I haven't grabbed the latest yet, but I can't wait! I will have to buy it! I love looking and poring over such beautiful homes and office spaces! The theme is A Color Revolution! I am specially more partial to the Morocco theme. So exotic!
Check out the preview here!
Back in the early 90's, I spent a sunny Californian summer studying film in USC, interning in Universal Studios, and playing production office assistant for an indie movie. In between shooting, editing, making coffee, and photocopying scripts, I spent a lot of time sun tanning in Santa Monica beach, and shopping in 3rd Street Promenade. My fave store then was Club Monaco! I loved their casual clothes. I used to go there all the time and spend the food money my Dad gave me for shopping! My favorite piece of summer clothing from there- a pair of denim shorts.
Then just this afternoon, while walking in Ngee Ann City on my way to the bookstore, I saw the sign!
A rush of memories came over me. I remembered just staying in the store for hours on end looking through their clothes! I hope I get the same shopping experience when it opens!
I love Ikea. And I love the prices there more! However, some Ikea furniture can be so cheap that a minor home mishap can render the piece of furniture useless. Well, almost useless.
A few weeks ago, when a strong gust of wind went through the house (I love opening all the windows!), our famous Ikea Skylar floor lamp (which I think every house in Singapore has) toppled over and the lamp shade ripped. I was thinking of going all Martha Stewart and buying craft paper and totally creating a new lamp shade, when I realized I had something much better! And easier.
Last year, on one of my regular trips to the Philippines, I bought a Capiz shell lantern hoping that Pat can help me make it into a mini chandeleir...
Obviously that didn't happen. It was kept in storage for a year!
Then thanks to the wind- the torn lampshade, and my hoarding tendencies, I gave birth to my very own Capiccinini Lamp. I'm naming it Capiccinini from Capiz and Piccinini. Capiz, obviously Capiz shells, and Piccinini, the Italian female volleyball player in this years Olympics. I watched the game of US vs Italy last night and the announcer just kept saying her name so it stuck!
Here is the picture of the buss up lamp shade:
How I wish I had a photo of the old Skylar.
Anyway, here is my creation. Capiccinini!
Yes you see that lone bulb naked and sticking out. Haha. I'll work on that :) I'm in the Domino mood!
I love browsing in bookstores even if I sometimes leave empty handed. Today, I found this:
How to Knit a Wild Bikini
Here's one of the reviews:
By H. Grove "owling6683" (Maryland, USA)
Nikki is a chef whose days in the restaurant business are numbered---her bum knee makes it impossible for her to endure the grueling hours on her feet any longer. She lands an opportunity with Jay Buchanan, wealthy playboy. The problem is, he's sworn off women and wants a lesbian personal chef to make sure he won't be tempted to stray from that resolution. Nikki is about to lose her one and only job nibble when, in order to make the neighbor think that he has a new girlfriend, Jay kisses her. She uses the opportunity to introduce herself as his chef and, once the neighbor's gone, to pretend to be the lesbian he was hoping to hire.
I gather there will be follow-on books in the 'Malibu & Ewe' series (that's the name of a central yarn shop), and some of the relationships in this book were used as set-up for later books rather than pay-off in this one. Unfortunately this resulted in some relationships feeling hurried and shallow; there was too much to fit into this one volume.
That said, Christie Ridgway has a knack for uproarious (often scandalous) dialogue and pours plenty of it into How to Knit a Wild Bikini. As Nikki pretends to be a lesbian and Jay pretends to believe her, they have some of the best and most fun lines in the book.
While the side plots did a good job of working certain parallels and complicating the main plot, there were too many side plots and a few too many convenient coincidences. It gave things a rushed and orchestrated feel. Ordinarily that would have bothered me more, but the hilarious dialogue, fun chemistry between the main characters, and so on made up for it. I heartily enjoyed the story, and couldn't put it down once I started!
I'm just curious on how much the author actually talks about knitting a bikini...
Hands down. In my books, Geri Halliwell has the best bikini body. What I could remember about her as Ginger Spice in the 90's was that she was chunkier than the rest of the group (and Baby Spice well- still had baby fat).
When she left the group and started going on her own, I noticed she was beginning to trim down. Then when her video Mi Chico Latino was released, I knew then that she had to be my bikini body idol.
Ever since then, she was my thinspiration when it came to firming up for the summer. Well, I did use Kylie Minogue also as my inspiration one time, but then I realized it was better to visualize someone who has somewhat the same kind of body type as you.
I've seen a few photos of Geri again recently. Ok, so I googled her and I've seen really great paparazzi pics of her.
I am so willing to give Geri any of my Verao bikini's. If you're reading this Geri, please do contact moi! LOL! I hope the paparazzi can take a great picture of you in any of my creations!
It's a rainy day here in Singapore, but it feels so summer watching the amazing duo of Talita and Renata at the Beijing Olympics!! Pat is laughing at me actually cheering for them in our living room (after all, the only Olympic sports I usually watched are swimming, gymnastics, and synchronized swimming). I think it was cool that I actually met Talita and talked to her!
The tie breaking set is playing now. Go Talita and Renata!
Inspired by their team uniform, I am mixing this Malia set:
The Malia Leaf Bikini top: 
and the Malia Sunshine Bikini bottom:
Of course the Malia Sunshine bottom matched with the leaf belt :)
And Yay! They made it to the next level!!
P.S. The top photo of Talita was taken by Pat at last years FIVB here in Sentosa.
Two weeks ago, Pat and I jetted back to my home in Manila to visit family and get some business going. It was great hanging out with Mommy again! And it was even better timing that my sister Rissa was going to have a party to celebrate her birthday on the weekend!
One breakfast morning, Rissa and her hubby Jimmy, were discussing the possible themes (like 4 days before the party!) And whaddya know- in between my first bite of Spam (haha yes I love that canned meat!), and my last gulp of iced coffee (with stevia and not sugar... like it really makes a difference after having Spam and rice for brekki), they came up with- Hawaiian theme! It was the easiest theme so far since Jimmy's bro has a catering business that had Hawaiian themed food, and well, my trusty iPod has exactly 181 local Hawaiian tunes perfect for the event (thanks to my very local island boy Pat)! Michi my sister provided all the leis, since she recently opened her floral arrangement business, and well, all our dresses were care of her! Even Maya, who wasn't supposed to be in Manila that time decided to jet over and surprise everyone!
Check out the tables:
Fuchsia table cloth, a platter of tropical fruits as centerpiece, and tiffany chairs... Can I just toot my own horn here- but these table cloths were from our wedding 4 years ago! Still perfect for that tropical feel...
Some pok'e as appetizer,
Lomi-Lomi Salmon anyone? 
Of course, we had Lechon, the Filipino version of Kahlua Pork, and a bunch of other food too many to name!
Here is a photo of my sisters and I. From L-R Sitting, Me, Rissa the celebrant, and Maya- my other Sing based sis. The 2 standing, L-R is Michi and Marie. Too bad Mica and Rina weren't here. And yes I have 6 sisters.
Before I splatter too many photos on this post, I think the easiest thing for me to do is post the youtube video Pat made from all his pics. How convenient, he dropped himself out of the video.
Enjoy! I love this song. Ooh La la Pure Aloha by Hawaiian Homeboy, Marty Dread and Bu La'ia- this local comedian who by the way I was so disgusted with the first time I watched him. Then after a few skits, he kinda grew on me. I think he deserves a whole new post another time. By the way- my MiniPod widget is probably still playing some music now. Just pause it and play this video :)
I've been a delinquent blogger lately, so I thought I'd post a picture of our Sunday's family lunch. Maya, my sister, Pat and I went for a Japanese lunch at Bongout in Robertson's Quay, then walked over to eM by the River for dessert.
