Someday, I will have my home office space and it will hopefully look something like this. Softer lines though, with a little lace here and there, and brown leather...

Picked this up from Topshop on my last day in New York. Found it on sale for $50 and bought it both in grey and ivory. A great alternative for us who can't quite rock our fur coats in the warmer climates.

This has been on my book wish list for sometime. For as long as I can remember, I have been obsessed with Tuscany. Other girls dreamt up their perfect wedding, I would dream of my perfect secret hideout far away in Italy. My birthday is coming up, so I am secretly wishing someone will get me this hehe.

I am Pistilli Roman. What type are you?

Image from Lyell

One of my favorite finds on this trip was this antique victorian ring I picked up at A Detacher in Nolita (I wish I had a better photo that would do this ring justice). I came across something similar in London ages ago, but couldnt afford one back then. This ring ended up being one of my early birthday presents from my mr mink kid. The shop stocks their own clothing line as well as little curiosities from all over the place. They have a vintage teapot with a matching sugar bowl that I am obsessed with. But it isn't for sale, of course.

The Sultan of Solo and his consort. I love this image.. The black, the lace, the carriage. What a lovely combination.

I can never seem to keep this blog alive. Its a little hard when you live in a city where things are the same day in day out and the only world alive is the internet. I just got back from nyc for a much needed breath of fresh air. That city will always have a little piece of my heart. I hung out with my best friend and helped her for her big move back to Miami. I got reacquainted with some things old, and discovered some things new. And received a lovely surprise one morning when it snowed and blanketed the city white. I had good company and ate good food. I am now back in hot and sunny KL. In the meantime, the virgin suicides soundtrack is keeping me on my toes.

It hasn't been since 1998 maybe from the days of Tom Ford for Gucci that denim has made such a big comeback on the runway. Balmain s/s 09. Meowww.

I love a one piece suit, they're far more romantic and make a great alternative to the norm two piece. Australian label Lover have a couple of good ones from their s/s 09 collection. This sky blue halter is my favorite.

Image via La Garconne

I've been buying french magazines for as long as I can remember. Though I don't speak the language (or read it for that matter), I like to flip through pages and look at spreads as well as the art direction. French Vogue has been a particular favorite and when my best friend interned at Baron & Baron, it was literally the beginning of our secret love affair with the man behind French Vogue himself, Fabien Baron. In Paris, I picked this up at Colette. A collection of vinyls by 10 leading artists as well as graphic designers (to name a few Jeremy Scott, Greg Foley, KAWS - my boyfriend is a fan), there are only 500 copies, exclusive to Colette. I probably won't stick any up on my walls, but its still a cool Fabien piece to own. 

Vinyl Image via Colette.

Some vintage finds from my trip. A kimono, which I've basically worn with everything and a little fur pouch (I'm guessing circa 1920s), which I can't seem to stop falling in love with everyday...

One of the places I absolutely love and adore most in Paris (which I try to go to every time I'm there) is the Mariage Freres tea salon on the corner of rue des Grands-Augustins and rue de Savoie. It is the first and original salon du the in the Mariage Freres family and continues to feel that way, even today. Perfect for some solo time or even with loved ones. Aside from an amazing list of teas to choose from, they also make wonderful candles. My favorite and the one I've had in my room forever is 'the rouge'.... Don't forget to ask to sample a smell of some fresh tea leaves downstairs on your way out...

I have recently come to acquire a taste for all things exotics. And this black croco deadstock vintage Chanel clutch at Decades has definitely been haunting me for the past couple of days. You just can't go wrong with this..

A Thousand Apologies.

I've been mia for the past two months, travelling. London-Miami-Bimini-NYC-Paris! I've been trying to kick off this jet-lag for the past two weeks, so hopefully will be back in the swing of things with a bunch of new updates very soon. Will try to share some photos from the trip too. Won't be too long now...

I'm in London again, and my good friend Didit came in for the weekend from Paris, so its been a pretty hectic couple of days from the time we landed at Heathrow on Thursday. Saturday, we had dinner reservations at Les Trois Garcons in Shoreditch. It is by far one of the cutest places I've been too. A cross between Freemans in nyc and an old english pub, its any wonder how the decor manages to be a mix of pure french antique opulance(vintage purses hanging from the ceiling, glass chandeliers and candles lit all around) while still making sense... With a dreamlike ambience and a service to boot(waiters always happy just a step away), its no wonder this restaurant has been serving up their dishes since they opened in 2000(one of the three owners is a Malaysian born, if I do say so myself :) And once you're done with the amazing dinner, be sure to scurry on over to Lovers Lounge which is just around the corner, also headed by the same trio. Its glass loft like ambience is definitely worth checking out.

Finally... an event in KL that is worthy of our time. The logo is somewhat reminiscent of Design Miami 2008(big dissapointment in that department for sure) but whatever... I guess its a start. Too bad I won't be here, but hopefully it takes off with minor glitches and returns next year for another round, bigger and with a better logo!

I just picked this up a couple of days ago. One of my favorite designers Matthew Williamson, makes the cover/issue of Elle Decor UK. However, this is a January issue but pretty much everything in Malaysia is a little delayed.... If you haven't already picked this up, you should.

I come bearing super good news! Repetto, a known french shoe atelier who started out producing ballet shoes for chic Parisians back in the day which today has become the staple household name for laid back chic, has now finally arrived in KL, yay! Their range of shoes come in assortment of colors and in the softest lambskin imaginable, therefore blister free. Shoe boutique SHUZ has one in a houndstooth print which I've been eyeing.. hopefully they will end up in my closet if the piggy bank is in agreement this week hehe

Its been awhile, I apologize for being m.i.a. Its been a fairly busy time, Happy 2009 to all and hope this new year will bring lots of happiness and creativity. Hard to believe that its already February! So out with the old and in with the new. I'll be sure to keep up with the updates of this blog. In the spirit of looking forward to spring and keeping warm during the heavy winter season(whats left of it anyway), here is something I came across on ebay, which I think is pretty cool if not a little too costumey. But heck, if its freezing cold outside and you need something to protect your head and ears while staying true to having some fun, then this is might just do the job, an animal print mink sheared head band!

Its less than a week away to... Boxing Day! DSM's Autumn Winter 2008 annual sale begins at 11am on Saturday, 27th December. For those of you in London, please attempt to make your way out there.  Definitely not to be missed!

If trying to find past copies of the Purple Fashion magazine is becoming seemingly difficult, here's the alternative; Purple Anthology. Editors Elein Fleiss and Olivier Zahm have published a book, a collection of the best from the magazine's archive with each chapter covering a different year from 1992 all the way up to 2006.

And if you haven't gotten your hands on the latest issue, I suggest you do it soon. Kate Moss(wearing a Balmain dress, I think) on the cover with Mario Sorrenti, should be a good one.

Images via www.purple.fr.

Was at the Kinokuniya bookstore at KLCC two days ago. My boyfriend and I had made seperate purchases and was at dinner when he took out this Japanese architecture, design and lifestyle magazine called Casa Brutus. Main reason he bought it was because Nigo of the famed A Bathing Ape was featured in the publication and he of course felt lucky enough to find it considering its a two month old copy. While I'm no fan of Ice Cream or BBC or BAPE(two of which are brainchilds of Pharrell and Nigo, while BAPE is strictly Nigo's), I found the magazine to be refreshing. What was most interesting to me are these Japanese styled apartments and spaces. For the most part, we normally always think of zen type spaces when thinking of anything Japanese spaces, but Casa manages to give us something different...mainly in the form of all things fun. While the mag is all Japanese, its images are enough to keep you occupied. The website is worth your time too, because its interactive and you get to flip some of the pages from each month's circulation to see the featured write-ups. Reminder to self, something worth checking out next time I'm at a bookstore. Btw, anyone else love the Colonel Sanders statue in the garage??

Images via Hypebeast.

I'm wondering if I should get these... A vintage miniature dollhouse furniture set, mid-century. I've been watching these the whole week. Two hours left to go..

If you love french parisian labels that are not so easy to come by like Isabel Marant, Maje, Sonia Rykiel, Gerard Deral, Vanessa Bruno, Comptoir des Cottoniers look to no other than Parcel from Paris. They are a website that look for french exclusive items you can't usually find outside of Paris, and bring it right to your doorstep at a minimal cost. Heck, if you can't make it out to Paris, let them bring a little Parisian flavor to you. They've also got a little shop on ebay that sell pre-owned items that are worth checking out. 

Some of my recent purchases from Decades, yay!

Chanel Kelly Green Lizard c. 1990s

Chanel Magnifying Glass Necklace, c. 1997

While its been getting crazy in Miami (where I used to live temporarily) with the Art shows going on, its getting a little crazy in my head with all the vintage shopping I've been doing at Decades lately. Not only have they got me hook, line and sinker with the amazing inventory they have going on over there, they've also got me dreaming of owning and living in a kick ass cool house in a neighborhood like Silver Lake. This is a nice surprise considering I never see myself as someone living in California. Growing up in cities like KL, London, New York and Miami, its a little tough to imagine heading out all the way west, West Coast! But I remember picking up a book on Silver Lake called Bohemian Modern when I was living out in Miami and thinking to myself... hmm, maybe one day it could happen. The neighborhood is full of eclecticism and character, mainly because most of the people who live there are top notch creative heads. But we're not talking flashy cars and huge lawns. These are homes that are to put it plain and simple, straight up cool. If you're feeling like you're in a rut and need a change of scenery, please pick up this book and dream away.... Because it will want to make you do some furniture switching around in your own home/space yourself, and that is always a good thing!

Design Miami opens tomorrow and runs through the sixth this month running side by side with Art Basel, Miami. Brainchild of Ambra Medda, Design Miami has been running for three years straight now. The bi-annual show runs twice a year; one in Basel in June and the other in Miami every December.  She has done pretty amazing things... More to come on her later. Have fun Jess!

My best friend wrote about this publication in her blog awhile back. I've been keeping my eye out for it but to no avail. I love a good read(or rather the images that accompany it) on the interior spaces of the randoms or the equally famous because there is nothing I find more intimate and intriguing than being able to go into someone's private space to see how they live. Its so interesting to see the images because unlike words, they capture something so much more precise, unable to alter anything about it. Its nothing they can explain or show, it just is what it is. Apartamento is a publication on peoples homes and interiors(who are supposedly creatives) that have not had any help from any designers. Today I found out they have a website and have just ordered its second issue. The very good news for people who have less access to these kinds of circulations is that as long as you have paypal, they deliver to anywhere in the world. The very bad news is that it might put a slight dent in your wallet.

These are images of my favorite Aesop store in Mayfair, London. Inspired by Artisanal British craftspeople, bronze and original fixtures, I love love it all. Aesop is known for their philosophy on how design can improve our everyday life (agreed). They started out of Melbourne, Australia and have now expanded to several major cities around the world, including Singapore, Paris, Zurich and Taipei. No two stores of theirs are alike, and each are designed and heavily inspired by its natural surroundings. And not forgetting the products themselves, which do wonders for the skin(I started using them couple of months ago). That communal sink is sick...I want one.

Apologies for the late update. I got busy cleaning out my things that came in from Miami couple months ago, the boxes have just been sitting in the computer room so I'm slowly sorting them out. With the renovation I had done on my room recently, its a little easier to organize. Its starting to come together so I will post some images up soon! I also got a little busy (and major foot cramps!) because The Malaysian International Fashion Week/MIFW is here. It opened on Wednesday and I managed to catch a couple of shows. Some were promisingly good, others not so much. YC Phoon from the Streething and Femmething took some snappies of the people who made it out to opening night. I'm in there somewhere...

Japanese tea pot, by Tachi Masaki. A famous tea pot maker in Japan. Known not only for his Banko Yaki (purple clay, which enhances particularly the flavor of green tea), but also for his one off pieces. Was at the store for literally three hours (I know I know, I'm kinda crazy) but I finally settled on this piece. Tea pots nowadays come in all shapes, patterns and colors but this one people tend to overlook. The work on it is amazing, the grey inside is unlike any other and the simplicity I love even more. For the past three years that I spent searching to replace the one I bought from Harvey Nichols (it broke), never have I come across one that even comes close to resembling this. From Masaki's own private collection himself, apparently made from a special kind of clay (no longer available today) which he had gotten from a friend at the time. It is an old piece and very rare, which he had kept until recently when he agreed to sell it to the owner of Hojo, so that makes a lucky me, yay!

For those looking to start with baby steps, you can still find a good selection of equally beautiful pieces(if not as rare and expensive) from the Tokoname collection, which are made more for the commercial market in Japan. It may not be a collector's dream tea pot, but you will still get the joy of tea making. If you don't know what I'm talking about, try it. It is literally the only little time you can make for yourself on a daily basis that can bring about an intimate kind of joy only you can learn to appreciate...