2 Essential Coats

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I bet when you saw the picture above, you're thinking....... Marlene, are you nuts?! We're not even through with summer yet! I know.... I know.... I'm usually the one's scrambling to catch up with the fashion collections. I'm finding that designers are churning out one collection after another at super sonic speed these days. What's up with that?!

For once, I'm a little ahead of myself but I couldn't resist. I've been looking for a proper winter parka that comes with a detachable fleece lining and a hood. This one's from H&M and the price tag of £49.99 for a 100% cotton parka makes it even more attractive. The great thing is you could remove the lining and wear it over spring and summer. It's like getting 2 coats for the price of 1.

I'm totally bored with 99% of coats I see in the stores. *yawn* The same boring design tweaked a little here and there but nothing really original unless you're willing to part with £1K (I'm not!). Now if you have a small build though not exactly skinny and rather vertically challenged individual like myself, coats that are too cocoon-y can overwhelm my frame. I'm in love with the slim fitting Isabel Marant Etoile Clifford coat. It's sophisticated and contemporary. It's a little like a pea coat but with a twist. It helps that good ol Ms Marant designed the coat with plenty of pockets. Yesssss! More places for me to stuff my tissues, keys, cellphone, receipts etc etc etc etc. It's practical but above all, it jazzes up a simple outfit. It's not a bad buy at all for £425. What are your thoughts on these 2 coats?

Simple Pleasures

Warm summer nights mean dining alfresco and chatting with friends into the night. While the local residents flee to warmer cities, the streets are filled with day trippers and exchange students.

My friend, Kylie and her two gorgeous daughters dropped by bringing a bouquet of herbs plucked from her garden. That's one of the best and most original presents I've ever received. I love the waft of mint, fennel and sage scents I get every time I walk past the bouquet. We laughed, hollered and giggled and feasted on a simple lunch which I hastily put together. We had bruschetta, grilled peppers (tossed in minced garlic, olive oil, sea salt and red wine vinegar), sweet cherry tomatoes (drizzled with olive oil, a sprinkling of salt, chopped fresh basil and a dash of red wine vinegar), different types of cheeses and pate.

While it may sound corny but the past few months have reminded me that life is short. The simplest pleasure in life yet the most rewarding is the time we spend with our loved ones.

London Off the Beaten Track: Maltby Street Market

God bless the long summer vacation and parents everywhere. It occurred to me recently that the term "talked to death" may be true. We're only entering into the early stages of week 2 and I've been talked to near death by one 7 year old child. When Jesse of Nuffnang asked to catch up, I literally jumped at the chance to have normal adult conversation. Anything. Anything that doesn't involve Barbie & the Pop Star, Lego, She said....and then I said....and then she said....., mamaaaaaa....., maaaaaamaaaaaa. I swear if I hear that word mama one more time (only for the 300th time in a day), I'll get a sex operation and become a dad. Funny kids don't seem to run to their dads all that often even if they're just next to them.

Anyways..... Jesse asked if I cared to be wined and dined. Hell, yeah! My only criteria is I'm allergic to fine dining and alcohol but am partial to street food (I'm a cheap date).  She suggested Maltby Street market and off we went to check the place out. The market's barely 3 years old and a great alternative to the busy and touristy London Borough market. The market stalls are set up under the  railway arches along the little lane called Ropewalk in Bermondsey. It's busy but not packed to the gills.

We sampled the saucisson (the fennel was to die for), chocolate chip cookies (kicking myself for not buying) and smoked salmon (some of the best I've ever had). I wore a thick Petit Bateau breton top thinking that the weather was going to be rather cool (another reason for NOT believing in the stupid weather forecast) but I felt like I was being slowly grilled in the oven. I didn't have much of an appetite and spent the morning away chatting with Jesse and guzzling down a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. If you're a foodie and you're up for something different, you can't go wrong with Maltby Street market.


Maltby Street Market
Ropewalk
SE1
Tube: Bermondsey or London Bridge

Random Thoughts

We climbed up a hill which was once an Iron Age fort to try to capture the sunrise on one early summer morning. The mist was still hovering just above the ground in front of the country's oldest charitable institution built in the early 1100s.

      If you love this incredible photo, then you'll love the others by Eelco Roos on his website.



Your body language shapes who you are but if you've never been the confident sort, you could significantly change your life by faking a power pose. Check out this video by Amy Cuddy.

My country of birth is Malaysia (Sarawak to be more specific but it's a state). Its capital is on the top of the Most Dangerous Cities in the World list. No surprise there really.  Everyone knows that this year's election was rigged. Religion has been adopted as a political doctrine. The country is rife with corruption and racism. However, perhaps there's hope after all. Here's an interesting take from Syahredzan Johan.

Quick and Easy Summer Meals

When I think about summer in western Europe, visions of fruits, grilled veggies, antipasti and salads come to mind. It's no secret that I'm a lazy cook. Being stuck in the kitchen with sizzling pans during the hot summer months is like being boiled alive in the oven. Errr.... horrible visual there but you get my drift. So anything that doesn't require lots of chopping, basting and washing up gets a thumbs up from me.

I decided to try out Cupcakes and Cashmere's version of grilled peach salad albeit adapted to my taste. It's easy to do as it's a matter of putting together each ingredient. Grilling the peaches take a few minutes. Be sure you choose a ripe and still firm to touch peaches. Mine's simply drizzled with the best extra virgin olive oil I could get my hands on and balsamic vinegar (it would've tasted better with balsamic vinegar glaze). It was sublime.


 

I love my oven. I don't think I can live without one. These huge portobello mushrooms are so juicy and sweet when grilled simply with a sprinkling of sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, sprigs of thyme and a drizzle of olive oil. Served with crusty bread and perhaps some pate for protein. and you've got yourself a meal.

Pork loins and pork chops tend to be the more expensive cuts but I personally prefer the far cheaper shoulder steaks. The marbled fat makes the meat tastier and more tender when they're slowly cooked in medium heat. I often toss cloves of garlic, chopped rosemary (leaves but remove the stem), juice of 1 lemon, a spoonful of dijon mustard, a couple of glugs of olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Massage the ingredients into the steaks and roast for up to an hour. When the meat is cooked, boil prepacked gnocchi for a couple of minutes and toss in the juices on the bottom of the roast pan. Serve with tossed salad or grilled vegetables (courgettes, red pepper etc).



 

Would you believe the large spread was for the 3 of us? We were stuffed, I mean, we had to roll ourselves from the chair to the sofa. Do share your favorite summer meals. What are your favorite summer recipes?

Shorts 2 Ways - Smart and Casual

Outfit: Hackett panama hat (similar here and here), 3.1 Phillip Lim top, Anthropologie shorts (similar on sale here), Marni sandals, Hermes Cape Cod watch, Chanel WOC and Chanel sunglasses.



Outfit: Hackett panama hat (similar here and here), Chanel sunglasses, Isabel Marant linen top, 7FAM shorts (DIY), Hermes Cape Cod watch, K.Jacques Picon sandals and Barbour shopping tote.


I've come to the realization that one has to have an exceptionally thick skin, preferably like those of an elephant if you want to pose in the middle of a busy street. I get plenty of curious looks from passersby and then inadvertently, a few friends will stroll past (the cons of living in a small town). The great thing about my English friends is that they're always too polite to ask even if they're absolutely dying to. Meanwhile I'm standing on the street looking like a deer caught in the headlights with my teeth bared trying to summon yet another fake smile, hoping I don't pass out from the lack of oxygen as I'm sucking my tummy in. Ahh....the weird things one does in the name of blogging.

Lately, I'm taking the opportunity to wear every dress and shorts I've managed to unearth from my closet like every sane person living in the UK. Every week, we wait with bated breath to check the weather forecast for the following 7 days. Totally anal but hey, when you're deprived of something, you crave for it even more.

Being the lazy dresser that I am, I just dress my shorts up or down depending on what I'm doing for the day. I went a little crazy with amassing an enviable plain t-shirt collection in the colder months so I'm into statement tops now. Anything with details as long as it's black and not psychedelic looking. I'm still somewhat allergic to colors. My 3.1 Phillip Lim silk top has served me well over the last 5-6 years. More importantly, it makes me feel more ladylike than I actually am.

Regardless of my somewhat harsh reviews, I'm still enamored with most Isabel Marant Etoile clothes as they're just so practical and chic. The 100% linen top I'm wearing in the second photo was a good buy and gets plenty of wear. By the way, it's a LARGE (what the *£&@##!!!) and I usually wear US 2/4 or UK 8. If that doesn't make me feel a little fat.......!!

My new Panama hat stays firmly on my head because I've got enough freckles as it is despite slathering on SPF 70. Pfffft...!  (And eeeeeks! I only saw the gazillion bruises on my legs after the pictures were taken. Le sigh. I have the remarkable ability to walk into things. Always.)

**Happy Birthday & lots of kisses to Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. She's 41 years young! Thank you for selecting me as one of your 12 lammies. 

7 Essentials To Survive Summer

1  Chanel WOC /  2 Neutrogena sunscreen  /  3  Chanel sunglasses  /  4  Isabel Marant Etoile broderie anglaise top (similar here)  /  5  7 for all Mankind cutoffs  /  6  Hackett by Christys Panama hat (similar here)  /  7 Giuseppe Zanotti sandals (similar here)

 
For the first time in years and I'm talking about many MANY years, we're having a proper summer with sweltering heat and all. Everyone's too scared to complain despite the fact that some have visibly wilted under the hot sun. Who knows our good fortune may disappear in a blink of an eye?

I've lived in my shorts for the past 2 weeks. My meager collection of shorts totaled 4 but let's discount a pair because they appeared to have shrunk after spending several years of living in my drawers (doesn't that sound better than saying that I've "expanded sideways"?). The best solution without having to spend a single cent was to chop off the legs of a pair of boyfriend jeans that I don't wear as much. Et voilà my new cutoffs!

Once the heat goes up beyond 25˚C, I find it unbearable to wear anything other than clothes made of natural fiber. So far, I've stuck to wearing cotton voile, linen and silk.  These materials are more breathable and they don't stick to your body like glue. I'm still flabbergasted when I see clothes made of natural fiber cost as much as those made of synthetic materials and sometimes, much less.

I'm thrilled to have finally found a holy grail - an affordable handmade straw panama hat that fits my tiny head. It's from Hacketts but is actually made by Christys, an ancient and traditional English establishment. They're a lifesaver especially for a migraine sufferer like myself and tend to be sensitive to the sun. I'm a little biased being a hat addict and all but I think a well made straw (not paper) panama hat really elevates a casual outfit. What's your summer uniform?

Pass It Forward: 3 Malaysians

Mandy of Mandy Faith

Mandy is a 20 year old student from Malaysia who is currently studying in the UK. Despite being only 20, she has a legion of fans on her Instagram account (107,000 and counting). It's not surprising at all seeing that she has an incredible eye for composing beautiful pictures. The photos have an ethereal and dreamy feel to them which transport you to a fantasyland albeit for a few minutes.


Karen of Citrus and Candy

While Karen isn't technically a Malaysian, she was born in London to Malaysian Chinese parents and grew up in Australia. A long time ago, you have those who can cook and those who can photograph. These days, there are rare individuals like Karen who is self taught, cooks and bakes like a professional and photographs like a.....well, professional. Her blog is a gastronomic paradise for those of you who appreciate food.



Joyce of Kinky Blue Fairy

Recently, I was given a list of Malaysian blogs to read. I was hooked on Joyce's whose blog is like a personal journal documenting her trips and life. In fact, I later found out that Joyce is incredibly well known in Malaysia. To my surprise, we have a mutual friend whom I've known from the early days in New Zealand. It's a VERY small world indeed. Her posts are often funny and totally honest. No holds barred!

Why Asian parents are scarier than Western parents

Having straddled both the Asian and Western cultures for more than 20 years, it occurred to me that  parenting styles from both continents couldn't be more different. As you can tell, I'm speaking from an Asian perspective here. It doesn't matter how long you've immigrated to a western country (namely, U.S, U.K, Canada, Australia or New Zealand), it takes several generations to water down the deeply rooted Confucian philosophy. Cos they don't just sit on your epidermis, they're wrapped around every blood cell in your body.

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1. Kiasu-ism

If you're a westerner, you'd be like....what the fudge is she on about? Kiasu? Is that even a word? Okay, let me break it down to you. The word is a bastardization of the hokkien dialect (a southern chinese dialect) meaning afraid (kia) to lose (su). Used in a parenting context, it's called being a Tiger Mom (or Dad). Got it?

Like Confucianism, Kiasu-ism is also a genetic affliction that's prevalent in any Asian culture. It's incurable. It is not sexist nor ageist*. Kiasu-ism, however, is racist. The condition is widespread and extremely contagious particularly in Malaysia and Singapore. The Kiasu virus is deeply embedded in our Asian DNA. Let me give you a few examples to illustrate my point here.

Kiasu parents would:
- hire a tutor or send their kids to tuition to cover every subject in school so that they would be well versed before their teachers even got around to teaching the topic.
- force their kid to covertly find out their friends' (and friends of friends' and friends of friends of friends') grades or tutor's names (cos good tutors are more coveted and in demand than an Hermes Birkin).
- go to forums such as kiasuparents.com to find out everything there is to know to ensure your kid will be the next Jerry Yang, Lang Lang etc.
-NOT want their kid to miss out on anything. Therefore, their little child prodigy will have to learn how to play the piano, violin, ballet, tennis, badminton, squash, swimming, Mandarin, French......... at the same time.
- pretend to be humble but brag about their kid's achievement. (cue Singlish - Singaporean English or Manglish - Malaysian English here) My kid.... aaah... got A+ in everything. Music, some more got distinction. But no-lah, not very smart one. Very dumb.

*And a Kiasu grandparent would try to test their granddaughter's math ability via Skype if they're separated by several continents.



2. Severity of Punishment

Check out this scenario. You're a teenager. You sneak out of the house to hang out with your friends. Or perhaps catch a movie. Or secretly have a boyfriend and you're so in love that you want to spend every minute of the day with him. (Notice I didn't bother including smoking, drinking, smoking pot etc cos if you have Asian parents, that will spell doomsday. Armageddon. End of the world. Total annihilation. You get the picture.) So you got caught and your parents have to dish out the punishment.

Western parents: (trying to be calm but still frustrated)You're grounded. I'm so disappointed in you. What were you thinking? Your cellphone will be taken away for a week.
Asian parents: (anger personified and borderline Hiroshima scale explosion) You bring shame to our family! You are such a disappointment to us! I will disinherit you. I will lock you out of the house (and they will). You're grounded forever with NO access to phone, TV and computer unless it's for school.

Now if you're just a young kid, say, 6 years old. And you diss your parents.
Western parents: Now sweetheart, that wasn't very nice, was it? Please** show a little more respect. You've just lost a star on the reward chart.

Asian parents: Go to my room and bring me the cane.

**Asian parents NEVER say please or thank you to their kids.

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3. Having a relationship

This applies especially if you're a girl. An Asian parent would gladly buy a chastity belt for their daughter if it was still in existence. Every girl approaching puberty would have been given THE TALK by her parents. You know, the one about studies being of utmost importance to ensure a good future. There will be plenty of time for boyfriends later blah blah blah blah blah. Again, notice the fact that we're not broaching on the subject of pre-marital sex or "sleepovers" because that will ensure another round of total annihilation scenario.

But.....God forbid if YOU don't have a boyfriend at the ripe old age of 24. They fear you'll be on the shelf. Forever. A spinster. Their dreams of bouncing their next generation on their old knees completely decimated. Poof. So they enlist their friends' help to set you up with a guy (a boy with good prospect, good family and he even owns his own house!!).

Summer Days

Top photo by Lucian of Adrienne Photography, edited by me.

Living in a small and charming town in England particularly when there's plenty of sunshine feels a little like having a staycation. It reminds me of the hill towns of Tuscany and Umbria as well as the quaint villages in Provence that I'd explored years ago. It's a town where nearly everyone knows everyone. With a population of 99% white Caucasian, an Asian family that hailed from New Zealand stood out like a sore thumb, particularly when the 3 of us have very different accents and strange (to them, not me) colloquialism. (I strongly believe that pudding is a type of dessert and a cooked lunch is still called a lunch, not dinner. So there!).





In case you haven't noticed, this is the Extraordinary and Ectopic letter E standing in the middle of an ancient castle hall. Apparently, it's an Exciting project by the Hampshire County Council. My friend, Tara asked if I could photograph it for the HCC social media. Never have I seen so many sane women twittering about so excitedly about an ordinary looking letter. For a moment there, I thought I was being punk'd by Ashton Kutcher on MTV.

Dear Tara, I love you to bits but I won't be going to the Contemporary Art talk with you in this lifetime. Let's put it this way, how is it that Tracey Emin's dirty unmade bed be considered art??!







Anyways...... lately, the heat has rendered my brain useless so I took the opportunity to hang out with friends at various cafes (it's hard work but someone's gotta do it), packing our dinner and having it at the park (my kind of picnic), lazing indolently on any comfortable surfaces (inertia is a form of exercise) and catching up on my reading, exploring the markets and eating tons of quiche, salad and fruit.

We're still filming......the naive and gullible me thought it was going to be a simple project. I'm excited to see the finished product so hopefully, we could release the video by the mid to end summer.