Vintage

Lets face it, it is not everyone’s thing to buy old used stuff from tens of years ago and for that reason vintage items are not for some.  Some even think why should  we pay that amount of money (these old things they are not exactly cheap, ya) buying old items when we can spend a little bit more buying new.   Well, opinion varies from person to person. 

I for one do not mind buying vintage; it is like buying a piece of history, piece that has a story behind it.  Through the years I have bought some vintage pieces on Ebay, Etsy and even antique shops.  They are in great condition and worth the hunt.  Bear in mind that some vintage can be pricey and takes a little bit of hunting down. 

I scored this vintage Chanel tassel bag on ebay.  I tell you, I was so much in love with the bag that I couldn't sleep the night before the auction ended.  The bag is from mid 90s and in a perfect condition.  I really love the asymmetrical flap pocket with the iconic interlocking CC and the tassel of course!

This grey vintage Chanel tassel bag with all chain strap makes me smile everytime I see her.  She was born the same year as my first born son, 1991!  She was first bought in Chanel boutique (by her previous owner) in Japan and when I bought her from a consignment store here in Dubai, she had been on the shelve for a while.  I guess we were meant to be together, haha!  I love, love, love the grey color, the softness of the lamb skin she's made of and of course, the tassel.   And if I care for her well, my son's wife might be able to enjoy her one day who ever she would be and she could say "This bag is as old as my husband" 

When we first came to Dubai, we bumped into this antique shop that sells all sort of things and there we saw this necklace/choker.  What we didn't like was the price.  So, Captain, knowing I really liked the piece, bargained with the shop owner.  The owner stuck to his gun and we left.  Through the year, we kept on going back and still the owner wouldn't budge.  About a year and a half from the first time we saw the choker  we went to the shop again and the choker was still there!  I guess the owner realized how desperate we were and that better for him to let it go at a lesser price rather than risk not selling it at all and gave in to our price! It was worth a wait.  

Ok, there was a phase in my life that I went really crazy over kimonos.  It's all Nicole Richie's fault.   So I started buying vintage kimonos online and wore them over a tee and leggings.  I still wear them and simply love the contrast of oversize billowy top and slim bottom.  This one is my favourite out of the few I bought.  She came from the 50's (post war) and in an excellent condition!  I bought this particular one from an online vintage shop that sells all things from Japan.

So, what’s your opinion on vintage items?  I'd love to hear from you : )

Wardrobe must have # 5 – Blazer

Frankly speaking, 80% of the time I would be in some comfortable t-shirt and  a pair of well-worn jeans but there are times that I need to switch from that to a more sophisticated look for some reasons like going to the boys’ school or visiting some government offices; and how do I do this?  I just slip on a pair of blazer.  It takes the whole outfit to another level and gives a more polished look.

Investing in a blazer is a smart thing to do as it can be matched with absolutely anything, from a casual outfit to a more elegant one.  I love blazers in colors but if you must have only one, have it in a darker color like navy blue or charcoal or even black.  These colors are easy to match with and you can never go wrong with them.  When buying, make sure that they are not too big or too fitted.  Too big it will look too boxy and too fitted you might have problems layering.  Besides we all should avoid the ‘Bruce Banner turns Incredible Hulk’ stretched look especially on the back.  Wear blazers with anything: with a pair of distress, ripped boyfriend jeans, with a pair of colored skinny jeans, with a pair of shorts or even a cute mini dress.  I love blazers and I am happy that they do not come with those awful shoulder pads from the 80’s anymore.  

http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/aqua-blazer-girlfriend?ID=598192&PartnerID=LINKSHARE&cm_mmc=LINKSHARE-_-n-_-n-_-n&LinkshareID=J84DHJLQkR4-BOzxIA7nyGv4jFhcXIhZeg

http://www.shopbop.com/draped-jacket-bop-basics/vp/v=1/845524441928497.htm?folderID=2534374302066388&colorId=12867&extid=affprg

http://www.jcrew.com/browse/single_product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT<>prd_id=845524441815905&FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302049382&srcCode=AFFI00001&siteId=J84DHJLQkR4-iyeKQwZM7WyWgMd6CDCYoA

http://www.jcrew.com/womens_feature/NewArrivals/blazersandvests/PRDOVR~70611/70611.jsp

http://www.charlotterusse.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12302612&cm_mmc=PJ-_-20648-_-352386156-_-ADZCHIC

http://www.charlotterusse.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12326597&cm_mmc=PJ-_-20648-_-352389222-_-ADZCHIC

FOODIE WEEKEND - Stir-fry Black Pepper Beef

Deciding on what to eat in our household could sometimes be a problem.  I like light simple meal , kind of anything goes, while Captain has his days.. Sometimes he’s very choosy, and sometimes very simple.  Normally at night we stick to protein and salad like a piece of steak, chicken, fish or even lamb once in a while.  The boys are easier,  a dish of pasta or burger or burrito and they are set.  

So, yesterday was one of the fussy days.

 

“Amore, what’s for dinner?”  he asked.

“How about grilled salmon?” I suggested

“Umph” It was a no go.

“We have some steak we bought the other day, I can thaw that”   trying again.

“Naahh, I’m not in the mood to look at a piece of meat on my plate.., can you make a stew or something instead with the steak?”

“Babe, stew with the steak? We’ll end up eating beef paste instead!  What about some Chinese style stir-fry instead?  You can have it with rice” 

After a long pause, Chinese stir-fry it was.   Since I haven’t posted anything on food in a while, allow me to share this simple dish I used to cook a lot during my bachelor days many, many years ago.   The dish is really simple to make and takes just a few minutes!

Stir-fry black pepper beef with carrots and french beans

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

3 pieces of steak (I used the lean cut) sliced thinly.

Vegetable (Well, ideally capsicum and carrot would be the best but since I did not have capsicum in the fridge I used whatever was available i.e. carrots and french beans)

Dark soy sauce (sweet or not up to you, but if you use sweet, do not use sugar in the cooking)

Thick oyster sauce

Ground black pepper (amount depending on your taste.  We love black pepper so, I used about 2 teaspoon)

½ an onion sliced quite thickly

½ an onion, 3 cloves of garlic dry blend or pound

1 teaspoon of ground ginger

Sugar, salt

Spring onion for garnishing (optional)

Method

Heat the wok and pour in a table spoon of vegetable oil (sunflower or corn but not olive oil)

Once hot, put in the pounded onion, garlic and ginger.  Stir-fry until fragranced.

                  Add in the sliced beef and stir making sure the beef are coated well.                             
Cook for 1 - 2 minutes

Throw in the vegetable and stir again for about 1 minute.

Add in the soya sauce, oyster sauce and black pepper.  At this stage, if the mixture is a bit dry, you can add a little bit of water.  Your dish will end up with a bit of gravy too!

Add in sugar and salt and cook until the beef is tender.

     Finally add in the sliced onion and cook for another minute before turning off the fire. 

If your dish is a little watery, mix a teaspoon of cornstarch with a bit of water.  Mix well until the mixture is smooth and add it to the dish before turning off the fire.  This will thicken the dish and you’ll get a more saucy gravy rather than runny.

Garnish, serve with plain steamed rice and enjoy!

Captain was happy with his meal and he had the leftover again before going for his flight the next day.  Big success!   Happy trying!

Getting in touch with the wild side - How to wear animal print?

Animal print.. when we think about animal print some of us will have Cruella De Vil in mind.  Clad from head to toe with prints from leopard to tiger to dalmatian!  Well, there are ways to do animal prints without channeling Cruella De Vil but sophistication with a subtle pizzaz!

Cruella De Vil

When wearing animal print, the number one rule to go with is 'Less is More'.  Pick only one item of which you are wearing in animal print and leave the rest to the minimum.  For an example, if you are feeling very casual that day but need something to lift up your outfit,  try pairing a pair of animal print pumps with a simple tee and jeans or a simple black sweater dress with animal print skinny belt.  For a night out in town, a nice animal print little clutch will jazz up your outfit instantly.  In trend now are the animal print stoles or long scarfs which I love!  Louis Vuitton has some fantastic selection at EUR 570 a pop but again, that does not mean we have to spend that amount of money to be in trend.  A lot of high street brands have their own version of animal print scarfs.

Checking out animal print stole at

Louis Vuitton flagship store, Paris

Whatever your preference is, be it scarf or pump or clutch, animal prints will surely push your outfit to another level and spiced up your day! Just wear it sensibly!

Leopard print scarf from Zara

YSL Booty

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/product.jsp?isEditorial=false&index=67&masterId=cat2720733&itemId=prod134500086&cmCat=cat000000cat000141cat000149cat000226cat2720733cat7040732&parentId=cat7040732

Alexandre Birman Open Toe Pump

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/alexandre-birman-open-toe-pump/3289423?origin=keywordsearch&resultback=1357

Alexander McQueen Clutch

http://www.ssense.com/women/product/alexander_mcqueen/leoprad_print_classic_skull_clutch/47589?utm_source=2178999&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_term=10569670&utm_campaign=generic

Louis Vuitton Stephen Sprouse Stole

www.louisvuitton.com

Current/Elliot Stiletto Skinny Jeans

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/p/CurrentElliott-Stiletto-Leopard-Skinny-Jeans-Denim/prod135110086/

Tadashi Shoji Animal Print One Shoulder Sheath Dress

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/tadashi-shoji-animal-print-one-shoulder-sheath-dress/3258562?origin=keywordsearch&resultback=2487

Nordstrom 'Animal' Fedora

on sale:  http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/nordstrom-animal-fedora/3187957?origin=keywordsearch&resultback=4527

From Paris with love! : Balenciaga City SS 2012 Gris Poivre

If there is a bag that goes hand in hand with my personality at all, it has to be the City from Balenciaga.  It has that under the radar feel to it with a bit of rock and roll flair.  No logo screaming, no fussy details, just good quality leather.   I don’t know why I never took a second look at the City earlier because that would have save me a lot of dollars and cents that was spent to buy expensive bags that I hardly use.  I guess looking for the perfect bag is a bit like  searching for a soul mate...  the journey is painful but eventually you’ll find your perfect match!

This is my third City after the black and bordeaux from last year.  I am still waiting for the perfect beige and magenta before I call it a ‘khalas’ as they say it here in Dubai or 'that’s it'!  This Gris Poivre color is best described as grey with a slight brown undertone.  The leather is as all of Balenciaga bags, divinely soft, smells heavenly and as light as feathers!  It just needs to be broken in and it will be perfect everyday bag.

Have you all found your ‘soul mate’?  If yes, what is it?

From left to right : Bordeaux, Gris Poivre and Black

Match my Gucci flats by chance! 

Wardrobe must have # 4 - A pair of well fitted jeans

Jeans are so versatile, anybody can wear them!  They are good for any age, man or woman.  They can go from day to night and can be casual or dressy.   But when choosing a pair of jeans, a few points have to be considered.  Here are my key points to a great pair of jeans :

1)      Color - choose a darker hue like black or dark blue for a dressier look.  Stone wash or faded jeans or even grey are best for casual look.  Darker colors give a more slimming look while faded patches are less forgiving.

Straight cut

2)      Style – choose a style or cut that flatters your body shape.  If you are heavier on the bottom, a boot-cut with a slight flare gives a more balance look.  If you are shorter and would like to play with optical illusion, floor skimming pair of wide legged jeans worn with a pair of high heels is best.   Straight cut jeans can fit any body shapes and skinnies, don't be fooled by the name as skinny jeans too can be worn by most body types!  They  basically are a pair of straight cut jeans with more tapered calfs and ankles.  BUT beware of the color/wash you choose.

Flare legged

3)      Back pocket – Now, this may not be an important factor for many but for me personally the position of the back pockets is important to give that balance and perky look to your behind.  If the pockets are too low, it will give the droopy look and that is a big no!  Another thing to consider is if you are ‘generously’ built back there, you might want to avoid any embellishment or fancy designs as this will enhance the already generous behind.

Low pockets

High pockets

4)   Fit – your jeans should fit you nicely, not too snug.  Choosing a pair of too snug jean would lead to what I call ‘the Michelin man’ look which lead to ‘the muffin top’ situation.     Therefore, choose a pair that fits comfortably.  If you are in between sizes and you tend to fit nicely at the thigh area but loose at the waist, you can always have the jeans altered at a good tailor.  Some stores even offer free alterations with purchases.  Do not compromise the fit at the thighs just to get a pair that fits you well at the waist.

Bootleg

5)   Waistline - your jeans shouldn't sit any higher than your navel area.  Bear in mind that the higher it sits, the longger it will make your bottom look and that is not flattering.  Remember the famous mummy jeans in the 80s?  Mummy jeans are in the past and they will never make a come back.

Skinny

Personally for me it doesn’t matter how much you spend on a pair of jeans, be it $10 or $100 or even more but what’s important is that you find a perfect pair that would fit you well and be  in your wardrobe for a long time.  Hope these tips will help you find your perfect pair!

Siwy jeans, ZARA jacket, Mulberry Alexa bag

and BCBG Max Azria shoes

My favourite pair of Siwy

Paris on a budget - Part Deux

Arc de Triomphe

Bonjour! Haven't been posting for a while because I was on holiday in the city of love, Paris! Well, as I promised in my last entry Paris on a budget, I will give details on my spending to fit into the EUR 1,300 budget to cover accommodation, food, transport and activities.  So here we go!

Accommodation :

Quality Hotel Malesherbes, Champ Elysees  EUR 530 for 4 nights
http://www.qualityinn.com/hotel-paris-france-FR242

This hotel was perfect for our short stay.  It was within walking distance to Gallery Lafayette, Arc de Triomphe, L'Opera, Madeline and even Louvre.  We had a great view of the St Augustin Cathederal from our balcony which we didn't even use due to the cold weather but sitting on the arm chair gazing outside while sipping some coffee with macaron was just superb!

View from our window

Airport shuttle

For both ways : EUR 80 for 2 passengers
This is a door to door service that is very convenient as you don't have to worry about anything.  They'll come and fetch you at the terminal and drop you off at the hotel!
http://parisshuttleservice.com/Paris-airport-Shuttle-service.asp


Food and beverages
I had a lot of fun researching for places to eat in Paris.  I came up with a list of places to eat but only managed to sample a few as we were on the run.  We had to grab lunch on the go or skipped lunch totally but took our time to have good dinner at a few restaurants.

Day 1

Breakfast : At the hotel  EUR 14 per person X 2 =  EUR 28

I am not a big breakfast person.  For me a slice of bread with a cup of coffee and I am done.  But Captain is different.  He likes his breakfast with yogurt, eggs, cereals and fruits, so buffet breakfast as this one at the hotel was perfect for him but uneconomical for a person like me.  I gathered this after the first day.  The days after, Captain would go down for breakfast while I took my time waking up and when he came back he brought up a croissant and I had my little breakfast in the room.  Not a bad deal, right?

Lunch : Cafe at the Louvre  EUR 15

We spent the whole day in Louvre and grabbed something quick to eat which included of 2 bad tasting cheese sandwiches, a coffee for Captain and a bottle of water for me. 

Dinner : Dinner for 2 EUR 32

Sunday is a dead day in Paris.  Most restaurants and shops were closed and we were lucky after going through my list of restaurants to find one that was open for dinner.  Armed with reservation we went to have a very satisfying 3 course dinner at a vegetarian restaurant Tien Hiang.  The owners of the restaurant are Malaysians from Penang and their menu has vast choices from all countries in Asia.  All the dishes in the restaurant are made from tofu even the beef , chicken and seafood.  The portions were generous, tasty and value for money.  I had Thai papaya salad, Malaysian curry laksa with tofu chicken and banana in coconut milk for desert.  Captain had Vietnamese rice paper roll, Vegetarian ragout with steamed rice and the same dessert.  The only down side, the place was small and packed.  Nevertheless, we had one of the best meals during this trip and would highly recommend this restaurant!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187147-d786928-Reviews-Tien_Hiang-Paris_Ile_de_France.html

Don't be fooled by the exterior.  Asian gem in Paris.

Day 2

Breakfast : At the hotel EUR 14

Lunch : Brasserie near Notre Dame  EUR 14

Again, we had to grab something on the run.  We went to a cafe/brasserie near Notre Dame and had a quick coffee and sandwich.  Nothing special.

Dinner :  Saveurs Veget Halles Vegetarian/Vegan restaurant.  Dinner for 2 EUR 56

Another heaven for vegetarian/vegan!  We had to do quite a bit of walking trying to look for this place but it was worth every single step in those boots of mine!  The place was small and intimate and the menu was simply divine.  I had trouble choosing as I wanted to try everything.  I was contemplating between the vegetarian burger and protein soya steak but finally I settled with the burger since I couldn't remember the last time I had a burger to myself.   For starter I had the most wonderful seafood salad with seaweed and tofu shrimps, Captain had the medley of mushroom and olive pate with sautee onion and grilled vegetables.  The portion was huge and I recommend choosing one dish if you are not a big eater.  The salad filled me and I couldn't finished my burger which was sad.  It was truly the best guilt free burger I've ever tasted.  Captain had coffee and I was happy the way it was.

http://www.saveursvegethalles.fr/fr/photo.htm

Vegetarian Burger with fries and salad

Day 3

Breakfast : At the hotel  EUR 14

Lunch : A restaurant next to D'Orsay museum  EUR 35 for 2

This restaurant has 2 seating areas with a bar separating the two.  The first area is for snack and light meal and the other is for full fledged meal.  We went to the first.  I had a dish of nicoise salad and Captain had a panini.  We both had hot chocolate to warm us up and boy, were they heavenly!

Dinner :  Prik Thai. Dinner for 2 EUR 40

It's Valentine's Day!  So to be as cliche as the rest of the world, we decided to have a very quiet dinner at a place that serves good food.  So, we decided on Prik Thai.  Prik Thai is the equivalent to italian 'tavola calda' serving thai food.  But the place was quiet, secluded and the food was good.  We called for reservation and the owner went to the extend of setting up a little romantic corner for us which was sweet.  There were roses, candles and table setting in red.  To eat we had vegetable spring rolls to start, a medley of thai dishes served with vegetable fried rice and a banana leaf wrapped coconut dessert to end the meal.  The owner was friendly and we really felt like eating in someones well set kitchen rather than a restaurant which on this occasion was perfect. 

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187147-d2138290-Reviews-Prik_Thai-Paris_Ile_de_France.html

Our little corner

Thai medley

Day 4

Breakfast :  At the hotel EUR 14

Random coffee and tea during the whole stay :  EUR 15

Activities

Both me and Captain, we are small time history buffs so we adore museums and architecture.  Paris was perfect for us as it is filled with all things we like.  On a short visit like this, nothing much can be covered but we wanted to do the major ones and do the rest when we return.

Louvre Museum :  EUR 12 x 2  = EUR 24

The entry fee for main exhibition hall of Louvre is EUR 10 but we had the tickets delivered to the hotel to avoid queueing; together with other tickets that we pre-ordered online.  We had to pay a small fee for this but it really saved us a lot of time and pain!      http://pariswebservices.com/

Monalisa

The red room that housed the French artists collection at the Louvre

My favourite - the statue of Nike the Goddess of Victory

D'Orsay Museum :  EUR 10 x 2 = EUR 20

If you decided to brace the long que outside the museum, the ticket costs EUR 8 but since we only have 4 days we paid EUR 4 extra to have the tickets delivered to our hotel, waiting for us when we arrived.

D'Orsay Museum

The famous Vincent Van Gogh's self portrait

Paris Open Tour Hop On/Off  bus - EUR 32 per person for 2 days = EUR 64

What better way to see Paris when you have only 4 days?  The answer is the Hop On/Off tour bus.  This service allows you to visit Paris as a whole at your own pace.  There are 3 lines available and you can get on/off as many times as you wish.  Plus, the audio tour provided using your very own disposable earphones was a huge help.  Basically we went around Paris using this bus and free mode of transportation called 'on foot'!

http://www.parislopentour.com/paris-accueil.php?lng=gb

Boarding the bus at one of the 50 stops

Treasure of Notre Dame :  EUR 4 x 2 = EUR 8

There is no entry fee to Notre Dame but inside there is a section housing the treasures of Notre Dame and the fee is EUR 4 per adult. Children pay less.  Notre Dame is famous for its stain glass windows and the chandeliers.  They were spectacular!

In front of Notre Dame armed with an umbrella

The famous chandelier of Notre Dame

Eiffel Tower Tour :  EUR 40 per person x 2 = 80 

Since we were in town during the day of love, we thought lets go all the way cliche!  "Lets seal a kiss on top of the tower!"  The original plan was to go to the top but since it was February the 14th, it was fully booked.  We settled for the 2nd floor, instead.  No que needed for this package and together came a small city tour that goes to the major hot spots in Paris. True enough, when we arrived the tower, there were couples riding up to the top floors bearing roses and teddy bears, chocolates and what not..  well, I guess we didn't go all the way cliche, no flowers for us, no teddy bears or even chocolate.  We were more concern about the weather.  It was freezing cold and made us wonder what on earth were  we doing there?!  After 20 minutes and frozen cheeks and noses, and a frozen kiss to make it worth the climb, we decided we had enough Eiffel Tower to last us a life time. 

http://www.viator.com/

The famous steel structure of Paris, The Eiffel Tower.  A magnificent view indeed.

That's me, frozen.

Taxi :  EUR 90 plus tips

We walked a lot in Paris but after almost the whole day of going around, my wonderful tall boots were not so wonderful anymore.  They were painful!  So, cabs were used especially towards the end of the day and at night.  I didn't want to compromise 'fashion' during this trip but I had to swap tall boots with UGG boots a couple of days.. just made me wonder how does Victoria Beckham managed in those 5 inches day in and out?

Miscellaneous : EUR 50

This includes tips, mineral water from the mini bar and other small expenses.

Well, all in all we spent about EUR 1220 for this trip not including shopping and souvenirs.  Conclusion, EUR 1300 for 4 nights is so doable and if you choose your hotel,restaurants and activities properly you can even have the best vacation ever.  We had a lot of fun and learned many things from this experience.  While walking to D'Orsay,  we walked pass a lady who stopped us and asked if we lost a gold ring while showing us the ring in her hand.  I spotted the scam immediately and pulled Captain away from her.  This scam called the 'golden ring scam' or 'the golden bracelet scam' has been around for a while but I never thought that it would happen to me.  The scam works in such that soon you would realise that your wallets or even watches were missing!  So, beware of strangers picking up gold rings from the ground.. they are scammers. 

It is good to learn a few phrases in french.  I did and it was fun and I was proud of myself for doing quite good.  Captain was impressed too.  But the truth is Paris is a tourist city, most people speak english.  So, a 'Bonjour' , 'Parlez-vous anglais'  and you are set! 

Hope this small 'budget report' helps you in any way at all!

J'adore Paris!