after the outage from LJ yesterday, i'm a little inclined to switch to tumblr. 

let's see how this pans out. i love my layout over at tumblr, but still have a little affection for my girly LJ. 

by the way: nahsiep.tumblr.com

i admit: i'm just slightly obsessed about vivi magazines, making sure all my friends who head to hong kong gets the international chinese version for me (it's slightly different from the china version), keeping them by  my bedside so that i can flip it as and when i want to, marking the pages of clothes i like, calling them my fashion go-to inspiration...

many of those who likes vivi immediately chirp their undying love for lena. but not me. my favorite has to be chikako watanabe.


what i call my style has definitely changed over the years - i used to love girly frocks and pretty pastels. half my wardrobe consists of florals, pastels and frills. nowadays, i like to toughen them up with ultra high heels or black ankle boots.



i immediately gets taken to the photo spreads with her in them, and i find myself marking out her pages most of the time. loving her way of dressing, and her structured  blazers and jackets toughening most frocks up, while the soft pinks, nudes and pastels keeping the feminine touch.


not to mention her makeup - smokey eyes, thick eyeliner.... and i would LOVE to have her hairstyle.

sigh. to be able to look like her...

 spent my weekend not thinking about much besides browsing fashion blogs and planning my outfits of the week. 

inspired!

 yesterday, in a moment of weakness, i started to contemplate the greater meaning of life.

yes, philosophical, needlessly deep thinking of what exactly my life will entail. 

i reminisce about the good old days when i was happy and easily amused all the time. days when all someone has to do is to make a witty comment and i literally rofl. days when one phonecall puts a smile on me for the rest of the day.

i was so contented, so alive, so hopeful about the life in front of me.

and now, a few years older and a bunch of great incidents later, i'm wiser, smarter, and more ambitious.

i now know what i want and how to get it. and i am no longer contented. there are things that are just out of reach and i will make myself reach it. 

maybe i will step on a few mines in the meantime, but hey, no loss, no gain, right?

just don't make me lose my vanity - i wont be me without it. 

with <3, your friendly neighborhood bimbo. :)

 havent posted here in so long.

been busy with work, having no time to even do a proper mani pedi. i miss shopping, random walking around and exploring parts of the island i have never been to before. (oh wait, i just did that 2 weeks ago. seems like a lifetime ago.)

in other news, went for a weekend getaway in kukup island. did so many things and was impressed by so many incidences, havent had so much fun in a while. i bet the villagers are looking on us with scorn and thinking "what mountain tortoises these city kids are".


a summary of firsts -
tickling pufferfish and watch in glee as it gently inflate and stays afloat in the water because of the air it inhaled. cuteness maximus.
seeing and touching a real life horse shoe crab and mudskipper and eel and jellyfish
releasing wishing lanterns
letting off massive and gorgeous fireworks

plus singing ktv, playing mahjong and monopoly deal, having the most awesome seafood of my life, indulging 4 massive meals of simple yet strangely delicious food, having 3 different kinds of cakes in secret recipe for less than 10sgd.... and the list goes on.

all in 2d1n, and one of my best weekends this year yet. i wanna go back!

*more photos in fb!

 this will be what i have to tell myself. it's going to be amazing.

First Sunday brunch of 2011 was at Marmalade Toast!

A more casual version of the Marmalade Pantry, and also under the umbrella of the Marmalade Group, this place is so secluded you would miss it unless you're looking for it. It's hidden in a nondescript corner of Ngee Ann City, and i'm pretty sure that despite being there for umpteen times, many of you might not have seen this place before. 


A hidden treasure, i first came to know about this place cause my boss ordered in its salads and sandwiches for lunch. pretty pricey for a delivered lunch, but it was a treat so yep. :P Fell in love with its food, especially its salad, and had been wanting to visit this place, but never got the chance to until now. 


My fave has got to be the pumpkin salad. I have an irrational love-hate relationship with squashes in general. Love their sweetness and tastiness, but hate it when they get so mashed up you feel like you're eating sticky mud. The pumpkin salad is done so that there is still a slight crunch to the veg (fruit?), and the sweetness comes through. yums. 

The masala chicken wrap is fantastique too; adding mango lent an unexpected sweet and sour level of flavor to the wrap. the cameralised onions in the roasted beef wrap has been pickled, i think, and its sourness made the wrap more refreshing, less meat-ish. veron didn't like it though. The chicken caesar salad is good, but not particularly memorable. and of course i have to order my mandatory earl grey. :)


Desserts always get special mention every trip. i've come to a point where i cannot live without desserts! i absolutely LOVE its nutella cupcake! I have heard so much about Marmalade Pantry's cupcakes and naturally i have the same high hopes for Marmalade Toast's since they are under the same company. was pretty happy when i found out that they serve all of the Pantry's signature cupcakes too!

i hear people saying cupcakes are like ah lians: all looks, no taste. marmalade's (be it pantry or toast) will prove you wrong. a sticky nutella frosting covering the cake which looks dry at first glance, but literally melt in your mouth. its not too sweet, and will be perfect with a cup of earl grey for an afternoon indulgence! :) the apple and cinnamon pie is also perfectly sweet and sour, the cinnamon not too overpowering.

i certify Marmalade Toast PS approved! :))) Hatched this week (the cafe, not me). Can't wait!