February 2012 - Regina Chow - Singapore Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle & Travel Blog

Navy Blue

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

I've never really been a fan of blue, but this navy blue jacket changed my mind about the colour. I got this jacket from Cotton On while...

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

I've never really been a fan of blue, but this navy blue jacket changed my mind about the colour. I got this jacket from Cotton On while shopping with my aunt one day and I love how versatile it is. It's perfect with casual wear but you can easily transform this into corporate wear with a quick change of outfit.

Jacket from Cotton On
Sequin top from Ms Selfridge
Faux leather shorts from City Plaza
Black flats from Chanel

In other news, we've just shifted into our apartment and bought a car (you can catch a glimpse of it in the background) a couple of days ago. It feels wonderful to be independent but at the same time, it feels somewhat odd to be living away from family in a foreign land. The good news is, we still meet up for lunch/dinner every other day and that alone is enough to make me feel warm and fuzzy inside!

I'm counting my blessings everyday. ;)

Bondi Beach

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

It's approaching autumn but for some reason, the weather only gets hotter with each passing day! We went to Bondi beach one morning last...

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

It's approaching autumn but for some reason, the weather only gets hotter with each passing day! We went to Bondi beach one morning last week when it was pretty windy and a storm was brewing. The weather cleared up eventually after we left the beach (ugh!).

Bondi beach is host to a myriad of surf events and competitions thanks to its fierce, crashing waves. I'm not exactly a water baby as I can't swim for nuts (although I have countless swimwear) but I love chilling out by the beach and feeling the soft sand against my feet.

It got a little too windy after a while and our stomachs were growling, so off we went in search of food. We chanced upon Bondi Surf Seafoods, which was awarded the best seafood retailer in 2001 (er ya..I know that was 11 years ago). Nonetheless, we gave it a go and boy were we glad we did! At A$19.90 for 2 sets of fish and chips, it was not only value for money, but very tasty too. The batter was light and the fish was very fresh!

A little sugar in the Sugaroom

Monday, February 27, 2012

I feel like I've been on an eating tour since I arrived in Sydney, as my very hospitable relatives have been taking us to some of their ...

Monday, February 27, 2012

I feel like I've been on an eating tour since I arrived in Sydney, as my very hospitable relatives have been taking us to some of their favourite restaurants that serve nothing but delectable food. I reckon I must have put on a couple of kilos in the past two weeks.

Sugaroom at Sydney Harbour was the venue for my aunt's official birthday celebration with her family. I had the most amazing strawberry margarita at the waiter's recommendation. Food took a while to be served (I think it's the same with all western meals here) but they were very delicious, to say the least.

Tucked away from the crowds, the restaurant offers a relaxed atmosphere and a stunning view of the Sydney harbour.

I wish I could show you pictures of my aunt's adorable grand-daughter Bonnie, but I'm afraid the pictures are too private. Bonnie is 3 years old this year and has just started taking ballet lessons, so she has been giving ballet demonstrations to her grandparents and insisting that they follow after her. It is quite hilarious really!

Before I end, here's what I wore that day.

Rosette tank top from Bangkok
Tulle skirt from Korea
Black flats from Chanel
Bag from Forever New

Have a great week ahead everyone! :)

Thelma & Louise Cafe at Neutral Bay

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Last Saturday, we took a short stroll from my aunt's apartment to Thelma & Louise Waterfront cafe beside the Neutral Bay wharf to ce...

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Last Saturday, we took a short stroll from my aunt's apartment to Thelma & Louise Waterfront cafe beside the Neutral Bay wharf to celebrate my aunt's birthday in advance.

Neutral Bay is considered a suburb in Sydney, but it's really a stone's throw away from the heart of the city. You can either take a 15 minute ride on the ferry to Circular Quay or take a cab, which takes all but 10 minutes!

Thelma & Louise cafe is one of my aunt's favourite haunts for brunch, and the crowd suggests that it's a hot favourite among many others as well. If you manage to get the outdoor seats, which are very limited by the way, you'll get to savour your meal with the magnificent view of clear blue seas and yachts.

We ordered a seafood linguine, eggs benedict and a standard american breakfast set, but all in all, we waited about 30-40 minutes for the food to be served! The food oozed with delicious goodness and came in generous portions. Everything was absolutely yummy!

Thelma & Louise Cafe
Shop 1/1 Hayes Street
Neutral Bay
Sydney 2089

The other meetups before I left for Sydney

Saturday, February 25, 2012

I was terribly busy meeting up with family and friends just before I left for Sydney. It was so sweet of everybody to make time to meet up...

Saturday, February 25, 2012

I was terribly busy meeting up with family and friends just before I left for Sydney. It was so sweet of everybody to make time to meet up with me just before I left, even though I would only be away for a short period of time. :)

These are the ladies who founded Bodyworks (now known as Fitness Works) in SMU together with me. I've known them for a long time now and I'm glad we continued to keep in touch throughout the years. ;)

Previously, I had the good fortune of landing a sponsorship by the first company that I worked for to pursue a graduate diploma in translation and interpretation. While I can't say my mandarin is anywhere near flawless, these ladies are definitely the best companions. We went through thick and thin, especially during those grueling, wintry months in Beijing.

My lovely ex-colleagues who organized a farewell for KK and myself. Love them to bits!

This is a little backdated I believe. We just got back from KL on the last day of CNY (so shagged!) and instead of heading home to rest, we popped by Sushi's place for an impromptu get-together. Karen and Sushi need no introduction, for you would have seen them often enough if you keep up with my blog regularly. ;)

Not too long ago, Karen introduced me to Wendy and Pat, and I must say they're some of the sweetest and nicest people I know.

We had dinner at Buffet Town@Raffles City, where we had feast. Oysters, crabs, sushi, double boiled soup, sashimi...you name it, we had it!

I didn't manage to take photos during all my meetups though. Sometimes, I forget to take my camera along with me or I get so engrossed in conversations, it totally slips my mind. Case in point - I've to make a mental note to take more photos with some of my best friends (Yitian, Jun, Grace, Veron, Lyndie) the next time we meet!! :)

Chocolate & Cream

Thursday, February 23, 2012

The weather in Sydney has been rather erratic. Dark clouds looming in the distance may just disappear in the blink of an eye, and before you...

Thursday, February 23, 2012

The weather in Sydney has been rather erratic. Dark clouds looming in the distance may just disappear in the blink of an eye, and before you know it, the glorious sun starts peeping through.

And better yet, the sun is usually accompanied by cool winds, which makes the weather perfect for layering and wearing socks. ;)

Lace blouse with pearl collar from Yuan, Far East Plaza
Polka Dot skorts from Bangkok
Boots from Bugis Village
Socks from Topshop

Here you'll see a cute boxy purse from Forever New, one of my favourite Australian brands. I like how it looks almost like a vintage cigar box but it opens effortlessly from the top, so it's really easy to reach for my wallet or mobile phone. I'm so infatuated with it right now, especially since it matches almost everything!

Hairbun Tutorial (Cheat :P)

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

I've been wearing my hair in a bun for a while now because it's so easy to style and great for beating the heat too! At the request...

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

I've been wearing my hair in a bun for a while now because it's so easy to style and great for beating the heat too! At the request of some readers, I've also done up a tutorial to show you how my bun is done.

Step 1: First, tie your hair up into a bun with a rubber band.

It should look something like this when tied, but I usually make a bigger loop with my fingers to shorten the ends that are sticking out. That way, it's easier to tuck the ends into my bun hairpiece, which you'll see next.

If your hair is too short, you can either tie a lower bun or pin up the hair at the bottom with bobby pins.

Step 2: Here's my bun hairpiece, in the style of the Japanese odango. You can get this from http://girlhairdo.com.

I bought a couple of hair pieces in different styles from Grace, the owner of girlhairdo.com. She found various hairpieces in my hair colour and taught me how to use them. :)

The bun hairpiece comes with an elastic drawstring which you can pull to tighten so that it grips on to your hair.

Step 3: Loosen the drawstring around the bun hair piece and fit it over your bunned up hair. It's almost like putting on a dress for your hair. :P

Step 4: Pull the drawstring to tighten the grip of the hair piece on your hair. You can try shaking your head a little to test if it fits well. If it's too loose, it may fall off when you encounter strong winds or when you run. I'm sure you wouldn't want to scare off passers-by with a huge hairball!

Step 5: Go around the bun hair piece with the drawstring and tuck the ends of the string, together with the ends of your hair, into the bun hair piece.

There, that's how I style my bun! My hair looks impeccable and neat with my bun hair piece. Styling has never been easier! :D

Amelie-Anne: Willows in Celadon Green

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Amelie-Anne's Willows dress is a classic piece reminiscent of the 1950s vintage preppy style, where femininity and grace were of utmost...

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Amelie-Anne's Willows dress is a classic piece reminiscent of the 1950s vintage preppy style, where femininity and grace were of utmost importance. Did I also mention that peter-pan collars, which were all the rage then, are now back on trend in full force?

I got my Willows dress in Celadon green, which is a sweet shade of pastel mint. I love accessorizing, and here you'll see a camellia brooch, a girly statement hairband and a cute little vintage boxy bag to complete the look.

What I like about this dress is its functional design and modest length, which makes it a work-worthy piece as well. There are side pockets and a matching sash to accentuate your waistline too! :)

This lovely number comes in Vanilla Cream and Cherry Blossom Pink too. Head on down to Amelie-Anne to check them out! :)

Valentine's Day

Friday, February 17, 2012

How was your Valentine's Day? We had a simple Valentine's Day dinner at Sydney Harbour, in a thai restaurant called Sailors Thai. I ...

Friday, February 17, 2012

How was your Valentine's Day? We had a simple Valentine's Day dinner at Sydney Harbour, in a thai restaurant called Sailors Thai.

I was pleased that the quality of the food here far surpasses that of Singapore's (the price too), and everything is ridiculously fresh and sumptuous! We ended the night with hot chocolate and latte with the breathtaking view of the harbour. Can't wait to explore more of the city soon!

Oh and before I end, here's my outfit for Vday. ;)

Crochet peterpan collar top Lace skorts from Bangkok Prada bag

Hello from Sydney

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Hello from Sydney! We've been here a couple of days now and we're so thankful that we've relatives here to take care of us while...

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Hello from Sydney! We've been here a couple of days now and we're so thankful that we've relatives here to take care of us while we settle our accommodation. My uncle and his family have been very hospitable and helpful. In fact, we're currently residing at his house as we've yet to clean up our own place.

My aunt, who lives downtown, showed us around town yesterday. Her effervescent personality is so infectious and she's such a warm lady it's hard not to feel at ease around her. Did I mention she has a spectacular view from her balcony too? So super gorgeous!

More pictures soon, I promise!

Climbing in KL (Not me)

Monday, February 13, 2012

Climbing is JW's favourite sport of all time, and he often makes trips to KL just to climb at this state-of-the-art climbing gym. I usua...

Monday, February 13, 2012

Climbing is JW's favourite sport of all time, and he often makes trips to KL just to climb at this state-of-the-art climbing gym. I usually just tag along so that I can have my A&W curly fries and root beer float. Yes, I am that easily contented. All I need is food.

While he's on the wall, I'm either on the floor observing his every move till I fall asleep or walking around the mall. Otherwise, when our trips coincide with Karen's, I'll excuse myself from the gym and head over to her place. :P

I attended Karen's housewarming in KL recently (you'll see pics when I get them), and the day after, I met a new friend named Charlotte. Isn't she adorable? She kept chatting with me and when her dad came to check on her, she asked him to say hi to her new friends (aka JW and I). Is she cute or what? ;)

House@Dempsey with Jun

Sunday, February 12, 2012

These couple of weeks just whizzed past me in a blink of an eye as I've been busy packing, tying up loose ends for various responsibilit...

Sunday, February 12, 2012

These couple of weeks just whizzed past me in a blink of an eye as I've been busy packing, tying up loose ends for various responsibilities and catching up with friends and family before leaving Singapore. I'll be putting up photos of most of the meet-ups soon!

I love the ambiance and food at House@Dempsey so much, I actually patronized the restaurant 2 days in a row. I was just there for the much raved about High Tea Buffet the day before I met Jun for lunch. It's a great place for chilling out on weekdays especially.

Poor Jun is always busy at work and she has been nursing a bad cough for about 2 weeks! Yitian couldn't come as she was already in India by then, but we caught up over sushi before she left.

I'll miss you girls! But, the good news is, I'll be back before you know it. ;)

Here's what I wore that day:

Black tassel dress from City Plaza
Neon yellow bow belt from Platinum Mall, Bangkok
Ruffles polka dot socks from Hong Kong
Suede pumps from Salvatore Ferragamo
Gold hobo from Gucci

Heading Down Under

Friday, February 10, 2012

I'll be heading down under this weekend and shuttling between Aussie and Singapore for the rest of the year. It probably requires some a...

Friday, February 10, 2012

I'll be heading down under this weekend and shuttling between Aussie and Singapore for the rest of the year. It probably requires some adjustment but I'm excited by all the new adventures that await me, both on the family and career front.

I'll still be updating my blog regularly, but please bear with me for the next couple of days cos I'll be really busy settling down. ;)

Meanwhile, have a great weekend everyone!

Heroes' Square

Friday, February 10, 2012

One of the most iconic landmarks in Budapest is Heroes' Square, where you will find statues of the founders of Hungary. The most outstan...

Friday, February 10, 2012

One of the most iconic landmarks in Budapest is Heroes' Square, where you will find statues of the founders of Hungary. The most outstanding pillar of them all is the Millenial Monument. This towering pillar was built to commemorate Hungary's 1000th year of establishment.

If you're interested in art, you can visit the Museum of Fine Art and Palace of Art, located to the right of Heroes' Square. We decided to chill out at a nearby cafe that was decorated in the Art Noveau style. The quaint cafe took our breath away, and the cool weather was just perfect for a cuppa coffee.

The view of Heroes' Square is even more magnificent at night. The glistening lights and glowing statues are a sight to behold. Absolutely gorgeous!

Budapest: House of Terror

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

The House of Terror is a popular museum in Budapest which we stumbled upon while strolling along Andrassy Ut, the most iconic street in town...

Tuesday, February 07, 2012

The House of Terror is a popular museum in Budapest which we stumbled upon while strolling along Andrassy Ut, the most iconic street in town. Contrary to our initial thoughts, this museum does not display instruments of torture. Instead, there are exhibits from the fascist and communist regimes, including detailed real-life accounts of prisoners and victims presented through video interviews and photographs.

It also gives you insights into secret communication devices hidden behind bookshelves as well as the actual prison cells where prisoners were detained and tortured. The prison cells at the basement were particularly creepy as you could still hear water dripping in the background and some cells were pitch dark. It literally sent chills down my spine.

Nonetheless, JW and I found the experience thrilling and interesting as it gave us a better understanding of Hungary's struggles and how it eventually broke free from the reins of the Nazis and the Soviet Union.

If you want to learn about the country's history, this is one museum you wouldn't want to miss!