Food: Asian inspired Breakfast dish

Every now and then, I get inspired by something I'd eaten at a restaurant. This is probably one of those rare occasions that I came away thinking that I can easily replicate a dish at home.  In fact, it only requires 4 basic ingredients - black rice, mango, coconut milk and maple syrup (or treacle or honey). I had this at Nopi, my restaurant of choice with a friend and loved this relatively light breakfast option which wasn't heavy on the stomach at all, the way gluten and dairy can be. The texture is very similar to congee (Chinese rice porridge).

Here's a surprising fact about black rice which I didn't know and probably explains why it costs far more than the ordinary basmati or jasmine rice. It is far more nutritious and actually tastes nutty and sweeter than the standard white rice. Apparently, black rice is considered a superfood. It contains far more antioxidants than blueberries as well as anthocyanins which helps to lower the risk of heart attack.

In fact, I believe this recipe was heavily influenced by a fairly common Cantonese rice pudding dessert which I'd eaten on several occasions in New Zealand. It's a matter of boiling the rice with more water than usual to turn it into a congee (porridge) and then adding mango, coconut milk and maple syrup to taste. Do give it a go and let me know how you like it.

Interesting Reads for the weekend

Happy Mother's Day to all exhausted moms out there doing the very best they can in their most challenging and rewarding job on earth. I woke up to find a beautiful handmade card from Lil L, carefully placed next to me on the bed. I know I've featured this video here before but it needs to be seen again. Why? Because we are so hard on ourselves. We beat ourselves up for every little "failure" yet our kids see a completely different picture of us.

If you think your life lacks drama, perhaps this might jazz it up a bit.

10 famous bodies that look so different from their photoshopped selves.

I hate housework. Period. If you're like me and want to find shortcuts to make your life easier, then check out these 21 DIY cleaning tips.

Here's a remarkable story of a stray dog called Hero who'd saved a life.

My summer outfit

Other Stories top ,  Zara jeans, Hackett panama hat, Hermes Cape Cod watch, K.Jacques St Tropez sandals, Chanel nail varnish,  Uniqlo shorts, Chanel sunglasses, Hermes H belt.


When I'm obsessed with L' Objet du jour, I'm like my sister's beagle. I won't stop till I've sniffed it out.  With summer approaching, I've decided that I'm going to beat the crowds by stockpiling a few pretty blouses, namely voile cotton tops. Thank goodness the Isabel Marant Olympe ruffled top, even at an eye-popping price of £390 is sold out everywhere. At least the carrot's no longer dangling just beyond my reach.....but I've popped my email address on the list just in case my size miraculously reappears. Anyways.....Annmarie gave me a tip - Other Stories blouse for an extraordinarily low price of £29. Thank youuuuuuu!

My first attempt was a size 36 (supposedly a size UK 8, HAH!). The elastic band squeezed my waist so tight I felt my innards being shoved up to my chest. I had a major panic moment when I realized that I may need someone to cut me out of the blouse. Size 40 was the perfect fit particularly for someone like me who has a rather *ahem* rotund waistline. It didn't help that I'd decided to treat myself to a feast just before trying on the clothes at Other Stories. Ladies, don't have a massive meal and then go into a fitting room where there are mirrors on all sides. You'll never see yourself the same way ever again.......

I've been wearing my new K.Jacques St Tropez sandals at home to break them in as the leather straps are a little stiff. It was a bargain buy from Net-A-Porter for £55. In fact, I rarely pay retail price for most of my high end designer clothes and accessories. Take the Hermes H belt for example. I bought it secondhand on eBay more than a decade ago for USDS $120 or thereabouts. It's also my one and only belt (hmmm....that's rather sad) and I've worn it to bits. So today, out of curiosity, I decided to check out the blindstamp to see the year it was made. Crikey! It was 1996! 18 years old and going strong.

I managed to nab a brand new H belt for my husband at the Hermes sale in Paris for less than half the retail price years ago. If you ever plan to attempt the massive Hermes sale ......  remember to put on your armor, gird your loins and be prepared for battle.

3 Reasons why we need more mid heels

Outfit: Alexander Wang t-shirt (or in the U.S here), The Kooples sweatpants, Hermes Cape Cod watch and (trying out) Sam Edelman Sabrina

Shoe shopping is something I do when I'm feeling particularly masochistic. It's like going through labor pains and denying myself epidural. Okay, that sounds rather dire but that's what I'm feeling right now because I went......shoe shopping yesterday. My despondency has got to do with a few well known rants of mine.

First of all, I'm finding the prices for designer shoes these days have escalated beyond control. Most cost more than my monthly grocery bill. I can't tell whether my old Manolos are in fact better quality than the newer ones......which brings me to point number 2. They're bloody uncomfortable. For that kind of money, I expect my feet to be enfolded in ergonomically designed cushioned soles. I should be able to walk for a few hours without feeling like someone's hacking my feet into pieces (sorry for the horrible visual).

Most of my friends have confided that they have lost the ability to walk in high heels after having kids. Like me. Yet, most of the shoes in stores have heels that look like skinny skyscrapers or as flat as a pancake but nothing in between. Two extremes with very few choices for those who would like to have beautiful and affordable mid heeled sandals that we can comfortably walk in. Do designers think that women who wear their shoes are meant to be carried around in sedan chairs? Or that we'd paid a fortune for the privilege of owning these gorgeous heels but we need to spend more on cabs because we can't walk?

Rant number three. Utterly uninspiring shoes for shitloads of money. Like the boring and plain Prada pumps or kitten heels that look similar to the ones from the previous season and the season before that. Ditto for Marni, Nicholas Kirkwood, Chloe and Miu Miu. Please no more ankle straps...... *yawn* So I asked a sales associate at Liberty's shoe department about her thoughts on the current collections. "Is there anything (injecting a hint of desperation) you can recommend that's slightly more edgy, has a wow factor but nothing beyond 2.75 inches high? Oh, and something that doesn't require me to sell my kidney?" We looked around and there was......... nothing. Kudos to her for telling the truth and not trying to sell me something she wouldn't wear herself.

Actually, there was a pair of Sam Edelman "Sabrina" wedge sandals that I was pretty satisfied with. In fact, the size US 5 was perfect for my unusually small size US 4 feet (medium width). They're £150 at Liberty's but if you're lucky enough to be born with normal sized feet, I suggest you get them from Revolve Clothing because the exchange rate worked out to be £66. Spartoo sells them for £126.99. I stood, walked, hopped (I was "testing" it out) for 10 minutes. The straps didn't cut into my feet. The soles were adequately cushioned. My legs look longer than they actually are despite the low-ish 2.5 inch heel height. Most importantly, I can walk comfortably.

There's a real gap in the market that most designers have missed. I've spoken to a few stores and they tell me that mid heeled shoes are selling like hotcakes. That's probably because the selection is ridiculously limited. Mid heels shouldn't look like puke inducing orthopedic granny shoes. Look at the Valentino Rockstud kitten heels that have saturated the entire blogosphere. You'd think more shoe designers will realize that yes, we women would like sexy, eye catching heels that we can walk in. #rantover. Does anyone have any other edgier looking mid heels that you can recommend?

10 Summer Must Haves

1  /  2  (code FREENEW for free shipping) /  3  /  4  /  5  /  6  /  7  /  8  /  9  /  10

I got exceedingly excited when the sun reared its head for a few days. I read that we were going to have one of the hottest summers ever. Like most sun deprived souls in the U.K, I started dreaming about picnics in the park, barbecue, double digit temperature........ And then POOF! Whaddaya know? Hail, wind and then 0˚C nights. Bonkers. Utterly bonkers. No wonder my parents came up with the most incredibly creative excuses about not coming over to England.

Never mind. I've been consoling myself by spending the last few days planning our summer vacation with a friend of mine whom we'll be visiting this August. It'll be scorching hot but hey, I live in England so I'm not going to complain about plenty of sunshine. It's been nearly 6 years since we moved to the U.K but I still can't get over how easy it is to nip over to another country for a weekend. Get on a plane and 2 hours later......I'm in a whole different country.

My mother pointed out recently how different fashion is in New Zealand as compared to the U.K. She's absolutely right. I rarely invest in summer clothes these days because I just don't get enough mileage out of them. I spend my days swathed in layers of sweaters, jackets and coats for most of the year and then get into a minor panic attack when we get blessed with an unusually hot summer. I don't want to go all crazy and buy a ton of summer clothes which will probably spend years languishing in my closet.

Being anal as I am, I've worked out.....after much contemplation (yes, first world issue. Major stuff. NOT) that I'm drawn to loose embroidered tops, preferably made of voile cotton or linen. I'm usually utterly sick of plain t-shirts by the time summer rolls around. I've found that monotone embroidered tops are easy to pair with jackets when it's a tad colder but just as lovely on their own. I've worn my Isabel Marant Etoile broderie anglaise top so much that it's getting a little threadbare around the seams.

I'd mentioned about the linen striped top from Isabel Marant Etoile previously but I'm thrilled that I've found a far cheaper alternative from the popular French brand Armor Lux. I've tried their breton jersey tops previously and loved their flattering cut but I'm pleased they came up with a sheerer option for the hotter months.

I got a chance to try out a Borsalino panama hat when I was in Nice last year and promptly fell in love. BUT....... I physically flinched in pain when I saw the price tag. These handmade ones from Marks & Spencer and J.Crew are good options too but at a fraction of the price. I rarely see a dress that I like but this boho-luxe crochet piece from Isabel Marant Etoile is stunning and works well as a top too. What are your top 10 summer must haves?

Interesting Reads for the weekend

Pretty Loafers/Pretty Ballerinas

There's an ongoing debate on who has it worst off - the stay at home mom or the working mom.  Perhaps this article will offer you a fresh perspective.

The rise of fashion sweatshirt. All the more reason to keep buying them.

My Hermes Cape Cod double tour watch gets a lot of mileage. It was interesting to see a watchmaker  at work by painstakingly putting each minuscule piece together at the Hermes exhibition a year ago. Here's an  intriguing animated video about Hermes watches.

Whenever you feel despondent about your career, remember that the much lauded successful people faced rejection too.  Perhaps this will make you feel a little better and give you hope.

I don't see the point of paying £25-40 for Lil L's simple trim so I decided to cut her hair myself. Obviously, I've been doing it all wrong. Here's a step by step instruction on how to do it right and save yourself some money.

The English Countryside & clothing

Top to bottom: Micheldever woods, Winchester, Cornwall, Cornwall (taken by me on previous excursions)

The English countryside holds a certain fascination for those of us who come from far flung countries like New Zealand or Borneo.  The grass is ALWAYS greener on the other side. Literally. I guess for that reason, one can understand why the vegetation is so lush, thanks to the amount of rainfall that we get here in England. It's stuff that I used to read in Enid Blyton books with images of rolling hills, woods, country lanes, picnics and walks that often evoke a feeling of wonder for city folks like me.

Ever since we moved to Hampshire, I've been told by friends that there's a certain style pertaining to the area. Quilted shower proof jackets and wellies are common practical country clothing that I've adopted. As for the breton top? Well, I can't do without it. I've collaborated with Joules to come up with a collage which combined a wish list (handmade Chelsea boots from Northampton) and what I commonly wear when I'm out on a walk along the country lanes here. I couldn't resist adding a few cute pieces which I'd love to get for Lil L.

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Joules.

Why do we buy new clothes when we wear the same all the time?

Outfit: Zara blazer, Alexander Wang t-shirt, Zara boyfriend jeans, Hermes belt, Hermes Cape Cod watch, Hermes cashmere shawl, Repetto flats and Christys fedora.


The feedback I'm getting is that you prefer to see what I REALLY wear and it doesn't matter if it's the 18457837264th time that you've seen my infamous boyfriend jeans/sweats/flats etc. Is that right? If it is..........whew! Because.... I'm no trendsetter. I can't be arsed thinking about what to wear every single day. If it hurts, I'm not wearing it. If I can't squat/sit/walk/bend, I'm not wearing it either. And if I really really really REALLY like something, I will wear it again and again and again and again. Like these boyfriend jeans from Zara.

I still dislike being the subject matter in the front the camera because I love pressing the button more than posing (same pose, different day). The idea of taking selfies is completely lost on me. I used to follow a whole bunch of famous bloggers until I was inundated with selfies ALL day long. Surely, there are more interesting things to photograph other than your own face??

Lately, I had a look at my half arm span sized closet and 3 drawers and started to hyperventilate. Some may say.....pffffffft....... small closet. True. But when I had to dig around a whole bunch of stuff to get to the same-tshirts-that-I-wear-everyday, I know I own waaaaaay too much unnecessary crap. Why is it that we feel compelled to buy more clothes when we wash/dry/wear the same few pieces ALL the time?

Photo credit: Lil L

The Kooples Saga - The Finale

The Kooples Hooded jersey biker jacket (runs slightly big) and  Boxe sweat pants

Perhaps you've read my previous spiel about The Kooples here? After sending an email, dialed their main customer service line 20 times rather unsuccessfully, asked a SA to send yet another email, and finally, what tipped me over - Mr C @BromptonCross aka "I'm the assistant manager. I'm just the store. I'm very busy."  I was ready to surrender. Hence, the rant via the blog to release some steam (with my keyboard taking the brunt of my anger).

Fortunately for me, help came by way of The Kooples' community manager via Twitter a couple of days later. She assigned a customer care manager to me who made things happened quicker than I can blink. I like that they didn't try to make excuses for the mistakes that had occurred nor the inadequacies of The Kooples returns process. They listened and worked to resolve the issue as efficiently as possible. I was offered a £100 store credit as a gesture of goodwill which was extremely generous of them. Furthermore, one of the two managers organized to have shipping refunded and the correct item all packed and ready to be shipped to me from Paris.

They acknowledged that The Kooples have an issue and are in the process of modifying their returns process over the next few months to make it easier for their customers. After dealing with mostly inept staff, to say that I was relieved to get some help was an understatement. Whilst the two ladies have been absolutely fabulous to deal with, I feel that the same can do attitude and efficiency should be the norm within the company, not the exception to the rule.

I'll be honest, shopping at The Kooples can be a bit like....... as Forrest Gump once said, opening a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. Some days I walk into the store and there's only me yet it can be a rather comical process trying to get their attention. Meanwhile, they're all crowded around the counter gossiping or pretending I'm not there. Or perhaps I must've worn my invisible cloak. However, once in a while, the service is fantastic. Faultless.

I'm very pleased that they're listening to their customers. Finally.  However, there's a lot of work to be done especially their front line staff as well as their systems and processes (none of the staff I'd talked to at the various stores understood the website returns process nor how to get hold of their head office). What I'd love to see is the kind of service I'd received from the two ladies replicated throughout the company.

Currently Obsessed with Camo Sweatshirt

Outfit: J.Crew camo sweatshirt, Rick Owens leather jacket (similar), Zara jeans, Repetto flats and Hermes Birkin 30cm.



Thanks to my friend Laura, I bought my very first proper camo piece from J.Crew. I decided to go for the small instead of the next size down because I prefer the slightly oversized fit. I opted out of the grey because I have what seems like a million other similarly colored clothes in my closet. The "wet mountain" color blended in rather well with the foliage behind me so I felt properly camouflaged. Utterly vapid observation but I couldn't resist.

Oh wait, there's the rarely sighted Birkin........  I was admonished by an Hermes artisan a few years back for never "airing" it. Well, I am now.  Airing the Birkin properly by taking it out for a walk which feels like a naff thing to do near the countryside. Secondly, it's been so long I had to hand hold a bag that I've forgotten how to. Trying to grab Lil L's hand, wield a chunky camera and lug a Birkin requires a superb motor coordination that I do not have. So........ I'm afraid, beautiful as it is, the bag will go back to being a decoration piece for the next decade when it'll be properly vintage then.

A view of Hampshire through my lens

Murphy's Law, Sod's Law......whatever you want to call it.  Just when the weather turned gloriously beautiful with temperature rising to an incredibly warm 17˚C (by English standard. It's cold if we're talking Kiwi weather here), all 3 of us got sick. Anyone looking to lose a few kilos without wanting to diet.....just flick me an email and I'll send one of us to infect you...... free of charge.

So I dragged my wretched posterior and Lil L (the husband was absolutely adamant about not moving his) out to enjoy the sunshine. The Saturday market was out in full force along with the crowds. We vowed to get the crepe when we're both feeling better. Lil L had a chance to write a letter to God at the Cathedral while I caught up with a friend.

When people think of England, the color "grey" comes to mind but the minute the sun's out, it's easily one of the most beautiful countries I've ever lived in.

Interesting Reads for the Weekend

Being the regular Ms Nosy Parker, I was curious to find out how the kids of the Oscar winning  Slumdog Millionaire movie fare 5 years on. Here's the story.

Don't ever underestimate the consequences of your actions.

It's hard to imagine that sex slavery still exists - in developed nations as well. These sex predators prey on the vulnerable and those who lack family support. More on this here.

Do you ever get cheesed off when people expect you to work for nothing? Here's a brilliant way to deal with such clients.

Erin Mullaney, the stylish founder of the multi brand online store, Avenue 32 talks how she started her fashion venture.

I love Franca Sozzani, the influential editor-in-chief of Vogue Italia. She's direct, daring and open to fresh ideas. "It's the people in fashion who make fashion ridiculous," she said during an interview. 

The Nadler - An affordable option in London

I'm one of those crazy travelers that you read about in books. The type that stayed in dinky guesthouses in remote parts of China, a little room in a farmer's house with an outhouse (toilet's a hole on the ground), pension, hostel, farmhouse, various convents in Europe, 3 to 5 star hotels, cave houses, apartments, slept on a beach in Chios (Greece) etc etc. When I took my newly wedded husband on his first (but not mine) adventure, he was appalled and stayed traumatized by the experience for the next decade. Oh well, I thought it was fun.

Now that I've got a young child to consider and a husband who's not at all keen on "exotic" accommodations, I'm a little more conservative. I'm still not one to fork out ££££ for accommodations only because I'm frugal that way. My only two requirements other than the expense is that it's super clean and located near amenities. For longer stays, it's definitely a rented apartment all the way because I hate 10am housekeeping and I can't live without a small kitchenette (bet all moms can agree on this). I still have my favorites - Etoile St Ferdinand in Paris and The Nadler, a boutique hotel in London.

Sue and I booked into a "Luxury Bunk" room at The Nadler in Kensington a few weeks ago. It was £105 a night. The room was narrow but the bathroom was huge. The room was incredibly clean and tidy and most importantly, there was a kitchenette. Sure, it's small but since we barely spent a lot of time there, there was no reason to cough up more hard earned moolah on the room. We dropped off our bags early in the morning and promptly buggered off till really late at night. The staff had already kindly transferred our bags to the room as it wasn't ready when we arrived earlier in the day (we knew it wouldn't be ready so early in the morning). The service was exceptional. Very attentive, polite and efficient.

The Nadler is located a few minutes' walk from Earl's Court tube station (come out of station, cross the road, walk down Earl's Court Gardens and turn right. You'll see The Nadler a couple of houses away). You have easy access to Circle, District and Piccadilly lines at Earl's Court which means if you can't be bothered to walk, Notting Hill, Knightsbridge, Chelsea and Green Park are pretty much your stomping ground via the tube. For those of you who have to catch a plane from Heathrow, just hop on the Piccadilly line and it's only a few stops away. They do offer discounts for a longer stay so check out their website here.

p.s. I don't normally do reviews on hotels but I was really impressed with The Nadler. And it's not often that I'm delighted with the hotels I've stayed in.

My Current Top 7 Must Have List

When it comes to shopping, I go through cycles with plenty of dips and rises. There are periods where I'm repelled by all things fashion, probably brought on by hundreds of mailers sent to my inbox every single day with one main message - BUY, BUY, BUY. The shopping drought soon passed followed by a lightbulb moment when I realized that there are gaps in my wardrobe. Like these:

The Striped T-shirt 
My jersey Petit Bateau breton tops are too thick to be worn under well fitted jackets. The higher neckline makes me look like I've got an extra chin or two flapping under my jaw. I'm rather taken with this 100% linen striped tee from Isabel Marant Etoile. The material's breathable. Thin but not sheer and perfect for layering. I own several Isabel Marant Etoile linen t-shirts and have been very pleased with the quality. They wash well and have become softer with age.


Monica Vinader Riva bracelet
I know the stacked arm look is very in but seriously, I can't deal with the clanking noise every time I move. I've done that once and felt like I'm playing the cymbals in an orchestra. I've got the slightly more delicate and feminine Riva bracelet from Monica Vinader on my wish list for a few months now. It's classy and affordable.


Isabel Marant Etoile Kiana sweat pants 
I'm always on a lookout for slim cut black sweat pants (like the Kiana from Isabel Marant Etoile) that do not look like sweat pants so that I can pair them with smarter tops without people realizing that I'm actually wearing.......sweatpants. (yes, a sweatpants addict's rather convoluted explanation) I've learned to avoid 100% cotton sweat pants because the heat from your body will make the fabric expand. Perfect if you want to channel M. C Hammer.


Pretty Loafers
I stopped by Pretty Ballerinas' cramped boutique in Mayfair and was suitably impressed by their loafers (their other line called Pretty Loafers). Apparently, they're all made in Spain. I was surprised to find out that they do, in fact, run small. I normally wear a EU 34 (medium width) and had to go up 2 sizes (size 36) because my feet were slightly swollen in the late afternoon.


Balenciaga wrap around bracelet
I'm a fan of Hermes bracelets but their prices are prohibitive (2-3 times the price of a Balenciaga) particularly when we're talking about a strip of leather (!). This one's edgy but not overly blinged out.


Balenciaga Giant Hip Bag
Thanks to my friend, Lauraloo, I've been rather obsessed with the Balenciaga Giant Hip bag. It doubles as a clutch and cross body bag. In the world of overinflated designer goods, this one is priced just under £500 (for those of you who live outside of Europe. You lucky thing. You get the 20% VAT knocked off the price) which makes it more affordable than most of the other premium designer brands out there. It's great for schlepping around when I don't want to lug around my usual junk.


Aquazzura Belgravia Flats
Yes, I'm still obsessed with them. They're cool, bada$$ - WILL YOU LOOK AT ME type of flats. I only wish they're not so crazy expensive.


J.Crew Camo Sweatshirt
My US shopping buddy, Lauraloo insisted I MUST have it after trying it on at the store. It's on its way to me now. Thank you, Lauraloo! I've got the leopard print from Isabel Marant and a camo is a great eye catching print that's still easy to mix and match with. I hope that this sweatshirt, sweatpants, sneaker trend stays forever and ever. Amen.

The Winner of the Monica Vinader Fiji Friendship Bracelet Giveaway is..............

Congratulations, Lucy! Your name was picked by Lil L who had the privilege of doing the random lottery with her eyes closed (we're not that hi-tech). I don't have your email address so please contact me at [email protected] and let me know the hardware/color combination as well as any engraving you'd like to have on the bracelet. Hope this makes your day!


Thank you to everyone who participated in my very first giveaway. I look forward to doing more in the future. Most importantly, thank you to all of you for checking in frequently and the comments. Much appreciated.

5 Important Lessons from The Kooples on how to deal with customers properly

I have a temper though it does take quite a bit of work to rile me up to the point of apoplexy. In the case of The Kooples, it took 2 orders, 2 years apart to get me straight back to popping my blood pressure meds. After the worst case of terrible customer service, I decided to work up my courage to place another order albeit small just to test the waters again.

There was a sale on The Kooples website. Tempting. So I went ahead and bought another pair of sweat pants. This time around, the package impressively arrived 2 days later with a delivery on a Saturday. I opened the package and instead of seeing the sweat pants in size small, I got the medium. I have a sense of déjà vu about a similar experience not too long ago with The Kooples.

So I went ahead and organized for a return and figured I'd better call the number listed on the returns form for a clearer explanation of their exchange process. It seems rather strange to ask the customer to pay for returns shipping when they'd made a mistake with the order. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, the conversation was as confusing and frustrating as my previous experience. Here's a snippet of my conversation:

Me: Can you check the database to see if you have another pair of sweat pants in small?
C @TheKooples Brompton Cross: No. No, I can't. I don't have access to the database. I'm just a store.
Me: How would you know what's available and what's not?
C @TheKooples Brompton Cross: I don't know. I'm just a store.
Me: What will happen if I ship the package back to you?
C @TheKooples Brompton Cross: Well....I send it back to Paris....and then umm....I think they get back to you. Or you could call the Paris office.
Me: I've had a lot of trouble calling the office before. No one answered. And then they had no one who could deal with English speaking customers.
C @TheKooples  Brompton Cross: *nervous laugh*  Yes. Yes....we've had a lot of customers who'd complained about that before *nervous laugh*
Me: Can you call the Paris office for me then? It's easier seeing that you work for the company and you're French.
C @TheKooples  Brompton Cross: No.....you can write an email and then I'll forward it to them. And...umm....they deal with you. I'm just the store.
Me: Wouldn't it be easier if you just called the office?
C @TheKooples  Brompton Cross: No...I'm very busy. I'm the assistant manager. I deal with 50 orders everyday, paperwork....customers.......

I admit that I did lose the plot  after going round and round in circles with this guy who insisted that I MUST write a letter, PAY for returns and he CANNOT guarantee I'll get an exchange but I SHOULD get a refund. I've worked in customer services dealing with residential customers and  corporate clients for two decades and I know when someone takes ownership of the issue and goes the extra mile or merely passing the buck. He belongs firmly in the second camp.

The last time, the convoluted exchange process was so diabolical (took 3 weeks and they ended up sending me an exchange with the SAME incorrect item. Yup, no kidding) that I just kept the item. This time around, I can't see how it will change so yes, I'll swallow my loss. AGAIN. Don't even try calling their number in Paris because they haven't bothered to assign a human to man the phones. If you like the odd item from The Kooples, I urge you to shop via Selfridges or ASOS website. They have a limited selection but I can honestly say that your shopping experience will be far more pleasant.

I thank The Kooples for teaching me a few important lessons about business.
1. Expand, expand, expand. Chuck all your money into expansion and advertising. Photograph lots of cool looking couples, preferably ones that are rocked up/shagged up/slightly inebriated (i.e. Pete Doherty)
2. You're a cool brand so inject plenty of arrogance to trick customers into thinking that they're waaaay lucky to shop with you. Because, well, you're cool.
3. Design a complex returns process so that customers would rather slit their wrist than go through the torture of returning incorrectly sent/bad quality items.
4. Appearance matters (check point number 1). Print your contact details EVERYWHERE because you "love your customers" but you've spent too much money on stationery so employ no manpower to deal with unimportant rug rats (customers).
5. Make your customers pay for YOUR mistakes. Because, well, you're too cool to admit your incompetence. (go back to points 1 and 4)


p.s. Just in case if you think this is a one off experience, check out this story here.

Interesting Reads for the Weekend

Here's what Eva Chen, editor in chief of Lucky magazine has to say about being cocky.

A tearjerker video about the love of a mom in the most unusual circumstances.

Ever wonder what an undercover Michelin inspector actually do? A reporter followed one for a day. Here's the story.

How to be successful in life and business - by Jack Ma, a billionaire and the founder of Alibaba

Remember my post about Women and Our Self Image? Thank you to those of you who'd shared the story on Facebook and Twitter. I'm humbled by the lengths that you go to just to get the story out to friends and followers. So tweet or Facebook away if you think someone needs to hear the message.

Following on the theme about beauty, Oscar winner Lupito Nyong'o's speech will blow you away.


Don't forget to enter my Monica Vinader Fiji Friendship bracelet giveaway. The final day is Sunday 9th of March.

London Eats: Partridges Food Market

I always have the best intentions when I hop on the train to London for a day of major retail therapy. And promptly shelf the idea after being sidetracked by the Partridges Food Market at Duke Of York Square. By the time I leave the market to do some "proper" shopping on King's Road, I'd be lugging bags of my most prized possessions (triple chocolate cookies, mini cupcakes, Italian cheeses, artisan bread etc etc) for the entire day until I get back home to Hampshire late at night. Oh well, the gorge fest the next day was worth the shoulder ache. The husband always shakes his head. "You spent an entire day in London and all you bought is FOOD?!." Guilty as charged. Sorry.

If you're like me and absolutely detest crowds but prefer to enjoy a lovely serene day at the market, I'd say, this is the place to do so. The Duke of York square is a large open space with plenty of benches to sit and people watch (and count designer bags) as you nibble on the lovely delights purchased from the market a few steps away. The kids love to run around and play with the water jets on the stone paving.

Yes, the market is situated amongst some of the world's most expensive real estate and the Duchess of Cambridge can often be seen shopping at Zara and along King's Road a few steps away but don't be put off by the poshness of its surroundings. The market stall owners are seriously passionate about their food and love to chat. It's not unusual for them to offer a little treat to Lil L when she comes along with me. They're also incredibly tolerant when an Asian woman sticks her large camera into their food (sorry but they're too pretty not to be photographed).

Partridges Food Market
Duke of York Square
King's Road
Chelsea
London SW3 4LY
Market is open on Saturdays only
Tube: Sloane Square

** It seems that a lovely and sneaky individual has secretly nominated me for a photography award. Thank you ever so much! If you've enjoyed my photos (as much as I've enjoyed taking them), please feel free to nominate me here again (sorry! Just found out that's the rule of the competition is to garner as many nominations for the photography category. I had no idea....)