Korres Thyme Honey Moisturising & Revitalising Mask

I have combination skin with an oily T zone but my cheeks, nose and chin have gotten very dehydrated. My skin started to flake rather badly during winter. I came across Korres Thyme Honey Moisturising & Revitalising Mask in Grazia magazine and decided to give it a try.  

I've been using it  for 6 months now and am thrilled with the results every time. The creamy consistency and the delightful honey fragrance is a pleasure to put on. My skin looks radiant and literally glow after using it.  A 40ml jar costs £15.75 and is available at Asos. Like all Korres products, it's made of all natural ingredients.

Aux Fils des Saisons, Paris

I hopped over to Paris on a quick overnight visit to meet up with a friend I haven't seen in years. Since we both live on opposite ends of the world, a get together is a near impossible feat to organize. It was a delightful reunion which we crammed in a spot of shopping, feasting and catching up.

S introduced me to the world of jewelry. Seven years ago, she dragged me on a whirlwind educational tour around the different jewelry stores in Hong Kong. Let's just say that I've developed a rather expensive taste in diamonds and Van Cleef & Arpels since. I've yet to invest in the latter but one day.......

I've read about Aux Fils des Saisons on Chocolate & Zucchini and after hearing more about it from my sister, I was determined to make my way there. I was relieved when S offered to book the restaurant for me. I've practised my Berlitz Learn French in One Day on a few hapless locals and was told very diplomatically that they can converse extremely well in English, thank you very much. Oops.

We found out that the restaurant has been under new management for approximately a month. The new owner whose name I've completely forgotten could not be more friendly and patient with this group of tourists who barely managed to piece a sentence in French.



For starters, I had foie gras. It was creamy and oh so tasty. I scarfed down the whole lot and would have asked for seconds if I didn't have the main dish coming.



S had tomatoes layered with soft cheese.



E had the honeydew melon with Iberian prosciutto



I couldn't believe the size of my meal when the mains arrived. However, the sea bass was fresh fresh FRESH. It was delicately flavored with buttered rice. The owner told me that he goes to the market early in the morning and buys 3-4 kgs of fish each day, most of which were caught the night before or on the same day. Although it would've kept his overhead a little lower if he freezes the fish but he is determined to use only fresh seasonal ingredients.



My dessert was pineapple with cream and nougat. Delicious but I was seriously stuffed beyond words.



The food and service were exceptional. I won't hesitate to eat at Aux Fils des Saisons again. Here's the contact details:

6 rue des Fontaines du Temple
75003 Paris
01 42 74 16 60
M° Temple ou Arts-et-Métier

I can't resist taking photos of the window display at Laduree at their Madeleine tearoom. I didn't stop to have a quick bite as I was hurrying to complete my errands. Longchamp les Pliages for mommy dearest and Repetto flats for me. Check.





Since I'm such a foodie, I just HAVE to step into Fauchon. I bought a jar of goose foie gras and pork terrine. The first was scrumptious and the second, bleh. It smelt and tasted like dog food (yes, I've tried my old dog's canned food). On the other hand, their dessert are like work of art.

Living in the UK

I was flipping through The Sunday Telegraph on Sunday (25 July 2010) and came across an interesting story about refugees in the UK. One particular interview caught my attention. Here's an excerpt from the article. Please excuse the grainy photo as it was taken with my iPhone.

"Gillian Slovo 58, was born in South Africa, the daughter of Joe Slovo and Ruth First, two pioneering white South African anti-apartheid activists. The family fled to london in 1964 and she has lived here ever since. Slovo, a writer, has a daughter and lives in London. 


........ too rude, not nuanced enough for the British. Class was also an enigma as I came from a country riven by race, not class and I found the class issue impossible terrain to comprehend. 


But as the years have gone by I have become more and more comfortable in Britain, while the South Africa I knew has changed so much. It has of course changed for the better, but, nevertheless today to me - of course - it is far less familiar, and it is now over there, not here, that I feel like a foreigner".

It was a startling revelation to read a succinct description of an experience similar to mine. In Malaysia, people are more direct and likely to dispense of social niceties. They don't regard it intrusive to ask extremely personal questions especially topics regarding finances (how much do you make? How much are you paying for your mortgage/rent). You also rarely hear people asking "may I have a cup of coffee please" at eating places. It would be "one coffee".

A couple of English friends very patiently explained the nuances of the class system. Not long ago, a kind gentleman from my local drycleaner offered to drive me to his tailor to correct an alteration. He spoke at length about his working class background and seemed resigned to his fate. It still is a mystery to me especially coming from countries like New Zealand and Borneo where the diferences lie in wealth. Those who have it and those who don't. And of course, your skin color. This will ensure whether you get a place in the university, a job, better treatment at government agencies and so forth. On one of my last visits back to Borneo, I was stunned into speechlessness when I saw an advertisement for a TV reporter flashed across the screen with a caption, "Chinese, Indians and non Bumiputeras (non native) need not apply".

Needless to say, after spending more than half my life abroad, I feel like a foreigner in my country of birth. The only saving grace is I still speak the dialects.

Bath, Somerset Part 2

We wandered through streets admiring the imposing Georgian architecture. Given that most houses are particularly small in my pocket of South of England, I'm envious of those who live in these spatial villas.





Bath was packed to the gills during the day with tourists from the European and Asian continent. I decided to give the Roman Baths a miss till later in the day when the crowd has abated somewhat. Since L always (and I do mean ALWAYS) gets hungry at 12 noon on the dot, we frantically searched for a cafe. We found a cafe which offered free range and organic sandwiches and cakes near Bath Abbey.


Steve wasn't impressed with his smoked salmon panini, the vegetarian Fritata was surprisingly moist. The salad, on the other hand consisted of wilted spinach leaves and ghastly raw grated beetroot. A vinaigrette would've made it slightly more palatable but we weren't offered any.


The Belgian brownie was rather bland. The chocolate brownie I made from a recipe I got from BBC Good Foods won hands down. However, I have to add that the service is top notch.


I adore the glass chandelier dangling from the ceiling.


The striking Pulteney bridge which crosses the Avon River was completed in 1773. It is not dissimilar to Ponte Vecchio which would've influenced Pulteney.


One of the shops which can be found on the bridge sells dollhouses and miniature accessories. I couldn't stop myself from gaping and peering through the glass display window.


Check out the attention to detail especially the ornate design on the chair and table set.




How amazing are these rocking horses?


I absolutely adore these life-like dolls displayed in an interior design shop.



We stopped by Cheese Gourmand for a spot of tea and a light meal. I tried their courgette soup which was rather delicious. Meanwhile, L had her miniature ice-cream which was enough to satiate her sweet craving. They have an impressive array of cured meats and cheeses which I'm planning to try on our next trip back to Bath.




We decided to re-trace our way back to the Roman Baths. Thankfully, the town was almost emptied out of tourists and the baths were a breeze to navigate.


On our way to the main entrance of Roman Baths


Bath Abbey in the background






Bath Abbey







And of course, no tourist attraction site is complete without a few buskers

A little jaunt to Bath, Somerset Part 1

We've been here slightly over 2 years now and I'm embarrased to say that we've only covered as far as Avebury and Stonehenge. We have visited Paris twice, Tuscany and Crete once, not to mention Borneo and Singapore which are 12 hours away by plane. Yet, we make little effort to explore the UK.

Since it was Steve's birthday on Saturday, I figured we need to make it a trip to remember. I know little about Bath other than the fact that the Romans used to enjoy the thermal waters here a thousand years ago. Oh, and from my favorite romance novels which described the aristocrats who'd make their way to Bath to heal any aches and pains in the 19th century.


As the train approached Bath Spa station, I caught sight of a meandering river flowing through the valley, the green rolling hills, pastures with livestock and the beautiful Bath stone villas and manors spotted along the countryside. The scenery on the way to Bath, Bradford-on-Avon in particular is stunning. Ominous clouds threatened to spoil the day but thankfully, it didn't rain.


Bath Spa train station


Beautiful manors built in Bath stone which gave it a warm honey glow.

Since it was only a day trip, we didn't try to rush through all the tourist attraction sites but simply soak and absorb the essence of the city. Bath is, singlehandedly the most beautiful city I've ever visited. We followed the crowds and walked through Southgate, Bath's newest and biggest shopping centre. Steve couldn't resist going into the Apple store to check out the iPad.


Southgate, Bath's newest and biggest shopping centre.

A pride of 95 out of 100 lion sculptures are distributed and placed throughout the city to raise funds for various charities. Each lion is unique and decorated by a different artist. We spotted quite a few.....


Our first lion


Our second by the Roman Bath


We explored the city on foot

and admired the arresting architecture of Bath. Truly magnificent!









A chemist which started its humble beginnings in 1826. I struggle to find any businesses older than a hundred years old in New Zealand.


Take a look at this beautifully painted canal boat (or otherwise known as narrow boat and house boat).  Imagine living in one of these. Love it! The Avon River divides Bathwick from the town centre. There are many rivers in England called Avon. I understand its origin is afon, a Welsh word meaning river (f is pronounced v in Welsh). Well, we have an Avon River that flows through the city of Christchurch in New Zealand. In fact, the Canterbury plains back home is similar to the one in the old world (UK).




Parade Gardens where there were floral displays. Non Bath residents are charged £1! Being a cheapskate, I just took a photo and left.


Checking out cricket in the Recreation Grounds


Temperance fountain by Bath Abbey


To be continued........