transcend

“But who can say what's best? That's why you need to grab whatever chance you have of happiness where you find it, and not worry about other people too much. My experience tells me that we get no more than two or three such chances in a life time, and if we let them go, we regret it for the rest of our lives.” - Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood A, 29, here and there

[linblanc]

What’s yours?

If there’s one thing I’m really proud of, having lived for thirty years, is my ability to know what I need to help me unwind from different types of lethargy. Yes, you read that right, there are different kinds of lethargy. I caught The Children Act on my own yesterday because it really felt like the answer to my need for a brain reset. The film didn’t let me down, it was beautifully filmed (for the lack of a better word) and really calming despite the heavy plot line. Having read the book which was written by Ian McEwan about a year ago, I really wanted to see how it in film form and now, I think I’m going to get myself a few more of his books.

Today, I spent the afternoon watching The Land of Steady Habits on Netflix and it was just the kind of film I really love watching. Movies and books which make you think about your life and how you’re living it get to me all the time because of my deep seated fear of wasting my life away. 

May we all live our own lives to the fullest, the best way we can x

[linblanc]

Collide

By the time I’m posting this, it’s been a few months since I added the Celine Box to my wardrobe. Let me get this out of the way - I have been pining for this. You have no idea, the amount of times I’ve walked into the Celine boutique just to look at it in person or the number of hours I’ve spent looking at street style images of this gorgeous one. I’ve yet to get more use out of this though and it’s not because it has let me down in terms of expectations (Oh, don’t we all hate that moment when it dawns on us that that bag wasn’t what we expected) but rather I’ve been a tad bit obsessed about it being in pristine condition. I don’t think it’s a cause for concern though because I brought it out this week and my heart sang each time I had to open it to retrieve something. I dressed it down this week with a striped midi dress and a pair of slides. I must say, dressing it down made me realise why the coffee brown is also a popular choice because it looks like a chic alternative to a satchel. 

[loveminimalstyle]

[linblanc]

White, to me, is overwhelmingly calming and welcoming. Nothing better than a blank canvas to start over after a long day, nothing more welcoming than a clean slate. 

[linblanc]

She Looks Like Fun

It’s almost mid-year which is my fav time of the year because things inevitably start looking up after June. I think my year properly starts in June, for some reason. January-May are months filled with a lot of dread and efforts to inject a lot of positivity into myself because as much as I want to sit and mope around, I also know that I’d hate the thought of having wasted the months away, feeling unmotivated and uninspired. Anyway, having gotten myself through months of being in a rut, I think I’m able to write about some ways on how you can get yourself out of a rut: 

1. Acknowledge that you’re in a rut

Acknowledging that you’re in a rut is the first step to getting yourself out of it. It’s important to tell yourself that “okay, I’m in a rut and it’s okay because I’m going to get out of it.” Of course acknowledging doesn't give you a free pass to use it as an excuse to get out of daily responsibilities like work. It’s all about being patient with yourself if you feel like spending the entire weekend in bed. Let yourself wallow but make sure you’re able to stop yourself from over-wallowing. 

2. Listen to music

I’ve become a firm believer that music is powerful enough to put yourself in a positive mood. The genre doesn't matter at all, it’s all about finding out what works for you. I’ve always been an alternative, rock, chill music kind of girl so over the past few months, I’ve been listening to The Killers, Stereophonics, Banks, Matchbox 20, Arctic Monkeys and the Chill playlist on Apple Music. 

3. Indulge in a hobby

In my efforts to feel happier about things, I’ve spent copious amounts of time reading and that makes me happy because while I’ve been feeling rather blah, I’ve achieved one of goals for the year. A little sense of achievement goes a long, long way. 

4. Doing something for yourself 

I went for the Stereophonics gig even though it was right smack in the middle of a busy period and it was a week night but it was the best thing I’ve done for myself! I enjoyed every minute of the gig, felt really alive because they were so good live. In fact, I was really productive in the weeks after and I really think it was largely due to the fact that I went for the gig. 

5. Retail therapy 

I indulged in retail therapy (within a reasonable amount of course). I’ve also come to believe that a good outfit that makes you feel happy is important and so I’ve invested in pieces to add to my wardrobe that will make me happy on a random dreary Wednesday or a long Monday. 

6. Looking for inspiration

We’re living in this day and age where technology makes it easy for us to look for inspiration right at the comfort of our own homes. I’m not saying that this is the best way to feel inspired but yknow, when you’re not traveling anyway for a long time, social media is a good way to look for inspiration and happy vibes to give you that extra push to get out of your rut. 

[linblanc]

Celebrate Everything

So I caught Stereophonics live a few days ago and it was life changing because they definitely lived up to their reputation of being really good live performers. They started with Caught By The Wind, before moving on to C’est La Vie and when they sang I Wanna Get Lost With You, I was indeed lost in the atmosphere and the vibes of the concert. Would I want to catch them again if I could? Definitely, without a doubt.

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It comes and goes in waves

I quite like public holidays that occur in the middle of the week because it’s a day to just chill. Long weekends tend to come with a lot of expectations and sometimes, it has the tendency to end up being really mediocre, leaving me with a sense of regret. Nothing like that for random one-day public holidays though. Today has been good, I woke up at 5, watched some videos, went back to sleep at 7 and woke up 4 hours later. I’ve taken to staying at home on my off days of the late because I’ve become such a homebody and I really love being at home. Which shows that I’ve probably done a good job in creating a really relaxing environment at home which was something I set out to do when we got our keys a year ago. It’s almost a year now, since we’ve gotten our keys to our home and if anything, I cannot be anymore contented. 

[linblanc]

Adrenaline

So another weekend has come and gone and I’m proud to say that it has been a more productive one. I achieved quite a fair bit of things and I have to say that one of the reasons why I’ve been rather productive is because I’ve been envisioning and reminding myself of the tasks that I want to accomplish during the weekend. I read somewhere about how envisioning the tasks that you want to get done helps in ensuring that you're motivated enough to see through them. 

I also finally changed my bedsheets. I’ve been wanting to change to these sage linen bedsheets which I purchased from Bed Threads. I first experienced sleeping on linen bedsheets when I was staying at an Airbnb in Australia and it was so comfortable! I took a really long time to get around to purchasing a set of my own and now that I have one, I think I’m going to purchase another because they are so lovely to sleep in! I went for Yoga yesterday and had a really good stretch. Imagine how happy I was to come home to laze around on my linen sheets!

Anyway, I think my waking up at 5 in the morning on work days has caused me to not be able to sleep in over the weekends. I woke up at 6.30 this morning and decided to read The Perfect Nanny which I finished a few hours later. I love the book but I think I need to read more articles on writing book reviews because I don’t do a good job of writing about books that I really enjoy. 

H & I are going away this week and I’m quite excited even though we've gone to this place a few times now but I really like it because it’s quite a nice place to go for food, a bit of shopping and just to get away from our usual work routine. 

[linblanc]

January Favourites

I’m really glad that January is behind us now because it was such a painful start to the year! I haven’t been all bright and shiny the entire month because of some things which I need to get through but now that February is here, I’m feeling more optimistic about the year. Maybe January is just the month filled with teething issues and that feeling of being stuck in a rut because after ending the year on such a high, it’s only natural to feel slightly defeated, exhausted and irritated because yknow, life is a revolution - one time you’re up, the next moment you’re down. I’ve always believed that that is necessary because moments of feeling down and out is the catalyst to change which we might not see coming but necessary. 

I’ve decided to write an entry about what I love about January because despite the fact that I’ve spent a huge part of it feeling sorry for myself, there are things that made me happy during January. So, in no particular order:

I came to know about this book through Instagram - by the way, I’m so glad that we can follow hashtags now because we get more content that way, without having to follow so many people. It really helps in exploring and learning more about something as compared to someone. Anyway, this book is great because it makes the reader think about living a life with purpose (something I’ve been thinking about these days) and the fact that if we know when we will die, will we be more reckless, take more chances, procrastinate less, be brave and make the most of what we have?

These two books made it to my favourites because they checked every box in my ‘Must Haves in a Thriller’ checklist. The plot in both books were gripping, kept me engaged throughout and the plot twists - I didn't see them coming for sure!

I love that the white sneakers trend came and stayed for a long time because white sneakers are so versatile! You can wear them with both formal and casual outfits. I’ve been wearing this pair a lot - with midi dresses and shorter dresses to work. The downside is the maintenance - they look less presentable when they get dirty which is inevitable but this pair costs less than $100 so it is an affordable option and staple choice should you choose to purchase more than  a pair. 

I got this last week during the Tangs 12% rebates weekend. I am a huge fan of YSL beaute because their liquid foundation works really well on my skin. I’ve been looking for pink nude liquid lipsticks and this is a MLBB shade for me. The formula does not dry my lips which is great because my lips get dry so easily. This is from their Tatouage Couture Matte Stain range in shade number 7. 

I love, love, love green tea and I tried this mask on a Monday night to treat myself after a long day at work. I love how this mask does not clog my pores and makes my skin feel clean and moisturised. I have sensitive skin so I’m always really careful with beauty products because most masks and moisturisers tend to break me out. This doesn’t and it’s really affordable so I’ll definitely repurchase it. 

When I was planning my London trip in November, I told myself that I wanted to get a Le Labo fragrance. I forgot all about it when we were there until we stumbled upon the Le Labo store at Convent Garden - talk about fate! I love this fragrance because it is absolutely divine! I also got myself a discovery set so I’m quite excited to try more fragrances from them. 

I generally like Mulberry as a brand because their bags are functional and hardy. I’ve used my Alexa to death and I’m really very rough with my bags but it still looks really good! The Amberley satchel is a good structured bag to get if you’re looking for an in-between - a bag which is not too formal and not too casual. It’s versatile - you can pair it with a dress or jeans and it’s also really roomy. I can fit a book, my cardholder, small waller, a lipstick, keys and work access card. It’s also a bag that I wouldn’t mind purchasing in a different colour. The Amberley in dark blush is a good choice if you’re looking for a bag in a neutral shade. 

Ahh this, lovely one here. I’ve written about this in my previous entry but it deserves a spot in my January favourites. This bag looks deceivingly small but you can fit quite a lot of things in it. It comes with two straps so you can carry it as a shoulder bag or as a cross body bag. The light blue etiquette logo is subtle and there are zips at both sides of the bag which you can unzip, if you need more space in the bag. My only problem with it is the gold clasp which is a pain to unclasp when you want to open it. I’m hoping that it’s because it’s still new so it’s still stiff (I’m pretty sure I’m using the wrong word) but I think you know what I mean. 

Last one but definitely not the least - fav music for January. I listen to a lot of music and I came across The Killer’s performance at Live Albert Hall on YouTube. I love the songs they sang and I decided to get their Greatest Hits compilation on Apple Music. I haven’t reached the stage where I’m listening to all their songs in all their albums but I’ve been listening to this album daily for about two weeks now? 

I’m really glad I decided to do a post on January favourites because feeling thankful for the things and people that you have and opportunities that you get is important, especially when you’re feeling like you’re just stuck in a rut. May February be a better month for us all. Xx

[breathtakingdestinations]

Uppsala - Sweden (by Alexander Cahlenstein) 

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7 years ago, I saw an advertisement of the Prada Saffiano and fell in love with it at first sight. Of course, when you fall in love with something at first sight there is a really high possibility of it being fleeting and true enough, it was. The Prada Saffiano gained popularity over the next few years and while I still felt that it was pretty, there was no urge to get it because I realised that it was really heavy, even when it’s empty. Moreover, it comes with a really long strap and I felt that it was just not a practical bag for me because I like my bags to end at my waist. 

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon the Prada Etiquette collection when I was on the Prada website looking for a small wallet. It was again, love at first sight for me because the bags were edgy, simple and subtle. I usually like my bags to be quiet and subtle so it was really right up my alley. I went to the boutique and looked at the bags and decided that it was just not the time yet so I left... 

Then last week, I was online and saw it again and decided that I should just take the plunge and I’m glad I did because I’m really so in love with it! 

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Checking in

I had a really good and productive weekend which saw me spending time with myself winding down and meeting my mother and aunt. I was unabashedly counting down to Friday because I’m still feeling rather lethargic from a couple of things.

So yesterday, I couldn’t sleep after getting up at 6 so I decided to read and finished Camille which was really good. I got sleepy after I finished it and took an hour nap before getting up to get ready. I stopped by town to shop and I’m so glad I did because I got two dresses that I really like and a pair of Keds. I’ve been looking for a pair of white leather sneakers because the ones I have are rather battered because I wore them during my trips so I’m pretty chuffed that I got a pair that was below $100. 

Today has been another day of reading. I started The Immortalists last night and finished it awhile ago. I think I’ll write my thoughts about the book in another post but all you need to know right now is - I love it, it’s a really good book that makes you think about life. 

That’s it, I’m pretty happy with how I spent my weekend. I think I’m more ready to face the week than I was last week.

Some pictures that I took during my really chill weekend:

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Projects for 2018

Generally, I think New Year resolutions are a good way to provide some semblance of direction that you’d want for the year. Granted that some of us can’t follow through with them before the first quarter of the year is over (read: me) but to be honest, I’m quite taken in by the idea of resolutions because they make it seem like you’re on the way to having a productive year and all that. And there’s something about the end of year holidays which puts me in a reflective mood which leads to me feeling galvanised to be more proactive and put myself out there, leading to unrealistic resolutions which I struggle to achieve year after year. So, this year, I decided to do it a little differently, I’ll embark on little projects for 2018 which will help me to achieve the bigger goal at hand which is to be a better version of myself.

1. Home improvement

I love my house. I waited long for it and I’m really quite in love with it. I do find it slightly too cold though because I’ve been afraid of accumulating too many things. First things first, to get some prints framed because I’ve been meaning to hang two or three in the master bedroom. H also found a way to hang flowers to dry them - my best friend got married over the weekend and she gave me a bouquet to bring home. I don’t have a vase with me at home so we decided to improvise by hanging them to dry. It’s just near the door and I love how it looks and adds a bit of charm to my otherwise bare home. 

2. Read more 

I did attempt to read more this year and I think I might have achieved that. I think I managed to finish 3 books in December and a few books spread throughout the rest of the other months. There’s definitely more room for improvement in this area because I spend too much time on my phone especially during my commutes to and from work. So the plan is to spend my time on the trains reading. I’m aiming for one book a month so let’s see how I get on with that. 

3. Write more 

The purpose of my setting up this blog was to write more so that I can better articulate my thoughts in writing. I’m thinking of a post a month, with pictures which I’ll take on my own - the whole works. I really hope I achieve this because I think it’ll be a good opportunity for me to make use of my right brain because I use my left brain a lot when I’m at work. 

4. Building my wardrobe 

I realised that some of my clothes need replacing - there’re stains that I can’t seem to get rid of, they’ve gotten smaller or they're torn. This is probably going to take a long time because I’m terribly picky with clothes and most times they look really similar. I need to remember not to rush into buying clothes just because I’m bored of wearing whatever I have. I tend to do this a lot, especially when I’m buying trousers. I know the length isn’t what I want but I go ahead and buy them anyway and end up not wearing them! For the record, cropped ankle length pants or ankle grazers are really the best kind of pants to wear. Culottes are great too, because they're comfortable and easy to match. 

5. Be kind

I tend to be impatient, especially when I’m stressed and I hope this year I’ll learn to be kinder and more patient. 

6. Being more organised 

This year, I attempted to be more organised at work which I was able to keep up with for awhile. When things got busy, my desk got increasingly cluttered and after awhile, it was just a mess. I think it’s important to tidy my desk before leaving and to make it a habit to write my tasks. I need to think about how I’m going to make use of the planner or planners that I have to keep track of the things that I have to do. 

7. Yoga

Yoga twice a month, let’s hope that I can keep up with that. 

There you have it, my 7 projects for 2018. 

[linblanc]

London 2017

London was lovely, I enjoyed my stay there thoroughly. We were rather lucky because it wasn’t so cold during the first few days of our stay there. Our food choices this time round was on point as well! I think it’s because we took some time to plan our itinerary carefully. I’m quite the brunch food kind of girl so I looked for popular cafes to go to and I’m glad that they met the hype. There’s nothing more disappointing than looking forward to a good meal only to realise that the food’s subpar or overrated. That said, the cafes we went to were bustling which I enjoyed very much because I quite like to have my meals at places which are buzzing with activity. It also snowed on our last day in London and I quite enjoyed my first snow experience even though it became terribly cold after that. 

[ingenueininglenook]

Reading isn’t important because it helps get you a job. It’s important because it gives you room to exist beyond the reality you’re given. Reading makes the world better. It is how humans merge. How minds connect. Dreams. Empathy. Understanding. Escape. Reading is love in action.

Matt Haig (via ingenueininglenook)

[ratgoat]

[baimbie]

indie/bambi

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no time better than now 

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I know social media is a bit of a grey area these days - it has the potential to show the ugly side of us humans and at the same time, it has the ability to enable you to know more people (without really knowing them or them knowing you) and helping you widen your horizons and gain new perspective. 

I’m personally a big fan of social media particularly YouTube and Instagram because it allows me to learn from other people who are more knowledgeable and inspirational in their own ways. I’m not talking about idols (although I must admit that I do enjoy spending hours on their Instagram page) but ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things with their lives. 

yknow, for anything and everything, you can choose to see the good or see the bad and for me, social media is a big yes because it is always humbling to learn from other people and it’s always important to remember that in the grand scale of things, I can be insignificant and there’s always room for improvement and growth and ... you get my drift right? 

[linblanc]

Discover recipes, home ideas, style inspiration and other ideas to try.

A friend of mine suggested that I should think about being a books curator because I really love picking out books to read, to decorate and all that. That got me inspired to create a Pinterest Board filled with things that I’m thinking about - things which I would like for my house and items to add to my wardrobe. You’ll also find me putting up pins of bands or singers which I enjoy listening to. These bands or singers are people I listen to while I’m at work because they put me in such a productive mood. Enjoy!