Color Blocking

We had dinner at The Apartment, KLCC yesterday. Don't worry I am not one of those bloggers who would take pictures of their food and post them up on their blogs :p
I love the place, it does indeed feel like we were at home. I was accompanied by some clowns (or maybe just A clown? :p) from work who was really nice to feed us 2 super yummies oreo cupcakes each!

Anyway, this is kind of my first attempt in color blocking, what do you think?



Wearing
Skirt: unknown
Top: MNG
Cardigan: Warehouse
Necklace & matching earings: Topshop
Belt: Miss Selfridge
Shoes: New Look

p/s: some think I have freaky memory - just to test: we had meal number 5 (chicken in a bag), number 20 (seared salmon fillet) & number 22 (chicken & mushroom pasta) & some "red mullet" salad (I'm quoting the waiter who referred to almost everything as red mullet)

Coffee

I am soooo addicted to coffee. Unlike many other people, I do not like the taste at all. I hate coffee flavored cakes, chocolates, candies whatsoever. I need coffee on workdays. It has an immediate effect on me, just a few slurps can make my brain work 100x more. I have no idea what kind of coffee they stock in the office but I would certainly make sure my employees drink them everyday (hypothetically speaking when I run my own business).


Wearing
Mustard Top: H&M (which my desk mate conveniently said "you look like a clown in that top")
Black Skinny Pants: ZARA
Bracelet: Forever21
Earings: Cats Whiskers

p/s: I know this Thai girl (an expat at work) who drinks Starbucks literally everyday. Is she deprived or The Corporation just gives extravagant coffee allowance to expats?

If I have a million bucks

One of the table topics presented during my second Toastmasters meeting is "If I have a million ringgit, which charity would I donate it to?" I was very lucky not to be selected to deliver the speech - I do not know why I was selected to be in Toastmasters, yes, I can talk.. but not to strangers and unfamiliar topics!

Anyway, here's my version of ... "If I have a Million ringgit":


Mini Cooper S in Grey to drive around


Chanel 2.55 in Black for pleasure
.. ok, and in white and pink


Miu Miu Vitello (Large) for work


YSL Downtown in Black for shopping or travels


Christian Louboutin pumps in Black and Beige for work and leisure


0.5 carat of solitaire diamond earings for sheer elegance

..and lastly:


Louis Vuitton trunk for the business trips..

ahh.. there you go.. my table topic speech of the day - If I have a million ringgit :p

p/s: told you I have vision!...hmm.. can I buy a husband?

Feeling Glamorous

I've to admit that I have not seen any of the movies nominated for Best Picture (...yet!) so I guess it is pretty obvious that the only reason for me to watch the Academy awards is the red carpet. OK fine, I didn't really watch Oscar - seriously, unlike the Grammy's there's no performance whatsoever to make it watchable! Anyway, here's my top 3 choice for the red carpet this year:


Marion Cotillard in (Jean-Paul Gaultier)
I don't know why I love this mermaid inspired dress other than the color. I thought it is special, different and has that vintage feel. I think it would look great on Dita von Teese.

Cameron Diaz (Dior)
Color, color, color.. I love dirty pinks!!

Anne Hathaway (Marchesa)
This is seriously romantic.. The color is beautiful especially on Anne's pale skin and dark hair.

Others:

Jessica Alba (looking resplendent in Marchesa), Renee Zellweger (Carolina Herrera of course) & Heidi Klum (Dior - no one else could pull this off)

Where are the other red carpet royalties? I was hoping to see Reese Witherspoon, Charlize Theron, Katie Holmes, SJP, Gwyneth Paltrow, Keira Knightley, etc.. blergh

Jumpsuits

I am sooo in love with these jumpsuits. They're everywhere in the last Spring/Summer 08 runway shows. I have not seen any of these at the hightstreet stores so I am really contemplating of getting it tailor made. They seem to be pretty versatile - the 80s glam rock at Chanel, laid-back hippie at Stella McCartney and the masculine feel at YSL.


Chanel, Chanel, Stella McCartney


Stella McCartney, Yves Saint Laurent, Yves Saint Laurent

Safari Day & Night

I feel a little earthy today and thought about this old toga top I have had for years. Guess it's time to re-invent the look considering one shoulder tops are back on the runway.

Runway


Hermes, Hermes, Lanvin

Myway


Snapshot Details
One-Shoulder Top: Eclipse
Trousers: MNG
Crew neck t-shirt: MNG
Bangle: Tribal craft from Kenya
Necklace: ForLove 21
Shoes: Charles & Keith

Buzzz

After all the hype, I have not actually seen anyone using the iPhone yet.. well, at least in KL. I am not sure why, probably the size? Fashion phones are becoming a craze now (not that I'm associating the iPhone with the other fashion phones).

If you're a slave for labels (or looks), you may have been spending A LOT to keep up with the latest addition to the ever-growing selection. I guess until you've finally owned a Vertu, the buying will never stop.. but yeah, how can we not fall for these:


Motorola RAZR D&G, Samsung Armani, LG Prada (Silver Edition)

If you own one of those and think you have the trendiest phone, don't be too confident as someone else might already have this:


Designed by Fred De Garilhe, this one's called Choco Chanel. I love the double C chain and how it looks like when it is collapsed but I am not too sure with the overall futuristic look. If you noticed, the display panel is transparent, OK!

Don't worry, you're still on top as this phone is not available on the market yet so start saving!!

... I'm still in love with my uber sleek black Prada :p

Match Making

I tried ok.. still trying to understand.. is Kate Middleton really pretty? I don't understand.. Don't you think she looks a bit old (she's even younger than me!)? OK fine, maybe the future queen has to look preppy and well-groomed.. big deal!

Not that I'm into the prince either.. I just have been having these thoughts in my head so I thought I should get it out of my system, once and for all. So here's my vision of the future queen of England:



Biography
Name: Charlotte Casiraghi known as Charlotte of Monaco
Age: 22
Birth Place: Monaco
Why we love her: She's the grandaughter of Grace Kelly (as in the Hermes' Kelly bag), fourth in line to the throne of Monaco. So, grandaughter of Grace Kelly + son of Princess Diana = Ultra HOT future King/Queen of England
Style Factor: One of Karl Lagerfeld's muse - need we say more?
Queenometre: 5/5




Biography
Name: Rachelle Sarah Bilson known as Rachel Bilson
Age: 27
Birth Place: LA, California
Education: N/A (who needs a degree in history of art to be the queen of England??)
Why we love her: She's just that cute, sly girl that everyone can't help but love.
Style Factor: Impeccable!
Queenometre: 4.5/5



Biography
Name: Natalie Portman known as the modern Audrey Hepburn
Age: 27
Birth Place: Jerusalem, Israel
Education: Harvard alumni in Psychology
Why we love her: Think of the hotter version of Bill-Hillary partnership (:p)
Style Factor: She loves Zac Posen & Prada, classy!
Queenometre: 4.0/5 (since she's Jewish, it's never gonna happen I guess..)

So seriously Wills, open up your eyes!! Hm.. I'm not gonna get sued for writing this am I? OK, I'm just a bored Malaysian who has just past my bedtime on a workday.. you wont get anything from suing me, go attack HELLO! and OK.. they're meaner.. AND richer!!!

p/s: I even posted the nicest photo of Kate.. :D

Highstreet in KL

You probably think they are all the same but trust me, they're not!

1. ZARA: Midvalley Megamall - probably has the widest range
2. MNG: Midvalley Megamall - definitely has the widest range
3. Topshop: Pavilion - multi storey, enuff said!
4. Forever 21: Pavilion - Huge, even bigger than the ones in Singapore or even Dubai!
5. Dorothy Perkins: Parkson, KLCC - better stocks than other outlets
6. Warehouse: Parkson, Pavilion - they have the best staff!
7. Miss Selfridge: One Utama - widest range here

Shopping Tips:
#1 - If you happen to like an item, didnt get it instantly and the next time you go it's no longer there, do ask the sales assistant. ZARA especially displays certain items for a few weeks. They'll keep the unsold ones in the store and takes them out during sales.
#2 - Highstreet stores update their stocks almost every week so if you do not want to miss anything, go shopping (or at least window shopping) EVERYDAY!!
#3 - Most highstreet stores collect your contact details - they will send you sms when sale's approaching
#4 - ZARA & MNG go on sale twice a year - end of Spring/Summer (July-Aug) and end of Fall/Winter (Dec-Jan). MNG will be on sale first, followed by ZARA 2 weeks later
#5 - The British chains (Topshop, DP, Warehouse, etc...) have more frequent sales - mid and end of season

I'm sleepy.. I'll add more tips when I get to it later.. do share if you have!

I am officially fat, yes?

“A scale. So people always say that I weigh my staff, and it is totally wrong. All my girls are very skinny and very chic and very beautiful. And if they are not beautiful, well, then they are very charming. So people always say that I weigh them, but no. I don’t weigh my girls.” Carine Roitfeld, French Vogue, Editor-in-chief

Read full article

Is Nude the New Black?

I find the latest trend of combining contrasting colors very amusing. However, I think it would be quite of a challenge to put together that look if you live in the tropics as the furthest we can go with layering is only double? Those gorgeous opaque tights would not be an option either. The only time I could get away with this is during our New Year costume party.

Whatever it is, I find myself falling in love with these nude colors especially dirty pinks - aren't they gorgeous?


Topshop, Elie Saab & Christopher Kane

...and the Search Continues

I have been really looking for a cool notebook carrier. I have been quite a rebel at work for refusing to permanently use a laptop as:

Annoying Factor #1 - I always go shopping or hang out after work so having a heavy laptop to carry around is a total burden. Not to mention the fact that is spells "IT GEEK" which is an absolute boys repellant! and, Not in million years would the company buy those small chic laptops (or the totally awesome MacBook Air) that would greatly improve the ergonomics state of their employees hence proving that those Safety as #1 priority campaign is not a total bullshit afterall :D

Annoying Factor #2 - The standard carrying case that comes with the notebook is so uncool. At least if I could find a fabulous bag to chuck it in to, I MAY change my mind. Well, this beauty is slowly crawling it's way up to my mind..



I have also seen some managers carrying (or pulling?) those cabin size trolley bags as well, which is friendlier to the shoulders so I am also thinking of this one:


Or maybe... this one? dammit.. i want all 3 of them!


Stella McCartney for LeSportsac, available to pre-order at LeSportsac.com

Retro Junk

If you grew up in the 80s and had a fabulous childhood like me, I'm sure you were hooked to the tele to catch Jem & the Hologram. Screw Transformers or MARS or Carebears or My Little Pony, Jem is BY FAR THE BEST!

I managed to watch a few episodes on YouTube the other day and boy, Jem was HOT! OK, the songs are a bit lame though - I tend to forget that the show was produced in the 80s and have a target audience of 12 and below. I am not sure how much influence that show had put on me growing up but I certainly like boys, pretty fashionable clothes, cat fights, music, a little bitchiness sometimes (or all the time?) and I wonder if all of us have a little bit of Jerrica vs Jem in us - at least I admit I do :p hence this blog - oh yeah, I am an IT geek by profession by the way (just to remind you on the clash of personality)

Anyway, saw this super cute t-shirt on the net. I want one!!!

Skincare

OK, let's do products review today. Although I have yet to achieve that flawless skin, I can say that I have received several compliments on how 'clear' my skin is. I am not sure if it's the skincare or MAKEUPS I am using but either way, I'm happy! Here are the 5 skincare items I am using now:

1. SKII Facial Treatment Essence



This thing is very pricey (at least for me) but it's worth every penny. The standard size bottle will lasts for about 10-12 months (twice a day application). I think it has improved my skin in terms of clarity and the size of my pores also appear smaller. I also have the typical pale asian complexion but this product makes my skin glow. You can view the long list of benefits here



2. Olay Total Effects


Good ol Olay! Lucky for me, this product perfectly complements the one before - it seals the hole I've burned in my pocket! It does not really do much oil control but at least it keeps my skin moisturized and does not give me any breakouts. I think it also helps in reducing the appearance of my old acne scars. Now, I can even skip make ups! They also come in 2 other variants - Gentle and for Blemish-prone skin.


3. Cellnique Pro-Sebum Gel


I have been using this product for about 3 months and I must say this is something I cannot live without! My skin is very oily and it accummulates a lot of whiteheads. I drag myself to get facials because I end up getting painful extractions but this product is amazing! I dont know how it does it but my skin is A LOT clearer now. Quite pricey but you just need to apply tiny amount on trouble areas and you can feel how smooth your skin is during cleansing. It contains tea-tree & eucalyptus oil. RM139 at Sasa and Watson's



4. Kiehl's Cryste Marine Firming Eye Treatment


OK, I must admit that I am not quite sure if this product is effective as I have only been using it for a few months. It is the first eye treatment cream that I have used and it's all because of Debbie! Well, I went to a cosmetic counter one day to try out some eye shadows and to my horror, this girl (Debbie that is) said I have wrinkles on my eyelids! Nevertheless, this product has a very nice texture. It is not oily and it leaves that velvety effects.


5. Kiehl's Rare-Earth Oatmeal Milk Facial Cleanser


This is a creamy cleanser. It is non-sudsing and can be used as a 'masque'. Just apply a small amount all over your face, leave for 60 seconds for it to absorb the impurities and oil and then rinse. It is also quite pricey for a cleanser so I may not continue using this product as the ones available in supermarkets do the same job. Nevertheless, I love Kiehl's counters as they are very generous with samples! :)

Charlotte Gainsbourg

I wonder how it feels to have a mother who is a lagendary fashion icon. Charlotte Gainsbourg is a daughter of Jane Birkin, yes, as in the Hermes Birkin* bag. She does not only carry her mother's sense of style but also obviously the gorgeous physical resemblance. Je T'aime!


This laid-back, chic Parisian is also the muse of Nicholas Ghesquiere for the edgy French label Balenciaga.


Oversized grey t-shirt - check, black long leggings - check, high-cut black Chuck Taylor Converse - check. Can I pull it off though.. unless if we have that Birkin blood running, NOT!

*Do you know that Hermes is said to be one of the only brands of handbags to either hold or increase in value with time? There you go.. one way of investing that RM25k!

Do you want to be a Goddess?

I L.O.V.E this book. It is not a book on Fashion but it is a book on Lifestyle. The book has very pretty layout. EVERY page is written with fancy pictures and sketches as you can see from the photos below. It is an absolute must for those who live in London, New York & Paris as Gisele shares many many tips on her favourite shops, salons, spas, restaurants, markets, etc...

My fav section is the interview with Christian Louboutin where he shares some 'history' behind those red soles (read previous article) and besides that, he also shares Paris best-kept secrets - his fav shops, restaurants and etc... so do get this book if this is your lucky year to visit Paris!



Need some tips before making that big investment on those 'It' bags? Gisele also includes several pages on handbags - the types, materials, colors, vintage and the best part, where to find them!



In a way, this book is a great introduction on how you can lead a fabulous lifestyle. It is divided into 10 sections that cover Style, Beauty, Travel, Home, Garden, Food, Pillow Talk, etc... basically for the "JOIE de VIVRE".

Go get yourself a copy - SG$25.68 @ Kinokuniya

Powerpuff Girl

Snapshot Details
Outfit: Sevendays Puffed Sleeves cropped jacket, Topshop vest, H&M Jeans

I am not sure if I really like Bangsar. There was a point when I liked it so much that I was there 3 times in the span of 2 weeks. I have never been able to check out all the boutiques at one go for one, they are all on 1st floor so I'd be too tired to climb the stairs by the time I reach the 5th shop. Secondly, it is not an air conditioned mall but rather rows of shops in a tropical concrete jungle. Thirdly, it is pretty obvious that most of the clothes are stocked from the same manufacturer so if you don't fancy bumping into someone else wearing the same outfit then I'd recommend you to shop elsewhere. Fourth, everything spells - made in Siam

Anyway, I do have some favourites:

1. Sevendays - the owner of this shop is fab. Rozana is very elegant and she makes you wonder if she actually has a full time hair dresser who does her hair every single day. Boutique wise, the shop does not carry that many items but I love most of them and they are very unique. I don't feel the things are stocked elsewhere other than Bangkok but I think the buyer deserves some credit for that unique taste (at least from the other shops in Bangsar).

2. Musse - this shop carries fantastic items, you want to know why? They basically copy designer items (Chloe, Calvin Klein, Marni, etc...) and literally the labels and tags as well. I get annoyed once when they said the clothes are stocked from the designer factories (ie - Bangkok?) hence the pretty steep pricetag. However, if you have a special cocktail party to attend, I'd highly recommend this shop.

3. Shoes shoes shoes - I love the shoes here but if you're someone like me who dont quite believe in spending >RM200 on something you put your feet on (or in), then this may not be worth visiting. They must have been doing very well though that Parkson Pavilion stocks their shoes. Still a treat for the eyes!

4. Oopsies Daisies (however you spell it)/Gossips/Baci - The reason I group these together is, they all have nice, pretty clothes but they tend to have the same stuffs! You're also likely to bump into the same people in these shops - which is annoying factor #2. However, the clothes carry quite reasonable pricetags so what you can do is, maybe go to all 3 shops, see what you like and if you still like it by the 3rd time you see it in another shop from the 1st time you laid your eyes on it, then go for it!

Sound of Music

Yesterday we watched Sound of Music. The last time I saw that movie was like 15 years ago or something. I can't believe that I have actually been to Salzburg, where the film was shot. The scenery was breathtaking, it's just nice to see them again in the movie. I'll post some shots later


Snapshot Details
Outfit: H&M Jeans, MNG T-Shirt, H&M Scarf, Anya Hindmarch shopping bag & Portmans cuffs

Lounging

Snapshot Details
Outfit: BYSi dress, ZARA leggings, Cats Whiskers wedges, unknown bracelet

Happy Chinese New Year! I'm definitely going to enjoy the peace & quietness in KL. Hurrahh!!

Those Red-Soles

*to own those gorgeous Louboutins, visit www.net-a-porter.com

Here's the story.. (taken from The Goddess Guide by Gisele Scanlon):

Why are the soles of your shoes red?
CL: An assistant in the office always used to wear the same colour red lipstick and matching nail polish. One day I asked to borrow it and coated the bottom of a pair of stilletos just to see what it would look like, et voila! I loved the dramatic red colour against the clean line of the shoe. It was the most beautiful red I have ever seen. Now it's my hallmark. The first season I used it, one boutique wouldn't buy the red soles from me and only wanted black, so we delivered black - a few weeks later, after customers protested in horror, the store was screaming for the red ones. It always brought me great luck!

What are your favourite shoes to design?
CL: My signature styles are the towering three-to-four-inch heels but I also design six-inch heels. I call them my 'bed shoes'. They're so high you can only lie down in them

Do you think heels can help a woman bag some bedroom action then?
CL: Clothes make a woman happy but a good heel can give her confidence and a lot of sex appeal, yes!

So ladies, get yourself a copy of The Goddess Guide by Gisele Scanlon for the full interview! It's my 'bible' now ;) - I'll write a review of the book in my next post, so watch this space!

Vision of the Day

Yes people, today I have been having this VISION* of what I plan to do with this blog. What inspired me? Someone asked - what if people started reading your blog and they leave a comment - "You're nothing but superficial - all you do is shop, travel, read glossy magazines, so how do you contribute to society, again?"

Well.. I want to help people make the right kind of INVESTMENT* by giving them some tips through my own past INVESTMENTs*.. heheh.. so, still superficial? ok ok.. first of all, this will be the place where I write about my travels - so what's the big deal, u might ask? My blog will be a little different as I have been very lucky to have some experience visiting other countries where I know locals so I'll give you some valuable insights on what you can't actually find in www.visit<>.com

I always do a lot of homework before visiting certain places - websites, lonely planet books, etc... but I can hardly find any references to great shops, all websites and lonely planet books tell you is, where the museums are, where the zoo is, where this castle is, yada yada yada.. *yawn* ok, i'm starting to prove you're right, I AM superficial huh? ok, whatever..

Secondly, I want to help you choose the right books, products - why? to help you make the right kind of INVESTMENT*. Isn't that contributing to society? :p

Ok, serious business now - yes, when this space is popular, I'm going to make it your one-stop online lifestyle magazine (great leaders have VISION*, remember?). I'll begin by interviewing some locals, share some insights of these places, tell u something www.visit<>.com won't tell. We'll also do some book reviews, spa, salon, beauty products, gadgets, etc...

So peeps, watch out this space if you want to know more about Dubai. Next will be Melbourne, Australia!

*Footnote (per www.dictionary.com):
vi·sion - [vizh-uhn]
1. the act or power of sensing with the eyes; sight.
2. the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be: prophetic vision; the vision of an entrepreneur.

in·vest·ment - [in-vest-muhnt]
1. the investing of money or capital in order to gain profitable returns, as interest, income, or appreciation in value.
2. a particular instance or mode of investing.
3. The act or fact of investing or state of being invested, as with a garment(see, I told you!)

World Wonder 1.1 - Dubai

OK, let's talk about the highlight of my trip to Dubai - SHOPPING!!!

Tip #1 - Outlet Shopping
Bring a lot of $$ if you plan to go to the Dubai Outlet Mall. It is located at Dubai al-Ain Road, which is quite far from the city centre so you may want to arrange for fixed transportation - imagine being in the middle of nowhere and this is literally desert! Taxis are difficult to get as well and don't even think of buses..

Anyway, there are a few big multi-brands shops like Annex which stocks off-season Ferragamo, Aigner, Moschino, Escada, etc.. and I would highly recommend The Outlet if you are a fan of Miu Miu, Prada, Stella McCartney, Chloe, Oscar de la Renta, Rock & Republic, Marni, Vera Wang, Furla, etc... the shoes range from AED400-AED800 (50% off retail)and clothing between AED100-AED1500

Besides that, there are also individual shops like Massimo Dutti, MNG, Diesel, Ninewest, Kenneth Cole, Derhy, Nike, Adidas, Puma, etc.. (go to their website for complete list). Do not miss my mum and sister's fav shop Tchibo that sells almost everything under the sun - from clothes to gadgets, household items, stationeries (I ALMOST got a laminating machine and paper shredder.. they look fun!) so don't miss it!

Tip #2 - Shopping Malls
Dubai is blessed with shopping malls - Mall of the Emirates, Deira City Centre, Ibn Battuta Mall, Mercato, Dubai Festival City, Lamcy Plaza, Wafi City, Souq al Bahaar, Burjuman, etc... My personal fav is Deira City Centre, why? Because they have New Look!!! Mall of the Emirates is the one with Dubai Ski and this is also a fav as imagine, 2 H&Ms under one roof!!! 2 anchor stores in here - Harvey Nichols & Debenhams.

Ibn Battuta Mall is quite impressive(although a little boring) as the mall is categorized into seven (I think) sections that represent countries discovered by Ibn Battuta. They have one section with Chinese theme, one section with Indian theme, Egyptian (i think) and etc...

Mercato is very pretty. This mall is located along the beach road where the rich live. You can see fancy boutiques and cafes around this mall. Worth visiting I would say!



Snapshot Details
Location: Mercato Shopping Centre
Outfit: H&M Jacket, Massimo Dutti top, ZARA handbag


Snapshot Details
Location: Souk al Bahaar, Downtown Dubai (next to Burj Dubai)
Outfit: H&M Jacket, Massimo Dutti top, ZARA handbag


Snapshot Details
Location: Dubai Festival City Shopping Centre

Tip #3 - Textile Shopping
Where else, Naif Road. Make sure you go there early (around 9-ish am) because shops here shut at 1:00pm for Zohor prayers and re-open at around 4:00pm (I think). Malaysians love Phulwani - their promoters can even speak Malay fluently and they have URTV posters of Siti Nurhaliza, Ziana Zain, etc in the shop ok! Personally I think they have started increasing the prices so not really worth visiting anymore. Just drop by any shops there and don't forget to bargain, bargain, bargain!!

While you are at Naif Road, don't forget to drop by at the Gold Souk.

Chapter 1 - The Introduction

People who know me would say I get excited quite easily. Facts:
1. I went to a really nice Middle Eastern restaurant, they had belly dancing performance. The next thing I knew, I was downloading Arabic songs. I really wanted to take up the classes - That was Mar 07
2. I fell in love with the French culture. Made some French friends, I thought they're fabulous with those oh-so-sexy accent, no? The next thing I knew, I bought several books on French culture - French Women Don't Get Fat (ok, not exactly French per se) and Paris to the Moon. I then wanted to take up French classes - That was Jan 07
3. I went for a vacation in Austria. They say Austrians are very nature-loving people. The country is unbelievably clean, the air's crisp and the places are Beautiful (with a capital B). I pledged to contribute to the society by holding some campaigns at work for the company to buy recycling bins - That was Oct 07

OK, my point is, I have all these great plans in my life. The problem is, the execution. People say great leaders have vision, they never say great leaders EXECUTE stuffs. So I look at myself as ok-lah.. AT LEAST I have VISION.. right?

OK, OK.. back to my point of writing this whole pointless introduction - I have been having a VISION to re-start a blog (ok, I had a very messy one which ended up being my very very private diary which I loathe til now) and this time, write about something I am actually good at - Fashion, Restaurants, Books, Magazines and Travel reviews - This is Feb (which is FAB!) 08. We shall see how long this lasts!!

World Wonder 1 - Dubai

What makes a great blog, Great? Easy - people like pictures, yes? Otherwise might as well read CNN or Wikipedia (haha). OK, I'll share some pictures captured during my recent visit to Dubai, UAE. I don't want to make this too shallow so I'll include some facts or things I found out during my trip.

Fact #1 - Dubai is not a country! It is an EMIRATE, included in the UAE cluster (ok, maybe cluster is not the right word). The UAE consists of 7 Emirates - Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Sharjah, Umm al-Khuwain, Ras al-Khaimah, Ajman & Dubai. Each Emirate has its own ruler. Ruler of Abu Dhabi being the head of the biggest and richest (with oil) emirate is the official President of UAE with Ruler of Dubai being his VP.

















Snapshot Details
Location: Umm-Suqeim beach overlooking the iconic Burj al-Arab (Tower of Arab)
Outfit: H&M Jacket, Massimo Dutti Top & ZARA Pants



Fact #2 - Dubai IS NOT blessed with Oil but a smart ruler instead! Realizing this limitation, the ruler (currently Sheikh Muhamad) invest billions of money in big projects - Burj Dubai (soon tallest building in the world), The Palm (8th wonder of the world), Jebel Ali (seriously huge port located at the most strategic location at the Arabian Gulf), The World (another freaky man-made islands in the shape of the world), Dubai Ski (the only ski in the desert), etc...

Fact #3 - Shopping in Dubai is FABULOUS! If you are into high-street labels, this is your shopping haven. You can find any high street labels from the land of America right across the Atlantic! From H&M to Gap to Topshop to Guess to Promod to Conbipel to Warehouse to Banana Republic to Massimo Dutti to Trucco to Forever21 to Pull & Bear to Dorothy Perkins to NineWest to Charles & Keith to Kenneth Cole to Oasis to Rene Derhy and the list goes on and on.. (ok, this topic earns its own chapter - check out my next post!)


Snapshot Details
Location: Mall of the Emirates, Sheikh Zayed Road
Outfit: River Island tunic/dress, ZARA handbag, Forever 21 bangles, necklace (unknown)

Fact #4 - Dubai is an ultra modern cosmopolitan. It kinda makes me feel like I'm in LA (not that I've been to LA, it's based on what I have seen on TV, heheh). The city is populated by mostly foreigners - only 30% locals (Emirati). If you are Malaysian like me, people will most likely think you are a Filipino (domestic help or sales promoter.. no offense but true!).


Snapshot Details
Location: Global Village
Outfit: unknown tank top, MNG cardigan, H&M jeans, ZARA handbag, earings from Kenya (bought from the African booth at the Global Village)