Balcony - Outdoor furnitures

Found this nice set of outdoor furniture for the living room balcony.

Source: http://www.2010lifestyle.com.sg

But I worry that it might be too 'high' or 'unstable' as the balcony walls are not very high (most likely about waist level).

Book shelves with sliding mechanism - Update!

Found out that Howard United Storage System actually has this Glide A Side System with Open Shelf Cupboard which is quite similar to what we want.

Hopefully they do allow for customisation as I got this feeling their standard dimensions wont fit into our bomb shelter.

Refer to http://www.howellunited.com.sg/retailshopdisplay_4.htm for more information         

Sliding Kitchen Door - Ideal design!

Found this Italian company that sells super nice kitchen doors.

Clean lines.

Elegant feel.

Too bad they don't seem to have any outlets in Sg.

Shall try my best to replicate their design.

Due to the tiny kitchen & cabinet layout, our kitchen door choices are quite limited.

Prefer sliding designs as it takes up less space (both in 'idle' mode & in operation mode)

Furthermore, the kitchen door has to slide 'outside' of the kitchen opening.

There is no way the door can be located between the kitchen cabinets & the kitchen door opening.

My preference is tilted towards 'woody like' designs as we would like to have furnishings in warm shades of brown.

Various door designs that slide from right to left

The following designs readily gives me an idea of how the door would appear like/function when installed as our kitchen door has to slide from Left to Right based on the flat layout.

Various door designs that slide from left to right

Simply love the 1 on the left.

Classy & nice.

With the door frame located outside the kitchen, I hope it equates to lesser cleaning after cooking sessions. 

Perhaps one way of DIYing/customisation to get what we want

1) Get a normal glass door

2) Apply some tinted window film on it

3) Install the door with the wooden door frame

4) Get some nice wall decals to decorate the door

Source: http://www.cristalsrl.com/doors-as-furnishing

Movie Review: Just Go With It

Brief Introduction

Danny (Adam Sandler) has a unique approach to picking up women - in order to break the ice and gain their sympathy, he pretends to be stuck in an unhappy marriage.

The instant he brandishes his wedding ring, the deal is all but cinched.

But when Danny finally meets a woman (Brooklyn Decker) that he really would want to marry, he abandons his usual approach for something more subtle.

Incredibly, it works.

But when she discovers the wedding band that he used to use as a pick-up prop, Danny attempts to cover his tracks by falling back on his tried-and-true divorce line.

Unfortunately, the plan backfires when his new girlfriend asks to meet his future ex.

Desperate, Danny recruits his office manager, Katherine (Jennifer Aniston), to validate his ruse by posing as his current wife.

Before long, the lies are snowballing, and by the time Katherine's kids get involved and everyone comes together for a trip to Hawaii, it's not a matter of if Danny's plan will fall through, but when.

Source: http://t0.gstatic.com

Review - Must watch!

We would say this movie is among the top 5 list of funniest movies we have ever watched.

I would think this is high praise as we watch an average of at least 2-4 movies a month.

The best romantic comedy so far!

The show was really hilarious in a good way without any element of lame jokes which I was super happy about.

Was laughing throughout the whole show & it was really $ well spent.

The flow of the story was quite good and the characters came together in a great package.

Go watch it!

Sliding kitchen door - PD Door

Seems like that is not much good reviews so far on PD door.

Poor customer service, bad installation, inferior material etc...

Price wise, it is not exactly cheap.

Refer to http://www.renotalk.com/forum/index.php?s=cd57c9be67c44d17ab0a022298e899fe&showtopic=18123&st=0

Basic acrylic PD door - $299 (subjected to GST) (GST waived only if full payment is made upfront) (door areas <= 800mm)

For new flats, the door area most likely is around 900 mm which means the price would be $449 (acrylic/ glass)

Even worse, I get the impression that Swing Slide Door (http://www.swingslide.com.sg/gallery_glass.html) (located @ Balestier Road) & PD Door (http://pddoor.com/index.html) (located @ Eunos) are actually the same companies.

Time to hunt for other alternatives.

**Selling** Love Summer Breezes - Bella Drape Dress (White) (Brand-new)

Source: http://lovesummerbreezes.wordpress.com/2010/11/21/christmas-prelude/

Dazzle your date, friends and colleagues with this top-notch BCBG Max Azria inspired quality

Belle Drape Dress featuring pleated details in front and a tulip drape skirt.

The great cut and superb workmanship hides all bugles and empire waist flatters your beautiful silhouette.

Made of drapey matte jersey/rayon/polyester with quality inner lining and concealed back zip.

A great boutique quality piece not to be missed!

Non-sheer, model wore black undergarment for the photoshoot.

Quality and workmanship assured.

Measurements: 12” – 18″ PTP, 33″ down

$30 (negotiable)

If interested, contact impixie@gmail.com

The Art of Mattress Buying - Mastered!

Finally settled our mattress + bed frame.

Wasn't thinking of making a purchase that day when we happened to drop by Serta (IMM).

Rather, we were trying to figure out whether to go for Aberdeen (cheaper) or Sophistication.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The conversation was something along these lines:

Us: Eh, cant really feel the different between the 2 mattresses lei... But the prices got such a big difference

Salesman: If you really cant feel the difference, just go for the cheaper 1.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ended up, the salesman sort of solve this issue for us =)

He also gave us the option to upgrade to Sophistication in future @ the current prices.

I do admit that Sophistication does feel a tiny whiny bit plusher and has a super nice feel due to its pillow top material (memory foam or something).

But my mind was like telling me: it does not matter at all since the mattress will be covered up by the mattress protector & bedsheets.

Just buy bedsheets with higher thread count or nicer feel will do =)

Furthermore, Sophistication is much 'thicker' than Aberdeen and I do not want to overshoot our budget when it comes to buying bedsheets.

Although the prices might not be exactly cheaper but we are glad that one more item is settled on the To Do List.

There wasn't much bed frames to choose from and we decided on something which is slightly inclined (only 2 designs to choose from) as we both love to read in bed & an inclined bedframe would be something more comfortable.

Choosing of bed frame colour was also hassle free as there was only 2 colours to choose from.

Either a babyshit-like yellow (his preference) or plum shade (my preference) as shown below.

Guess which shade we ended up with?

Source: http://serta.com.sg

Total cost: $1519 (mattress) + $799 (bedframe)

Freebies:

- 4 pillows (exchange the sheep soft-toy for 2 pillows instead as it serves no purpose)

- 1 mattress protector

- bedside bench (option to exchange it for 2 sets of bedsheets)

Bomb Shelter Renovation List

Book shelves with sliding mechanism

We are looking for something similar to what is in use @ Comic Connection. With our ever increasing book collection, we need a design that is:

1) User friendly especially the sliding mechanism.

2) Does not take up much space. Keeping in mind that we are going to install it in the bomb shelter. It does not make sense to convert the new wardrobes provided by the developer into book shelves. Waste $.

3) Stability. I do not want my books to drop on my head!

4)  Pocket friendly. Do not seemed to be able to find any shops selling such bookshelves in Sg. If we buy online, the shipping cost alone is like double the cost of the bookshelves =<

 

Some online webbies selling the shelves:

http://en.search.borderless.rakuten.com/home_furniture/cabinet/bookshelves/slide_bookshelves/

Storage shelves

We also need to install storage shelves on other sides of the wall to store our barang barang. Most likely wooden (1st preference) or metal structures.

Renovation List

Kitchen

- Sliding kitchen door

Yard

- Windows & grills

Living Room

- Rotating TV wall (maybe)

Living Room Balcony

- Cover up planter box with wood planks/artificial grass

Bomb Shelter

- Book shelves with sliding mechanism (something like what you see @ Comic Connections)

- Storage shelves

1st Bedroom (Study Room)

- Raised platform with built-in ledge & recessed area for leg space (maybe)

Master Bedroom Toilet

- Rain shower

Kitchen Renovation List

Sliding kitchen door

Factors to consider

1) Space constraint - we need a kitchen door which does not occupy much space (especially when it is not in use) and yet be able to serve its function of segregating the tiny kitchen from the living room. Don't want the 'cooking mess' (smoke/oil etc) to spread to the living room area.

2) Material - Preferable something which is easily maintained, eg: glass

3) Working Mechanism - Design has to be such that the kitchen walkway opening remains the same before and after installation. As the opening is already quite small, it is going to be a disaster if the installation of the kitchen door further reduce the walkway size. What we need to replace any 'big' item in the kitchen and realised there is no way to fit in the item =o

4) Cost - As usual, we need something that is pocket friendly & yet user friendly.

Selected a few designs which appealed to me. Most likely will be going for a 2 piece door, eg: 2 piece sliding glass door or swing door design.

Some companies selling swing slide doors:

http://www.swingslide.com.sg/gallery_glass.html

http://pddoor.com/index.html

Bio-essence Bio Platinum BB Cream

Had contemplated getting Bio-essence BB cream for quite a while, especially when I kept seeing reviews of the products at various blogs. Tried 3 versions of the Bio-essence BB creams, ie: Bio Platinum BB Cream, Bio Multi-Effect BB Cream and the Aqua BB Cream at various Watsons stores but just could not come to a conclusion as they seemed to have similar effect on my skin. Ended up just decided to go for the Bio Platinum BB Cream and finally bought this item a few weeks back in Watsons when there was 20% off. I suspect this tube is able to last me forever with the minute amount that I apply each time round.

Source: http://www.thesamplestore.sg

I would say the item offers average coverage. Have read reviews saying that the Bio-essence Multi Effect BB cream offers better coverage. Maybe because I do not have much scar on my face to begin with so I felt that there was not much difference in coverage before and after application. However, it does average out/brighten my skin tone. This BB cream provides a natural/nude look which was exactly what I was looking for. On days where I want a more 'make-uped' look, the blusher is just what I need and I am good to go => It smells quite nice to me too without the chemical smell that some of the BB creams have.

On the downside, there are moments where I look 'whiter' than usual which is kind of scary as I am already quite pale without makeup.

Absolut Vodka ~ Absolut Watkins

Saw this new design by Absolut Vodka @ Harbourfront Duty-Free shop, retailing @ $29. It is actually designed by Liselotte Watkins and is a product exclusively for travelers. Looks so tempting but husband thinks I am mad to even suggest it. To him, it serves no purpose in getting the bottle as he does not drink and we are on our way to Batam. To me, it is such a special bottle. Even though the male & female characters are not exactly pretty but the 'jet setting' lifestyle portrayed just appealed to me. Perhaps, it is just that I love to travel and this bottle sort of represents a lifestyle that I would not be able to achieve in the near future.

Source: http://1.bp.blogspot.com

The bottle is actually transparent and looks much prettier in real life. Took a copy of the brochure instead since I could not get the bottle. As mentioned in the brochure: "Absolut Watkins has a distinct coffee character with almonds, caramel and warm spicy notes of chili." Kind of hard for me to imagine the taste and it does sound weird to me. Something coffeey, yet sweet and spicy? 

There are some interesting ways to enjoy the liqueur such as:

Watkins White Chocolate Martini

Ingredients - 5 parts Absolut Watkins & 1 part white chocolate syrup

Method - Stir with ice and strain into a martini glass

Garnish - A white chocolate stick

Espresso Martini Milan

Ingredients - 3.5 parts Absolut Watkins & 1.5 parts Kahlua Double Espresso

Method - Shake all the ingredients and strain into a martini glass

Garnish - 3 coffee beans

Absolut Watkins and Cola

Ingredients - 4 parts Absolut Watkins

Method - Top up with Cola

Garnish - A lime wedge

Colgate Electric Toothbrush

Just bought this electric toothbrush from Colgate during the recent John Little Sales. Always wanted to try out 1 of these electric toothbrushes but was kind of put off by the prices, eg: Oral B electric toothbrush's prices which are around $40 plus.

Source: http://www.colgate.com.sg

For half the price, this toothbrush is able to satisfy my basic needs. After the 1st usage, I felt that my teeth are much cleaner as compared to my usual brushing using the normal manual toothbrush. It is able to remove plaque and stain marks on my teeth quite effectively. It is also safer in the sense that I would not over brush and injure my gums.

On the downside, I tend to 'drip' alot during the brushing process as it takes quite a while to get used to the brushing motion of the electric toothbrush. Overall, I would say it is quite a good buy.

Wettest Chinese New Year?

It was raining non-stop from Sat till Mon. Even today, there were still showers on and off throughout the whole day. The umbrella is now officially my best friend!

Every year during Chinese New Year, the reunion dinner is the only portion of the activities that I look forward to. The steamboat with lots of wonderful ingredients that my parents will prepare, the company etc. I do not really look forward to visiting relatives. These are some of the really irritating questions that I have encountered over the years:

1) You seemed to have grown fatter over the year. (Sidenote to self: Thanks for pointing it out...)

2) Have boyfriend? Why never bring him along? (Sidenote to self: Bring along for what? For additional 'interrogation'?)

3) Where are you working now? (Sidenote to self: Why would I want to go into detail? I would rather not let you know too much details.)

Sometimes, you just know that these people asked such questions not out of general concern. Rather, they are trying to pry more details out of you to meet their own personal interest. My 1st line of defence is to surround myself with people I do not mind hanging around with and siam as soon as I can. Worse still, no more angbao collecting from this year onwards =<

Some of the Chinese New Year sayings that might coming in useful:

新年快乐 恭喜發財 吉祥如意 身体健康 万事如意

Source: http://www.malaysiasite.nl

MUSEE CRYSTAL TOKYO at Plaza Singapura - Underarms Hair Removal Package

Signed up for this underarm hair removal treatment by Musee Platinum Tokyo (PS) in Nov 2010 for $138. I first spotted the advertisement in My Paper and contemplated for quite a while before deciding to make an appointment for consultation as well as 1st treatment together with Sis. I figured out it might be better and safer to have someone for company in case they hard sell and also to prevent myself from making any impulsive decisions.

Source: http://www.musee-pla.asia

During the consultation, a few interesting facts were brought up, such as: we should not epilate/pluck as this damages our hair follicles. When the hair is plucked out, it leaves a 'hole' where new hair follicle will grow out again. After the 2nd and subsequent epilation/plucking, we will find that some hair follicles seem to grow closer n closer to the extent that they seemed to grow out of the same 'hole'. This is because epilation/plucking damages the 'hole' when the hair follicle is being plucked out. As we tend to epilate/pluck in one direction, the 'holes' will also tend to move towards one direction, resulting in clusters of hair follicles after numerous sessions of epilation/plucking. 

The consultant also pointed out that females suffering from irregular periods might have to wait longer for the effects of the treatment to take place as the regularity of the period will affect the hair growth cycle in the same manner.

So far, we have finished our 2nd treatment and I would say the amount of underarm hair seemed to have decreased. 

At times during the light exposure process which last around 2 mins (refer to http://www.musee-pla.asia/treatment/default.htm for the full treatment process), it feels like tiny ant bites. Other than that, the entire session is quite enjoyable. 

Clean rooms, no males around, no pushy sales, polite staff =)

Furnishing The Kitchen Part I ~ Ikea, Takashimaya, Tangs, Isetan, JohnLittle

Up till date, we have bought tons of stuff for the kitchen, such as:

1) WMF 5-pc cookware set (out of which 2 pcs I will be passing to my mom) ($129)

Source: http://www.home-essentials.co.nz

2) La Gourmet 3-pc cookware set ($99) - I simply love the pour rims which would allow me to drain away water/soup when necessary. No need for an extra 'separator'.

Update: I don't think the quality of the pots are good as the edges are turning brown (something like rust). In comparison, the WMF pots do not have such issues.

Source: http://lagourmet.org

3) Chopper ($20.40 after 20% discount) - Chosen by the husband as I felt quite nauseous just looking at the display.

4) Neoflam Slicer (FOC) - Selling price supposed to be ard $32.90 but the saleswoman offered to us FOC if we buy items 5 & 6.

Source: http://www.neoflam.sg

5) Neoflem Cutting Board ($27.93 after 30% discount) - 2 pcs

Source: http://www.neoflam.sg

6) Neoflam Nature Cook Suelo 18 cm Casserole ($41.93 after 30% discount) - In blue

Source: http://www.neoflam.sg

The Art of Mattress Buying - Sealy, Simmons, Serta, Dunlopillo etc

Recently, we are starting to hunt for a mattress for the new place.  We hope to get something that is comfortable and yet within our budget of $4K inclusive of bed frame. We are starting to realise the process is going to be a long and arduous one. The process of choosing bed frame is so much simpler than choosing the mattress.

One difficulty we faced is that we simply did not know where to start. There are just too many brands with different materials, different firmness, different prices. Not to mention, we have to lie down on the mattress to really get a feel of how it is like. To me, it is a mental hurdle as I will tend to think of what the previous customers might have done to the mattress and also the fact that I do not feel very comfortable lying down on a bed in such a public place. 

Worse still if the salesperson keep pestering us to look at various mattresses or trying to push us to place a deposit using reasons like last day of offer, locked in prices etc. 

Furthermore, mattresses that we shortlisted in one shop might not have the same name in another shop. Example: Sealy Laissez at Sealy boutique @ IMM is actually Sealy Castle @ Courts Megastore (Tampines).  Super annoying! Already having trouble choosing what we want and still got to think of ways to remember the characteristics of the mattresses we have shortlisted.

Our ideal bed frame is one with sufficient back support that allows us to read comfortably in bed. The colour and material is also quite important. 

LovesCoach Kate Spade - Candy Darling Rosalie wristlet

Bought this item from http://loves-coach.blogspot.com/ for the 1st time and received it yesterday by courier. Initially I was quite excited as the item has arrived ahead of schedule and it was a 3rd month wedding anniversary present from the husband.

Source: http://loves-coach.blogspot.com/

Once I opened the parcel, I was quite disappointed. There were areas where the threads were puckered and furry. In addition, there were also areas where it looked like threads was pulled out with quite an obvious  'missing line' in the material. These are some of the 'defects'.

Front View Left Portion

Front View Right Portion

Back View Centre Portion

Back View Left Portion

I emailed LovesCoach Singapore the same night with the following query and guess what was their response.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Email

Hi,

My father received the parcel on my behalf today.

Thank you for the quick delivery.

However, there seems to be a few 'defects' on the item as my father was not informed about helping me to check the item on my behalf (we assumed the item would only be arriving on 20 Jan). My apologies if some of the images are not very clear. Are these 'defects' generic? Does other pieces of the same item have the same 'defects'?

Thank you.

LovesCoach Singapore's reply

Hi

All the pieces are the same.

It is the fabric  and not considered a defect

Regards,

LovesCoach

www.loves-coach.blogspot.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I admit I am someone who is quite picky about the quality of things I am going to buy. I will QC etc to make sure the item is in good condition before paying for it. In this case, I assume LovesCoach will be doing the QC on my behalf as it is going to be an online purchase. In any case, their generic answer was not quite what I expected from a service provider. I do understand that there might be cases where the fabric is of such quality. But in this case, the defects are so apparent! Even if they are not able to do an exchange, their reply was quite a disappointment.

After reading tons of good reviews on LovesCoach website, I must admit other buyers were much more fortunate than me =< I guess this is going to be the last time I am buying something from LovesCoach or even any online store selling Kate Spade items. It would be better to go to Kate Spade outlets even though there might be limited designs.

Cervical Cancer Vaccination - 1st dose

Finally went for the 1st jab last week, courtesy of the $299 voucher  given by a kind soul in Cozycot. Without the voucher, I doubt I would have gone for the jabs so soon. $299 for 3 doses, inclusive of consultation fees & GST was too good an offer to pass up.

According to the doctor, Cervarix was a better choice as a significantly higher amount of antibodies seems to remain in the body as compared to Gardasil after 5 years. One point to note is that Gardasil offers protection against 2 more types of HPVs.

Freaking hot

Source: uspstudent.nus.edu.sg

Don't know what is wrong with SMRT these days. Capacity & timing for both buses & trains are always not able to meet the demands of the public.

For instance, if you know that there is always high passenger load during this particular period, long Bendy buses should be deployed instead of these New Mercedes Benz O500LE (in simple terms, short buses). Moreover, these new buses don't feel safe at all to me. Whenever there is a turn or the driver engages the handbrake, I can feel the bus shaking from side to side.

As for the morning North-South trains travelling towards City Hall, it is always packed but ventilation don't seem to be working very well. Ventilation is even worse for evening trains back home. 90% of the time I can only feel hot air blowing at me. Perhaps it is because I am sitting at the 2 seaters area. But even so, this kind of setup is not acceptable. How can there be good ventilation at only certain areas of the train (new trains somemore)? By the time I get off the train, I can feel a headache coming my way.

I believe I am not the only person with the above feedback. Wondering if SMRT management is concerned about these issues or is their main focus on their profit levels?

** My interpretation of their media logo: Creating Possibilities for lousy service, Inspiring passengers to Always complain more **

Cervical Cancer Vaccination

Planning to get the vaccination soon, sometime within the next few weeks but still in the process of sorting out which clinic offers a cheaper deal.

So far, the cheapest alternative I manage to find cost $360 for 3 doses, not inclusive of GST. Brand name is Cevarix. This promotion is only valid for Passion card members.

More information can be found at http://www.passioncard.com.sg/newmerchant.aspx#c24

Rebonding

Going to rebond my hair again this week. Realised it is a never ending 'vicious' cycle. So used to having neat,  straight and easy to maintain hair to the extent that I will start thinking about making the next rebonding appointment whenever I find my fringe starting to curl. At first, it was an annual event. But now, it seems to have 'upgrade' to a half yearly event.

What can I say? I am just so used to having straight, non-frizzy hair that I will willingly sit 3-4 hours per session for the magical transformation.

Sofa Table

We have been thinking of rearing fishes. Should we do it in the planter box or get a sofa table cum fish table as below.

Source: http://plastichowto.files.wordpress.com

All sorts of chairs

Thinking of getting bubble chairs for our new flat and placing it in the balcony.

Source: Regency shop

Cons of getting it: visually appealing. On the other hand, it might be out of budget, not very comfortable.

More information about bubble chairs can be found at http://regencyshop.com/Chairs-/-Loungers-Lounge-Chairs/c24_26/index.html & http://www.eero-aarnio.com/23/Objects/Bubble_Chair.htm

There are so many types of chairs that appeals to me. Just look at http://regencyshop.com/Chairs-/-Loungers-Lounge-Chairs/c24_26/index.html

Finally a place to call HOME

Tadah! Our new dream home located at Ang Mo Kio St 52. Expected date of completion is 4 Dec 2011.

After six months of agony, I was kind of glad to finally call an end to the flat hunting activities. He felt it was a dream flat in exchange for his dream car. Or rather, a postponed dream of his Subaru.

In terms of the interior, we don't plan on making any major renovations. I hope to have a minimalist theme which equates to minimum cleaning in my opinion. Some areas of concern include the window grilles and planter box.

Our favourite spot of the house is the window seat at the master bedroom. Imagine lounging by the windows reading a novel and at the same time enjoying a glass of iced milo.

Last but not least, the mini kitchen we felt was way too small for comfort.

Letter from HDB

Received the letter from HDB last Fri on the number of chances we have in the balloting exercise. We have a total of 4 chances as we applied under the Married Child Priority Scheme. Seems we have to produce the relevant documents to verify our eligibility at a later stage.

Take-up rate for Jade Spring Phase 1 is so high, approximately 94%.

The results of the balloting exercise for JS phase 2 will be out by Wed. Hopefully we will get a good queue number =>

Application for Jade Spring

Applied for Jade Spring phase 2.

 

Since then, I have been obsessed with checking on the application status via

https://services2.hdb.gov.sg/webapp/BF02SPINS2/BF02PSPINSLogin.jsp?ctxroot=webapp/FI10PPORTAL.

BF has been complaining that I am too hyper up over this; he feels like I wont even last till the flat selection stage. I am just too anxious to know the balloting results.

11 more days to go!

 



 

booo

hhyhyyu