printing press.

Cure for an obsession : get another one - Mason Cooley

This time, PRINTS.
Flora, paisley, scarf-printed pants....amazing!!!

Top, L-R: Jil Sander, Mary Katrantzou, Erdem
Mid, L-R: Stella McCartney, Givenchy, Roberto Cavalli
Bottom, L-R: Versace, Etro

home is where the heart is.

On my recent visit to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam - amongst my many crazy and exciting culinary adventures, there's a restaurant which I think deserves a notable mention.

This restaurant is Cuc Gac Quan, translated in English simply means "The Brick Restaurant". The title is very fitting with the overall décor of the restaurant - a very provincial look and feel, it was built on the basis of an "architect's house". There's a pond with real fish, the staircases are made of wood and twigs, all the crockery are made from ceramic and even the drinking straw is made from a morning glory stem! Creative right?

The food takes you back to that special place when you were young, enjoying a simple family dinner. 

It’s nothing fancy in terms of garnishing and whatnot, however, the taste will leave you wanting more - or at least, fight with your fellow guests over the remaining pieces!

Overall, quality dishes, reasonable price and prompt service - the perfect formula for a great meal!

The entrance

Tables situated in the front courtyard

Interior  - very traditional

OUR AMAZING TABLE (used to be a bed, can you tell)

Menu - in Vietnamese and English for your convenience

burnt garlic popcorn

One of my favourite dishes in the entire world. Although my father's creation of this dish is still my ultimate favourite (just like his Pho) but Cuc Gac Quan does a pretty good job with this. It's called "mam" and basically it consists of pork, prawn paste, chilli, lemongrass, garlic etc

Grilled fish with shredded mango drowned in fish sauce...ummm...YUM!!!

Notice how the concept of the restaurant is consistent from the very minor detail such as the chopsticks holder? Amazing!!!

More traditional crockery - the teapot!

Beef, watercrest and tomato in vinegar sauce

Another ultimate favourite - water spinach crab roe soup!!!

Asian eggplant marinated in fish sauce - you can eat this together with the soup above.

Name an exotic fruit and you can have any shake you want! This is Coc aka Toad Mango, a very popular fruit in Vietnam. If you've tasted toad mangoes before, you'd know that the taste is rather sour and hence the drink is accompanied with honey!

dessert - jelly and lotus seed

So, if you're planning on visiting HCMC anytime soon, I highly recommend you drop by and have a bite here or at least try one of their amazing fruit shakes!

Address:

Cuc Gac Quan

10 Dang Tat, Ward Tan Dinh, Ho Chi Minh City District 1, Vietnam

Oh and did I mention Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie recently came here for lunch as well? ;) 

arm-mour.

Stepped out to dinner in this outfit.

I used to always say - "if you wear cheap clothes, you gotta dress it up with expensive accessories".

Let's face it, good designer accessories can easily cost $300+ a pop! With the increasing influx of chain stores imitating trends and selling for a fraction of the price - is it really worth spending $1,000+ on a Herve Leger dress or would you prefer spending a measly $190 on a bodycon dress in Kookai identical to a Herve? Anyway, my personal answer would be "no" because it's always best to have the real deal, especially something that is "signature".

Nonetheless, in order to avoid the "cheap chain store look", dress it up with expensive accessories - bag, shoes, ring, necklace, bracelets, earrings....anything!

Also, if you're planning to be more "frugal", don't wear what everyone else is wearing - try to find that bargain piece that's different from the rest and/or from a secluded boutique and not a chain store.

Wearing; Bardot off the shoulder top, Maxi skirt (with split), wedges and orange clutch are all from an online Korean store, gold cuff, 2 x Disney Couture bracelets, vintage belt and Asos ring.

cast away.

It was a rainy day, feeling defeated by the weather, we reluctantly drove towards the direction leading to Berowra Waters Inn.

As we drove, there were "postal signs" along the way dropping hints of where to find the location - it's like going on a treasure hunt!

We finally reached our destination - not quite, by car only.

BWI is set in bushland - on a river, therefore, it can only be accessed by seaplane, boat or on their own private ferry as pictured above. I would suggest the latter because it's a quick 2 minutes ride and extremely convenient!!!

A bonus would be the amazing view from your table!

Now, here's the food:

Menu: in order, from top to bottom:
1. Chilled Vichyssoise, Oscietra & Salmon Caviars, Beignets of Hawkesbury Oysters
2. Citrus cured salmon, herb marinated kingfish, beetroot vinegar, slow baked aubergine, soured goats cream
3. Buffalo mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes, courgette, basil, black cherry balsamic, olive oil sorbet
4. Steamed razor clam, local mud crab meat, spaghettini, garlic, chilli, lemon and parsley

5. Steamed Western Australian Marron tail, cous cous, pickled cucumber, avocado, sheeps milk yoghurt, dill pollen
6. Roast local quail, hazelnuts, celeriac, shallots, fermented garlic
7. Wagyu, native pepper, spinach-fennel, wood mushrooms
8. Fresh cherries, raspberries, cherry sorbet, champagne espuma
9. Apricot, caramel, chocolate, chestnut honey

Every course was spectacular so let's cut it short by focusing on the two standouts:


The very first taste of that Chilled Vichyssoise was unbelievable. I remember turning to my boyfriend and we just stared at each other in bewilderment for several seconds. It's rather rare for me to like something from that first initial "hit" - often, when tasting food, it usually takes several spoons/folks/bites for me to be able to determine whether it's a hit or a miss. Not this one. It was love at first spoon. 


Vichyssoise, because it is made from potatoes, leek and cream, it can often be too thick and creamy (I am anti-cream) and after a while, the taste can become sickening. Not this. The vichyssoise at BWI was incredibly smooth.


Next memorable dish was definitely the Steamed razor clam, local mud crab meat, spaghettini, garlic, chilli, lemon and parsley. Now, this experience was a little different to the vichyssoise, this hit me on an "emotional" level. 

I recall the first time tasting the oysters at Tetsuya's, I had tears of joy in my eyes - literally. How can something taste so beautiful, I thought. Well, this was the second time I've cried (well, it wasn't waterworks or anything) over FOOD!!! I've always been a crab lover, that fact is undeniable. However, this dish was not about the crab, it was about those amazing spaghettini strands - the taste of garlic, chilli, lemon and parsley was captured in every single strand. 

Overall, all the food exceeded my expectations.

BWI - definitely my new favourite!

So, despite the miserable weather, the sun finally came out and a few happy (blogging) snaps were taken!

Wearing; Camilla & Marc silk shirt, leather shorts, Chanel classic flap Jumbo in Caviar, YSL arty ring, vintage Casio watch, Shoes from a Korean store and lots of arm candy 

enter the dragon.

I'd like to wish all my fellow Lunar New Year celebrants a happy and prosperous new year! As always, the occasion involved too much eating, some red-pocket-receiving and lots of family fun.

Christmas celebrations (and feasts) only go on for 2 days - this, lasted the entire WEEK!

So, here are some of the food highlights. Please note the operative word is "highlight" - impossible to post every single dish up!!!

Wearing top to bottom; Acne denim shorts, Zimmermann black top, yellow satchel bag, custom-made shoulder padded top, zara black shorts, Asos spotted skort (shorts but look like a skirt), Bardot black blazer and gold metal belt

when doves cry.

I am pretty much over the whole pop colour fad.

With every 2nd store in Westfield stocking something bright, it's becoming cheap and unoriginal allowing every Tom, Dick and Harry (are there female-equivalent names) to look the same. Of course, it all depends on how you wear it.

In saying that, I'll continue to wear a few bright pieces here and there, other than that- I am reverting back to my black & white mode.

Especially white.

blooming red.

Stepped out to a wedding last night in this outfit - wearing; Showpony Fashion dress, 3.1 Phillip Lim clutch from net-a-porter, 2 x silver cuff worn on both arms, Asos chain-link ring, Lovisa red necklace and red wedges from overseas.

welcoming 2012

Happy New Year lovelies! Sydney's fireworks lived up to expectations (and costs considering how much was involved in making it happen)!

Hope you all welcomed 2012 with a bang (literally). It was a casual celebration for yours truly, sitting on the lawn amongst wonderful friends, snacking and sipping away as we count down to the 9pm and midnight fireworks. Couldn't ask for a better view, thanks to my dear friend for being so conveniently located in McMahon's point where our view was the one and only Harbour Bridge!

Wearing; (casual) Zara glittery gold top, vintage high-waisted pants, Asos skinny belt, yellow satchel bag, Marais USA Gladiator sandals from Solestruck 

t'was a good year

On the eve of 2012 (well okay I'm a day ahead), as I reflect on the year 2011, lots of  goals are left unaccomplished. I can use all the excuses under the sun...."had a tough year", "lots of bad luck" so on and so forth, but truth be told, none is good enough.

I received this "Goals" book from Kikki.K for Christmas and it is by far, although not materialistic,  my favourite present. I'm going to use this to keep tab of all my aspirations and goals and what I need to do in order to achieve them!

The book is divided into segments:

- Personal Development

- Family and Relationships

- Finance and Career

- Health and fitness

- "Dare to dream" i.e Go to Mars

I need to add two more - Wear the same things twice in photos (who cares) and eat less - quality will remain but definitely need to cut down on "quantity"!

No excuse will be good enough in 2012, bring it on!

What are some of your goals for 2012?

Happy New Year lovelies xo

joyeux Noël

A few snapshots from the Christmas weekend - eve and day.

The feast was held at my sister's pad and the menu included (as pictured above):

• 2.5kg of prawns - all nicely peeled by yours truly
• Turkey, ham and prosciutto platter
• Scallops wrapped in a layer of prosciutto and glazed by ginger + shallots soy sauce
• My sticky date and banana pudding

Please note, not the entire menu is pictured above as they were your typical salad, chicken, skewers etc - not as interesting. 

I guess the highlight for me was that the sticky date and banana pudding turned out "visually" better than I expected considering I had to improvise by using a normal eating bowl for the shape outline! The taste? Well, let's just say everyone had a clean plate =p


Normally I'd wear an old red dress on Christmas day and just throw on a really casual outfit since we're usually indoors in the comfort of family. This year, we went to mass on Christmas eve so wore something a little better  but not too dressed up.

Merry Christmas readers xo

Christmas Eve Wearing; Zara orange shirt, Zara white shorts, tan brogues and tan tote both from a Korean store ,Asos cuff and pop up shop necklace.
Christmas Day Wearing; green sportsgirl singlet, yellow satchel bag, Mimco bow necklace, random chain-store skirt bought just for Christmas day, Asos sandals