March 2009 – Regina Chow

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Of bows, combs and all things sweet

March 29, 2009 by Regina Chow No Comments

To wind down after a tiring week at work, I would usually hit the shops for comfort. The invigorating scented trail of perfume, colourful window displays and endless rows of merchandise are a breath of fresh air. Whether I eventually make any purchases or not is really a secondary concern. Or is it?

Well, I do window shop sometimes, but this week, I came home with a bag of hairbands from Accessorize and undies from Topshop. I have a soft spot for bows and ribbons on clothes, shoes, bags, earrings and what have you.

Here’s presenting one of the largest bows I own to date:

What I wore with my hairband to catch Confessions of a Shopaholic (I swear it was almost like watching myself on film, except that I know my limits):

I decided to wear my new jelly flats from Novo in the end

Speaking of hairbands and hair,I had quite a scare last Sunday. I was trying to comb and twirl my hair with a round comb, but it ended up getting stuck in my hair instead! It was so badly entangled that JW had to rush home from his weekly climbing session just to help me.

In the end, he had to cut away all the teeth. LOL. Check out the bald comb. Thank goodness I’m not the bald one. 😛

Recently, we’ve also taken an interest to aromatherapy. JW brought up the idea rather unexpectedly while we were having dinner at Tetsu last Saturday. Being the spontaneous and supportive wife that I am, I immediately suggested that we head downstairs to buy a burner and some essential oil.

We also bought two very classic bedside lamps from Laura Ashley. It looks similar to the lamp from Lim’s that went out of stock, so it was really a blessing in disguise. I love how it lights up the room, giving it a warm and cozy feel.

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Black

March 21, 2009 by Regina Chow No Comments

I’m in all black today. Although I love bright and vibrant colours, black remains a staple colour in my wardrobe. It’s such a versatile colour to play around with. Most importantly, it suits most skin tones and hides any imperfection caused by poor workmanship. I have no complaints about this dress though, as it is pretty well-made. 🙂

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What I Wore Today

March 17, 2009 by Regina Chow No Comments

I hardly take pics of what I wear, but now that I get off work earlier (cos I go to work earlier!), I have a little more time on my hands, especially when I am not doing housework. 😛 Yes, you heard me right. I do housework. Anyway, here’s a new dress for work. I’ll usually throw on a jacket if I have meetings to attend.

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New Possessions

March 14, 2009 by Regina Chow No Comments

Other than clothes and shoes, I bought a new present for myself this month. Here it is, the Canon Powershot SX110IS.

I have always been a fan of Canon Powershot, having owned one several years back. Regrettably, I then switched to Panasonic Lumix and have been lamenting about its inadequacies for the past 2 years. Now that I have my new Powershot, there’s no turning back for me.
JW also put up some new paintings and drawings in our home. We bought these during our honeymoon but just had them framed recently. Drawings of Florence line our hallway.

Oil painting of the Colosseum, framed in an ornate baroque-style frame.

The clock was a souvenir that we got from Paris, and it now hangs at the entrance to our kitchen. I love how the colours complement the entire colour scheme of our home.

And finally, here’s our Louis Ghost Chair in glossy black. Nobody sits on it though. 😛 It is really more of an ornamental piece of furniture.

The pictures were all unedited pics taken with my new camera. Since I was relatively free yesterday, I decided to take a photo of what I wore as well. 🙂

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Paris – Le Jules Verne & A Cafe in Paris

March 7, 2009 by Regina Chow No Comments

The highlight of our Paris trip was our dinner at Le Jules Verne, a 3-starred Michelin restaurant opened by Alain Ducasse. The food was excellent, as expected, and the service was very professional but a tad cold.

Although I am aware that French fine-dining restaurants tend to provide such service, I still prefer the warm and friendly service rendered by the other French and Italian cafes that we patronized during this holiday. It was an unforgettable experience, nonetheless, especially since we (or rather, JW) forked out 400 euros for the entire degustation meal.

We had a breathtaking view of Paris from our window seat. What a sight to behold.

Can’t quite remember what this was, but I’m pretty sure this was not on the menu. 🙂

The sliced wild apple was a perfect complement to the sweet and succulent lobster meat. Roasted chicory with black truffle and cheese. This tasted heavenly.

Pan-seared turbot, crayfish and mushroom a la riche. I remembered the fish was very fresh and tender.

Medallion of Venison. Cooked to perfection, the meat was juicy and very tasty.

We barely spoke because I tend to concentrate on my food when I am eating. 😛

The dessert spread was very generous. Our “main” desserts, namely the 1) light wild strawberry and coconut cake with lime-coconut sorbet and 2) tower bolt, dark chocolate praline & hazelnut ice-cream, were accompanied by chocolates, marshmallows and macaroons.

I was so full at the end of the meal that all I wanted to do was sleep. Fortunately, our hotel was located near the Eiffel Tower, so a slow stroll back definitely aided our digestion. We will probably never come back again, at least not in the short term, but fond memories of this experience will always be etched in our minds.

After a night at a gastronomic restaurant, we went back to street cafes the next two days. The last night of our 2 week holiday was spent at a lovely cafe just across our hotel. There we were again, with my Orangina drink and his English Breakfast tea, reminising about our little adventures throughout the two weeks and wondering when we will be able to take such a long break away from work again.

Now I’m wondering..should I go to Dubai on my own??It’s for work, but at least it wouldn’t be as stressful as my normal work trips 😉

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Feisty Princess Charmaine

March 5, 2009 by Regina Chow No Comments

Work and the new home have been keeping me very busy lately. As a result, my health hasn’t been too good and I’m on MC again (ironic how blogging resumes only when I am ill).

Perhaps I’m burning out? I hope not. Work has been smooth-sailing, with exciting new opportunities and portfolios, but sometimes, a part of me wishes that I can just take a one year break and be a home-maker for a while. Internal conflicts are never easy to resolve.

Whatever it is, health always takes priority over everything else.

Recently, my dear friend Jolene told me that her god-daughter, Charmaine, who is all but 4 years of age, has been diagnosed with fourth stage Neuroblastoma and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. It pains me to know that a child has to undergo so much suffering at her age, but like everyone else, I believe she is a fighter and will be able to surmount this illness.

Jolene has also very kindly set up a blog for little Chairmaine. Please visit the blog at http://ourfeistyprincess.blogspot.com/ for more information on this valiant little fighter. I have also included a banner at the side of my blog for easy reference.

We all hope that Charmaine will emerge victorious in her battle against cancer, but in order to do so, her family would require financial assistance to pay for her medical treatment. I would like to appeal to everyone who reads my blog to lend Charmaine a helping hand.

You may wish to:

– Make a direct contribution via funds transfer at POSB savings a/c 109-76705-0 (for local donors)

– Donate via pay pal (strongly encouraged for foreign donors)

-Contact Cynthia/Jolene at ourfeistyprincess@gmail.com if you wish to make alternative contribution arrangements.

On behalf of Jolene, Cynthia, Charmaine and her family, I would like to thank you for all your contributions.

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Paris – Angelina, Musee de Lourve & Musee de Orsay

March 1, 2009 by Regina Chow 1 Comment

Angelina was established in 1903 and is a favourite among Parisians and tourists alike. JW’s Parisian friend recommended that we try it and boy was the experience truly amazing. Its neo-rococo dining environment, coupled with delectable pastries and desserts, set my heart fluttering. I love tea rooms like this.

Angelina is famous for its decadent hot chocolate concoction, which we didn’t try this time but will definitely do so when we next go to Paris. We had the Angelina tea, which had a rich yet refreshingly sweet flavour. It was love at first taste.

JW ordered a chocolate tart with fruits.

I ordered a salad, followed by the legendary Mont Blanc, which is a meringue base piled with chestnut puree and filled with whipped cream. Apparently, Coco Chanel, Marcel Proust and Karl Lagerfeld shared a common love for the hot chocolate and Mont Blanc served at this quaint Parisian pastry shop.

After a satisfying meal at Angelina’s, we took off to the Louvre for more art appreciation. I wasn’t particularly impressed with the Louvre after viewing so many masterpieces in Italy, especially at the Vatican Museums and the Academie. We made our way to the Mona Lisa exhibit immediately because the works of art simply paled in comparison to what we saw in Italy.

In my opinion, Louvre’s saving grace (other than the Mona Lisa) was Napolean’s Apartments. It reminded me of Chateau de Versaille, only that it had rich tapestries and red velvet canopies. The decor was so luxurious that I almost didn’t want to leave.

Musee de Orsay was the other museum that we visited in Paris. Orsay showcases impressionist, post-impressionist and contemporary art, including artworks by Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, Edgar Degas ( I love his ballerina paintings!!) and Picasso. I prefer Orsay to Lourve, perhaps because some of my favourite art pieces can be found here.