Back from Phuket

Hello!

As the title suggests, I'm back to sunny Singapore. I missed home. Wish Phuket was more of a blast than I hope it would be. But anyway, it was a good getaway ♡

Thailand's one of my favorite countries. I like the warmth she gives and how everybody's always smiling. Went to Bangkok last year and did lots of shopping, this year's Phuket was really chillax to the max. The beaches were nice and the resort we stayed at was awesome. Check out Metadee Resort the next time you plan to visit Phuket! I left bits of my heart there.

I missed my bestfriend so much, I met her today. Happy to hear your exchange programme to Hongkong came true, have a blast for me! I love you, bitch!

Also painted my nails dark purple to match my new mustard bag!

To Joshua

I hate cleaning my desk or my shelves because I'll always find something that somehow manage to take me down a trip memory lane. Be it painful or not. Sometimes trips like these... are uncalled for. Or that deluded mini me refuse to go back in time and watch how I used to hurt people without batting my lashes.

I found a dusty folder with a couple of torn out pages from a note book written by a long lost friend. People call them love letters. It was couple years back during my angsty and super hiao teenage years, I met Joshua.

Joshua's the kind of buddy who's always around. He's the kinda guy to tell you nice things but mean to you sometimes. He's not the best looking bloke but he's so smart you wish all your dates were half like him. Joshua was a great friend.

That year I had plans to leave for Australia to further my studies, so he brought me for dinner and gave me this note book as a farewell gift. Sure enough, there after we never meet again. I lost him as a friend too due to my lack of sensitivity. Pure idiocy, I say. I still remember the last thing he ever said to me was - "Have a nice life."

Anyway, it was a scrap book, some sort. With badly printed pictures of us and funny scribbles.. That 'bad girl' I used to be actually was so loved by someone.

Here's what the final note read:

Dear April,
As I already told you in my blog, the book is meant for you to write down all the things you love about yourself. You are so beautiful to me. Your feistiness, the way you feel strongly about family, your insecurities and your strength. Everything that you are is perfect to me. I hope that as you embark upon the journey in Australia, you will learn to discover everything that I told you about you. I wish you could see yourself though my eyes. But I guess it always takes time. Oh yeah on another note, don't forget to remember me.

He also wrote a couple of poems to/about me, here's my favourite, titled "Angel":

To break my heart and the serene sky,
To cause the rainfalls from on high.
To kill the songs of the birds,
All you have to do is cry.

Walk upon the empty road,
Destination still unknown.
You are my guide through all the world,
My love, my destiny.

If I could have you now as mine,
Pain and hell I shall deny.
Yet broken bits of memory lay,
So much flowers we have to slay.

Thus let us go into the night,
of endless darkness, of little sight.
And perhaps blinds us now forever,
So we cannot see that we can never.

For you, the stars will die.
Joshua.

To Joshua, thank you for believing in me and that convinced me that I could be someone's perfection. We may not be friends anymore and though memories of our friendship are tugged away at the back of my mind, I wish you well. I hope you're somewhere doing great with your life and met someone who deserves your love.

Thank you for your love.

April

Food Review: DeSté & Wild Honey

Finally!
... I made my way to Wild Honey. ;]

Was there on Sunday with Jason and Lala, thanks guys for the not-so-secret surprise (cause' I'm so smart to guess it right at first try!). I've always wanted to visit this "Breakfast place" everyone has been raving about. If you read Rozz's blog from 987, she is an ardent fan and visits there almost every week!

So they don't do reservations - for such a small place, I figured why. What more, we met with the Labour day PH, which was a TOTAL BUMMER. Anyway, so we made our way there only to find ourselves in the queue with like 3207423938 other people. We were told that we had to wait for approximately 1 hour for seats. I'm dying to try la but we were MADDDDD hungry please :( While waiting, we decided to go for some desserts first!

DeSté - A Tradition in Confectionary



Located at quite a secret area behind 313, DeSté is a little alfresco italian dessert place. If you're in for expensive looking yet not crazy on the wallet, DeSté is the place to go for yummy desserts! They've a range of gelato ice creams, chocolates (for someone who doesn't like chocolates at all, I am sold!), coffee, teas, cakes and all things sweet!

From left: Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Wrap, Piedmont Pave, Tiramisu (Photos shamelessly stolen from Jason Muhu)




Right now they've an amazing promotion - A slice of cake + a piece of premium chocolate bon bons + a scoop of gelato ice cream + a drink (coffee/tea) for $14.90

They've 3 outlets at the moment:The Riverwalk next to the Singapore River, Mandarin Gallery and 313@Somerset.

Trust me, you'll love it for its chic store front, great desserts and friendly service staffs.

Wild Honey @ Mandarin Gallery

So, we waited for an hour and left for Wild Honey after DeSté. I wasn't too happy with their Service, for one. We were told to wait for an hour and said they'd call us when they've seats freed up for us but the call didnt came. When we got there, they said they did give us a miss call but we didnt pick up which can't be true because we didnt even receive any call from them. I wasn't impress with their service even before stepping in.

I also don't really like their "Pay at the counter first before seated" policy at the store. First of all, their queue line is really narrow and I don't like the idea of having to hold up the queue while deciding what to eat. It was rather pressurizing. Anyway, we decided on a Tunisian, Mexican and English Breakfast (UNDER PRESSURE!! :P) and we all ordered a Mandarin Wilderness Mocktail each.




Top: Mexican, Tunisian
Bottom: English breakfast & Sides (Mushrooms and Baked Beans)

Verdict: I'd say it was alright. Nothing too fantastic. It could be because I didnt start empty stomach. I couldn't finish my wrap. Their dishes are saltier than you'd imagine. The sides are great, then again, very salty. I probably wouldn't go there too often, maybe once in a while if I'm craving for very good breakfast. Price wise was manageable. :)

Food Review: Fika Cafe & Bistro

Hi guys, how was your week? Hope it was swell. ♥

This post is long overdue but I'll try to remember whatever that's still fresh in me. I was at Fika some weeks ago for my birthday; located on the corner of Beach road and Arab Street, this little white themed bistro had caught my eye for a long time but never had the chance to try.

Fika is a halal swedish cafe and bistro with full white furniture and interior, the place gives you this fuzzy feeling like you're at home. A little fun fact - The word "Fika" means having coffee with one's colleagues, friends, date, or family. The word has quite ambiguous connotations and can mean anything from taking a break from work or other activities, to going on a date. Well, in layman's terms, it means to chill, relax and get together.

The area's rather small, probably can fit to about 10-15 people inside and another 1o at the alfresco. I heard they've opened up the 2nd level which can hold approximately 100 pax for corporate functions, parties or events.

I ordered a Swedish Hash - Diced potatoes, onions and beef, pan-fried and topped with a runny sunny-side-up with sliced beetroot on the side ($17.90). The portion came and I thought: Man, am I going to be full from this? But surprisingly, it was quite filling. They've a good portion of potatoes, greens and the cube sized beef was quite tender and chewy.

My girlfriend ordered Grilled Chicken - Boneless chicken thigh served with parlsey potatoes and black pepper sauce ($15.90) which was really, really good. The sauce was very savory and smooth. It wasn't clumpy like some I've seen before. The chicken thigh was also tender. This is a must order!

Other dishes we tried: The Steak - Juicy strip loin steak served with parsley potatoes topped black pepper sauce ($22.90), it was alright. Portion was good for a lady but probably a little small for a guy. The sides are all the same, you get potatoes and salad. We also tried the meatballs which was a disappointment. We all agreed unanimously that Ikea serve better meatballs!

Dessert was pretty swell. We had Swedish Pancakes sprinkled with icing sugar served with whipped cream and jam. I was quite surprised that Swedish pancakes are actually really thin and they taste slightly salty? But the savory taste mixed well with the blueberry jam and icing. It was a good combination.

Verdict: I enjoyed the experience. It'd be great for a small gathering with 3-4 friends. Especially girlfriends! And I'm very sure the place looks better when it's in the day because of the good sunlight that basked in and white furniture. The food was 7/10. I was quite satisfied!!

What I didn't like: Their meatballs could have been better. I don't know, just didn't taste nice to me. They're also a little too huge. Also, they shouldn't be charging for water. It's a given that water is FOC, period.

For more info/reservations, visit: http://www.fikacafe.com/

Girl of the Moment: Alexa Chung

I major heart this girl: Alexa Chung.

Out of bed tousled hair, checked!
Doe eyes, checked!
Lanky body frame without looking bulimic, checked!

This British fashion Sweetheart has a quirky and daring style which made her stood out among all the 'It' girls in the industry. She made class look so effortless. Her best quality? She looks so sweet and harmless, I find it hard to hate her. Anything she wear makes a fashion statement. She grabs a lot of attention everytime she steps out. Fashionistas all over the world are eager to know what she'd wear next.

Alexa's style is all about comfort. She also play with colors to spice up her outfit. Maybe a flirty flora skirt with black stockings and oxford shoes. I like how in every outfit she exudes a sense of femininity without looking too girlie or elaborate. You go, girl.

How will I put together an Alexa Chung Look?

I chose a green flora dress because it best represents Spring! I'd layer it with a nude/cream/brown/earth colors cardigan to bring out the femininity and preppy girl out of you. I'd go with a pair of dangly earrings (blue/brown) but I decided on a long necklace to bring out the neck line and also make the whole outfit look a little whimsical.

This look is best for: A girlie day out, a casual date down town

Okay, I'm out! Love you all.

Edit: Alexa Chung is featured in this month's Elle Singapore. She talks about her fashion style and other stuff. Go check it out! ;)

Taylor Momsen for New Look

Taylor Momsen, following foot steps of Kimberly Walsh and Alexa Chung (major hearts!) is to front New Look Spring 2010 ad campaign. Expect lots of studs, lace, nautical stripes and anything that spills rock chick. Like her alter ego, Momsen's daily fashion style is in line with New Look Spring collection, as though it was made for her. Her fashion sense is known as the "Don't give a shit", edgy and grungy style which gives a fresh vibe to New Look.

What I spotted: A lot of black! Bring on the smokey eyes and chunky accessories and you can rock every piece on a daily basis. Jenny looks from Gossip Girl is no longer unattainable!

This is Momsen's first major fashion campaign and I think she's rockin' it. I like how she brings a fresh pop to the spread and making the rock chick look so effortlessly done.

Make up Review: Maybelline Magnum Mascara

I only started applying mascara about 3 years ago. I know, I'm an extremely late bloomer. Never liked the idea of having something on my lashes or anywhere near my eyes; thinking that it'd hurt. Alas, I gave in to vanity and tried some on. It worked a little bit but I still hate my Asian lashes because they're so short and bare. I almost couldn't see anything after applying. (And I'm still contemplating about fake eyelashes, so don't suggest)

Recently, I was walking down Dhoby Ghaut MRT station and saw HUGE print adverts of a giant yellow tube. It's really hard to miss. At first thought, I felt really strange. Yellow and metallic purple? Hmm, not the best color combination. It was also a coincidence that I needed to get a new tube of mascara, so I decided to give it a try.

Verdict? I love it. Absolute mad mad mad love.


Don't know about you but I really HATE mascara that comes with the brush. (Always preferred those with comb brush.) Those brushes are really thick and fucking hard to apply when you've small eyes and short eyelashes. You end up clumping your lashes and they look gross. But Maybelline's new range of Volum' Express Mascaras (which is the Magnum) proved me wrong. The brush is so soft and so easy to apply. A few gentle strokes and you're done. No clumps and no hassle.

Magnum does give you volume and commendably a little length. (Seriously, if you have uber short lashes like mine, nothing you do can give you lashes of an Indian beauty like fake lashes can. So quit whining and accept fate!) I don't really care about the length because I don't like the feeling of having a little 'shade' above my lids. But I think volume is important. It's like short hair, you can have really short hair but with a little volume you just look different. Same for your lashes!

If you notice the brush, it is slightly curved. The bristles are quite sparsely arranged but arranged in such a way as to be able to grab quite a lot of your lashes at one go which is perfect for girls with very little and short lashes. Guess what's the best part? After 2 strokes of application, it does not weigh down your lashes! So, so, so awesome. *beams*

Pros: Volumizes lashes. Doesn't clump or smudge on my lashes. Affordable. Waterproof
Cons: If you're looking for a mascara that gives you length (like I said, girls with short lashes, time to wake up.), this is not the mascara for you. It doesn't really give you much length. And personally, I think the size of the tube is also a little too big for my liking.


To conclude, I am sold. Now, I enjoy applying mascara because it really works. Go get yours now!

And people, please be a dear and join the Maybelline (Singapore) fanpage!

Stand a chance to see AKON live in Singapore at Fort Canning this 22nd April! How? Steps are simple:

1) Join as a fan: http://www.facebook.com/MaybellineSG
2) Leave a comment on the wall - any message for Maybelline!
3) Take part in the survey
4) Cross your fingers and hope for the best!

Good luck!