marc jacobs by me

Okay. I admit that I didn't try very hard, but I really had no clue why so many people admired and worshipped Marc Jacobs as a fashion superman.

I have long heard of his *big* name but it's not only until I saw a photo spread of his Paris apartment on the W magazine (read whole coverage here) that I got fascinated by this peculiar man.

Marc Jacob's chilling in his study (photo via W magazine).

Well, since then I only got impressed by his zany taste in art and home decor ways but I still didn't run out to the nearest MJ boutique and buy his wares. I always though they were overpriced for what they are and the current paycheck I'm receiving doesn't allow me experiment with overpriced anything.

So a few nights ago I was browsing through the free movies section on my on-demand cable tv system. If my memory didn't fail me, I saw amongst a list of movies on the Sundance channel, a documentary named "Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton".

I thought "Sure, why not?" I just needed some eye-candy for the night. 72 mins. Well, I could turn it off if it bores me.

I would guess this exclusive insight to MJ's daily work schedule and environment was filmed about 2 years ago when he was still sporting a head full of long stringy hair and oversized plastic glasses. He was (and still is) heading the house of Louis Vuitton, his self-titled labels—Marc Jacobs + (cheaper)Marc by Marc Jacobs and some other guerilla-style labels. He was/is a busy man.

As a wannabe artist and designer, I watched and is extremely fascinated with the fashion industry on a whole. Just like what I feel when I'm watching the very successful reality show—Project Runway. Basically this documentary reveals a lot of scenes whereby you would think MJ is on Project Runway but with a whole team of sidekicks and smashing seamstresses ready to make his visions come through.

We get to see some censored scenes of brainstorming sessions where he sits with all these people to pick ideas, colors, buttons, fabrics and anything. I see people agreeing to whatever he says and I wonder is that how it really works? But then again, he is afterall the creative director. He is the one who brought LV and himself multi-million dollar success. He is Marc Jacobs.

Marc Jacob in a skirt and his gigantic hermes' birkin (2008) He looks pretty good I would have to say.

My favourite scene would be when he divulge his health secrets by showing us the numerous vitamins and supplements he takes daily, apparently. He drinks mangosteen juice in a shot. Mangosteen? Where do you find it in the USA? I had to smuggle one in my luggage from home just to prove to my colleagues that I ain't making shit up.

So after the documentary ended, I felt like I have to find out more. I need to know first of all: Why? Why is the whole world begging to own something with his name sewn on the back?

For all I know, I would have thought of Micheal Jackson instead of him when I see those initials M.J.

So I asked a poshy friend who is a fan and got to know that the "Stam bag" is one of his signature items. Cute, but I'm still not convinced. Then I thought about Danielle as I know she's covered (almost) head-to-toe in his designs. But I still haven't got to talk to her much as she's super busy.

Then I remembered I was pretty in love with MJ's signature perfume last X'mas but never took the plunge (hint hint).

But guess what I found!

Marc Jacobs Rana (which means frog in Spanish) bag.

Vicki Beckhams in a MJ ad featuring the Rana bag.

The Rana bag in neon PINK.

So I guess I'm a little swayed towards the MJ camp for now. IF ANYONE OF YOU SEE ANY OF THESE PRECIOUS FROG BAG(on sale) PLEASE LET ME KNOW. They're a little hard to find as I'm totally backdated in the fashion trends (and sorry for yelling).

Oh well. I digress.

You all know that it's the economic crisis now. We have to stop, or rather, I have to stop all my impossible, irrational shopping urges. Even if I lock myself at home, online shopping still calls upon me. ARGH.

Have I felt the effects of the crisis? Yes. How? My agency has been laying people off. Today the toll was 8. The total? I think I lost track.

this is nice

tom mannion photography 

[found via thisisglamorous]

She'd landed! (and some other irrelevant news....)

Welcome to planet earth Yuki-chan~

I've, once again, became a proud Auntie to this pretty little Snowflake who flitter-flattered her way into Japan right in time for X'mas; Thanks to my cousin NHao, who has been working overtime to contribute high quality cuteness to the world!

*clap clap clap*

~~~

Meanwhile I also have been busy baking something in my oven... ...
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Don't faint yet MOM!
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I was talking about cookies lah~ heehee

There's a cookie exchange event in my office organized by a few ladies. So I signed up in hopes of making more friends and most of all... ... IMAGINE ALL THE COOKIES I'LL BE GETTING!!!

But b4 you get the cookies, you have to make some first. I immediately consulted my personal baker and she promptly delivered a fool-proof festive solution — Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookie Bark.

Behold! You'll be witnessing my struggles as a baking fool.

1) Mix the stuff together. easy.
2)Lay the dough on the baking sheet as thin as you can. And this is the first mistake I made by forgetting to use the best tools I have — my Freaking hands. Only until the second batch did I realise and start using the good tool.
3) Put it in the oven.
4) Freshly out of the oven, sprinkle chocolate chips on the surface right away. This is where I made my second mistake on the first batch by forgetting to spread the choc chips and sprinkled away with the peppermint! What a stupid fool!
So I went in later to 'doctor' it.

5) After laying them out for at least 2 hours, Its time to crack and pack. Break the cookies into small pieces that'll fit into the goodie bag.
Of course I disguised the first ugly batch on the lowest layer :) Wahaha

Target store-bought Holly Berry Candy toppings were also used for variety. Nuts, crushed toffee or chopped white chocolate could have been used too. But I didn't think of it earlier.

D'oh!

I carefully packed and styled the cookies bags — making sure they have similiar amount of goodies inside and look perfect from the outside.

6) Step back and admire!


p.s. By the way, the cookies taste a tad too sweet for me personally. But nevertheless good! I hope the cookie ladies enjoyed them!

To get the recipe click here.

"I'm at the corner of Walk and Don't Walk...."

Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not going to go back to SG for X'mas and New Year's this year :(

Yes, I am sad too. I'm staying put and was gonna have a quiet & peaceful holiday until the 3 havoc homewreckers decided that they'll be coming. I'm scared. LOL

I realised Vegas is definitely a place where you live and get lotsa home guests. I even had to turn away some for the holidays. Oopsie!

~~~

So during thanksgiving, I took a solo roadtrip down to LA. I don't like the city at all coz' everytime I go there I lose something. This trip is no different either. I don't want to talk about it.

The best thing is I got Mr Big back in my arms (thanks to Mr Y) and met up with my good friends from SF. It was a crazy nonstop 36 hours.

I left Las Vegas at 515AM on thursday morning and reached Newport Beach in 4 hours. Finally met up with Sayaka after like a godzillion years and took a quick nap at Saori's place B4 a Ramen rendezous with Yoshi to pick up Mr Big. Made a shopping quickie @ Huntington Beach with the girls, picked up a lemon pie and had a sweet Thanksgiving bbq back at Saori's place.

Woke up early next morning to drop by Melrose for a business errand and met the rest of the gang for a wonderful lunch @Le Pain Quotidien in healthy organic style. Then I braved through the horrendous LA traffic to rush back to Vegas (5 painful driving hours with shaken-up Mr Big in the backseat) — Cousin Ming is scheduled to arrive at LAS that evening!

We had a BLAST! She unvoluntarily went shopping with me at the Outlet mall but int the end we both went a little crazy at the absurd sales going on. It was so fun to shop with someone (been doing that too long by myself).

I got to show her that Vegas has an awesome natural environment too by going to the Red Rock Canyon just minutes away from my apt. We had good time monkeying around, posing for stupid pictures and harassing the elderly while they're trying to hike(pointing accusingly at her). It started to get really cold and we left for a fabulous Monty Python's Spamalot show at the Wynn. H-I-L-A-R-I-O-U-S! You guys gotta watch it when you drop by. Then we spent the rest of the evening discovering Wynn over a drink at Parasol Down. Finally. It's my favorite spot on the strip ever.

She had to leave to go back to Skooool on Monday. boo hoo... I felt like her visit was way too short. But I'm glad we are a few more steps closer now and it'll be my turn to visit her New England side of town soon, I hope.

Overall it was an incredible weekend. Now, back to my hermit life.

Some stuff to share, no cupcakes though!

I am sure no one in the World can resist or reject when offered an cupcake.

I am kinda addicted to one. I am kinda craving one now, actually, writing this. BUT it's 11+PM, I think I won't be able to fulfil this dream tonight.

So moving away from SF, away from my private baker, away from my fav. bakery Miette, I have yet to find happinesscupcakes. I need to correct myself. I meant GREAT cupcakes. AWESOME ORGASMIC cupcakes. Cupcakes that make me smile in my sleep.

I made an impromptu stop to Cupcake Lane Bakery one afternoon in the middle of work just because. My new colleagues told me about that place during lunch and made my salad taste like desert sand. Couldn't stop thinking about it for the next 30 mins, so I told my boss I am making a cupcake run (offering to get him one made it easier to for him to just smile and say OK).
I tried to wait til tea time but what to do? Gobble Gobble.

Guess what. It ain't that good afterall. So I was a teeny bit disappointed, but nevertheless a little bit more satisfied than no cupcake at all.

Why? It was a little too sweet. And that did it for me. I am just so picky. what to do. what to do.

On the upside, I heard there is one more better bakery call Cupcakery in Henderson(SE of Vegas). Think I heard that they're opening a store at my side of town....I'm waiting....

In other fun-er news, check out who was driving in front of me one sunny fine day.

Pardon the awkward reflection of my FIERCE dashboard. I took the photo with haste. And no! I didn't drive next to it and wink. The driver was an elder lady :( There goes another Hope for Prince Charming.

Hiya!

She sits there like she is one of us humans, chilling in the worm bowl.

Flowers from the ferry building in preparation of the Asian party.
Details to come.

B.I.G. IN DA HOUSE

Heloooo peeps!

Mr Big's here.

Hi y'all!

These worms are soooo fresh! I could still feel 'em wiggling in my tummy.


Hiiiiiiiii..............:)

the frog shop

I have to go!!!



Come ribbit!

Sad Kermit

Showcase:: The ambitions of Mr Big

Say hello to (finally named) Mr Big (though she is a she)...

the end of his journey.

I guess I have a knack for bad events to fall upon me, this year especially. So people, pls, help me to countdown to the end of this year. I know I will be shouting my guts out at the New Year eve’s party. Because I know that when the ball drops, my life will no doubt take a 90 degrees turn for the BETTER.

I wonder if you, my loyal readers, remember the passing of Froggy No. 1 just this past July. Well, if u want to, go read back the very first entry for this blog. It was dedicated to him. And right after that I was given 2 new white tree frogs to accompany my life’s journey.

Yesterday was a sad day. I felt it with the incessant rain, very outta season behavior it was. Just yesterday, just that one day, it rained and rained. Millions and zillions little droplets of water fell like tears from the grey grey skies and landed on trees, grass, rooftops, cars and I. I love and hate rainy days. I love it when I am in my rain boots. I hate it when I am not in my rain boots.

But yesterday the rain happened for a different reason. It was saying goodbye to Froggy No. 2, it was expressing regret yet wishing him all the best. He has been sick for a little more than a week. And I guess he isn’t suffering anymore now. I hope.

I am sorry. I am so sorry. I tried, I fed him his medicine just like the vet said. I hand fed him chicken baby food. I felt that we were finally bonding when he wrapped himself around my finger and refused to let go. I was even amused by that. But I should have let him hold on to me longer. Then maybe he wouldn’t feel that cold or sick. I am sorry. I am sorry. I am so sorry.

I repeated that to him as I washed and prepared his stiff little body before I wrap him up in a towel softly. I tied it together with a black silk ribbon. And set my mind to bury him in the park near my workplace. It has plenty of sunshine and greens, a fountain and enough space when he wants solitude.

And I did, with two of my fav colleagues. One of them even laid a fresh red rose next to him.

This loss is hurting a lot.

~~~

to be dead, is the easiest part of life.