While randomly browsing sites on bags, (haha who do i kid? What are the chances of it being random? :P), i chanced upon the Alexander Wang Rocco Mini Duffel bag. I was delightfully surprised that i haven't noticed this before. The bag has been on the market for a while but it didn't catch on in Singapore (reason for that in a bit). I haven't seen any one carry this and of course that appeals even more to me. Honestly who would want to be carrying something everyone else is carrying right? Yes Balenciaga, i'm referring to you. 


Chewy and thick black pebbled leather (can't remember if it's lamb or calf), it's so squishy i would hug it to sleep, use it as a pillow or sth. This is extremely hardy. If you are wondering how i knew that from doing research online, well i went down to the nearest On Pedder to check if they carry the bag shortly after. Haha :P

This beauty is also a celeb favorite! Kristen Cavallari, Mary Kate Olsen, Dakota Fanning, Rosie Huntington, Nicki Hilton, Jennifer Love Hewitt have been spotted carrying it around. 

Kristen looks especially amazing with it. She goes everywhere with the Rocco. It's casual, it's cool, it has that rocker glam factor as well. The studs are absolutely gorgeous. I don't own any black bag (not a casual one that is. My classic Chanel flap is not counted) because let's face it, it's a boring colour though highly flexible. I would choose grey over black anytime. However, the studs add on a bling factor to black pebbled skin without being too ostentatious. I was absolutely in lurrrvvvveeee... 

Mary Kate also looks fantabulous with hers. This is just the perfect bag for me. Suits me to a T. 

A bit more on the style- I would liken it to a love child of Balenciaga (the studs) and YSL (the pebbled skin), both features i love. The size is very similar to the Louis Vuitton Speedy 30. It also kinda resembles the Givenchy Nightingale (W highlighted that to me). I was first attracted to the bag because of the pebbling- was also looking at the YSL Easy at the same time and they have a black pebbled one as well though a little dull. 

I almost bought the bag immediately online but i'm glad my sanity prevailed. While trying the bag and On Pedder, i realized that the bag has inherited the negative trait of Balenciaga and multiplied it by 10 times at least- the weight KILLS. According to the SA, the bag weighs a whooping 1.5kg. However, the SA at the AW pop up store says it's 3kg. I didn't ask for a weighing machine but it is obviously too much to handle. That said, i was still blinded by love and lust. It was not only until the 2nd time i went down to the store that i realized it is way too heavy for me. I sometimes complain that my Mulberry Alexa is heavy and this is an overkill. I could use this as weights. 

This is the biggest problem of the bag. It's such a pity really. If made lighter, the bag with 105 studs would look so lovely on my arms. Sigh. Please make some tweaks to it Mr Wang, this would really be perfect in my bag collection.  

If you have the arm power to lift this baby, you can get it at On Pedder for about 1.4- 1.5k sgd. I can't remember the exact price. Alternatively, Shopbop sells it for 895USD. How awesome is that right?! For now, i can only admire it. Pity pity pity. Hopefully someone knocks some sense into the team at AW soon. 

In the end, I got something much lighter though. Reveal due soon!  

Before i get accused of being too atas, let me reiterate that my idea of good food is not expensive food but food that tastes good. I love my foie gras as well as my kway chup. I would choose the economic bee hoon from the coffee shop aka kopitiam near my place over brunch at Wild Honey. I'm the versatile and flexible diner who eats according to my cravings and my mood. I can feel at home in a hawker centre or a high end restaurant though i very much prefer a more relaxed and vibrant setting (many high end restaurants feel stuffy and uptight!) I'm always darn happy when i find cheap and good food. 

Chin Mei Chin is one of such places. It has remained true to its roots, serving kaya toast the old school style in an old school shophouse with mosaic tiles. Whenever i feel like having some traditional chinese breakfast, i would head there. 

Join in the queue (boy there could be one, especially on weekends) and wait for your turn to grab an empty table. There is no need to flip through the menu (there isn't one), just pick up what you like from the open shelves and bring it to your marble table tops and sit on the old wooden chairs and start eating. My favorite is the luncheon meat bun which is so fluffy on the inside. Pick through the bun to arrive at the little strip of treasure hidden within. The only downside is that it's a really small piece of meat. :( The cream horns aren't too bad themselves. You just need to look past the greasy texture of the cream. Again, it's the kinda stuff we used to eat as kids.   

There are other baked goods like cupcakes (a little dry), custard tarts, raisin buns etc. You can also purchase their bottled home made kaya. More on that in a bit.

I remember when i was a kid (hard to believe i'm no longer one), my mum would always pour our hot milo onto the saucer to cool it for us before we drink it. My sis and I would pretend to be little kittens trying to lick the drink off the plate. If i do that now people would probably think i'm nuts. These are the things you can get away with when you are young.

Order the other stuff with the aunties aka kopi-sohs. The tea here is quite gao3 (thick and strong). The kaya toast is actually mini buns that are sliced into half and toasted on a charcoal grill. Little airy buns, cripy on the outside, slapped with eggy coconutty kaya and topped with my favorite SCS butter (because it's so salty)! I think i eat the buns mainly for the butter heh! 

 Just look at that.. drools...

Kaya toast is never complete without the half boiled eggs. I like mine with lotsa dark soy sauce and pepper. This is better than poached eggs really. :))

If you are craving for some old school chinese breakfast, this is the place to go. Be prepared to queue! Oh and parking can be quite a bitch, turn left after the bakery into the residential area to find parking, you may have to walk a long way but it's definitely worth it.

Chin Mei Chin Confectionery

204 East Coast Road, Singapore

Tue- Sun: 8am - 430pm

Closed Mondays

I used to think of Robertson Quay as the second Clarke Quay- back when Double O was occupying the corner space. The association wasn't a good one. Getting hit by army boys on their book out nights? -Shudders- And not to mention SPGs in skanky dresses and slutty heels preying on the expats? Eeew! Plus all those rowdy drunks from the nearby bars and pubs? Definitely not a place i wanna hang out at night.

I was surprised to find that the area has changed in the recent year (or at least i only discovered its change this year). Every place deserves a second chance right? That's when i realized that there are a lot of interesting restaurants providing a variety of cuisines such as Japanese, German, Italian, French etc. One of my favorites is Chikuwa-tei, which is along Mohd Sultan road. Ippudo Tao has also moved into the vicinity. Brasserie Wolf does good French food (had a tasting during Restaurant Week) and Brussel Sprouts is a must go for the sweet Belgian mussels. Oh and Laurent Bernard for their chocolate desserts. This is merely the tip of the iceberg. I reckon it would take me a good part of the year just reviewing every restaurant there!

The night and the day scene is quite different. I very much enjoy the laid back vibe in the lazy afternoons. Time seems to come to a standstill while you sip your tea and revel in the moment of peace and serenity. Now repeat after me, OHHMMmmm...

I chanced upon Hummerstons sometime in July, shortly after they opened. I was searching for a tea place one sleepy Sunday. Their banner caught my eye, only because they serve Papa Palheta's coffee. So i decided to give it a shot. I had a hard time trying to find the place and finally located it in a hidden corner on the 2nd floor. 

First impression- it felt like PS cafe. And it jolly well be because it was founded by former head chef of PS cafe, Bouk. Black and white interior checked. Huge chalkboard checked. Casual and comfort dining checked. Open kitchen concept checked. Sounds like a rip off? It certainly isn't. Now read on. 

What sets Hummerstons apart from PS cafe is the food. There is some hint of Latin America, a dash of Mediterranean and a sprinkle of Asian cuisine in the American dishes. Does that sound interesting, confusing or what? One example is the Smoked duck quesadilla ($26) which drew its inspiration from Mexican cuisine. I have yet to try this dish but it is one of their signature items. 

One of their most popular items is poutine. It is a Canadian dish of skin-on, hand cut fries (fried the kettle way) with lots of thick gravy. You can choose from a variety of add ons such as Monstreal (best seller, $19) which is topped with roasted mushrooms, pan-seared foie gras and grated Emmental cheese. What's there not to love right?? By now you would have figured that foie gras is one of my favorite dishes. Heh. Anyway I tried their Hangover Poutine on my first visit.

This is perfect hangover food. I have died and gone to fried, greasy, salty heaven (in the good way). This is no wonder my ass is the size it is. :( Anyway, this comes with sliced juicy sausages, mushrooms and poached egg with some cheese and lotsa gravy. I would have asked for more gravy if i didn't feel the bum spreading across my seat. :((

After introducing this hidden gem to my gf (who is also another skinny fat girl), we headed down for lunch soon after. And this time round, we had the foie gras profiteroles! The profiterole has to be one of the better ones around and the poofy/airy texture absolutely complemented the creamy foie gras. We were tempted to order another serving of this (it only comes in 2 pieces) but our liver was screaming for help. This is a MUST-TRY. Comes highly recommended.

Ordered the fish tacos for our main. Nice crunchy hard taco. As you know, i'm not a fish fan so i don't have much to say about this. The fish was succulent and not too dry, definitely not the hawker sorta fish and chip fillet. However, i felt that it may be a bit bland. Then again, i love savory food so this may be just right for you guys. Ms. Z thought it was fine though. 2 tacos, huge ass servings. I was stuffed by the end of it.

My stomach was stretched beyond its limits by then and we asked for recommendations of a 'lighter' dessert. My belief is that there is always space for desserts, no matter how full you are :) To my surprise, the server suggested the pumpkin cheesecake and he insisted that it's light. Verdict- it was really filling. Nothing light about it, other than the taste of the cheese. How can pumpkin, which packs in lotsa carbs, and cheese be a light combination right? I guess i wasn't in the right mind by the end of my mains so we just went ahead with it.  

It is a huge slab of cake and a thick graham based (tt was quite good). I was expecting it to be more cheesy (thank god it's not). The texture is dense but not in the typical NY cheesecake way but it maintains more of the pumpkin consistency. It's interesting but not my idea of a cheesecake. Then again, i'm picky when it comes to cheesecakes. Z thought it was good and she is also a picky desserts person. This comes highly recommended by I-S magazine too so it must be something. 

I asked them about their tea menu having seen it being mentioned on HGW and hence a 3rd visit was planned (within the same week in fact). However, the tea set was more than disappointing and we obviously gave them feedback on the dishes. The chef was still experimenting with the food but we were told that they will be scraping tea altogether. Wise choice i would say. My advice to any restaurant is to stick to what they do best and make it better. (Read about my thoughts on that here.)

To redeem themselves, we had a port wine fruit cake on the house and oh boy this is lovely! Fresh fruits and nuts soaked in port and then mixed into the cake batter resulting in a moist and dense texture. This is my dream fruit cake. I was secretly picking out the raisins and berries from the cake because they were so good! The choice of port is also a refreshing one because rum usually goes with raisin (maybe it's just another of my weird associations) but this went together perfectly.

I just headed back to Hummerstons with another gf for brunch. Hummerstons does a weekend brunch from 10-4pm, which is perfect for the lazy birds who want to sleep in on the weekends. You still get your worms here don't worry. V had the eggs benny (she likes the hollandaise sauce) and i had the Breakfast Tostada- very mexican with the tomato salsa and tacos. I like that the tacos are really crunchy even after soaking up all that salsa and juice from the eggs. Eggs were fine. Sausages were stellar as usual. For $16, i was thoroughly satisfied.

So yes, Hummerstons goes into my top list for chill out restaurants/cafes. They have a bar here as well so you can get drinks any time of the day. My choice of poison- Moscato. I only take sweet/dessert wines. 

Fingers crossed H wouldn't become too crowded for me. Please be considerate dear readers, do not go rushing to this place right now. Best if you guys can organize a timetable or something and do leave a slot on Sundays afternoons for me. :)

Hummerstons
11 Unity Street #02-14, Robertson Walk, Singapore
Tel: +65 6737 8863
Tue- Fri:12pm- Midnight
Sat: 10am - 2am 
Sun:10am - Midnight

I'm always on the lookout for nice food. Why waste calories on the norm when you can get much better. Before you form any preconceived ideas that i'm a brat and only eat at atas restaurants, let me highlight to you that i do hawker as well. My idea of good food is good tasting food. It doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, some expensive restaurants have failed me miserably e.g. ilLido. Trust me, you can get much better italian for the same price or less. 

During the Restaurant week promotion this year, while discussing which restaurants to dine at, several of my friends couldn't stop raving about Absinthe. I didn't managed to get a booking there but sampled the menu at its sister resto OSO and it was good. I knew i had to try Absinthe soon.

My opportunity came when i was planning S's surprise birthday celebration (we did a staycation at the New Majestic Hotel, read about it here). Absinthe was the perfect choice- it was just opposite our hotel. How convenient!

I went for the Menu Absinthe which is a 6 course meal (if you include the coffee at the end? Is that even a course really?). This is so typical of me- Variety first. Stomach space second. Besides there's the boy to finish up my food for me :)) And the smart S anticipated that already so he only ordered an appetizer and his main. :)

Bisque de Homard

Lobster Bisque for the boy. Creamy rich seafood with chunks of fresh chewy lobster flesh. I didn't taste much of it because he finished EVERYTHING. He didn't even offer me much. :(

Carpaccio de Saint Jacques, Marinade Citron et Tuile à l'Encre de Seiche

Scallop Carpaccio, Squid Ink Tuile and Lemon Dressing- Sweet succulent scallop flesh. Granted it's not as good as the fresh ones at the markets in Hokkaido but it sure cuts close. The lemon dressing is refreshing with the rock salt and pepper crunch and mint leaves of sort.

Gambas Flambées à l'Absinthe, Pignons de Pin et Petite Salade 

Sautéed King Prawns Flambéed with Absinthe, Pine Nuts and Herb Salad. The dish is quite small but just about the right portion. It's a tomato cream base that is not too heavy. Slightly bland and no hint of Absinthe at all? Prawns were fresh and crunchy like fei cui xia (if there's even such a thing).

Foie Gras Poêlé, Blinis et Cerises Griottes

Pan Fried Foie Gras, Morello Cherries and Blinis- My favorite dish!! Foie gras with cherries is the best combination ever. I like that it is a little charred on the outside (hence the crispiness) and the interior just melts (how can it not? it's pure fats anyway!). The creamy texture is contrasted by the tangy sourish sweet cherries. And the little bliny just soaks all that juice and essence up. My mouth is watering just thinking about it...  

Boeuf Wagyu Grillé (8+), Millefeuille de Pomme de Terre, Petits Légumes et Jus Naturel

Grilled Beef Wagyu, Potato Millefeuille, Baby Vegetables and Natural Jus. Steak has to be done medium rare to maintain the juice and the soul of the cow. I kid you but this steak is extraordinary. There is no gravy with the steak but it is moist and flavorful. Must be some secret marinate that was used or some technique that sealed the flavor in. Blew my mind.

Cabillaud Rôti, Risotto au Crevettes, Emulsion de Feuille de Kaffir 

Roasted Black Cod, Prawn Risotto and Kaffir Lime Leaf Emulsion. I'm not a fish fan but this comes recommended by the server. It was the cod or the milk-fed veal fillet. I was leaning towards the latter but that would be quite predictable. As usual, fresh ingredients. Very light despite the cream based risotto (that was cooked perfectly). A little bland. I'm quite a savory food person. 

Forgot to take pictures of the desserts because i was busy texting our friends who were waiting at CM-PB to complete the surprise celebration. It was a citrus flavored Blanc Mangé with Almond Tuile.

Brownie and chocolate cake @CM-PB. The chocolate cake was surprisingly good. Moist and rich. Should try this some other time.

Absinthe
48 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089858
Tel: +65 6222 9068
Lunch : 12pm - 2:30pm (Mon - Fri)
Dinner : 6:30pm - 10:30pm (Mon - Sat)

They'd be moving to 72 Boat Quay come Jan 2012! Bookmark it please.

One thing i love about traveling is the hotel stay. Who doesn't right? Unless you get a really bad hotel but that's kinda your own fault for not doing your research properly! (That's the Type A in me speaking.) Say hello to creating a great mess in the room when you leave for your adventures and come back to a neat and organized space after a long tired day of shopping and sightseeing. <3! Disclaimer: i do not mess up the room on purpose, i usually organize things into neat piles so that housekeeping would have an easy time. 

Things that i'm very particular about hotel rooms- Ambience, Bathroom (and amenities) and Bed. They are the most essential elements in any form of lodging and also my main reasons for not bunking in hostels. Hotels shouldn't shortchange their guests on the most fundamental components. If they do, they shouldn't be called hotels. The things that I appreciate are the little ones- nice toiletries, tea/coffee handpicked by the management (not just random normal ones), iPod docks, Wi-fi connectivity (it has become a must-have)... Small things that reflect the awareness of a traveller's needs or wants. Things to make them feel more at home despite being thousands of miles away from it. It is the minute details that differentiate between a good hotel and an excellent one.

So I was stuck in Sg after my August/ September break (Phillipines and South Korea) and by Oct i was dying to take flight from work. With the boy's birthday around the corner, I decided to throw him a surprise birthday celebration (because i'm also the awesum gf) and what better way to have a staycation in one of the boutique hotels in Singapore? The advantage to that is also the lack of need to plan (read all about how i love and hate about planning here. Also, it provides an opportunity to finally check out the boutique scene in Sg. Triple YAY!

I picked the New Majestic Hotel from my shortlist of Wanderlust, the Scarlet, Siloso Beach Resort etc. Capella is amazingly pretty (had tea at the Knolls the other time and i was blown away by the serenity) but sadly out of my budget. :( I have been following the development of the hotel since they opened and having been exploring the Duxton area, i found myself longing to see the interior of the rooms. Each of the New Majestic’s 30 themed rooms is different ranging from attic loft living to outdoor gardens. For the exhibitionist in you (or if you want to get in touch with your sensuality, you can opt for the open-bath-in-the middle-of-the-room Lifestyle Rooms.

I chose the garden rooms with the outdoor bath (quite the exhibitionist myself too) and requested for the East meets West room. The murals are zen-ish with the geishas carrying modern day items such as iPods and using laptops. Quite the reflection of a developed Asian society.

They have really good beds. No expenses spared on high thread count Ploh bedding. Discreet but luxurious- i like!   

I love the big bathtub- fits 2 ;) And surely there's a need for bubble bath- to hide the itty bits from prying eyes. S was very concerned about the privacy of the bath, not sure if the back windows from the upper floors are sealed and frosted as they look directly on our 'garden'. As ours is a corner room, i'm quite sure the tall office opposite could see us if we stood up. More needs to be done about the security for sure. There's a small indoor shower with rainshower head too! :))

The swimming pool, albeit a teeny bit small, is just right for us during our stay because there weren't many occupants. We had the pool to ourselves most of the time which was perfect. Love the colourful deck chairs and the mosaic tiled bottom of the pool. Diners at the restaurant could spy on guests from below so do everyone a favor, cover up and wear nice bikinis.

I even packed a picnic by the poolside. Cheeses, grilled meat, big juicy strawberries with Moscato. Heavenly.

Really appreciate the little touches New Majestic Hotel add to their rooms e.g. Nespresso in-room coffee maker, Kiehl’s toiletries and Bose stereo with iPod dock. Fulfils my criteria of an excellent hotel. :)

Breakfast was a semi buffet. One thing that was impressive was the orange/apricot brioche. Really buttery and nice. The banana walnet bread wasn't too far off as well. The other stuff were not exceptional but it satisfied the picky me, so it mustn't be too bad. :)

Overall, it was a nice experience. Shall do more of this in the future. Almost a holiday. :)

Check out the other boutique hotels here
Wangz Hotel

Naumi

Wanderlust

the Scarlet

Siloso Beach Resort (may not be boutique but still very nice!)

New Majestic Hotel
31–37 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089845
Hotel Enquiries (24h): +65.6511.4700
Hotel Reservations: +65.6579.2026
reservation@newmajestichotel.com

I love traveling. The idea of abandoning all the obligations and responsibilities and just taking off is so liberating and carefree. A different place, a different experience, a different life. You are a stranger. You are a nobody. No expectations, no judgment, no need to fit in. You can be anyone. Or you can finally be your true self.

That said, i haven't really had such a holiday in which i just hop on a plane with no itinerary and let the surroundings, people and fate decide what i should do or where to go. I usually get stressed out while planning. Logistic kills. The perfectionist in me seeks the best hotel (location, comfort and the right budget), the best route, the best attractions, best food (of course) and the best experience all in the shortest span on time. No wonder i'm stressed right? Oh and planning the outfits for my holidays? That would take a couple of hours at least.

This is merely a fraction of my actual planning. That is how anal i am! 

As much as i hate the planning (boy i really hate it!), i still love holidays abroad. I used to be a lot more anal about plans but i've changed (or perhaps i've gotten lazy). In recent years, my plans are more general and flexible. I give myself lots of extra time to stop, rest, think, recharge and relax. My recent U.K., Philippines and South Korea trip were quite relaxing. I even had time to sign up for a last minute cooking course in Seoul. That was absolutely impromptu but fun!

Originally, i had this grandiose plan of 'pseudo-backpacking' around SEA. I almost drove myself mad with the planning especially since i intended to travel alone. I had an entire excel workbook on the places to go, how to transit from a country to the other, places to stay blahblahblahblahblah. And then i decided to heck it! While it would be an eye opener for me, having not backpacked before in my life and alone at that, i think it's more important to stop worrying and just chill.

So this december, i'm heading to Vietnam and even though i've borrowed guidebooks to prep myself for the trip, i'm tempted to just go in blind and let the winds take me wherever i'm meant to be. Maybe i'll do that, provided the Type A in me doesn't freak out and start writing a research paper on holidaying in Vietnam.

So yeah. A holiday is meant to be stress free. It is supposed to restore balance to our typically tedious, repetitive and mundane work life. So take a break people. Loosen up. If i can, i'm sure most of you would be able to. 

My love for Bottega first started in 2008 when i was first stepped into the BV store in NYC. I immediately fell in love with the soft buttery and smooth leather I could hug the bags to sleep. And unlike most luxury brands who don't give a hoot about the interior lining (most use cotton), BV insists on a suede leather interior. YUMS! I was fearful about scratching the interior but as my bag family expanded, i stopped caring. :P

Anyway, i didn't get my BV on that fateful day. it was my first day in NYC and the boy convinced me that I'd see that cute red handbag again during our 3 week break so i shouldn't make an impulse buy. It NEVER happened. Till this day i still blame him. Since that day, I have amassed 3 items from the brand. 

My BV family (clockwise from left)- Regular Veneta in Ametiste, Mini Veneta in Red, Intrecciato Wallet 

My BV collection is kinda weird. 2 out of 3 pieces are wrong buys. Absolutely not what i wanted. But i grew to accept them. The first was the Mini Veneta. Long story behind it. Boy went in search of THE bag in NYC to redeem himself. He saw it in a different colour (a dull turquoise blue) and he thought that it was hard to match. Honestly, what do boys know about colours right? Somehow he thought that a mini red veneta is cuter, and that's how i ended up with my first BV, which is practically useless. 

                               

The mini Veneta measures 8.5"x 8.25". Holds almost nothing. It holds an iPhone, keys, cards and cash. Notice that i didn't mention a wallet? Because it doesn't fit! Not even my coach coin purse. I used it a couple of times. Once for a dinner at il Lido and for brunch and another time for supper at a prata place. BV makes really casual bags and this is not the Knot so i can't use it for dinners as well. So yea.. if anyone is interested in buying this, drop me a message. 

My second was the intrecciato wallet which i got a friend to get for me. Long story short, I wanted a deep purple (Opera) in a different style (slightly shorter and smaller). Provided the product code and all and the order was still wrong. My friend is a guy. There you go, it's almost proven that guys can't get a proper bag right. 

My 3rd purchase from BV was very recent. Oct 2011. Regular Veneta in Ametiste. I was hunting for another bag from Miu Miu but it wasn't available in Sg. S was overseas again, this time in Munich, so he offered to get it for me but it was OOS as well. Randomly popped by BV and waaala.. the popping Ametiste stood out and beckoned to me.

I was already looking out for a hot pink bag. Was eyeing Balenciaga's cyclamen but i thought it would be too much pink on the bigger styles like City and Part time. Plus i didn't want an overlap with my twiggy or first. So i immediately texted the boy and he finally got the right bag (for once).

I never thought that i would get a Veneta or any of their bigger bags because they look too dull. Let's face it, the bag is not particularly eye-catching and this style in a classic or neutral colour would be what i'd say boring but make it in a pop colour like Ametiste, Shock or Fire , you get a younger looking and much more lively bag.

I wouldn't say that this is the last piece i'd get from BV. I would love a classic knot in leather or some funky design for evening dinners. But right now, this would suffice. :)

I'm a self confessed bagaholic. I don't know when it begun. I think it is a genetic thing that was passed on to me from my mum. I've been buying bags for her on my travels since 6years back.

It all started with Prada, a gift from S's aunt for my 21st. Then when before the Burberry Blue craze hit our sunny island, i was already a proud owner of 2 BB bags. My bagaholic nature probably escalated during my grad trip when i went to the States and went crazy with all the Coach and Kate Spade bags (a HUGE mistake i must say. Never ever will i do it again). That was also when i became aware of Bottega Veneta and i almost got a handbag from there. Long story so read more about my bottega family here.

That same year (or was it the year after), i went to Paris and got my first Chanel. <3 Best decision i've made in my life. S's mum was goading me to get one after she got her cavier classic flap. That winter, i came back with a Chanel and an LV Tivoli (another mistake, more on that later).

Thereafter, it was just bags after bags after bags. Balenciaga, Mulberry, another Balenciaga, another Bottega Veneta and another...

W and i did a count of all the bags i own, criteria being more than 100 bucks (not really fair) and the figure was quite astronomical. Moral of the story is, be careful what you give someone a gift, it may change their lives forever. Case in point.

I'll share my bags with you in due course. Each of them has a little story of their own. Have fun reading! Do tell me what is your favorite or most coveted bag! Would love to hear about them.

Till then..