Geishas use oil blotter too.

A friend came back from a grand Japan tour and generously gave me a little bundle of sweets, and a oil blotter booklet. The brand of oil blotters were used by geishas past:


My first reaction was," Aiyoh, she looks like the main female star creep from The Ring movie [Jap edition]

The oil blotter paper is superthin and fine, I'm saving up the little booklet of 15 oil blotters for special greasy face occasions.

See more product description at the following website: http://www.yojiya.co.jp/english/index.html
They also sell spiffy make up brushes.

This looks better than it tastes.

"My Fair Lady" at the Swiss Bakery.

Gucci may turn red in the face too, soon, and Prada bag owners probably are now.

Gucci is coming up with a special collection which will be available only in Hong Kong and China Gucci stores.Oh, I definitely think these may be the most counterfeited items of the year!

Introducing the Collection...
1. The collection is called 8-8-2008, can't get any luckier, especially so for the mahjong set.
2. The predominant colour is RED, which is a favourite Chinese colour.
3. The collection epitomises sport luxury - so I guess anyone going for the Olympics game can pick up a counterfeit one as a souvenir. The bicycle may be difficult to carry through customs though.

Knowing the very enterprising Chinese, they may even design some accessories like key chains and small purses along the same theme to increase revenue, or poker cards too!






I have seen a fako LV mahjong set on sale in Shenzhen before. Does LV make mahjong sets in the first place?

It has been reported that most of the counterfeit products in China are sold to foreign tourists, so these bags and even the pandas should be all over US and Europe after the Big games, however due to the lucky number and colour connotation, the real and fake versions may prove popular with the Chinese as well. Maybe not so hot with Singaporeans who may deem them too cheena and not classic enough, as, besides, even if you're carrying the real deal, people will assume it's fake anyway.

Honestly the bags look really easy to counterfeit, as monogram bags usually are. Gucci really makes it easy for the counterfeiters.

We shall see what happens in 6 months, I shall report on whether we are drowning in Gucci red bags and watches over here.

All images from Gucci press statement.

= = =
Someone commented on the purse blog that Prada manufactures its bags in China, and "finishes" them in Italy, which allows the brand to label all as "Made In Italy". This comment arises as the most coveted Prada bags of the spring/summer collection, the ones pictured below, bleed all over. A friend of mine also recently stated that she'll never buy Prada again, as her long wallet also went the kamikaza way shortly after she bought it. Aiyoh no quality control!

Personally, I don't have any issues with bags made wherever, as long as the quality standards are maintained. I'm just annoyed that people assume that if there are quality problems, the item must have originated from China. I'm also annoyed that the "Made in wherever" labels are deceitful, but this is probably because the luxury houses know they simply cannot label the product as "Made 95% in China, and only handles made in Italy".

Why do you need fat?

To regulate body temperature, store energy, cushion and insulate organs.

“Essential fats” = 4% of body weight for men, 10% for women.
The American Dietetic Association recommends that men have 15-18% body fat, and women have 20-25% fat.
Women athletes could be as low as 10-20%.

To find out your body fat %, visit Fancl counters around Singapore. They have this Omron handheld machine that emits static energy through your body (it’s not painful, you really can’t feel it, really). This reading is combined with your weight, height and age to figure your % body fat.

Mine? 24.5%. To celebrate, I had a Heinekan and a packet of chicken rice.

Information from: http://ask.yahoo.com/2002032

Can you see the shoe?

If you cannot, you have absolutely NO imagination.

A while ago, a friend visiting from Australia brought back some lovely children books for another friend's baby, one of which was a very creative one which uses vegetables and fruits to form parts of cute animals. For instance, beans as eyes, and potato as the body.

I found the book equivalent for the accessory crazy female or queen.
Different parts of plants form shoes and bags.


Shoe Fleur, a footwear fantasy, by Michel Tcherevkoff. The author has friends in high fashion places, preface by Ferragamo and introduction by DVF herself.

Lamp in red.

Boo! The Suan Lum Night Market is going to close down to make way for some generic world's tallest building.

I love the market. I went to Bangkok a few years ago, and one of the many bazaars we visited was the Suam Lum night market. This bazaar specializes in furnishings, such as wondrously enormous vases over six feet tall, replicate kartell chairs, abstract oil paintings by local art students. The one item that had stopped me in my tracks was a gorgeous gorgeous lamp. The lampshade comprised strands of glass beads which range from yellow to bright red, all manually hand-strung.

I think the lamp cost a few hundred Sing dollars, I couldn't think straight, maybe I overpaid, but I didn't care. (The little lamp shop may be located in a stuffy hot haphazard bazaar but they have credit card payment facilities, very sophisticated). I would have bought the vases too, except shipping would be pure hell.

The parents were not enthusiastic when I showed off my lamp. The father declared the red light made my room look like a brothel, and its fiery-ness would make my temper worsen. I could not have ask for worse Fengshui.

Look: Play of light and shadows on wall.

I hope the night market vendors would move en bloc to another location, preferably near MBK/Siam Square, then I can do all my shopping by foot in one day. Or maybe we should visit the night market soon before it disappears.

I like this 1976 Song

American Idol is funny this season. Paula Abdul is kookier than usual. For instance, Ryan Seacrest asked her to describe, I think, the night’s performances by the boys in ONE word, and she said she’ll use two words: Pheno-menal. Huh?

Last week, Carly Smithson from American Idol belted out “Crazy On you” which made her totally breathless after for quite a few minutes. What a nice dramatic rock old song by Heart! So I googled and…it’s a song from 1976 [ok it's my birth year]!

Not just the song, the hairstyles of Heart members are also relevant today. Love the 70s vibe. Songs from that era just seem more sweet and so evergreen.

Other 1976 songs that we still hear on our local radio stations: Don’t go breaking my heart, Play that Funky music, Love Rollercoaster, Baby I love your way, You sexy thing, Bohemian Rhapsody, Dec 1963 (Oh What a Night).

I like tremendously You're So Vain by Carly Simon but it doesn't count in this blog, as it's from the year 1973, but it does deserve a honorary mention anyway.