Butternut Squash Soup

Little L and her frend, Little M have been belt out this Wibble Wobble song. Just in case you haven't heard it, it goes like this:

Jelly on a plate
Jelly on a plate
Wibble wobble wibble wobble
Jelly on a plate
 
You're probably wondering where I'm going with this. This is the current state of my chin and muffin top. So this is also when baking screeches to a halt. No more of that divine chocolate brownies or scrumptious raspberry cake. It's back to a liquid diet albeit one made with a teensy sprinkling (it's a reverse psychology term) of butter and semi-skimmed milk (I feel a little thinner already).

Lately, I've developed a mild obsession with butternut squash (doesn't the color remind you of the orange Hermes box?). Anyone who had the misfortune of coming over for a cup of coffee would have bowls of different variations of the butternut squash soup shoved down their throat. After playing around with different ingredients, I concede that simple is always the best. Here's my version:

1 butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
1 sweet potato (peeled and cubed)
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
40gm of butter
milk
sea salt
freshly ground pepper

1. Fry the onion and garlic with butter until fragrant but make sure it doesn't brown.
2. Dump the butternut squash and sweet potato. Fill the pot with a couple glasses of water, just enough to cover the vegetables and boil until you can mash them easily with a fork. Pour 1-2 cups of milk depending on how creamy you'd like it to be. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Puree with a blender.
4. Voila, now you can eat. If you feel particularly naughty, place a huge piece of bread right next to the soup bowl. Go on, you can always diet tomorrow (that's my favorite line).

Canon 50mm f1.8 lens

I'm a gadget junkie to a certain degree. I'm not one to upgrade whenever the new version appears on the market. That said, I'm only on a look-out if I have to fill a need. I've had my eye on this Canon 50mm prime lens for quite sometime. My first attempt at trying out this lens was 5 years ago and after a couple of blurry shots, I got rid of it in a hurry.

Canon 50mm f1.8 Lens available at Amazon £83.95

I've been searching for a smaller but an equally sharp lens to my current workhorse, Canon 17-55mm IS. I've spent the last few months reading every online review there is out there and checking out hundreds of photos on Flickr just to confirm that this lens actually does live up to its reputation.  I'd like to think that I'm thorough but my close friends prefer the term anal. Grrrrr...... There IS such a thing as being TOO honest.

This prime lens is cheap, made out of plastic which some have an aversion to, fast and purports to be super sharp from f5.6 upwards. I actually like the plastic casing (which I'm sure kept the price low) because lugging around my monstrous aluminium lens is starting to be a pain. Literally. This is light, small, takes super sharp photos and what's more, it fits into my handbags. You didn't think I was going to walk around in a Crumpet or LowePro camera bag, did you?

I tried it out recently and was amazed at the results. The photos were as sharp as my expensive Canon 17-55mm IS lens.

The Ultimate Chocolate Brownies

I've been dreaming about chocolate lately. After gorging an entire bar of Green & Black butterscotch chocolate in one night, I felt decidedly guilty. Well, not guilty enough to stop myself from whipping up a batch of chocolate brownies but a tinge of conscience made me reduce the amount of sugar and eschew the extra milk and white chocolate bits that I'm suppose to toss in. I often find myself tweaking recipes to suit my taste as I can't stand overly sweet dessert. I find that most recipes use far too much sugar which is totally unnecessary unless it's to mask the lack of flavor.

I've posted a recipe for chocolate cranberry brownies previously which has a more fudge like texture. I'm particularly pleased with the batch I made today. It's incredibly simple, straightforward and the result is divine. Just make sure you let the brownies cool down for at least 10-15 minutes after you've taken the tray out of the oven or else it will crumble into smithereens the minute you cut into it. I served this warm to my friends who came over for dinner and it worked a treat. Please excuse the wonky shot of the brownie. By the time I got around to photograph it, there was only a single slice left. Click here to see the recipe.

Objects of desire

I've got a list longer than my arm of all the things I desire. Here's my top 3 for now. Unfortunately, I have an expensive taste so these come with an exorbitant price tag. I call "investments" (ok, I'm sensible to understand that we're not talking about bonds, shares or properties etc here) as they are timeless classics and will never date.

1. Rick Owens Leather Biker Jacket

Until I've tried on a Rick Owens leather jacket recently, I've never understood why many eulogize and extol the virtues of a piece of clothing. I mean, for heaven's sake, it's just a leather jacket. Well....until I tried one on. It was like ahhhh..... revelation. I've never worn a leather jacket which fits so perfectly on my shoulders AND waist. I look like I have an amazing figure. Anything that hides all the wobbly bits and accentuate the positive gets my vote. When worn unzipped, the cascading lapels fall beautifully to the side changing the look of the jacket completely. The cut and tailoring are infinitely impeccable. Rick Owens is a genius! This jacket is way up on my wish list.

Rick Owens Blistered Leather Jacket from LuisaViaRoma £1029.60

2. Burberry Short Double Breasted Trench Coat

I've worn my black trench coat which I picked up from the back streets of Hong Kong to bits. I bought it so many years ago for a measly £30 and it holds up unbelievably well. What I don't have is a beige or taupe trench coat. I picked up one from Debenhams Petite range but hubby loathed the sight of it. The Zara version with puff sleeves didn't hold up too well. I've been eyeing a Burberry trench coat for the longest time. I tried one on not too long ago and it was love at first sight. I need this for spring!

Burberry Short Double Breasted trench coat £695

3. Isabel Marant Dicker Boots

I've come to the realization that the real McCoy's the best. I've purchased the Topshop ankle boots but the fit isn't all that fantastic on my tiny narrow feet. It pains me to say this but sometimes one just has to spend the money to get the best without resorting to the cheaper alternative. I can only hope these boots come in my size.

Isabel Marant Dicker Boots £345from Ruby & Tallulah

Birthday parties

There has been a never ending parade of birthday parties lately. A friend asked if I could help to take photos at her daughter's birthday party. Since Little L will be attending the party anyway, I readily agreed. Both the kids and adults collapsed with exhaustion after the party - for different reasons of course! Here are some images from the party.

The birthday girl. Her mom was so taken with Little L's pettiskirt, she went out and bought the same. Little LY hasn't stopped twirling since.

This is what you get from eating blue frosting!

How do you get the balloon to stick to your hair without resorting to glue or chewing gum?

Roast Loin of Pork

I'm always on a look-out for simple but rave-worthy recipes. Although I love cooking, I don't fancy slaving away in the kitchen all day. I also believe in shortcuts to make my life easier. These days, entertaining a family or two in my apartment is easy. I stick to crowd pleasing recipes which doesn't require much preparation nor use every pot and pan in the kitchen.

I found this recipe in Silver Spoon, one of the best Italian cookbooks there is. Hubby found the book at a charity shop for only £5. If I wanted to sound fancy, I'd say Arista Al Forno or otherwise known as Roast Loin of Pork. The last time I made the dish, Little L and her friends licked their plates clean which itself is a high compliment indeed. My friend and hubby raved about the dish for days. I replaced the white wine with dry sherry as it was the only alcoholic drink I've got in the kitchen and it was perfectly fine. I love rosemary and threw in 3-4 sprigs instead of 1. Instead of cannellini beans, I've served the pork with fried potatoes. Basically, cut potatoes (I prefer Queen Charlotte) into small cubes, and fry with a knob of butter and season with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and thyme (if you have some).

Buon Appetito!

Roast Loin of Pork
Serves 6

Ingredients:
25g butter
3 tbsps olive oil
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1kg hind loin of pork, chined
175ml dry white wine
4-5 tablespoons hot milk
salt and pepper
boiled Tuscan or cannellini beans to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas Mark 4. Heat the butter, oil and rosemary in an oval roasting tin, add pork and cook, turning frequently for 5-10 minutes until browned all over.

2. Add the wine and cook until it was evaporated, then season with salt and pepper.

3. Transfer to the oven and roast, turning occasionally and basting with hot milk for 1 hour or until cooked through.

4. Remove the pork from oven and leave to stand for 10 minutes, then carve. Serve with a side dish of boiled Tuscan or cannellini beans seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

Zadig & Voltaire VIP sale

It's no state secret that I love Zadig et Voltaire. I don't, however, love their exorbitant price tag. While I may like their downtown edgy chic designs, the quality of their clothes are not often on par with their price which is why I tend to stock up during their VIP sales. Some of the clothes are reduced by 45-65%. Just register as a VIP customer and you'll be away laughing. Click here to be taken straight to their VIP sale. For those outside of the UK, just change the country of your residence on the drop down menu.

I've purchased a couple of things for myself and a gift for my mom from my sister in law.

Tunic Tricia Star £110 now £50

My friend, lauraloo mentioned her new craze for polka dots so I felt compelled to get one. Not that she twisted my arm but she's got amazing taste.

Dress Nosfo Bis £165.13 now £45

Now's a great time to stock up on sweater dresses at this price. I know it's cool these days to slap skulls on bags, clothes, scarves etc but seriously, they scare the crap out of me. Have I ever mentioned that a friend once dragged me to watch Scary Movie (it's so funny, M! Not scary at all. Trust ME) and I hid behind my jacket for an hour and a half.  I was NOT amused. This sweater dress has the word Imagine on the back which I thought was kinda sweet.

Oreade Cardigan £125 now £62

What's inside my Birkin?

Whenever I'm in the vicinity of Knightsbridge or Chelsea Kensington, bags like Hermes Birkins and Kellys are a dime a dozen. Once I was so busy admiring aa stunning crocodile Birkin, I nearly walk right into a lamp post. I'm stereotyping here but the general consensus is that the owners of these bags are usually beautifully dressed and look so polished. And then there's me. *cough*

There are a lot of threads on The Purse Forum where members post photos of their rainbow colored accessories inside their Birkins. I have no shame so I'm willing to admit that I've spent countless hours gawking at the lovely photos when I could've been more productive in other pursuits (cleaning the toilet, vaccuming, replying emails, work).

This is my one and only Birkin, a custom order because I wanted my first Hermes bag to be "special". Not only did the guys at Hermes thought I was crazy to order something in goatskin when they were having difficulty in sourcing the leather, I wanted a color which was what they deemed as a "limited edition". This is a 'before' photo when my Birkin still managed to look almost dignified.

You know, in most cases, the 'after' shot is always where one gasps at the amazing transformation after a makeover. In my case, it's the opposite.

Raspberry & Blueberry Lemon Drizzle Cake

Little L who's never ever without an opinion announced that she's sick of icing coated confectionery and cakes.  I'm over the whole cupcake craze. The thought of sinking my teeth into a boatload of butter and icing sugar makes me shudder. I've been having a craving for a light fruity cake and this recipe hits all the right notes. The texture is light, fluffy and incredibly moist. The tarty raspberries compliments the subtle lemon drizzle perfectly.

Instead of making one large cake, I've decided to split the batter into two tins. As you know by now, I hardly ever follow recipes word for word. I've substituted lime with lemon as that's what I've got in the kitchen and as always, I've reduced the amount of sugar. Hubby who normally eschews anything sweet loved it.

There's a small French community here and I'm an honorary member. In fact, I'm the ONLY person in the group that's not a native speaker. I've really got to expand my vocabulary and improve my accent because it's getting a tad embarrassing. At this present moment, the only words I can pronounce are Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Comptoir des Cotonniers, Petit Bateau, Lanvin, Jean-Paul Gaultier, cheval (because most Hermes scarves have an equestrian theme), croissant, bonjour, merci beaucoup, un café s'il vous plaît and Où est Pierre Herme? (where is Pierre Herme). My various attempts at the language on my visits to Paris have been thwarted by very diplomatic locals who very kindly informed me that they could speak English very well indeed.  A couple of French friends came over for a visit. The raspberry and blueberry lemon drizzle cake went down nicely with a cup of tea. Tif brought a batch of macarons that she just whipped up with whatever she had in the pantry and they were divine!

Mid heels

I've noticed after hours and hours of trawling through every imaginable websites that most, if not all shoe designers tend to concentrate on either insanely high heels which will otherwise be known as skyscrapers or the other end of the scale, flats. There's little choice in between for those who still want to look like we have legs to our armpits without tittering down the street as if we're walking on a tightrope. I distinctively remember one short season of the kitten heels rage before it disappeared. Whilst I enjoy looking at amazing photos of editors, models and celebrities wearing the latest gobsmackingly awe-inspiring skyscrapers (ahem, heels) to the fashion shows, they're simply impractical for everyday wear.

SPLURGE

Givenchy Woven Heels £514

This mouthwatering eye candy from Givenchy is on my wish list. Alas, they're not cheap. At £514, they make Christian Louboutin Simple heels which are priced at £340 seem so very cheap.

Givenchy Woven Leather Sandal USD $650 from Bergdorf Goodman

I'm so in love with this pair of Givenchys. I'm already imagining how they will work out with my outfits!

Marni Wedges from Net-a-porter £335

SAVE

Zara Studded Sandals £59.99

These are certainly easier on the pocket. The colors are neutral enough to work with almost anything in my wardrobe.

Zara Strappy Sandal £49.99

Zara Medium heeled sandals with Broad straps £79.99

Topshop Ole Taupe Crossover Sandals £60

Online shopping

My cantakerous mailman was even more grouchy than usual after staggering up the stairs with arms piled high with packages. One in particular, contained 8 hardcover books. When I opened the door, I received a glare and an electronic device was shoved at my face. He uttered only one word - SIGN, dumped the packages and stomped off.  I was so relieved to receive the packages that his PMS-like behavior didn't faze me at all.

I've been doing more online shopping than usual. There's Little L's birthday followed by 5 other friends'. Furthermore, she had a growth spurt which meant shoes and clothes were bursting at seams. I didn't realize how difficult it was trying to find what I call, an in between season coat. Her thick puffy coat still fits but she's roasting in it. The remaining spring and summer coats from previous year are too thin that she's complaining of being cold.

After giving a bag of clothes to my niece and selling off or donating the rest of her old clothes, we're left with two half empty drawers. Now that she's in school uniform for most of the week, I'm reluctant to shell out too much money for clothes. Some of the dresses still have tags on them. After scouring around for a coat, I found one that hopefully, fits the bill.

Barbour Navy Quilted Coat from Childrensalon.com £37.95

Little L's tights are so ill-fitting that they slip down her butt as she walk. Wouldn't it be great if there's a device that could give a pre-warning alarm - your child will be having a growth spurt on xx/xx/xx. Please ensure you buy the next size up. I found these fantastic Falke tights for only £3.50 at miniwardrobe.com instead of their usual £11.50.

Photo credit: miniwardrobe.com

A few friends looked startled but most, if not all were very encouraging when I announced last year, that Little L must earn her toys. She has 8 medium sized Ikea Trofast containers in her room for her toys. ALL her toys must fit into them or else they had to go.

Photo credit: Ikea.co.uk

She had decided that she'd like pink Lego. I agreed as she has outgrown her Lego Duplos. However, there's only one caveat, she must sell her Duplos in order to purchase her new pink set. She readily agreed and we did just that. It took 2 weeks to offload it on eBay but when her new Lego set arrived, she was beyond thrilled and hasn't stopped playing with it since. She has accepted that deferring gratification is a done deal in her household.

I believe financial literacy is one of life's most important lessons. Deferred gratification is equally important as these days credit card debt is virulent in our society. I remembered studying about the Standford Marshmallow experiment in my university days which is one of the few things that I can recall from my otherwise useless degree.

I've decided that this year, I will purchase books instead of gifts for birthday presents instead. Correct me if I'm wrong but kids these days have more toys than they actually need. Little L and her friends have toys stuffed into every corner and nook of their homes. In fact, if kids were left with little or no toys, they become extremely creative and are able to make do with what they can find. A perfect example would be at Little L's birthday party when they were allowed to play at the manor's grounds. There were no toys, just plain ol' grass and trees yet they had the time of their lives. I've just discovered these marvellous Usborne books which I adore. Since we'll be heading off to Turkey soon, I thought this book "See Inside Famous Buildings" will be relevant. We plan to visit the Blue Mosque in Istanbul but a prior background study will make the place more interesting when we get there.

Photo credit: Amazon

I admit I got a little carried away. I've always loved history. I think my goddaughter and Little L are old enough to appreciate it too and the pretty illustration makes it even more fascinating.

Usborne Mini History Encyclopedia £4.49

Since Little L's forever drawing and doodling, this might give her a few ideas. I'm rubbish at drawing so I'm no help at all.

Usborne 365 Things to Draw and Paint £8.17

Special gifts

I'm always touched and ever so grateful when someone takes the time to acknowledge a kind gesture or write that they've enjoyed my blog or photos. I was delighted to receive these gifts from my 5 and 7 year old godchildren who spent hours painstakingly assembling them for me. Despite extreme care was taken during packing and unpacking, bits still fell off but I love them just the same knowing that they were made with love.



My incredibly intelligent (yes, I'm biased!) 3 year old niece spent the morning writing and drawing this adorable birthday card for Little L. She was so proud of her cousin's work of art that every guest to our apartment was subjected to a full frontal assault by the card and only allowed to enter once  appreciative words were uttered.



My sister in law also shipped her holy grail over, a box of My Little Pony set which she has been hankering for a while but that was soon forgotten when she saw the necklace her little cousin made for her. She couldn't wait to call Little E to thank her for the "bestest present in the world".




My post is a little disjointed today and for that, I apologize. Lately,  I've been feeling more nervous and on edge. My eyes are peeled on the screen all day long trying to get the latest news. One can't help but be affected by the occurrence of a string of catastrophic natural disasters which culminated in the escalating mayhem in northern Japan. I feel so helpless sitting here but the least I can do is make a donation to the Red Cross.

Accessorizing: From day to night

I must chime my favorite motto here which is comfy casual. I believe I've suffered enough in the name of beauty in my 20s and early 30s wearing heels that managed to strip a couple of inches of skin off my feet to waistbands digging into my stomach. My outfits have to reflect my life as a mom from running after Little L and her friends during the day to dragging grocery bags up the hill and stairs to my apartment.

There are days when I don't't have time to change for an evening night out with the girls nor have the energy to contemplate what to wear. All it takes is a quick swap of accessories and I'm good to go.

Here's my blank canvas consisting of a Petit Bateau long sleeved jersey t-shirt and Velvet Graham & Spencer for Uniqlo harem pants. They're both incredibly comfortable and surprisingly flattering. The black separates help elongate my petite frame and give me a slim silhouette. The harem pants is my favorite thing to wear when I'm on long haul flights and do not fancy the idea of denim or leggings.

Outfit: Petit Bateau long sleeved jersey t-shirt and Velvet Graham & Spencer for Uniqlo harem pants, Ted Baker Roark leather jacket, Louis Vuitton Leopard stole, Repetto flats and Hermes Bolide 31cm.

Outfit: Petit Bateau long sleeved jersey t-shirt and Velvet Graham & Spencer for Uniqlo harem pants, Ted Baker Roark leather jacket, Zara slingbacks, Hermes Lena Horn necklace and Chanel Timeless clutch.

One of my most worn and all time favorite necklace, Hermes Lena which is entirely handmade from buffalo horn by artisans in Vietnam.

I'm in need of a good and decent clutch. This Chanel Timeless clutch in caviar leather fits the bill perfectly. I've managed to pack (don't laugh) chicken nuggets and fries for Little L, credit and debit cards, cash, iPhone, tissues, keys with space to spare.

Thailand's Got Talent

I'm a HUGE fan of Britain's Got Talent but this truly blew me away! See for yourself.

Feeling the blues

One of my favorite pastimes is checking out online stores and then putting all these amazing things into my basket but never checking out. Don't tell me you don't do the same either. I tell myself I'm "saving" money but sometimes the temptation is just too great. This is a calorie laden pastime because I'll also be munching crisps (well, I try to go for the unsalted Tyrell variety) and downing glass after glass of Appletizer (as opposed to Coca Cola as there's no added sugar. Okay I'm rationalizing here to reduce more guilt).

My all time favorite color is blue. In every shade. Needless to say, I'm automatically drawn to clothes in this color.

Odd Molly Remix Vintage Top from Coggles £95

Valley Breeze tunic from Anthropologie £88

 Isabel Marant Nabala dress £210 now £105

 Anthropologie Bright Future Top £58

 Anthropologie Effortlessly Charmed Maxi Dress £188