My Current Favorites

Clockwise: Chanel WOC (similar, get 10% off with code APRILFLASH), Wedgwood teacup set, a rose, Hotel Chocolat caramel & sea salt chocolates, Monica Vinader Riva diamond bracelet, Hermes scarf, Geodesis candle.

Thank you, ladies for all your tips and suggestions. Keep them coming! I'll be hitting the make up counters over the next few days armed with a list of your recommendations. Needless to say, I'm rather clueless about beauty products so all your comments have been particularly helpful. Merci!

It took me over a year to find a caviar Chanel WOC but this durable leather makes it worry free when I'm out and about, in rain or sunshine. (BTW, I once purchased an old and sad looking Chanel caviar bag and restored it to near new condition. That's how fabulous the leather is). I'm rather obsessed with Wedgwood teacup and saucer sets these days. This one's made in England and is dainty and pretty, the anti-thesis of my tomboy self.

Suffice to say, I'm hooked on anything that has the label "salted butter caramel" including these chocolates from Hotel Chocolat. A close friend of mine brought over a large bouquet of roses. They're in full bloom more than a week later. A huge thank you to Monica Vinader for gifting me with something on my wish list. I've been collecting Hermes scarves for a while, particularly ones with an Oriental theme. I hope to frame this "Ballade de Heian" someday. By the way, this is Natsuno Hidaka, the artist's illustration of the life in the Heian dynasty in Japan from 794 to 1185 A.D.

Now that I've shared my current favorites, what are yours? (um...yes....I'm pretty nosy about these things)

Foundations - what's working for you?

Foundation.....I'm talking about the stuff that goes on your face. Nothing to do with buildings or anything remotely intellectual. But the hunt for a good foundation is the bane of my life at the moment. After watching 6 Lisa Eldrige videos on choosing the right foundations in one seating, I realized I did EVERYTHING wrong. Let's break it down.
1) buying from online sites without trying it on. #MajorFail.
2) trying it on at the beauty counter under artificial lighting. #AnotherFail. Little wonder why my super expensive Chanel Aqua vitalumiere liquid foundation looked a shade darker when I brought my little bottle home.
3) did not get a sample and trying it at home. #UltimateFail

So far, I have tons of mistakes in my bathroom with various near full bottles of foundations that are a shade darker/lighter, horrible consistency....etc. In fact, last week, I decided to perch my patootie on stool at the Chanel counter while the moody make up artist worked on my face. Result? I may have a future being a geisha.

This obsessive compulsion came out of nowhere as I rarely wear foundation. Don't get me started on a primer cos that ain't gonna happen seeing that I can't even get the foundation of my make up routine right (pun definitely intended). After spending decades (4 to be exact) sleeping on one side, it's not surprising that one side of my face has pores the size of mini craters while the other look fairly decent. I was hoping a good foundation would at least fill up the trenches and give me a dewy AND even complexion.

What's your favorite foundation? What's working for you now? Or is it unnecessary? Anyone?? Help???

An Afternoon At Monica Vinader

It's pretty obvious that I've been enamored with Monica Vinader jewelry for several months now, evidenced by photos of her bracelets on many of my collages. I don't own stacks of jewelry myself. Actually, most of them are simple pieces which hold a lot of sentimental value. Take the tennis bracelet for example, which was custom made for me (I wanted conflict-free diamonds) just after Lil L was born. I would love to pass it to Lil L one day.......along with that infamous Hermes Birkin which some of you suggested that I use as a vase (I thought is a brilliant idea!)(It's also an important lesson not to get caught up in buying expensive IT bags).

There's also the rather unique flower shaped Tiffany & Co ring that my husband bought more than 15 years ago. And the small diamond cross pendant I'd purchased in Hong Kong under my friend S's tutelage (who is a jewelry guru/oracle and has an encyclopedic knowledge about the subject matter). That was nearly a decade ago. Before we had kids, wrinkles or grey hair. When we were carefree.....and didn't have to worry about nappies, schools.........

Sorry....I tend to go off on a tangent. A month ago, I received an email from the lovely ladies at Monica Vinader asking if I would be interested in seeing their jewelry up close and perhaps learn a little more about them. What?! Have someone else look after my kid ALL day while I fondle jewelry? Are you kidding me???? Heck, yeah! So off to London I went. Let me just say.....it was no hardship trying on lots and lots and lots of bracelets, necklaces....and diamonds. I LOVE the idea of stacking one pendant over another which I've done on several occasions but never with more colorful and conspicuous pieces.

Thank you to the staff at Monica Vinader South Molton Street and head office for the warm hospitality. I was gifted a diamond riva bracelet though I was under NO obligation to write nor speak about it. The Riva collection is apparently a big favorite of Kate Winslett who has worn numerous Monica Vinader pieces.

2 Essential Beauty Products

These Bioderma Créaline cleansers require no introduction whatsoever. They're purported to be in every make up artist's bag and heralded to be the best cleanser humankind has ever created. The latter is a massive exaggeration on my part but after using it for 5 months or so, I'm a true convert. I'm no make up/skincare junkie but after being frustrated with one cleanser after another, I feel like I've hit the jackpot with these. It removes every bit of make up from my face without stripping my skin of its oil (or what's left of it).

In an attempt to take as many shortcuts as possible......I don't bother with a toner nor make up remover because it does the trick. The Bioderma Crealine cleansing water is inexpensive and lasts forever but it's even cheaper at the Parapharmacie outlets dotted all over France. I think I paid just over €15 for two 500ml bottles. I was with a couple of friends who after seeing my rather enthusiastic verbal feedback, also bought several bottles each. Yup, I lugged two large bottles of Bioderma Créaline back in my suitcase.

They're rather expensive outside of France so if you can, bribe a friend who's heading off to France to nab some for you. Failing that, the cheapest place to get your hands on these is Garden who's running a promotion on their dehydrated skin range (buy 1 bottle of 250ml and get another free). Your other option is Escentual or eBay.

I have several packs of these Simple cleansing wipes in my bathroom at any given time. *Ahem* I don't use them on my face *blush* but rather............my bags. I've managed to remove color transfer (I was wearing black skinny jeans) on my red lambskin Chanel purse. Using a cleansing wipe, I gently dabbed across the back of my Chanel WOC and it lifted all the dye transfer without damaging the leather. The lambskin is rather fragile and after a few costly mistakes on lighter colored lambskin Chanel bags, I've stopped using leather cleaner as they leave a permanent mark. With any dye transfers, do get on to it as quickly as possible. I cleaned mine 24 hours later.

Secondly, not all cleansing wipes are created equal. These ones from Simple are fragrance and alcohol free. I've been cleaning Hermes and Chanel bags including my clients' for a decade now. You can revive a Chanel caviar bags quite easily using these wipes but do test on a small corner of the bag if you're attempting to clean a light colored bag.

The wipes don't work as well if you're trying to clean uncoated cowhide leather on Louis Vuitton bags. You're better off using a white eraser to rub off any dirt marks. Do share your tips on cleaning bags if you have any.

What fits in a Chanel WOC?

A lovely reader wants to know what fits inside a Chanel Wallet on Chain (WOC). Erm....not much if you have a mega-sized phone like mine. If I'm out and about all day, I always bring along the battery charger which unfortunately is rather bulky. There's the usual stuff that I tend to bring - the Oyster card, Network Railcard, debit and credit cards as well as some cash. Ooops. Totally forgot to photograph my keys but just visualize it in the collage.

There's a side pocket on the flip side of the flap which has a very deep pocket. When I'm traveling, I tend to stuff a few notes and a back-up bank card just in case I have the misfortune of being nicked by a pickpocket. You can slip two passports down the same pocket with ease. On the other hand, if you forego the battery charger and own a smaller smartphone, there's space for a lipstick, tissues and mints.

A quick detour to Romsey, Hampshire

This particular Easter holiday has been longer than the usual school term break. Translation for non parents: the kids have a higher than average chance of turning into rabid and feral animals. The solution is to unload these creatures into a large park and let them run and run and run and run and run until they drop from exhaustion. Literally.

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens cover 180 acres of land and enough variety of plants to send a keen gardener into raptures. I'm a convicted plant murderer so thanks to my friend Tara, I now know how to pronounce rho-do-den-dron. Just in case you're as clueless as I am.......I took a photo (the pink mass of blossoms) to remind myself of what they look like. As for the kids, there's a wobbly bridge, a treehouse that doubles as a slide and plenty of space to do infinite number of cartwheels.

I made Tara, aka driver aka friend screech to a halt by the side of the road so I could dash into a rapeseed field just as the sun was setting. And......promptly walked into a bush of stinging nettles. Pfffft. I tried rubbing dock leaves onto my bare ankles to neutralize the stings but what really stopped the welts from developing further (and take away the frigging pain) was the incredible paw paw ointment. This wonder drug has been a lifesaver on numerous occasions. The things we (or rather I) go through just to take a photo.

Eating & Exploring Paris

We're back for a few days now and trying to detox by holding off sweets for at least a week. I caved in after 48 hours.  Pffffftttttt........ 10 days flew past in a blink of an eye. I know I've said it before but I'm beyond grateful for the friendships that have developed from the blogging community. I've been to Paris 7 times before but our experience was enriched by the people we'd met, namely, Anne and Carin. Traveling has opened my eyes and mind to new cultures and ideas but when memories of places start to fade and details are forgotten, the warmth and the hospitality that I'd experienced from various individuals leave an indelible mark on my life.

The last time I made it to the Marché des Enfants-Rouge (the oldest covered market in Paris), it was closed. The place was practically heaving when we got there. We managed to get a small crate of strawberries but later, I was told by a Marais local that the creperie and Japanese stalls are absolutely incredible. Never mind......next time.





In the midst of the chaos that surrounded Place de la République and various road blocks, it was a relief to find a calm oasis within the historic Temple which is only a few minutes walk away. Families sat on the benches while the kids ran around inside the confines of the fenced playground which was in fact, a large sand pit. Lil L dived right in and joined the hordes of little cherubs running around while I sat back, people watched and surreptitiously (and unsuccessfully) tried to pap chic Parisians (the things I do in the name of blogging).











We'd set out to search for a particular restaurant that specialized in Lyonnais cuisine. If we were truly smart, we would've called and made a booking. Hence, we would've known that it was closed for lunch on Saturdays. D'oh! So I had another "brilliant" idea - that is, to wander into the small and narrow lanes because most of the best eating places are cleverly tucked away from high foot traffic streets.

We literally stumbled upon L'ilot, a compact seafood restaurant which looked more like a relaxed café. The customers, mostly locals were perched on tall stools, dining alfresco, sipping wine and slurping oysters. Lil L was the most adventurous out of the 3 of us. To the owner's delight, she worked her way through the plate of sea snails, oysters and smoked salmon pate with gusto. The fish soup was unbelievably good. We shared the cafe gourmand dessert and I had to stop them from licking the plates. Yes, it was THAT good. AND very very affordable.





I've been dying to try Jacques Genin chocolates for sometime. But even for a glutton like me, it was nearly impossible to eat continuously without a break. So I guess I'll just have to make yet another trip across the channel again.




Outfit: Rick Owens leather jacket, Isabel Marant x H&M sweatshirt, Zara boyfriend jeans, Repetto flats, Chanel sunglasses and Chanel WOC.


Lil L and I shared a slightly larger than a cabin sized 4 wheel trolley suitcase. I know we'll be navigating through the Underground maze and the equally challenging Metro once we've crossed the pond so I knew we had to pack light. I like clothes but I love eating more. Hence, loose fitting garments....... (you can tell where my priorities lie).




3 adults and 1 child polished the entire tray of dessert as well as the crate of strawberries in one seating. "I guess you want me to hold this up by the window?" asked Anne. You see? That's the beauty of hanging out with a foodie and blogger. They know exactly what to do without being told...... And if you ever wonder why Parisians can splurge on patisseries several days a week and never EVER diet yet they're so slim...... ask Anne (she biked 45 minutes to meet us at our apartment and 45 minutes back again). Anne, thank you again for your wonderful company.





Initially, Carin suggested we meet for coffee at Telescope, the hip cafe near Opera so that I can easily hop on the train to the godforsaken Disney park (where parents suffer various forms of torture because we love our kids). By 11.30, we were thinking about lunch......so I procrastinated and decided lunch was of utmost importance particularly if I had to gird my loins for the onslaught in Disneyland. Both Carin and the incredibly chic Parisian who sat at the next table insisted we have to eat at the newly opened Kunitoraya branch a few steps away from the cafe. The tempura was lipsmackingly scrumptious. So was the udon in the lightly flavored dashi miso soup.

Despite the non-stop-all-day gorge fest - I mean uncountable cakes/macarons/chocolate/crepes as well as anything and everything smothered in salted caramel that had passed through these lips of mine........ I have not put on a single pound. Incredible. I don't suppose I could count my kind of "walking" as a form of exercise because our short strolls are punctuated with copious cups of espresso and yes, whatever patisserie we happened to stumble upon.

Marché Les Enfants-Rouge
9 rue de Beauce
75003 Paris
Metro: Filles du Calvaire, Temple, Arts et Métiers or Saint-Sébastien Froissart


L'ilot
4 rue de Corderie
75003 Paris


Jacques Genin
133 rue de Turenne
75003 Paris
Metro: Filles du Calvaire, Oberkampf, République or Temple


Kunitoraya 2
5 rue Villedo
75001 Paris
Metro: Pyramides

Street style in Paris

The Parisian chic has been romanticized and analyzed by hordes of Francophiles, including yours truly for decades. The funny thing is.....when you compliment a Parisian on her outfit, as I've done,  she is genuinely surprised. "Oh, this is nothing special, "  "My style is actually quite boring"  Call it je ne sais quoi or maybe effortlessly chic because it's hard to pinpoint what made these ladies and gentlemen chic. Or is it dressing with an air of nonchalance but with an eye for detail? Let's not forget the men who also look incredibly dapper but never contrived.

Sure, this is a gross generalization because Parisians from certain arrondissements are more dressed up than others. That's pretty obvious if you spend a lot of time in the metro and trekking to various lesser popular areas of Paris.

Let's talk about hair. It never looked done or overly polished. Messy buns or ponytails are common. Whew! Because I still can't style my hair, even at this age. For a country that introduced many of the skincare and make up brands to the rest of the world, they're very light-handed when it comes to plying on cosmetics. Black or grey skinny jeans are infinitely popular amongst the younger population but the older generation are bolder with their choice of outfits. There's usually something eye-catching whether it's a particular accessory, shoes or lipstick they're wearing.

Colored pants are popular amongst the men. I've seen various shades of the rainbow paired with denim or tailored jackets and sometimes sporting a beautifully folded pocket square. I was scouring the internet to find outfits paired with sensible shoes (as you probably know by now....I still haven't learned to balance my bodyweight on heels). Trendy sneakers, brogues, ballet flats and ankle boots are common footwear gracing the streets of Paris. In fact, it's so rare that I see a woman strutting pass in high heels and when one did, I stared. And stared......

I had the best intentions to approach Parisians for street style photos but screaming arrête while chasing after them like a paparazzo would've scared every poor albeit chic soul away. I turned to skulking around, sitting at cafes and making sure I was facing the street, loitering outside the boutiques...... Utterly mad. Anyway....I abandoned the idea after day 2 when I started scaring my own child and friend.

Charlotte Olympia Cosmic Collection

         Charlotte Olympia Year of Ox suede flats

I don't follow the western horoscope too closely but I've been known to read the traits of Chinese zodiac animals out loud to my friends on many occasions. Say what you like - I'm a sucker for Chinese horoscope. Most of those descriptions ring true. To my friends and I, anyway. Trust the ever creative Charlotte Olympia to create a new Eastern Cosmic range which I'm completely in love with. The embroidered Chinese character pertaining to the different zodiac animal adds a special touch to each pair of flats.

I'm very taken with the color of my zodiac animal (the Ox). Since the husband rarely knows what to buy for me..........I believe a pair of these Charlotte Olympia flats will do me just fine. The rest of the collection is available at Net-a-Porter.

pssssst......if you're not convinced, go ahead and check out your zodiac animal here. Let me know what you think.