hehe :)

Open internationally!

Deadline: Monday, 2nd May at 12pm (GMT)

The winner will be announced that same afternoon. Promise!

ASOS jewellery haul

ASOS.com is having their Mid-season SALE! They have discounts up to 70%, but for this long weekend, they are throwing in another extra 10% off!
(Do I sound like a walking advert or what?)

When I first browsed through their sale items, I was like, "Meh". But that extra 10% really pulled me in and I had to pick up some jewellery. I got all of the above for only £15! Score!

Anywayz, if you have been following me on Twitter, you'd know that I'm currently (frantically) working on a couple of assignments (2 essays and 2 group reports, to be exact). I have been enjoying the lovely weather just a bit too much and now I've got a ton of last minute work. Thing is, I'm heading down to London next week and I really want to finish as much as I can now.

If I'm good, I'll allow myself a proper outfit post tomorrow *fingers crossed*

Time and Tide

Ribbon tights: Primark 

Floral shorts: ASOS.com

Bat wing-sleeve shirt: Blogshop

Pocket watch (worn as necklace): Portobello Market (London)

A giant bear hug to everyone who said I look long and lean in the post below. You made me very, very happy!

Some credit has to go to the floral maxi skirt, but for the most part, it's due to the angle the photos were taken. For that, full credit goes to the boyfriend for squatting down to take those photos. Awww...

Since starting this blog, I've been trying to find flattering camera angles. I hate how my legs look like toothpicks in certain pictures (trust me, it's not a nice sight), but in others, my thunder thighs are enhanced. High angles can make one look like a midget while low angles can expose a heavy bottom and the dreaded double-chin. Finding the right balance is so hard especially since all I have is a mini tripod.

Do you have any tips for good camera angles?

I scream, You scream

What do you do on a lovely spring day with sunny intervals?
You go to an ice cream social! Yay!

Before that, I accompanied the boyfriend to labs (yes, he had to go in on a Saturday. Boo) before having a hearty pub brunch. We took these pictures on the way to the ice cream social.

I wore my new H&M skirt I blogged about 2 posts below. I got quite a few compliments on it. However, the number of compliments cannot rival the amount I got for my Primark box bag. It has now become my number one favourite bag for spring! It's really quite roomy and because of its shape, my stuff doesn't move around so much. I can quickly grab my mobile without having to rummage around for too long. Perfect because I always seem to miss calls since I take forever to find my mobile in the depths of my bag. Anyone have the same problem?

Wedge shoes: Faith

Floral maxi skirt: H&M

Sunglasses: River Island

Vintage style floral box bag: Primark

Pocket watch (worn as necklace): Malaysia

Dinner and Dance

Last Saturday, I attended the Malaysian and Singaporean Society's annual Dinner and Dance at the Holiday Inn.

I wore this red dress I got from an eBay seller, my favourite pair of silver sparkly heels and ekiLove's earrings. I kept my jewellery to a minimum because my dress already had a fairly large floral corsage, so I didn't want to look overwhelmed. I also curled my hair so wearing a necklace around my neck would have looked a bit too much, I think.

I had such an amazing time with my friends! Our table was the loudest, as usual. That's the thing about my friends and I; we aren't afraid of acting silly and we'd laugh the hardest at the slightest joke. Even when we're all decked out smartly in our suits and looking pretty in our frocks, we would still be ourselves and just have fun.

Fancy, sit-down dinners like these can be quite a bore so it's entirely up to us to make it a memorable night, in my opinion. Oh, and I took tons of photos that night. I always tell myself that I'm only young once, so I had better capture all these moments on camera because when I'm old and senile, hopefully these pictures will jolt back some memories :)

P/S: Everybody say hi to the boyfriend? :)

H&M Spring buys

I am sure by now you would have seen supermodel Gisele Bundchen grazing magazines and ads in her H&M Spring 2011 ad campaign. When I first saw one of the posters on a billboard, I was a honestly a bit stunned (by her beauty and) to see Gisele Bundchen wearing H&M. My next thought was however, that the collection was going to be pretty expensive, assuming that the cost of getting a supermodel like her to model for H&M will be passed on to consumers like us.

[Pic credit: H&M]

However, I was pleasantly surprised when I strolled into H&M and saw that this skirt was only £9.99!! It's absolutely gorgeous, I tell you. It's actually assymetrical; slightly shorter in the front than in the back. The floral print is SO pretty! The best bit is that, the length is actually pretty okay for me! Well yes, I'd have to wear it with wedge shoes, but that's fine considering most of the maxi dresses/skirts at H&M make me look like I have a wedding gown train behind me (with heels on!).

Also, while in the store, I picked up this faux fur fox tail keychain which I've wanted forever. Again, it's one of those trends that started in Japan 2 years ago, but has only arrived in the UK.

Have you bought anything from the Bohemian Deluxe collection?

Goodbye grey skies, hello blue!

Cardigan: Ark

Shoes: Primark

Floral shorts: ASOS.com

Heart-shaped sunnies: H&M

Vintage style floral box bag: Primark

If you're a regular follower of UK blogs, you would have probably seen tons of posts on the glorious weather that has been bestowed upon us. It has indeed been really sunny and warm for the past 2 weeks. Not wanting to lose out, I grabbed this rare opportunity with one hand and pulled out my spring gear with the other. The result? Lots of happy clappy colours!

Spring is my favourite season of all because the dreary winter is behind, but it's not quite sweltering summer, yet. To be very honest, I'm not a fan of summer at all. Growing up in Malaysia, I've had enough heat to last me 10 lifetimes thankyouverymuch.

I was acting silly in the last picture when the boyf took that picture mid-blink. I thought I'd put it in because ah well, we all need to be a little bit silly in spring, yes? Spring makes me happy and joyful! Whee...

International Cultural Evening '11

Hi, beautiful people!
I just want to quickly thank everyone for your kind comments in my previous post. I always enjoy reading what you have to say and really appreciate everyone who took the time to actually read my post. You guys are the bestest!!

Today's post will be about something that I'm quite passionate about; cultural diversity.

Bulgarian Society

I have always been rather proud of my University in terms of its diversity and passion in promoting cultural awareness. It offers so many opportunities for us to learn about different cultures; it's not uncommon to see 2 people from different countries having a language exchange session during lunch time. It's a truly diversed place and in my time here, I've gotten to know so many wonderful people from all over the world.

Mexican Society

We have the International Students' Committee (ISC) (of which I'm a part of) and every academic year, we organize 4 major international events amongst other smaller projects. We're not a charity, but we're run entirely by volunteers from the student population. We have student reps from all sorts of nationalities from Malaysians *ahem* to Nigerians to Germans to Columbians.

Chinese Society

I hope this doesn't sound like some political manifesto, but the ISC is run by international students, for international students. Our aim is to create a home away from home experience for all. Yes, intergration with local students are also one of our agendas, but we believe that we have to also put in effort to make international students feel as if they're home, sometimes, and that they'll always have someone to turn to.

If you've ever packed your bags and traveled 6500 miles alone to a foreign country to pursue your education, you'd know what I mean. If you've ever fallen ill and craved for that homemade national dish, but it's too late to call home (due to the time difference) nor can your local friends help you because they've never heard of said dish, you'd know what a lonely feeling that is :)

Malaysian Society

The ISC has done so much for me, although it hasn't always been obvious. Looking back, without all the ISC socials, I wouldn't know half the people I know now. Without ISC, I would most likely just stick with my little clique (although, I love my little clique, don't get me wrong) without actually meeting all these wonderful people.

Although I'm no longer as active as I used to be during my Undergraduate years, I still help out occassionally and I try to attend all their events.

The International Cultural Evening was held last weekend, where 20 national societies showcased their talents to compete for glory...and a trophy. It was a night full of national costumes, cultural performances and national pride.

Indian Society

All the photos you see above were taken on the night. I apologize for the crappy photos. Lately, I've been getting increasingly annoyed with the quality it produces. Sighhh...

This is my International Business textbook speaking, but if you aren't aware, the world is becoming smaller and smaller. Globalization is inevitable and more and more countries are opening up their borders for trade. I think that what ever line you go into in the future, there will be some form of internationalization involved and you'll get the chance to work with people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, I truly believe it's very important to start networking now, not just for business purposes, but for the opportunity to learn something new.

I am not sure how it is in your University or how well-received international students are, but I wonder, do you ever take the time to try to get to know someone of a different nationality? :)

Japan Day Pt. 2

If you're curious to know what this is about, read my first post on Japan Day here*click* :)

 

The fortune-telling booth.

 

My friend, Shiho-san, practising calligraphy.

An assortment of Japanese beverages on sale. I love the ubiquitous drink vending machines in Tokyo, by the way! So many colours, so many flavours! <--- slogan haha!

Yummy Japanese snacks!

This little girl is so kawaii! I asked her Dad for permission to snap a photo with her and she happily obliged.

Maid Cafe. A wee bit dissapointed that the maids didn't role-play at all. Not that I've been to a real Maid Cafe, but from what I've heard, the ones in Japan really act all cutesy and speak in high-pitched voices, make you sing songs and have excellent customer service. I definitely want to visit one if I ever go to Japan again, just because it's so out of this world!

Oh, by the way, only after we left did I notice a sign that said, No photography allowed. Please respect the maids. Woopsie...

There were also some game stalls, several performances and a haunted house. The haunted house was pitch black and I was so scared even though I went in with the boyf. I hate it when the actors touch me; they tapped my back and grabbed my ankles wtf. I think I screamed several times haha. My boyfriend, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed himself and even patted a "ghost" on its head and said, "Good job!" <---  -_-"

Yukata! I picked this gorgeous navy blue one with white, pink, red and blue sakura prints and a pink obi (sash) to go with it. I've never worn a yukata in my entire life, so that was a pretty exciting experience.

The yukata is SO pretty; I desperately wanted to run away with it, but I refrained because I'm chicken shit like that. Oh, in my previous blog post about Japan Day*click*, I forgot to show you the pretty floral earrings I wore that day, so here they are.

Now I'm sure I had at least 5 different studio shots taken by the photographer because all my poses were directed by him, so I was very aware of what my body was doing and thus, the amount of shots taken.

After the event, I waited for weeks for the photos to be uploaded. Finally, I received an email to say the photos were ready. I clicked on the link and sifted through hundreds of pictures of other people and very nearly missed mine...because there was only one shot of me -.-

For some reason known only to the photographer, he decided not to upload the rest of my photos. I'm quite disapointed with this photo because:
a) This doesn't even show the entire yukata
b) I'm doing this silly-looking pose suggested by the photographer
and
c) I waited frigging forever for the photos so I can do this post and now all I have is this one shot. Bah!

If I'd known, I would have blogged about this much, much earlier. Sorry to keep you waiting, guys!

Acoustic Night

 Sheer maxi skirt: Ark

Peep-toe wedge boots: New Look

Cropped top (bought a larger size to wear it off-shouldered): Topshop

Double-finger cross ring: ASOS.com

Studded rings: H&M

Shield ring: Primark

A group of my coursemates organized a series of events to raise funds for a local creative charity, Bloc Projects. I attended two of the events which were held at a local bar, just across the street from my place. The first one was a Date Auction Night. Basically, the organizers got their most eligible guy and girl friends to volunteer to be "sold off" as dates. One by one, they would be introduced by the DJ, get asked a couple of questions and then, the bidding begins. Bidding usually starts at around £5, raising pound by pound to what ever the highest bid is, depending on the "quality" of the guy/girl hehe. The winner will have to fork out the amount before the deal is sealed and all the money goes to charity.

I hope this doesn't sound odd, but I "won" a date with a girl! Haha...nah, she's actually my friend and I was trying to up the bids, but ended up winning instead. Luckily I had enough cash on me, so I paid up and now she owes me a date :P

The other event I attended was the Acoustic Night. This time round, they got friends and friends of friends to play some live music. Donations were in the form of entrance fees and if you wanted to make a song request, you can pop some money into the donation jar, too. Pretty neat, huh?

I didn't get a picture of what I wore to the Date Auction Night, but this was what I wore to the Acoustic Night. The sheer maxi skirt is so comfy and I love the way it flows when I walk. I was kinda dissapointed people were more interested in my rings, than my sheer maxi skirt, though...only joking. I got so many compliments for the shield ring. I would proudly tell them I got it from Primark, then see the look of surprise on their faces. Primark has definitely upped their game.

My first ekiLove purchase

Something really pretty arrived in the post today!

When I saw the little pink parcel with the ekiLove stamp on it, I had to refrain myself from tearing into it like a little kid on Christmas morning. Instead, I took some photos and slowly admired it. Then, I opened it carefully, layer by layer. I knew Eki's *click for Eki's blog* creations were made with lots of love, but I didn't know that the parcel itself would be lovingly wrapped, too!

'Twas my first time ordering from ekiLove *click to go to the store* and I was really impressed with the packaging! The pretty pink parcel arrived in a bubble envelope. After unwrapping the polka-dotted plastic bag and the pink tissue paper, a little box with a pink ribbon around it is revealed. Alongside it is a handwritten note from Eki and a FREE 3D nail sticker pack. After carefully removing the ribbon, I opened the box to finally see the actual item inside a little clear ziplock bag inside a little velvet bag.

Not only was it extremely secure, the whole parcel was just super kawaii!

I know Eki must be inundated with orders, but I received my order just under 2 weeks, which is very fast considering she is posting from the States.

[Pic credit: ekiLove]

These are the earrings I ordered. My lousy point and shoot camera does it no justice, so I had to ask Eki's permission to use the above photo. It already looks really pretty on screen, but I assure you that it's 10 times better in real life!! It's gorgeous and the swarovski is uber shiny! Eki really put a lot of love and effort into it and it shows as the craftsmanship is excellent and the earrings are of high quality.

When I read that 75% of the store's proceeds will be donated to the victims of the Japan tsunami/earthquake, I knew that I had to support Eki's cause. She has many handmade items on her store like necklaces, bracelets, earrings, hair accessories et cetera. I settled on these earrings because I fell in love with the crown and the colour of the swarovski stone is just too pretty. It's so girly, I love it! I would definitely be ordering more in the future.

Go support ekiLove!