Wayfarers (Please don't call me a hipster)

When Wayfarers made their way back through the revolving doors of fashion, they were embraced by hipsters wanting that edgy, nerd look.  Let's face it, it can be fairly tryhard.  Some people get away with it, others are buying a 'look'.  I veered away from wayfarers mainly for that reason.

Well erm, they've become more mainstream now and I errr am a mainstream girl.  So I've now got a pair... I promise you I'm not being a tryhard!  The main reason for my purchase is this snazzy little feature:

Ta-daaaaaaah!!!!!  

Obviously I bought a non-standard pair of Wayfarers.  Gone are days of me having carry to bulky glasses case in my handbag.  The case is a bit fatter than a pack of ciggies but it compensates for it by being shorter.   I did try on a folding pair of Prada sunglasses but they didn't fit my face.  Boo.  

Snuggie Love

Ok so what I'm about to tell you makes my (very high) position on the Cool-o-meter hit rock bottom - I bought a Snuggie blanket.  If you have been avoiding all types of media for the past few years and don't know what a Snuggie is then you should watch this very informative video.

Mine wasn't an original - oh the shame! - but one of many replicas available at any homegoods store.  As much as the advertisement has been the butt of jokes and ridicule, I was sold.  I needed this blanket dammit and had even asked Suboo to make me one.  I've been caught in those exact situations where your hand was too cold to reach out for the remote!  I didn't know what to do!!  Should I reach out, let my hand turn cold but be able to change the channel?!?  Or should I keep my hand inside, unable to switch to something less mundane?!?!  Oh, the dilemma.  

One of my workmates mentioned how she and her hubby would curl up on the couch with their Snuggie blankets and I was reminded that I had not yet joined the cult.  So off I went to the blanket area at work and made my purchase.  

$16.83 for a Snuggie which zips itself up into a cushion!  Dual function!  A pocket at the front for your remote!  What an ingenious addition!  It also had a 'foot pocket' so your feet wouldn't escape to the cold!  

The love for this Snuggie did not last long.  It smelled like petrochemicals and gave me a headache.  I kept breathing in the fibres through my nose and I felt like a cat who kept getting furballs at the back of their throat.  So I washed it.  It still smelled and I was still getting furballs.  So I washed it again and tumble dried it.... again and again.  The smell stopped lingering after about four washes but the furball effect just never let up.  My love turned to anger >:-(  Do you understand my frustration?  I wanted to love this blanket so much but all it was doing was twisting my pure, wholesome love into pure.......unadulterated...........hatred.  I had thrown out the receipt so I couldn't return it either :-S

Not liking you at all, you Crappy Snuggie.

Anyway it reached a point where I could tolerate it no more.  I had to do something about this terrible Snuggie and so I went on a Snuggie hunt.  Lucky for me, I found my solace quite quickly at Target and more disturbingly so, I felt REALLY HAPPY to find my new Snuggie.  It was like... alll this pent up, buried anger just disappeared.  I can't believe the passion I felt.  It really frightens me and I'm afraid I might be bordering on a psychotic disorder.  

There a few things about the new Snuggie - Target called it a Cuddle Blanket - which made me so happy.  The material was a billion times better - it was the typical polar fleece which although synthetic is very soft to touch and it was much thicker than Crappy Snuggie.  I didn't breathe in any fumes or fibres either.  Also, it had velcro attachments at the neck and at the back - your Snuggie need never fall off!  It didn't a foot pocket  but that didn't matter because it was loooooonnger than Crappy Snuggie.  It didn't have a remote control pocket either but with all those other pros, this new Snuggie was the outright winner.  

The other thing that gave me pure joy was the price - it was $15.  Already $1.83 cheaper than Crappy Snuggie.  But not just that, it was $15 and on special for $12.83!!!!  With that in mind, I took two blankets to the counter with the intention of giving one away.  To my absolute delight, each blanket scanned in at the register at $8.91!!  PURE JOY!!! :D :D

I waddled back to my apartment with my two happy Snuggies in tow.  Overjoyed by my bargain, I excitedly told Spu who seemed underwhelmed by it all.  But I was eager to share the love and I was still pretty annoyed that I thrown $16.83 down the drain for Crappy Snuggie so the logical thing to do was to buy... two more!

So... er, that's exactly what I did the following day.  Thus, 11 days after my initial Snuggie purchase, I am now the proud owner of four Snuggie blankets.  I didn't have much of a selection in colours so I've got one red one and three evergreen ones.  Don't worry, I'm not completely crazy, I just sharing the love - one is for Ma, one is for the Magic Couch/Me, one is for Moo for her Bavarian Winters and one is for Smee for when he is gaming at 5am.  

Oh yes, I sure am happy now.  This is just what I needed in life.

Spuey disrespecting the Snuggie and demonstrating improper use.  Tsk, tsk.  Put your arms in the sleeves please!

I hope someone out there understands what I was going through with my Snuggie frustration?  Someone?  Please? 

Things You Buy When You're Alone Part II

Well I bought two Totoro plushies a few weeks ago but back then, they didn't have any susuwatari available for me to continue my money throwing.

Today, I happily handed over some moolah for my little black dust creature after seeing that the shop had re-stocked.

He will join his Totoro soon. 

Another Handbag

Not much is happening in Rad-City so I shall blog about mundane stuff.  It's no secret that Cath Kidston has me under her spell.  Damn that woman and her seasonal prints!  You make me regularly stalk your website and regularly visit your store when I'm in London!

Anyway I realised that I forgot to post about my new found love - my Cath Kidston bucket bag.  I've wanted my own bucket bag for ages and yes I did buy one back here but I didn't end up using it and gave it to Ma instead.

I had trawled the website was settled on buying the Candy Flowers bucket bag but once at the store, I couldn't help but test drive other handbags in the mirror.  After to-ing and fro-ing between about five bags and 40 minutes later in the Selfridges Cath Kidston section, I decided that the Briar Rose bucket bag would be the wiser choice.  The Candy Flowers is a lovely bag but with it's bright pink detailing, I would find it difficult to pair it with much of my wardrobe.

I've already received some compliments which make me love it even more!  *hugs handbag*

I have to admit that when I look inside my bucket bag, it does look a little bit ker-razy madwoman-ish.  Like many women around the planet, I always found myself constantly rummaging through my bag searching for whatever the elusive item I was seeking.  I found that her printed zip pouches were very useful for organising my once-was "handbag full of crap".

The pink spotted pouch - lady things.  The red star pouch - make up.  (Ok I don't carry these two pouches all the time.)  The blue spot pouch  - medicinal items.  The strawberry pouch - oral hygiene items.  The blue flowery iPhone cover.  The green flowery public transport ticket holder.  

Crazy-looking?  It sure is, but I am able to locate items quickly!  Also when I change handbags, it is very easy just to throw the pouches into the new bag.  Hey presto! 

On a side note, I've noticed that David Jones has started to stock a small range of Cath Kidston bags.... at about 2.5 times the UK price!  Her products aren't overly expensive (but not exactly bargain basement either) but at 2.5 times the UK price, who on earth would pay that?!

Product of the Month

My last Product of the Month review was way back here.  But now that I've welcomed a new man into my life - my orthodontist - a new obsession with oral hygiene has developed within me and I feel the urge to share my thoughts about a product which has made my life easier.  (Off the topic - my orthodontist set off my gaydar big time, but then I found out he is married to a woman and has two children.  I guess I can't really pick them.)

Not that my teeth were dirty to begin with but my new man is so demanding that I floss and brush after every single meal.  Uuuuuuggghh it's actually quite an inconvenience especially as I sometimes don't have enough time to eat lunch as it is, let alone do the whole floss/brush routine.  However, I should look at the bigger picture because if I don't adhere to his requests I'll probably develop cavities, something which I can proudly say *beaming face* I've never ever had to deal with and don't really want to either.

Carrying floss in my handbag wasn't a big deal but having to carry a toothbrush and toothpaste, no matter how small was just plain annoying for me.  Enter the Colgate Wisp with their mini single-use brushes, each containing a freshening bead to eliminate the need for toothpaste and water for that matter!

Ok I admit this is not the most environmentally friendly product in the world and I do feel a bit guilty peeling back the foil seal, using the cotton-tip sized brush and then tossing it into the bin .... but for me, this is a much more convenient option.  Otherwise, if I sat an office desk all day and had plenty of time to brush my teeth at work, I wouldn't even think of buying the Wisp.

Totoro (or Things You Buy When You're Alone)

I have wanted a Totoro plush toy since forever.  I only saw the movie a few years ago and whether I liked the movie or not, I still wanted a Totoro.  It's pretty stupid. 

However, I have been walking past this display for about a month now and it's killing me.

That giant Totoro comes almost to my hip! 

I have resisted temptation this far, but now with a 30% discount my purchase would be suitably justified!

I was so happy to have a friend with me here in Rad-City. 

The following day at work, I saw this mini Totoro and well, he only cost $9, so I guess I had to take him home too. 

Mini Totoro hanging out on my work desk. 

Now Big Totoro has a buddy in Mini Totoro.  It's great that they keep each other company when I'm away at work. 

Burberry Outlet

In the last few years, Burberry in the UK has taken a bit of a reputation battering, cheapened as a luxury goods designer due to it's popularity with Chavs.  Prior to living in London I had never heard of this slang term.  Wtf is a Chav?  A 'Chav' I would say is akin to a 'Bogan'.  (See here for the Wikipedia definition and here for the more funny Uncyclopedia definition.  Here you'll find Bogan.)

They are alike in many ways; traditionally of a lower socio demographic, ill-educated (and usually not desiring of more education) and low income earners in an unskilled labour force.  With the advent of reality TV and the ability for almost anyone to become wealthy in a given environment (or choose to abuse the social benefits system), the chavs/bogans have re-emerged as a nouveau-riche crowd.

Why did the Chavs take a liking to Burberry?  Who knows.  Maybe to do with the fact they do have a decent warehouse in London?  It is also fairly cheap when compared to the likes of Louis Vuitton which never goes on sale.  However, this is not an analysis about Chavs.  This is just to request people not call me a Chav for going to the Burberry outlet.  The above was merely exploring the mystery to the Chav-Burberry affinity.  Hey, before Chavs got to it, Burberry made and still make decent luxury goods!

Anyway I trotted off to the Burberry outlet in London today.  I had kinda forgotten that the outlet existed, always thinking that the closest one was in Bicester Village.  I was mainly coming here to check out quilted jackets.  Ma, after seeing her friend donning the jacket, wanted one for herself.  I stopped her from purchasing one in Oz after having had a heart attack at the extra $150-$200 she would be dishing out above the UK retail price.

The outlet.  A little bit out of place with the surrounding buildings... of which I did not photograph.  

I had to google the location as it is not listed on the official website.  For the curious, the address is 29-53 Chatham Place, London E9 6LP.  The closest tube/overground station is Hackney Central, but smart lil' me took a National Rail train from Liverpool Street to Hackney Downs.  A slightly longer walk but a quicker journey overall from where I live.

I thought it was a little odd to have the outlet in Hackney.  Hackney... who on earth said Hackney was gentrified?  It didn't look all that funky in this part of town.  It's an area where many a snob would never endeavour to go.  In a way it makes sense - Burberry wanna keep it low key and discounting designer good rubs a certain sparkle off the product.  However, this location?  Well, a good proportion of Chavs live in the East End.  I have to admit I felt a little paranoid walking here alone (maybe I'm a bit sheltered?), however I was in the safety of daylight.  I was reassured I was on the right path when I saw a few others come out of the non-descript street with unmarked shopping bags but translucent enough for me to see an iconic tartan handbag.

Once inside, I was pretty impressed at the size of the outlet -  a fair bit larger than the Bicester Village store.   I wasn't expecting much from the outlet so it's good to be surprised. :D  For any diehard Burberry fan, I would definitely recommend visiting this store instead of Bicester as I felt the range was better, sizes were well stocked, the discounts are the same and it was not crowded at all.  Also, the shop assistant said that I could return/exchange any goods within 28 (or was it 30?) days even though they were on sale - awesome!

In the end, I actually had to restrain myself after being in the store for about an hour.  Yes..... I was in there for an hour.  I had to whittle down the number of scarves to three, deny myself two handbags and forgo the quilted jacket for myself.  I had never really liked the quilted jackets - the typical design makes me look like a grandma - but I had tried on a design which looked really, really good.  Believe it or not!

So the final haul comprises the following:

Three cashmere scarves.  There were many more I liked but one had to exert control.  Also, they seemed to have ceased production of the cheaper, wool scarves.  Oh and if you're wondering, they're not all for me.  

Ma's quilted jacket.  Which looked absolutely horrible on me and aged me about 100 years.  Looks fine on Ma though!

So yeah.  Burberry outlet in Hackney - pretty freaking good! 

Tank Driving 101

I should make mention of the hotel at which we stayed.  Having learnt a valuable lesson from our first trip (don't cheap out too much with a grubby hotel), we chose to stay a bit further away from the hustle and bustle of Times Square opting for the W on Lexington in Midtown. 

It was a billion times better than the flea-bitten Milford Plaza of our last trip.  Despite NYC's reputation for shoebox accommodation and being assigned a 'cozy' W room, I felt that the room was more than comfortable and on par in size with the shite Milford.  It probably helped that the room obeyed basic hygiene and OHS rules.   

Mmmmm comfy, body-lice free bed.....Anyway enough about the hotel, but I would definitely stay here again. 

Today was Woodbury Common day.  That meant... more shopping.  More specifically, luxury brand outlet shopping.  I think it's the only place in the world where there is a Chanel outlet (which was not open today.. dammit).  Repeating what we did last time, we hired a car.  Not only is it the most convenient option but we were being joined by Aims and her friend Eeee, so it just made more sense to go in one car. 

We had requested a small 4-wheel drive, something like a Honda CRV.  There was a mix-up and our sat-nav was not available in the car.  Hertz offered to give us a different car which did have a sat-nav.  Yeah ok, I'm good with that.

When they drove out the Cadillac Escalade, we wanted them to drive right back into the garage.  I mean w...t....f..........!!  This has got to be the BIGGEST mofo of a "car" I have ever seen.  This beast was a tank with rims.  

Smee with the tank.  Me with the tank.... yes I am in that photo.  No, we are not playing tricks with perspective.  The car is MASSIVE. 

The photos don't do it justice, you have to stand next to an Escalade to truly see what a monster of a machine it is.  This is the car that gangstas rap about and rich athletes and celebs buy.  Yet here we were, little Asian me, little Asian Smee in the car with two more little asian girls in the backseat.

Look, even J-Lo mentions it in the first verse! (Fast fwd to 1.06mins)

The problem with this car is that it grabs attention.  We noticed that whenever we stopped at a crossing, pedestrians would pause to admire the car and then eventually their adoration transformed to shock/surprise once they saw the midget Asians inside.  We even had people point and laugh at us! 

Not only did Smee have to come to grips with driving on the right hand side of the road, he also had to deal with the width girth of the Escalade.  Despite all the car swapping by the idiots at Hertz, they actually gave us a car with a non-functional GPS and thus we were dependent on Smee's mobile phone GPS program..... which didn't really pick up a strong signal in parts of Manhattan. 

Early on in our journey, our GPS directed us to drive over a bridge heading to Brooklyn......which was incidentally the wrong effing way.  Imagine a bridge, fully completed and structurally sound.  Vertical steel beams line each side of the bridge.   Now, imagine that same bridge but this time with a single car lane attached to the side of it.  Kinda like a hasty afterthought cheap-ass addition.  The GPS instructed that we drive on this stapled-on lane.  Needless to say, it wasn't a very wide lane but we were in a very wide car and in the driving seat was someone who does not normally drive a left-hand drive vehicle.

Smee kept veering to the right and I kept worrying I would die falling off the bridge or die scraping my face on the pylons.  The stress got the better of Smee and he ended up veering so close that my passenger side mirror hit the bridge and snapped back onto my window.  The mirror's back cover fell off but luckily remained attached to the electrical circuitry, albeit it for dear life.  Otherwise, we would've had an insurance claim on our hands.  Smee stopped as soon as we got off the bridge and Eeee helped me replace the mirror cover.  For the rest of the journey, I had to nudge Smee whenever the car kept drifting too far out of it's lane. 

After taking a few wrong turns and a bit of a detour through a country town, we finally got to Woodbury Common and the shopping madness began.  Smee got a few bargain jackets, I got a handbag for price I would never see otherwise, Aims bought kilograms of designer gifts and Eeeee, well she came back with a brand new suitcase filled to it's maximum. 

This is not all of our shopping.  There's plenty more but the car seat is impeding the view.  

The return drive to Manhattan was relatively smooth until the GPS mistakenly brought us to Brooklyn again while trying to drop off Aims and Eeeee.  Then there was the whole saga with parking this damn truck.  The carpark attendant did not want to accept our vehicle because...... wait for it...... IT WAS TOO BIG!  After having a little stress attack in my head, the attendant caved in and proceeded to skillfully reversed it into the car elevator.  Good riddance to this giant car (for now).  

Starving (it was now 10pm) we made our way to Koreatown on 32nd St for some late night munchies.  This is how much NYC rocks - most of the restaurants in Koreatown are open 24 hours.  If, if, IF I ever had a hankering for a bulgolgi breakfast, I am not short of options here. 

We had dinner at Kun Jip at Aim's and Eeee's recommendation and yah-huh, it was pretty good.  Anything at that time of night would have tasted great.  Also, after years of paying for kim chi in London, it was nice to have it given to you complimentary for once! 

Smee with all the yummy food.

Our clam soup, eggy tofu and kalbi.  Num nums. 

Bed time came once more and never so much did we want to flop onto a hotel bed.

Goodbye Goblin Boots

It's now high time for me to get out the suitcase and begin the packmule-ing duties.  I had stored some flat ankle boots away for the Summer and forgotten about them until tonight.  Smee had endearingly called them my 'Goblin Boots'. 

After Smee pulled out my suitcase, I saw my boots and happily retrieved them from their storage hell.  But it appeared all was not well.... especially the right boot. 

The right boot's toe had completely folded over on itself and when viewed from the front, it resembled grumpy old man's face.  It also kinda looks like the Sorting Hat from the Harry Potter films.

I could have salvaged them - the sole was just made of cheap bendy plastic courtesy of Primmy hahaha - but the boots were worn out in the heel so I've given them life in the Big Ol' Bin of Shoe Heaven.

Weekend Results

My Saturday was spent doing... you guessed it, more shopping.  It appears that this is blog is beginning to become merely a display of consumer goods. 

J, Lil Miss J and I planned for our shopping adventures to begin in Covent Garden at 10am on Saturday.  This is a mighty big ask from me, as I am one who relishes the weekend sleep-in.  I set my alarm for 9am and yep, didn't wake up for it and only rose when J messaged me at 9.30am.  It must've been my day because I was on the bus to Covent Garden by 10am and got to the meeting place at 10.10am.  Ten minutes late - it's very acceptable!  J had under-estimated my super-powers and was still at home when I called her at 10.  I began shopping alone (no biggie) and started ticking off the remainder of my list.

David & Goliath was the first stop where I picked up a few cheesy tshirts.  Note of warning- their tshirts are US$1: £1 on their US site.  If you're buying a few (and by a few I mean probably more than 6), then dish out the US$50 (!!) UPS fee and get them from the US. 

I couldn't help but succumb to this t-shirt.  Nevermind that it was a bit tight.

Lil Miss J and J finally joined me and I showed them the Le Sac dress.  Lil Miss J gave me a little verbal smacking and agreed that we could indeed make the dress. 

Next we ventured into Cath Kidston where J insisted she gift me with this adorable necklace.  We had an small "Asian-restaurant-who's-paying-the-bill-type-of-fight" at the counter.  We didn't take it to the level of wrestling but hey, it's a small store and we would have guaranteed some weird looks.

I like bows!  Fanks J - you're the best! Muah, muah!

A few more items were ticked off and we marched on despite the burgeoning Christmas crowds and the less than sprightly weather... well... it was just an endless umbrella fight down the West End.  We managed to get some wardrobe building blocks for J (yay for 30% off Gap) and our KK gifts for Sunday's Christmas gathering (yay for Muji!).  Btw, my KK gift rocks!! (A portable hairdryer which Lil Miss J cleverly bagged).

Our day ended at M&S where we stocked up on brassieres.  We all agree that M&S rocks!  Thus ended our 9 hours of shopping. 

Sunday was our early Christmas celebration at OKR Paddington-style and mulled wine was served.  Mmmm... mmmm...mmmm that's all I have to say.  The Christmas meal of the day was Asian Steamboat.  Mmm... Christmassy...?

After filling up, we all had a shot at the KK sack and we could endlessly argue who got the best gift, but I do have to say Smee did bring home an Elephunt.  That's pretty cool and the winner in my opinion!

American Apparel: Le Sac Dress

In the spirit of my previous blog post, I went on a small shop-wander in Covent Garden on the weekend.  Among the shops which I entered was American Apparel.  I always knew that they did a good selection of cotton basics but never bothered to buy for a number of reasons: -

1.  The US$ price is visible and almost 1:1 to the GB£, which up until recently equated daylight robbery;
2.  Most of the items were cotton and I had more than enough of plain, cotton garments (thank you Kookai);
3.  They tend to cut their clothes tight which is not very flattering for my frequent bouts of bloating and;
4.  The other stuff on offer - leotards, shiny tights, weird stuff - were not my cup of tea.

Not expecting to find anything to buy, I saw that they had a cotton spandex version of the Two Birds convertible dress.  'Hmm' I thought, 'This could be handy for summer'.  A unfussy fabric meant that this dress would be more casual than the Two Birds bridesmaid variant.  So into the fitting room I went with a size M. (I told you they cut their sizes small!  I also have gotten a little plumper hehe.)

So what did I think?  The dress was so-so.  The single shoulder style probably looked best along with the plain bandeau strapless.  The sweetheart strapless style (which I dearly wanted to work) didn't really suit me and would probably work better on a flatter chest :-S  The halter neck made look like I was gonna bust out.  The other looks were ok but I wasn't loving it and deduced that if I bought this dress for the £34 it was going for (cheap by British standards but still wtf, it retails in the US for $43!!), well I was only really gonna utilise two of its looks. I was pretty happy to leave the store at that point.

However, the (surprisingly) helpful fitting room assistant had handed me a "Ways to Wear It" pamphlet to help sort myself out with the bandeau dress.  She should well be pleased she did because this resulted in a purchase after I saw a picture of their Le Sac dress!

The very unimpressive Le Sac Dress. →

Let's face facts. I essentially bought a rectangular piece of jersey fabric with a jersey string. Shout out to Suboo - you must make me a replica!  I'm still too lazy to sew at this stage!

Still not so impressive on the hanger.

Oooh well this dress seemed to work much better for me.  The 'sackiness' of it all meant that it would be accommodating for fat days and the Le String (such a stupid name) gave me some looks which I preferred. 

Four of the looks I liked most.  I'm not the greatest poser and ok, I do look a bit flabby in the second pic. Also, is it me or are my knees ageing? Note to self - remember to wear a bra. 

I headed home pretty content with my purchase and raring for the many wears I would get out of it with the upcoming Aussie summer.  Yippeeeee!  On top of that, American Apparel doesn't exist in Oz...... but wait.... after coming home and beginning THIS actual blog post I discovered.....WTF!!!  They do have a store in Oz!  Since when?!?!!?  Obviously I've been away for some significant time *sigh*  Poo!!

Well at least I can revel in consolation that the strong AUD made my purchase in the UK cheaper than it's retail AU price.  Hmmph! I need more consolation than that!  Maybe I should go and buy more stuff?  Hehe...

Filling up the suitcase

In the build up to heading back to the Antipodes for an extended period (maybe forever, but yay! No London Winter!) I am fulfilling other people's shopping requests.  Of course whilst wandering in and out of stores, I have succumbed to making purchases which were otherwise not on the list.  One....can't.... help..... themselves!

For now, I'm leaving all my Winter gear in London and bringing back just the essentials.  You would think that would make my suitcase light, but I already can see that it's going to be full of crap.  Not my crap either!  In addition to men's shirts (hai Spuey!), silly romance books (hai Moo!), here's some of the other stuff I bought on the weekend.

A winter jacket from Zara.  Not the wisest thing to buy given that I will be missing the London winter.  But I will justify myself because 1. I really like it, 2. the winter jacket range in Oz is atrocious, 3.  it was reasonably priced and way cheaper than an equivalent jacket in Oz, 4. when I finally do bring it to Oz, no one else will have the same jacket!



I don't really 'do' big jewelry but this necklace was only £3 from Primmy. I'll find something to wear it with.  Either that or it will sit nicely in the bottom of my drawer. 




A bubble hem strapless dress from Zara.  At £36, well I'm not going to get such a dress at home for the same price.  It fits pretty much perfectly, the hem cut just above the knee and with a pair of killer heels, my legs also look pretty damn good in it.  Also, Mooey can wear the dress!  Yay! *clap clap* 

Product of the Month

No, my 'XYZ of the Month' posts are not going to become a regular thing.... yet.  I've just happened to come across a second product in October which I am thoroughly appreciating - Original Source Mint and Tea Tree shampoo! 

Sure, it's not the first minty shampoo on the market and it's not the first minty shampoo I've used but something about this particular one... I'm liking a lot.

You see, I have skin which is easily irritable :(  I have a daily moisturising regime (time consuming but necessary) and I use certain products to minimise skin flaking, which consequently minimises ezcema episodes.  Dermatologists are a nice bunch, but I don't really want to see them too often.

I've never really fussed too much about the scalp/skin on my head.  No matter what shampoo I used, my scalp would eventually start flaking to the point that I found it essential to periodically switch to using Head & Shoulders or some other anti-dandruff shampoo.  I tried using baby shampoo and that was great but .... it's baby shampoo and I want to use adult stuff!  I also realised that Herbal Essences and Garnier products make my scalp itch as soon as I crack open the bottle.  I'm not keen on using tar shampoo (bleah!) or anti-dandruff shampoo daily.  That just sucks.

Smee had used the mint shower gel previously and was keen on trying the shampoo.  I do like the minty smell so I tried it on my own hair.... and I really liked it!  My scalp felt really clean and better still, no itchiness has developed for past few weeks!  I can throw away those anti-dandruff bottles!  I think it might be the tea-tree.

I like this shampoo so much I would recommend it to anyone who has flaky scalp issues.  At £2 a bottle, it costs less than most of the sandwiches at Pret and I have seen it on sale for £1 at Boots.  I think I might start stockpiling it! :D

Getting ahead of myself

As if I don't already have enough time consuming activities, I couldn't resist buying Cath Kidston's latest offering Sew!  Hey, it was only £9 (RRP £15) on Amazon!!

When was the last time I used a sewing machine?  Oh about 5 years ago when I went through an underwear making phase and Lil Miss J, Meme and I had grand ideas about establishing an underwear brand.  The bra I made actually fit me!

Ms. Kidston's prints are divine and sometimes I daydream about going into her shop to buy reams and reams of her fabric.  I dunno wtf for given that I DON'T HAVE A SEWING MACHINE in London but alas that is a small technicality.  For the seasoned seamstress the patterns and techniques are probably a little basic but hey I'm far from seasoned.  The best bit about the book is that it comes with pre-cut fabric for you to make the bag featured on the front cover. *gasp!!*

For now, I think this book will sit cosily on my bookshelf ready for the day I can devote some time to indulge in my hobbies. *dreamy face*

Shopping stuff...

After the haircut I thought I'd make the most of being in Covent Garden and headed to one of my favourite London stores, Cath Kidston. Her designs are not everyone's cup of tea but her kitschy, bordering on daggy, grandma-esque prints just win me over.  Well I also had to fulfil Spuey's request to buy a Tube Map beach towel but hey, Cath Kidston was only a slight detour.

The point of this blog is just to show off the BARGAIN I got.  A bucket bag for £26 - cheap!  When I first saw the price tag, I thought it was a mistake.  These bags usually retail for £40.  It had no 'sale' tag on it and I couldn't see anything defective with the bag so of course I took it to the counter to pay my dues to Ms. Kidston.  Hmm I think I might use it a few times and then give to Mummy. Hehehe...

Borders Closing Down Sale

To my dismay, the following email hit my inbox today:

The London flagship Borders bookstore was closing down!!!! :( To my delight, this meant that everything in the store (bar magazines and Starbucks) was 50% OFF!!!! :D I kinda feel a bit like Homer when he had to eat Pinchy.

Given that I work nowhere near Oxford St, I had to endure an entire work day before making my way down to the store. Getting there at 6.15pm was a pretty decent feat. The store was crowded but not Primmy mosh pit crowded. A lot of the shelves had been cleared but there were still some decent titles available for purchase.

I have a pile of unread books at home so exerting a certain level of self control came with relative ease (and the fact that a lot of popular titles were gone) but I walked away with eight Roald Dahl books (yes, eight because we never owned them as children), a knitting pattern book (dammit! the good ones were gone!), Fish by Mitch Tonks (for Smee) and The River Cottage Fish Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (for J). 

It might not sound like much but with all the shopping baskets unavailable, my purchases were restricted to how much I could hold in my arms.  The two hardcover books weren't exactly heavy but holding them in the 30+ minute queue that snaked to the registers did give my arms a workout. 

The store started becoming chaotic soon after I arrived and customers were prevented from entering 30 minutes before the scheduled closing time.  I ran into Leesh as I was leaving and told her 'They won't let anyone in!'  She walked to the tube disappointed.  I walked to the bus stop satisfied :) <-- I'm not trying to rub it in - I was just happy with my purchases!

Handbag Time!

The sales are on and the sales are sure damn good here. 50% off designer handbags!  Yippee!!!! Where else can you get such a deal?  I had to refrain from joining  the queue at Harrods for the 50% Gucci *sigh*

The purpose of this post is just to display my new handbag (yes he was half price). I have decided to call him Elephunt for the obvious reasons.  Soft, squishy, roomy handbags I do like.  Whatever - I like most handbags!  Typical.

Elephunt does smell a bit 'too leathery' and 'animal-y'at this stage but I'm hoping that will fade. 

Sushi Time

Finding a decent fishmonger in central London is difficult. Prove me wrong someone, prove me wrong. All the ones I come across are usually in a section of a supermarket chain (not the freshest array at all) and/or sells seafood in plastic packaging. I mean, I'm living on an island FFS and yet it is so so hard to find accessible fresh seafood. The closest traditional fishmonger to me is in Borough Market but I'm not always impressed with the pickings they have available. Borough itself is a bit touristy so they also like to inflate prices accordingly.

Smee and I have been to the Billingsgate Fish Market several times and replenish our freezer after each visit. It's mighty cheap and the assortment of seafood is enviable. The 4am wake up in order to get to the wholesale market is another thing altogether. The fact that a lot of the stock is sold only in bulk does not fare well either.

Well, Smee did a little bit of digging and discovered that an excellent fishmonger was in nearby Angel. Yay! *clap clap* After reading several gleaming reviews - here, here and here, we really had to go and see it for ourselves. Luckily for us, a direct bus transported us from home to Steve Hatt.

The actual store is nothing impressive - just glass windows and polystyrene signs identifying the fish and it's price. However, there goes the old saying 'Don't judge a book by it's cover'. The seafood all looks it's freshest and delish (even in it's raw state). The prices while not bargain basement like Billingsgate are on par or at times cheaper than your average supermarket. What will impress you is the queue outside the store especially on Saturday. Steve says he's not open on Sunday and Monday because if you buy a fish on either of those days, then it was caught on Friday - not fresh!

Hooray for Google's streetview. Steve Hatt storefront.

Once you've paid your debt to the queue, you'll be greeted by one of many Steve Hatt's fishie-men. They'll take your order, ask you if you want your seafood cleaned, gutted, scaled, de-boned, cut a certain way.... that's service! They sure know their produce too and will happily answer any queries. Be wary of the puddly floors and I strongly recommend you don't wear opened toed shoes. I'm more than content to stand outside while Smee does the ordering.

We bought a bundle of bamboo/razor clams and instead of steaming them as we normally do, we threw them under the griller with a bit of garlic and lemon. Yummy!

We also got some sashimi grade salmon and tuna. A few other accompaniments were purchased so we could make our own sushi platter.

Yum! That's all I need to say.

Yeah... we stuffed ourselves. What else is new?

So yes, if you're after a fishmonger and live around the N1 area I strongly recommend Steve Hatt!

I ♥ my Uggs!

I held off for as long as I could in regards to the Ugg boot trend. I mean, it's a relatively new boot in the eyes of Hollywood and celebrities alike. Me? I was brought up in a land where sheepskin footwear had strong associations with bogans and dole bludgers. It's a hard thing to shake off.

Sure, I had a pair of pink sheepskins moccasins (or 'moccas' as I endearingly nicknamed them) when I was young. From the age of 8 to 9 I wore them everywhere - in the house, out of the house, to the parentals workplace, to the library.... I don't think I ever wore them to school despite my peers being quite bogan-y. Even back then, I knew that I didn't want to lower myself down to the plebs. In Australia these things can be bought off the shelf at markets all over the place and no one can deny their warmth and comfort.

When the celebrity trend started (thank-you Pamela Anderson) my initial reaction was 'eeerrrrrrrrr'. My opinion still remains 'eerrrrrrr'. However, I have succumbed to the Ugg-wearing masses. I'll emphasise it's not succumbing to a trend (although that helps) but because I can no longer stand having snap-frozen tootsies. Being in cities where it's common for winter temperatures to hover around 0 degrees has left me at the end of my tether.

Of course I'm not a moron who will go and buy those exhorbitantly priced 'Ugg Australia' branded boots. £180 (approx about AU$380) for a pair of sheepskin boots? Wtf?! On top of that, it's an American company (Deckers) and their boots are made in China? Pfffffft. I'll put my money to the Aussie-made stuff and support the farmers, thanks. My boots cost me AU$140 :D

I settled on chocolate brown.

Since getting back to London I've walked to work in them many, many times and my feet remain warm and toasty :D I'm practically living in them now in this dreary winter! Embrace the bogan!

London Westfield

The new Westfield London opened recently. There was much media coverage and hoo-ha about it. It was billed as 'Changing the Face of London Shopping'. When I first arrived in London, I always wondered 'where are the shopping malls around here?' and 'why are people still subjecting themselves to street shopping in this stupid weather?'. I am puzzled as to why 'shopping on the High Street' still reigns supreme here. Mind you, it took me a little why to figure out that bit of British terminology. (Me in London first time: 'Shopping on the High St? Wtf does that mean?')

High street shopping has it's charms and perks. I enjoy wandering down Bridge Rd, Chapel St and Oxford St (Sydney). The Antipodean weather often encourages that kind of lazing-up-and-down-the-street-now-I'll-just-stop-for-a-coffee type of shopping. However in Australia I also have the option of going to a shopping centre which usually are no more than a 10 minute drive away.

High street shopping in the UK is perky and charming too.... when it's sunny. When it rains (and yes, the stereotype fits) or it is just plain cold, then it's just plain old shit. Hmmm for me, that would be about 80% of the calendar year. Umbrellas everywhere, people everywhere, puddles everywhere, buses splashing puddles everywhere. It really is an ordeal. Hey, even when it's sunny outside, it still can be crap. Going into a store on the High Street expecting some relief from the relative heat, you come to the realisation that effective air-conditioning doesn't exist in this town. The closest shopping mall is somewhere in Zone 4 or 5. Bleah.

There are plenty of those worried about Westfield affecting the Brits traditional high street shopping. To that I say:

"I'm all for the quaint high streets with the boutique and quirky stores (Carnaby St, Covent Garden), but look at the typical High Streets (Oxford, Regent St) and it is all just chain store after chain store - nothing special. Where is the charm and uniqueness? Even the cafes are chains. The advantage of a mall is that all the chain stores are within close proximty and you don't have to fight the elements. The Brits cling onto High Street shopping for no other reason than a means of identity - maintaining 'Britishness'. With the UK's climate, they should embrace shopping malls or at least, covered footpaths."

So...... *nyah*

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that sheltered footpaths are non-existent in London too. Maybe I wouldn't be blogging this post if Oxford and Regent streets' footpaths were covered.

Anyway I made my way down to "Shoppo" to see how it stacked up to it's Australian counterparts. I was impressed but at the same time not impressed. I've never been to a decent mall in the UK or Europe for that matter so Westfield London was impressive in that regard. But otherwise, it reminded me much of Westfield Bondi which opened several years ago and also Chadstone. Ok, so the London complex was purpose built and has a clearer layout than Bondi but it exhibited the same clean lines, glass fronted stores and modern design. I'd expect Westfield Donnie and any other Westfields undergoing refurbishment in Oz to look similar. I think I'm just jaded with shopping centres and they have to be really superspecial before I'll be impressed.

I was happy to hear that Boost Juice had opened it's first London store in Westfield :D

That was my highlight. Although paying the equivalent of $8 for a $4 drink wasn't great.

I got the same ice cream headache I get whenever I drink a Boost Juice. That's reassuring :D

So verdict on London shoppo? Yeah it's pretty good, I'll go there again. Way better than shopping on the High St.