Showing posts with label Events. Show all posts

Diner En Blanc 2018

Posted on Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Wearing The Ordinary Co Earrings | ASOS Linen Top | Love Bonito Pants

I've always had a low-key dream to one day attend Diner En Blanc, and I guess dreams do come true because I got to follow dear Hilary and Cee - honestly, the best people to go for it because I don't know which other crazy girls in the world would stand their ground while everyone was running for shelter from the downpour to get the perfect pictures of our table setting and outfits before the light disappeared, bahaha (and yes, it was raining in these photos, can you tell?)

For those of you who don't know, Diner En Blanc is a worldwide pop-up picnic held once yearly in which the location is a secret and not revealed till the actual day itself. Everyone is required to dressed to the nines in H-to-T white and bring their own tables, linens, and everything you need to have the fancy chi-chi all white picnic of your dreams... with a 1000 other people. It really is quite a scene to see a sea of white meandering towards the very mysterious secret location, which turned out to be behind the F1 Pit Building this year with the backdrop of the Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands around us.

Fortunately for us we already had tables, linens and cutlery part set up, so we just had to bring our own food! We got so many compliments for our platter, courtesy of Wynona from Lush Platters, who did up a custom one just for us to suit the theme of Diner En Blanc.

I'm a huge lover of cured meats and cheese and Wynona did not hold back, giving us everything truffle cheese (gouda and saverin loaded with fresh honeycomb), a huge pot of hummus, prosciutto, salami, fruits, crackers... you name it, we had it. And superbly presented, at that. Even the bread was fantastic and artisan - any foodie would give this a thumbs up. I only wish I had stomach space to have eaten more, but trust me, we were stuffed by the end of the night.

Our flowers were also done by the most generous Toki,

who absolutely nailed the look we were going for our table setting!

We drank champagne non-stop, chit-chatted enjoyed the performances and had our fill of good food under the night sky. While the event itself is fun, I also fondly remember the fun all the way up to the day itself planning with the girls what we would wear, what food to get and working together on table decor so that we would have the picnic of our dreams. I suppose you could say it's another one off the checklist, but I'm secretly looking forward to next year's one already!

Pink Curry with Clarins

Posted on Monday, April 23, 2018

Started the Saturday morning bright and early at The Slowhouse for a little workshop with Clarins. It was Justin and my favourite kind: cooking, and a Pink Curry at that, a first for us both trying and hearing of it.

Of course, before we could begin we watched Bella, whose lovely house I never get tired of, do a demo for us on how to make the Pink Curry.

Made from a plant-based curry paste, consisting of all things delicious like kaffir lime, lemongrass, green chillies, organic brown miso, pink himalayan salt, etc. But the curry really gets its pinkness from beetroot powder and our star ingredient for the day - Acerola, which is a type of cherry from Brazil and also found in Clarins' White Plus Range. Acerola when digested has plenty of antioxidants, and it helps to lighten up your complexion for a spotless rosy glow.

Bella plated hers beautifully, and then it was our turn to try our hands at making it (which we all gulped, but it turned out to be pretty easy since most of the hard work and prep were done already!)

Luckily for me (and for all cooking classes we have together really), Justin was around to help focus on the actual cooking while I took the pictures - the cumulation of our two passions!

Organic coconut milk + GMO free soy milk for a healthier option - the curry still had plenty of body (and quite a kick in terms of spiciness!)

Also, sustainably sourced barramundi + locally grown okra and baby corn. I attempted to "Michelin plate" Justin and my creation to make it more atas but with... so-so results? Haha!

After the cooking up a storm, we were treated to a luxurious Acerola hand mask session!

A big thank you to Joan from Clarins for having us down - I wish we had more curry to eat, I really do. But I always feel that way after leaving The Slowhouse!

Grana Pop Up Singapore

Posted on Friday, March 9, 2018

Swung by my first Grana pop up here in Singapore on Friday for the VIP media preview party with my girls. I've been working with / wearing the brand for over a good two years and it's definitely a go-to place for great quality basics. It was so nice to finally get to see the brand in its full fledged, physical form - the shop front alone looks like something out of a magazine, and it's perfectly situated opposite Tiong Bahru Bakery / Merci Marcel and definitely worth a pop by after a brunch.

We showed up dressed fully dressed by Grana, of course.

Brand colour cupcakes - I feel like this half eaten one is an accurate representation of my heart: blue and frosty on the outside, pink and squishy in the middle :'D

We explored the clothes - they have great fabrics from Chinese Silk, to French Linen and Peruvian Pima Cotton; and everything was hanging on the most perfect mint green clothes racks (so inspired by this shade - maybe I will paint my clothes racks for my house mint green now).

I always make sure to take at least one ratchet picture of Laveena at every event - ha! Not sure why she is making this face, the wine was pretty excellent! (I would know, I had 3 glasses on an empty stomach, oops).

Grana Silk Top | Grana Silk Pants - Regular Length |

The Ordinary Co Earrings

Manda and I both twinned in their camisoles, I love how far apart the straps are - the perfect cami I've been looking for!!! (Also, we always choose the same things, we have such similar taste).

Quote MONICAxGRANA online for 10% off and Free worldwide shipping!

The pop up is till end March 2018 at 59 Eng Hoon Street, do pop by if you can and experience the space!

Kenzoki De Jour

Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2018

I've been wanting to try the food at Como Cuisine for a while but it's way more fun when the room came set up by the lovely ladies of Touch PR for our night with Kenzoki's (Kenzo's beauty arm). The team really outdid themselves this time with the super aesthetic table setting filled with white lotuses, paying homage to the same ingredients in their new launch - the Belle De Jour Dream Night Mask. It has a super fluffy texture and has a light floral smell, aiming to revitalise your skin as you sleep, and is personally, my very first night mask! Anyway, pictures here:

Wearing Love Bonito Deshley Printed Top | The Ordinary Co Enervate Half Hoops

(Hahaha Alverina :'D)

Dinner wise, I'd like to consider that day the day I decided I actually like chicken breast. The other option on the menu was beef (which I don't eat) so I was disappointed that I had to have chicken breast but this was done so, so well. Tender all the way through and just a faintest bit of pink in the middle.

We were also treated to smoked oyster at the start (very smokey, haha, sorry but that is literally what it should be and it succeeded); bread with jackfruit chutney (amazing and fruity with the essential chutney taste still); tuna tartare (aggressively seasoned with just the right zing); and lastly, the prettiest mango sticky rice I have ever eaten (and true to how a mango sticky rice should taste). Laveena chose the other strawberry dessert option, and I swear she side eyed my dessert the rest of the night HAHA.

I wish we could do more of these for events! Nothing like good food, free flow custom cocktails and a beautiful room to help you enjoy the middle of the week.

The Belle De Jour Dream Night Mask (75ml) retails at SGD136.00 and is available in stores now!

Supporting Breast Cancer with Estee Lauder

Posted on Thursday, October 26, 2017

October is Breast Cancer awareness month, and it was really nice to kick it off with a not-so-little light up of CHIJMES in pink! This year was extra special because it was also the 25th anniversary of the Estee Lauder Companies' Breast Cancer campaign, #RethinkPink and #PinkRibbon25.

The campaign was founded by Evelyn Lauder herself, and a lot of progress and awareness has been made these years - Breast Cancer mortality rates having decreased by 38% since the late 1980s. Nowadays it's common to see brands pledging support for Breast Cancer - but Estee Lauder was the first to do so in 1993 and are the ones behind creating the pink ribbon symbol, how amazing is that? The company has raised $70 million to date to fund research, and it was great to pledge our support and be part of the cause for one night.

Anddd of course, we also had a lot of fun - showed up in full force in pink, ate pink-themed food, drank wine out of pink paper cups in pink flamingo floats, but also listened to some of the speeches of Breast Cancer and watched the light up itself, which was pretty spectacular.

Cancer is so common these days that everyone knows someone who is affected, be it the actual patient, the caregiver or friends and family. Early detection gives the best chance of survival (5-year survival rates are more than 90% if cancer is found early) so do make sure you and your family check yourselves regularly!

Anyway, because I'm too lazy to do a separate post, here are my outfit photos (thanks to Laveena!)