IKEA Or Not? #2
Took us another 4 trips to IKEA to finalise the things that we wanted to buy, and we even went all out to examine the quality. We did not just think twice or thrice, but 4 or 5 times!
If you want to buy from IKEA, you have to first determine what are the things that you’re willing to compromise and the things that you could not tolerate even the slightest creak of the furniture.
Sofa. Andrew and I wanted a sofa that has wider seat area. We both have long legs (sorry, I don’t mean to show off), and we both know how uncomfortable it is to sit on a shorter cushion sofa. Secondly, we both wanted a good back support, or at least comfortable. We’ve seen a lot of sofas with the back designed so low that it only supports your lower back, which will cause strain to your neck and upper back if you sit for a long time, like watching TV. Only IKEA has such a sofa that met our requirements and with a price tag that we could afford. We sat on this sofa so many times and to make sure that it is comfortable, and at least could last us 5 years. Geez… Can’t believe that we actually thought so much before buying a sofa! Got the three-seat-sofa below from IKEA, at RM1799 in black-grey fabric. It could actually seat 4 persons. We’ve heard enough from people that we could get a bigger and nicer one in other furniture shop with RM1800. Heck with it. We have tried this, and it’s comfortable, good enough.
Dining table. When it came to dining table, Andrew and I wanted a square/rectangular one and with the extendable function. Both of us came from a big family, we know better what it’s like when family members gather together and not having sufficient sitting place around the dining table, end up taking turns to have a meal. I’m more lucky than him as I never experienced that since dad has an extendable table back in hometown. Andrew felt the need to have one like that even more than me. We tested all the dining tables in IKEA, our tolerance level for creaking sound from the table is zero. We too make sure that the table is steady and solid enough that it won’t shake. NORDEN is the most stable one, but it is too costly. We went for BJURSTA, RM625 oak veneer and could seat up to 10 persons after extended. Pretty solid I must say, even my dad gave his thumb up. :)
Dining chairs. I saw this AGEN rattan chair selling at RM69 each and I told Andrew I MUST at least get one. He asked, “where to put?” “I don’t care, I love it and I just want one.” Hahahaha…… I love rattan stuff, love its natural colors and smell. :D We were in a headache of what kind of dining chairs to get to match with the table. I told Andrew we could then get 2 AGEN chairs and go to the furniture shop to get another 2 wooden chairs, mix and match. End up, he bought 4 AGEN chairs for dining, solved all the problems and headaches. LOL! We spent RM901 for the dining set. Compared with those from the furniture shops, I would say it is pretty reasonable and I get what I wanted. Dad said it is such a waste to use such a nice chair for dining! Hahahaha…… “You don’t sit and eat there for hours, why get such a nice chair?” Well, at least it could double up as a chair for the guests IF we have more guests in the house. :)
TV console/bench. To customise one, our contractor quoted us RM800 for a 8 feet long TV wall shelf. RM800! Forget it. We have seen some really cheap one in IKEA and we thought of buy one and DIY it a little bit. Then, we recalled we have bought the 51″ TV and those cheap ones may not be able to hold. We were lucky to spot this LACK TV bench from IKEA, RM249! The cheapest and solid we have ever found! And it looks classy too. :)
Workstation/Study desk. I love this BESTA BURS desk from IKEA so much, but the price is a killer! RM999 for a desk!!! I must be out of mind if I were to buy it. Then, Andrew and I settled with VIKA AMON that costs only RM219 and both of us could actually share the same desk since it is long. When we made our final trip to IKEA, we saw a white MELLTORP dining table selling at RM159. We tested it, nah, bad for dining purposes. Hey, we could use it for study desk! It’s wide enough and long enough! Hooray! If this could serve us a good 2 years, we’re happy enough.
Bookcase. Being a bookworm, how could I not have a bookcase for my books? :P When I was doing my packing last week, I found out that I have 4 boxes of books and still have some outside the box. When the hell did I buy so many???? I told Andrew, seriously, one bookcase is not going to be enough. I fell in love with IKEA’s HEMNES bookcase. The grey-brown looks so classy and the quality is good. Of course lah, the price is GOOD too, RM799! Andrew is so not agreeing to it. :( Our budget for renovation over-ran, I told him my bookcases could wait. However, it was so nice of him to smuggle one BILLY bookcase for me. :) He loves the birch veneer and medium brown, but it’s RM245, RM76 more expensive than the white one. Every dime counts, we could only go for the white. Anyway, I’m happy with the white, matches the desk and wall color. :D A white study area.
Bed frame. We didn’t plan to buy any bed frame from IKEA. We don’t really trust its bed frame’s quality. Further more, most of their frames are in Queen size, there’s only a few selected designs available in King. Andrew’s father insisted to buy 2 single bed frames for the guest room. He got us 2 FJELLSE bed frames at RM139 each. It is of solid untreated wood, has natural wood color. I was pretty sceptical about its quality and was questioning Andrew why he allowed father-in-law to buy that. “He insisted.” Oh well…… When Andrew was assembling the bed frame, I was still doubting its quality. Shaking my head while looking at the thin legs, sighing when I saw the screws…… When everything was done, I was surprised with the slatted bed base. Wow… it is strong! Sister even went up and stood on it! The bed frame didn’t even move when I shook it! Surprise, surprise. When I laid down the mattress on it, my goodness, it makes such a fine and comfortable bed! So folks, you don’t judge a book by its cover, and now you don’t judge a bed frame by its look too. Again, do test and feel it before you make your decision.
Footstool. Saw this cheap footstool on IKEA website, SOLSTA PALLBO footstool at RM8.90! Grabbed one without thinking much. It could be used as a footstool or a stool. Quality? RM8.90, what do you expect? It comes with a cushion and cover! Pretty strong for RM8.90 price tag. Who says good things ain’t cheap and cheap things ain’t good?
Rattan lounger. Andrew’s father also got us this KARLSKRONA Lounger, RM399! I saw this when I went with Andrew, both of us love it so much. But we were thinking this could wait and we seriously do not want to splurge on other unnecessary stuff. His father, went with Andrew to get the rest of the stuff, saw it and told Andrew, “get this too! Nice!” Hahahahaha…… I was surprised that he appreciates rattan and having the same taste as us. :) The lounger does not just look good, it’s comfortable and pretty tough as well. It is now our favorite chair. :D The lamb skin I bought in Melbourne, match perfectly with the lounger! Happy with the investment back then, it isn’t expensive for a genuine lamb skin, cost us around RM150. It is better off to be on the lounger than the floor!
Rug/Carpet. We bought this HAMPEN rug 2 years ago after we bought the house. It was love at first sight for Andrew and he thought it was cheap. We remember the price back then was RM149, but now it is RM179. We planned to put it in the study area, but it is now in the living room. It’s very comfortable and definitely doesn’t look like some cheap rug that we’ve seen else where. However, the bits of the rug are coming off every now and then. It’s not some serious problem but it’s annoying especially when you see some green bits lying on your floor. It is too small for the living room, we may get a bigger one for the living room and move this to the study area later. Would I buy HAMPEN again? Yes, as long as the price is reasonable and the quality is of our acceptable level.
Bathroom mirrors. We were looking high and low for mirrors and shelves for the bathrooms. Nothing in IKEA caught our eyes. We gave up searching and thought we could get the mirror first and leave the shelf for later. On our last trip to IKEA, Andrew and I were delighted to see this FULLEN mirror with shelf, at RM49! We grabbed 2 sets, solved our problems once and for all! Not the best mirror and shelf, but it looks simple enough and less bulky for a small bathroom.
That’s all for now. There are still a few more that we may need to get from IKEA. The only concern we have right now is, too much of IKEA will make our home look too “familiar”. Imagine when your friends come to your house and say, “hey, I know this, it’s from IKEA! Oh, this one too! Hey, this is nice from IKEA!” -__-||| We are trying very hard to get those that you can’t recognize that they’re from IKEA from the first look.
IKEA is so deep into our life. You’re going to find at least one item in the house, that is from IKEA.
So, says who that IKEA no longer has good quality items? Look carefully, you can still find them.
IKEA Or Not? #1
All the while, people have been telling me that IKEA’s stuffs are not meant to last, the quality isn’t worth all the price that you’re paying. IKEA furnitures only expect to last 1 to 2 years, if you’re expecting to change them 2 years later, IKEA would be a good choice.
I’ve been buying stuff from IKEA, even when I did not own a house. From my experience and observations, IKEA isn’t a bad choice and the quality isn’t as bad as some of them described.
Bought a LACK coffee table many, many years ago. The photo above shows that there’s another layer beneath the top, but mine doesn’t have that. I can’t remember the price back then, it is RM79 now. The quality? I used it as a computer desk, you can imagine how heavy the monitor was and of course, the table actually sagged a little in the middle. Kept the table in the box for a while when I moved to another rented place, took it out again 2 years back. Now, Andrew told me he noticed the surface has some bubbles, wonder if it’s the humidity in the house that caused it or what. This table lasts more than 5 years, to me is pretty good enough.
Bought this ANEBODA wardrobe a year or so after I bought the LACK coffee table above, but mine is in birch veneer, price remains the same as RM249. It was on a lower price for few years. Quality? Damn good! I had 3 stacks of folded clothes at the bottom, almost reaching half of the wardrobe. Yes, the bottom did sag a little with all those clothes in it, but no difficulty in closing and opening the doors. When I moved all of the clothes out last week, I was shocked to see that the bottom bounced back to its original state! The legs are not even slightly bent. The clothes rail is still as tough as new, only that the coated paint is coming off, but it is not bent even when I had so many clothes hanging on it. I’ve seen my mom and sister’s wardrobes (bought from furniture shop) with the clothes rail bent to “V” shape! I’m surprised IKEA has such a good quality for a budget item like this. It looks new too after 5 years, my dad saw it last week and asked if I have just bought this. :)
Bought a FREDRIK desk 3 years ago, also birch veneer. Couldn’t remember the price too, perhaps the same as current one, RM449, but now they do not have birch anymore. Was using it for laptop most of the times, a flat screen monitor occupied one of the table top corner and the books and other stuff occupied the shelves on top. Quality? Good! There is some wear and tear marks on the table top, but it is quite a steady workstation. I used to sit there every night doing my translation, other than the “sweat” marks I left behind, it still looks pretty new.
These 3 were the biggest investments I had from IKEA. When we wanted to buy a bed-frame and a chest drawers, we went to the furniture shop and we regretted the decision. The bed-frame wooden supporting strip broke when I sat too hard on it. The locks on the chest drawers are rusted. It ain’t cheap, cost me RM500 for that drawers.
Andrew and I went hunting for furnitures since months ago. We do not have the budget for some super-expensive-superb-quality furnitures, Lorenzo doesn’t have what we wanted, Rozel is way out of budget, we resorted to those conventional furniture shops. We got so disappointed with the quality and the prices. They would give you attractive discounts, in fact they have actually marked up the prices. The quality? For a RM1800 sofa, IKEA’s sofas are way, way, way better quality than them! Designs? I thought I was living in the 80′s when I saw the designs available. A dining table (with chairs) the furniture shop sells at RM1500, is worse than the BJURSTA dining table (RM625) and AGEN chair (RM69) from IKEA. We were deeply saddened by the fact that the quality in those shops has gone so bad. :(
We have been to IKEA many times. Every time we saw something, we wrote down the prices and materials and we tried to find it somewhere else with the similar quality. Sad to say, either the quality is better but price is super expensive, or the quality is worse but the price is the same with IKEA. We came to a point that enough is enough, we got so tired with the hunting and disappointments. IKEA that is.
Seoul In, Seoul Out #4
So, where did we go on the 4th day in Seoul? It’s shopping time!
Early morning, the tour guide brought us to the cosmetic duty free shop. All of us girls went crazy! We bought more than KRW500,000 altogether, got a hand-carry luggage as a free gift. Crazy shopping, I didn’t take any photos. Hahaha.
Later in the afternoon, we went to Gyeongbokgung Palace (景福宫). A good place for photos. One of the tour guides told me a lot of couples come here for wedding photography. It was windy and gloomy that day, sort of giving the palace another kind of look under the gloomy sky. We were lucky that it didn’t rain heavily whenever we were out. :)
Since it was our last day in Seoul, did a major shopping in Myeongdong. Too bad we were only given 2 hours to shop, there are so many nice things in Myeongdong! I prefer Myeongdong than Dongdaemun.
We went to the JUMP show in the evening! It was so entertaining and hilarious! You can catch a glimpse of JUMP show on YouTube. For what is JUMP all about, read Wikipedia lah. :P
It’s all YELLOW!!! So pretty lah!
Our lunch, BBQ beef!!! Mashisoyo!!! Gosh… Miss it so much.
At Gyeongbokgung. *This is what you get when you give your DSLR to someone who’s unfamiliar with handling it. All the background people are in. Sigh.*
Magnificent!
Love this pic. :) Really wish Andrew was there with me. :(
Heading to Myeongdong for shopping. Shinsegae department store, didn’t get to go in. Sigh.
In Myeongdong! My favourite shopping place!
Skincare, skincare!
Clothes, clothes!
Food, food!
Aiyooo… Not enough time ah!!!
Our tour guides. The lady speaks good English. The guy is also the photographer.
On the 5th day, some of us who were on MAS flight left for their flight in the early morning. My colleague who shared the same room with me was on MAS. I, considered myself lucky to be on Korean Air, get to stay and hang around until 1pm. The tour guide brought us to Ewha Womans University (a very famous and prestigious university) and we again did some mini shopping there.
Since it’s a women university, it is surrounded by lots of boutiques and cafes. We went to this Zoo Cafe for some chillax moment. :) The interior is so unique and comfortable.
The university looks so nice. Not like us here so boring. -__-
Coffee time! I love giraffe! :D
My favourite mocha. Regretted that I did not bring back the cup. :(
This is not from Zoo Cafe. My colleague bought it in another cafe. The cup is cute. :D
On our way to Incheon Airport. See there’s a reddish layer on the ground? They’re crabs! So many of them, along the river!
Hello again Incheon Airport. Goodbye Seoul. :(
Ahhh…… I miss Seoul……
LuiLui Again
My lovely LuiLui heels have finally given up on me. :( Sent it for repair a while back, lasted another month or two, but it has gotten loose and the seam on the side has came off too. I am so, so, so sad that I could no longer wear it. It is so versatile and I could wear it for all occasions. Sigh. Tried looking for the same pair but it is all sold out. T__T
Finally, bringing this second pair of LuiLui (bought them the same time with the previous one) to light. It was a bit challenging when I first wore it. The heels are taller and with a bit of wedge on the front. Took me a week to get used to it! Good thing is, it is comfortable. Seriously, LuiLui has got some killer-heels but they’re really comfortable to walk in. Now I fell in love with this pair of heels. Gonna get another pair, pray hard that it is still available.
It’s just that this one looks so “normal”. My colleagues have been asking me “where are the red heels”. ARGH! Sad……
Seoul In, Seoul Out #3
On the third day, we visited DMZ, Korean Demilitarized Zone. You may read about all its history and such from Wikipedia, I’m just gonna spare my blog from all the reposting of history of which you can find in Wikipedia.
With so many tourists around, you do not get to feel much of the history around the area. I was merely enjoying the view. However, when we made our trip to the 3rd infiltration tunnel, the sense of history came rushing into the mind. The 3rd tunnel is the closest to Seoul, dug by the North Korean for a surprise attack on the South. We are not allowed to take photos in the tunnel, all our bags and cameras would have to be locked in the locker provided.
It’s no joke to go down the slope and walk back up!!! I can’t remember how long the slope is, but it is pretty steep, perhaps 200m. When we reached the tunnel, most of the time we had to hunch our backs and lower our heads. The tunnel is so low, we had to put on the helmet for protection. You can always hear the banging sound of the helmet against the rocky top of the tunnel. LOL! We walked another few hundreds metres into the tunnel until we reached the third barricade. No visitors are allowed to go past the barricade. The problem is, walk back up the slope!!! Oh boy, for a person who does not exercise to walk up the slope is like dying slowly. I’m not joking, but I am proud of myself. I only took 2 rests in between to come back up. I was sweating madly when I came up! With the knitted long sleeves shirt, gosh, I felt like taking off my clothes!
The DMZ was a great experience. If you happen to visit South Korea, make sure you go to DMZ.
After the tunnel visit, we went to see a 7-minute video in the theatre, briefly showing the war between the North and the South and how the DMZ formed. It’s so sad, to see so many people killed during the war. Sigh. We also went to the Dorasan Station, a train station which was once opened and then closed, the train travelled between South and North Korea. However, it is now only open for tourists. It does not transport people to and from North Korea. :(
After visiting DMZ, it’s time for, SHOPPING!!! We went to the Paju Premium Outlet which located, of course, in Paju. :P So many branded boutiques, but they’re cheaper than Malaysia!!! Yay! We were given 2 hours for shopping. 2 hours??? Seriously, 2 hours is not enough! Sigh…… I was busy shopping and didn’t want to waste time, I realised I didn’t take any photo in Paju Premium Outlet. Hahahahaha…… Shopping and photo, suddenly photo seems so unimportant. :D
Chinese breakfast. Not very nice.
Guarded post and fence along Imjin river, the river that runs from North to South. Security along the river is very heavy.
At Imjingak.
The wish ribbons.
The railway that runs in between the North and the South.
Imjingak during autumn is just so beautiful!
Dorasan Observatory deck. To take photo, you have to stand about 3-4m away from the binoculars, behind a yellow line. If you’re caught taking photos within the yellow line, the soldier will come immediately to demand you to delete the photos from your camera. It happened to one of the Korean tourists. Please obey all the rules when you’re in DMZ.
Dorasan Station.
Steamboat lunch again. A bit “jelak” already. @__@
Ginseng chicken for dinner!!! Superb! Yummy!
There goes our 3rd day in Seoul. Huh…… Time flies.
To Coach, or Not to Coach
Gotten my first every Coach tote bag last year, during my Taiwan trip. Then my second Coach handbag last September, in Hong Kong.
To be honest, I am not a fan of Coach. I don’t hate it, but I don’t really like it as well. So, why do I still buy Coach? Because it is cheaper than any other designer brands! LOL!
In Malaysia, I would never buy Coach. Knowing that I could get them cheaper in the airport duty free shops or outlets in overseas, I would never, ever buy Coach here in Malaysia. What?! Paying almost double the price to get the same bag? No way! That’s a rip-off!
A friend made a trip to USA recently, I am so lucky that she managed to get me a wallet and a sling bag! I was so on the cloud nine! Guess what, for that 2 items, they only cost less than RM500!!! Yes, RM500 you could hardly get yourself a wallet here in Malaysia!
Love the wallet so much! Exactly the one that I wanted! And the sling bag, perfect for weekend day out. :D Thank you my dear, for picking up the exact things that I wanted and bringing them home. :)
Went to Korea, was so tempted to get myself another Coach. Lucky thing is, I couldn’t find one that I like in the outlet! Hahahaha. Also, I told myself, no more Coach from now on. I’ve had enough of Coach bags. Wallets perhaps. :)
Loot from the Incredible Seoul
It was spending time! Spent quite a lot in Seoul. Not on the souvenirs though. Came back only realised I do not have enough souvenirs to give away! Shoot! I was so obsessed with all the fashion and skincare and I conveniently forgot about the souvenirs! I am in deep sh** now.
Here’s what I bought, for Andrew and myself! Yes, only for Andrew and myself! It was so rushing and I did not have the luxury of time to think of others except Andrew and ME. Felt guilty to go without Andrew, he was on my mind all the time. Hence, bought quite a number of things for him.
These are for Andrew. Polo Ralph Lauren @ Paju Premium Outlets. The blue one is the most expensive, only realised the price after I paid! @__@
Polo for myself. :) KRW42,300 each. You can’t get that kind of price here in Malaysia.
Finally, got myself a pair of running shoes! No excuse for me to not exercise now. KRW76,300 for the shoes, KRW8,800 for 3 pairs of socks.
Bought this at the very last minute. GAP @ Paju Premium Outlet, KRW42,300.
Bought this huge tote bag at Myeongdong, KRW10,000 only!!!
Got this in Myeongdong too, KRW25,000.
Also got this in Myeongdong, KRW12,900.
Skincare from The Face Shop for Andrew. Don’t know how good they are though.
Bought the powder puff and eye mask only for myself.
From Etude House. (Clock-wise) Eye-brow pencil, Hello Kitty Perfume, loose powder, BB Cream and eye-shadows.
Free gifts! I don’t even know what they are. The sales girls just chucked them into our shopping bag.
Got these from the cosmetics duty free shop, KRW30,000 each.
Ta-da! Got myself a Longchamp in Incheon airport. :D I wouldn’t have bought it in Malaysia. :P
Hmm…… I am missing Seoul already. -__-
Kitschen
Saw the Kitschen name on the Southgate building, hhmm…… Not sure of how long the name has been around. Been wanting to check out the new Southgate mall and also Kitschen, but recently time has become a luxury thing for us to spend. Gotta spend it wisely.
Went to the newly opened Festival City in Danau Kota. Wow, pretty big and trendy, similar to Mid Valley Megamall. I can see myself patronizing the mall very frequent in the near future, it is just a stone throw away from my house. My favorite Subway and Nando’s are there, both Sushi King and Sakae Sushi are in, there’s going to be a cinema soon and a lot of nice looking boutiques. :D
Okay, my purpose was to check out the curtain shop that my contractor recommended, not to shop around. But since the place is new and Andrew suggested to check out the whole place so that we know what is in there and we would know if we could find what we need there in the future. After nearly 1 hour talking to the owner of the curtain shop, we checked out the mall. On our way out, I saw Kitschen. Andrew was definitely in a good mood yesterday, he was the one to tell me to go check it out, “since we are already here, why not”. I was surprised but happy to go check out some new clothes. :)
Wow, wow, wow…… Kitschen clothing is fashionable yet wearable even for ladies my age. Hahahahaha. Most of all, they’re not overly priced! Most of the dresses are below RM100! Believe it or not! I was already jumping with joy and told Andrew that I could come back to buy some new year clothes. Hahaha.
Then, I saw this piece of dress that looks really cute. Best of all, it’s a promotional item, buy 2 for RM80! Andrew again, was the one to encourage me to try few of them since they’re so cheap! Huh… My man was definitely over the moon yesterday. Oh, just before we went to Festival City, Cache Cache just opened in KLCC and I went in to check out the prices of the clothes, Andrew even wanted to buy me another fleece jacket! I was shocked as it is not cheap. His reason is, don’t want me to catch cold in Korea. Awww…… That was so very sweet of him. I went out of Cache Cache with empty hands but a heart warmth with so much of love. :)
Ok, cut the crap short. I managed to buy this 2 dresses at RM80. Happy, happy me! :D My first Chinese New Year clothes. Hahaha. Kitschen, I’ll be back!
Good Fashion Sense = Expensive?
I follow the fashion trend, either through the internet, or magazines, or dramas, or news. However, I do not follow them blindly and put every little in-trend stuff onto my body.
I have my own style.
Work-wear occupies the biggest part of my wardrobe, I work 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, how can I not dress well at work?
I usually wear dresses to work, but I love the look of a neat shirt with a fitting skirt or pants. A pair of high heels, create the classic work-wear look that is never out of trend.
For casual weekends, I prefer to go with jeans and blouse. My colleagues did not get to see the casual side of me until recently that we have this “dress d0wn Fridays”. And my friends, do not usually get to see the working side of me. I have two styles. :) However, I will never be caught sloppy. Blame it on my mom. :P
Friends and colleagues, usually commented that I buy expensive clothes. I even have colleague telling me, “nice shirt, looks expensive”. Someone recently told me I have good taste for clothes and usually good taste doesn’t come cheap.
I must admit, I do buy expensive clothes, but what is your definition of expensive?
I am one that go for quality and comfortability. Sometimes you just can’t deny how comfortable a top is when you wear them and it makes you feel like wanting to wear it over and over again.
Furthermore, you just need to know when to shop. The keyword, WHEN.
When there’s a sale, there will be Ashley. Hahahaha. Most of the time, you can get exactly the things that you wanted to buy during the non-sale period, but now at a lower price!
So, does good fashion sense come with an expensive price tag? Well, that depends. :)
Note, the price of everything is increasing now. To spend a RM100 for a less-than-satisfactory shirt, or to spend a RM120 for a comfortable and neatly sewn shirt? Well… You decide. :)
Loving Chuck Taylor
Converse, something that I dreamed to have during secondary school. It was considered a luxury thing as it was way more expensive than a pair of common white shoes for school.
After college, the need to have a pair of Converse never came. I’ve been wearing heels and sandals, for work and casual. I now wear a lot of Crocs for the comfort and convenience. The price of a pair of Crocs is going up like nobody’s business! After third pair of Crocs and I decided it’s time to stop. RM139 for a pair of rubber is just too much.
I wasn’t hunting for any shoes, as my Crocs is still new. Somehow, that love for Converse crept back a while ago. Blame it on Glee I must say. Hahahaha. Revisiting season 1 of Glee and I paid more attention to their fashion. Converse appeared in the show quite a number of times. I fell in love with it all over again and that dream to have one is back.
Finally, after some thoughts, I am a proud owner of my first red hot Chuck Taylor All Star Classic. :D Gosh, loving every bit of it.
However, Andrew isn’t a fan of Converse and to him, this type of shoes is ugly and he just couldn’t accep it. Hahahaha. Again, it’s individual preferences (ah, it’s been a while since I last used this phrase :p) and likings.
How long is this pair going to last? Long time I guess. ;)
Do you have your favorite Converse?
Matured Enough?
I’ve been helping my sister buying SK-II for 2 years. She has sensitive skin ever since years ago after some not-so-pleasant experience in a facial salon, been trying a lot of facial products that did not work and she finally decided to try the Facial Treatment Essence from SK-II. Every time when I asked her if it really works, she would tell me, “better than not using it”. That adds to my confusion with the good and bad comments from friends and others.
I then noticed something, SK-II users who found it effective are mostly ladies with matured skin, a.k.a. matured ladies. :) I thought, when I am matured enough, I shall give it a try then. Hahahaha.
Last month got sister another bottle of Facial Treatment Essence, and it came with a pack of free gifts! Don’t we all love free gifts? This is the first time SK-II gave me free gifts with purchase! I was shocked but happy to keep them!!! Yes, I get to keep the free gifts and I told my sister, “those have got to be mine”. :P On the sideline, I too thought it was time to sign up as a member. :D I get the free gifts, and the membership that could let me accumulate some points for redemption later! Wuahahahahahaha……
My Origins’ eye cream finished and I decided to go for SK-II. To my surprise, SK-II eye gel (same size) costs only RM14 more than Origins’!!! I was expecting it to be at least RM200 or more! *Phew* Let’s hope this works equally good if not better. After reading all the mixed reviews, all you can trust is your own self.
I chose eye gel since it is light weight and I wouldn’t have to worry about oil seeds if at all I used too much of it. Second of all, it is less expensive. :P It is indeed very light. In clear gel form, which explains why it’s in a tube and not a bottle, easy to apply. Feels a little bit sticky after application, but it’s ok, I can live with it. Any difference from the first application? I don’t know, and I don’t think so.
Wanting to get the trial pack for Facial Treatment Essence that costs RM199, too bad it is sold out in KLCC. Gotta try my luck else where tomorrow. Then, I can start my SK-II matured regimen. I’m using my hard-earned money to make myself a guinea pig again. Sigh.
I’ve been with Clinique for so many years and there’s definitely nothing wrong with their products. I still love their products. Guess I can’t just cut it off from my life, there are some products (Clinique’s) which I really, really like and I’ll never stop using.
We shall see how well SK-II works on me.
Long Holiday
I am sorry for the lack of activities here. I’m having and enjoying the long holiday right now, almost a week of holiday!
I am feeling happy all over again.
Was out shopping and walking for the past few days, but not feeling a teeny bit of tiredness at all.
Been spending a lot on the food too, but it’s been a long time since I last enjoyed the food here in KL. Heck the lactose intolerance, had my first milk ice-cream after stayed away from it for months! Yep, as expected, I’m suffering the itch from the rashes now. Don’t care, I’ve had what I wanted. Hahahaha.
No computer for the past few days too, been blogging from my mobile. :)
Ahhhh…… What a good long holiday. I feel that I’m still on holiday eventhough I have to work tomorrow. Weekend is only a day away! :)
Bliss & Blessed
Was looking for a jacket for an upcoming trip. My love is sweet enough to buy me one, out of the blue. Ok, ok, I admit, I did ask and he said OK, right away. :)
Gosh, it felt so great when he went to the cashier and paid for it!!!
I’m not a material girl and I certainly can afford that jacket, but it felt different when he’s the one that pays for it.
I feel so happy today, that he went shopping with me without grumbling in between and bought me a special gift, and he obviously is happy to see me soaking in the moment of happiness and bliss.
Ahhh…… I am blessed, to have such an understanding husband. :)
Random #12 – Sale Sale Sale
Speak of perfect timing. Just when you’re broke, everywhere now is having sales!!! &*%^$@#@! ARGH!
Okay, not that I am really broke, just gotta reserve every extra dime we have now for the money-eating house. I once joked with a friend, since everything involves money, I might as well melt all the coins I have now and build my own wardrobe from scratch! Hey, metallic wardrobe! How cool! Hahahahahahaha…… Suddenly we both picture the same thing, with me squatting at a corner of the house, melting those coins in a bucket with candles. Ewwwww…… So eerie-fied!!!! Cut it, cut it!
So now you see, a house can really put you in such a pity situation.
From now on, no more shopping for unnecessary stuff. Oh, mascara is a necessity for me. Oops, not forgetting the eyeliner. Ah, blusher too. Hey, serum as well. Wait, eyebrow pencil also. Erm…… Make-up remover is a must too. Hold on, need to replenish a wardrobe-essential black work dress (one was torn and can’t possibly be mended anymore).
Uh oh…… Those mentioned above…… Holy cow!!!!! TT__TT How now brown cow! How to save money lah like that?! TT__TT
I’ll be broke, SOON!
我爱几米
两个月前在纪伊国书屋买书，正是他们派发印花收集卡的时候。凡购买RM50或以上的书本和杂志，就可获得一个印花。收集10个，就能兑换一张RM50的礼券。两年前的Daruma卡，让我买书享有28%的折扣。现在只能兑换RM50的礼券。而且还得花上RM50才能得到一个印花。唉。。。他们的生意难道那么差吗？得用这种方法吗？
星期日看完电影，Andrew竟然提议要去纪伊国书屋。惊讶。因为他很少买书和看书。一本书他通常可以看上一年！看吧，这就是我之前说的“keep yourself up-to-date with the trend”。就连不买书的他都想去看看。正合我意，看看有什么有趣的新作可以让我捧回家。:D
还没看书，就先看到摆在入口旁的迷你智趣玩具！好可爱哎！一个要RM29.90，似乎有点贵了些。只能买些比较可爱的。选了两个。:D
英文书系列。。。都没什么有趣的。兜兜转转都不知几回了，就是找不着一本我要的。到处都是大同小异的故事背景，要不就是沉闷的人生励志道理。哎哟喂。。。作家们最近都没啥灵感了吗？
跑到华语书系列去。。。哇。。。好多食谱啊！新书介绍 - 食谱，食谱，还是食谱。。。搞错没有，在暗示我什么吗？-__- 把身体一转，几米的专柜就在眼前。咦！新作品哎！二话不说，不需多想，快手快脚，冲向前去抓了一本！哇哈哈哈哈哈！我当时应该有在偷偷的笑吧？不知旁边的美眉有没看到？哈哈哈哈哈。书在手上，才仔细的看一下，“世界别为我担心”。
接下来的问题是，印花收集卡上面写着“书本和杂志而已”，那么那两个迷你智趣玩具可不算了。糟了，几米的书要RM42.84，还差RM7.16才能拿到印花哦。怎么办？Andrew又没买，那我只好买本杂志咯。到杂志区逛逛。。。什么嘛，Cleo才RM5.80！Women Weekly也才RM5.80。我只想买一本啊！^&@—*%￥# 真是的，我们这些读者，贵又说怎么那么贵，便宜又说怎么那么便宜啊。没办法啦，为了凑足一个印花，只好买两本杂志咯。
在柜台付钱时，总额RM114.24。柜台小姐说，“一共有两个印花哟。”什么？不是说“书本或杂志而已”吗？！那两个玩具都算吗？！“橄榄屎”！是她不晓得印花收集的条件，还是他们真的那么大方？！真是的！害我周旋了老半天挑选两本杂志，而且我并不想看杂志！&$#*~%￥
话说回来，现在有3个印花了，距离目标不远了。
别说我疯了，就为了那区区RM50的礼券花费RM500来收集印花。我是个爱书之人，买书是常事。现在买书还有礼券拿，为何不？再加上我一直都是纪伊国书屋的忠实顾客。:)
将来书架上，要有一个几米专柜了。呵呵呵。。。:P 笑得合不拢嘴了！哈哈哈！几米，几米，我爱你！:D
Shopping Queen is Coming Back
Oh yes…… My impulsive shopping self is making its come back, soon. The signs are surfacing pretty often recently, in a small extent. Such as buying only one piece of clothes at a time. Hahahaha. Luckily Andrew is working normal office hours, else I’d frequent KLCC more to wait for him (used to do that a lot) and end up burning a big hole in my pocket. :D
Bought a dress from GAP last Friday. Ya ya, go on and say that I am so rich to be able to shop in GAP. :P I don’t care. I was with my colleague and she bought quite a few pieces of dresses from Zara, and whilst I was waiting for Andrew to come pick me up, went to GAP to take a look.
Oooohhhh…… The store attendant told me all the dresses are on 20% discount. Just the right time I came! However, most of the dresses in GAP are priced either RM229 or RM249. Few of them are at RM209, but they’re pretty simple and definitely not worth the price. Guess what, I did my math for a while and only hunting for those priced at RM229. After the 20% discount, it is around RM180. Well, good material ones are absolutely worth to buy. Tried a few, finally decided to only buy this. :D I don’t have a dress like this and it is so comfortable to wear. Love those side pockets so much!
Denim dress, RM183.20 after discount. Not my first dress from GAP, bought one early this year, even cheaper, RM129. :D You see, sometimes you just gotta know when to buy and if it is worth to buy with that price. Not everything is cheap though, and not everything is expensive too. I won’t buy T-shirts in GAP though, they’re just so overpriced. Unless they have like 50% discount. Hahahaha.
Sometimes, you just gotta update your fashion senses by going window-shopping too. It’s not a bad thing to do. Keeping yourself up-to-date with the trend (if not ahead of it) is pretty much essential for every woman. You wouldn’t want risk wearing something which is so out-of-date to a dinner or party. Or wearing the never-goes-out-of-date jeans and T-shirts all the time. :D Once in a while, you will just want to have that little fresh air in your wardrobe. Give me a high-five if you agreed with me. :D
Crap, I’m running out of mascara and eyeliner, blusher has finished, concealer is finishing soon, Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus only left a few drops…… ARGH!!! So many to replenish!!! Geez…… How????? Gosh…… *Headaches*
Silicone Back Case for iPad 2
We went to the new section in KLCC where all the electronic stores are, and I spotted this iPad2 silicone back case! It is only RM39.90! Of course I grabbed it without any further thoughts. Hahaha. It comes with a few colors, and I chose the most striking of all, orange. :D
Was still worrying if the case would be too small to fit as it looks pretty slim and small. Luckily, it fits nicely and firmly onto the iPad 2.
Love the back case as the front still looks pretty much bare but the back is fully protected. Actually I did not intend to get any protection case for my iPad, just leave it bare as it is. Since this is cheap, why not then. Happy! :)
Don’t ask me what brand it is. No brand. LOL. There is this new electronic store in KLCC, level 3, next to Sony Wing, it’s called Challenger. I only saw it on the way out of the store. Hahaha.
The front. Pretty much bare with only the orange frame visible.
Incase For iPad
Having such a high-tech gadget in your hands, spent so much of money and the urge to protect it from scratches and cracks, especially for a fussy pot like me who likes everything in its original sleekly state, I was hunting for a case/cover for my new toy.
Bought a leather book jacket for the first iPad and it cost RM229! My parents were saying that I am crazy, but hey, will you want to spend that RM229 or will you want to get your two-thousand-ringgit iPad scratched? Plus, iPad is so sleek and there isn’t anything to grip on or to make it stand, having a cover/jacket was the most sensible thing to do. Okay, sorry, I guess my parents aren’t going to understand the sensible-thing-to-do-with-that-ipad. Hahaha.
Not much choices for iPad2. Either you get the smart cover which leaves the back of your iPad2 bare! Or go for the leather jacket which cost a bomb!!! The price has increased! The leather jacket for iPad2 similar to the one I bought earlier for my nephew, is now without the Velcro strip and there is only 3 standing angles, needs RM259!!! DUH! RM30 more but lesser stuff and thinner leather?????? What the heck…… Was wandering in Machines outlet for half an hour and still couldn’t decide which cover to buy! Okay, forget it. I ain’t gonna get any cover for the time being.
Surprisingly, just when you aren’t looking so hard, something came out of nowhere and saved your day!
Saw this Incase Nylon Sleeve with Handles in Isetan!!! Hmm…… Why is everything having that “I” thingy? “I”setan is selling “I”ncase bags for “i”Pad. See, you get what I mean?
I told Andrew, this is it, I gotta have this bag!!! RM249, was lucky that there was this 20% discount thingy on Labour Day. After discount, RM199.20. To me, it is so much better than those leather jackets. The bag with the handles which means I can carry it instead of squeezing it into my handbag (which means I have to carry bigger handbag), the faux-fur lining protects the screen of my iPad and the weather resistant nylon is thick enough to provide better protection. I love the handles, you can also tuck them back into the pocket. Also, there is a pocket at the back where you can keep your accessories! And, it comes with a simple stand for the iPad! It is so cool!
However, when I take my iPad out from the bag, it is still bare and no grip. :( Sigh. Anyway, right now I am still happy that I got this Incase bag. At the very least, it is now not so troublesome for me to bring my iPad out. :)
Incase has so many products for the Apple stuff! Good news is, they ship international! Guess I’ll be an Incase customer from now on.
The stand that comes with the bag.
It’s The i In Small Caps
This, isn’t my first iPad. It’s my second, in ONE year!!! Hahaha. Bought an iPad for nephew for his excellent results in PMR and UPSR. I promised him a gift since he was 12. Now he’s 16 and got straight A’s in his PMR, how could I delay again. Glad that he likes it and hope he could put it to good use.
I was having the iPad for myself for a month before I brought it home to my nephew. Having tasted the sweetness of iPad, it was so tough to let go! Seriously, you would not miss it if you don’t have it. Once you have it, you can’t live without it, and you’ll be wanting more. Go ask any Apple users, they will tell you the same thing!
After handing the sweet iPad to my nephew, my life suddenly became so dull and boring. I didn’t find the need to on my laptop whenever I got home from work. It was never boring again when I stuck in the traffic jam (Andrew was driving of course). When it is gone, gosh…… I never thought iPad could change so much of my life. I’m hooked! Ever since then, I have been keeping track of iPad2 news! When was it going to be released in Malaysia, or perhaps HK and Singapore. I was counting down everyday!!! With another iPad2 enthusiast! Hahahaha. We constantly update each other on the iPad2 news!
When the rumors came, I had my doubts. The day after, it was 70% affirmative that iPad2 was going to launch on that Friday. 3rd day, another friend confirmed that it was true. All of a sudden, we were so excited and thrilled!!! With some help from “some” friend, I managed to get one without going through much agony!!!
Gosh, I was so happy when I paid for it. Hahaha. Finally, I could bring it home with me!!! After I’ve lost my iPhone, I’ve been missing those Apple “juice” madly! Geez…… Finally!!! YAY! Hahahaha……
It was fun too, to have gone through the experience of getting something with a big crowd. It was even more excited to see everyone having the same purpose and interest and passion!
All the iPad fanatics, I salute you! Apple rulez!!!!!! :D
An Apple a day, keeps the doctor away. :D
It’s the Pad with an I. :)
P.S.: A big thank you to my friends, who helped me in getting the much sought-after toy in today’s world. :)
Shoes – LuiLui
LuiLui is a local brand, founded in year 2010. A friend of mine, Angie is a big fan of it for reason that I prefer not to broadcast here. :)
LuiLui is only available in Isetan stores in Malaysia. Prices ranging from RM79 to RM200 in circa.
Early this year, bought 2 pairs of LuiLui high heels and I must say they worth every penny.
This pair of colorful heels, I wear it in the office, every day for the past 2 months. Guess what? It does not give me any cramps or pain or blister. It is so comfortable to wear! I was surprised. Never thought that I could manage a 3.5-inch heels all day long and still enjoy and love walking in it. Even the Fiorucci 1.5-inch shoe is not as comfortable as this! Plus, it’s pretty! I’ve received so many compliments from colleagues and friends. Just recently my CEO saw and commented, “nice shoes, Ashley!” :D
Finally, a pair of good-looking heels that I could wear all day and not letting it wears me out. :) Thumbs up to LuiLui. So, who said Made in Malaysian is always bad? :P
Still have another pair of 4-inch black heels lying in the box though. Hahahahaha……
Online Shopping #3
At this golden age of internet, you just can’t deny how convenient it is to shop online. Sundry goods, fashion, toys, baby stuff, household, almost everything…… Delivered to your doorsteps.
I’ve had bad experience with online shopping previously, so I now choose the seller carefully. Been frequenting this online seller for few times, so far so good. She has 2 brands, one is more expensive, another is of lower range, cheaper but quality is compromised too.
Bought another 2 from the same seller, was checking my parcel last night. The T-shirt that I bought, has some tiny yellow dots on left and right shoulders and chest area. They are so obvious. :( Then, the side of the t-shirt is not sewn! It is only sewn briefly below the sleeves!!! Meaning if you wear, you have to either wear another tank top beneath or you will risk showing your boobs and tummy to everyone. Hahahaha.
Oh crap. Living in Malaysia, meaning it’s hot weather all year round. To wear another layer of clothes is something that I do not like. So yeah, seeing that this t-shirt has so many cacat-ness (pardon my Malay-English if you do not understand), I wouldn’t be wearing it. I told Andrew, the Hello Kitty is cute though, maybe use it as a floor mat in our future home. Hahahahahaha…… :P
The side is not sewn.
See those tiny dots?
How to wear with so many “dots”…… :( Sigh.
Home-To-Be
Some diversion from the Japan news.
My house, said to be completed by June this year. I’ve been waiting so long and now I feel like I’m a giraffe. Pretty much in a dilemma now. I need more time to get more money, but I want to have my own home so desperately.
The progress is very slow ever since Chinese New Year, guess the developer has channeled some of its manpower to the project right beside this block. I don’t see people working at night as it is always pitch dark now at night when the lights used to lit up the whole place. The paint is on, the rooftop is completed and they’re now working on the ground level.
Taken on 13.03.2011 (Overcast morning)
Taken on 24.02.2011 (Hazy morning)
Taken on 26.12.2010 (Clear sunny day)
Taken on 24.11.2010 (Hazy morning)
Been hunting for furnitures for the past one week. I felt like crying looking at those prices…… It is so depressing to know that everything is so expensive now and we have to compromise on the quality just because we have limited dime to spend. I was exhausted, not because of the constant walking and hunting, but mentally due to constantly adjusting our budget and expectations. Sigh. Andrew often said, “the quality is not good, man”. And I often reminded him that, “with this kind of price tag, what do you expect then?”
Saw something that we really like in Rozel, but goodness, we would then have to give up so many other things for that 3-seater leather sofa in Rozel. That’s not going to happen. Stepped out from Rozel, feeling even more depressed!
Saw a reasonable priced 3-seater fabric sofa in Ikea, but almost everyone has been telling me Ikea’s products are bad quality. Saw another similar one about the same price in Lorenzo, but people are telling me Lorenzo is expensive too and not worth the price. ARGH! I don’t know LAH! So everyone everything also not good quality and not worth it LAH……
Sigh…… The hunt continues…… Depression is coming real soon. :(
Post Valentine
It’s holiday today and I got Andrew to promise to bring me to window shopping. Hiak hiak hiak. He decided to go One Utama. It’s been a long, long, long time since I went to One Utama. The last time was with Christine and Angie, but we didn’t really shop or walk around much. Hmm…… Today it’s not as crowded as I expected it to be.
Spotted this shiny little hair-bands. 2 for RM5.90, considered cheap for something like that although the material isn’t of really good quality. Ah, never mind lah, cheap things not good, good things not cheap.
Then, we saw this candy shop, handmade candies! Used to eat a lot of them during my childhood, now it’s become a rare find. Finally, we could relive our childhood moments.
Had our dinner in Wong Kok Char Chan Teng, Hong Kong style restaurant. Adoi…… Food is bad. :( It doesn’t worth the price that we’re paying for! So, people, please don’t be adventurous and try it.
A lot of choices though in the menu.
Crazy, the drinks is expensive!!!
Luckily there’s a range of drinks which is not so expensive. So, I ordered a glass of chilled Milo at RM3 and Andrew as usual, chilled Yuen Yeong (coffee + tea + milk) at RM3.20.
Mediterranean style curry udon soup with fish, RM10.90. Gosh, the soup tastes like Mamee instant curry noodles, the fish is soggy. No other ingredients. So disappointed.
XO sauce fried Nissin noodles, RM10.20. Tastes ok at the first bite, but when it gets cold, geez…… Bad. Oily and soggy.
RM30.05 for a yucky meal. We only filled our stomach but our taste buds were definitely disappointed. Tsim Dong Char Chan Teng in Pandan Indah is way, way, way better than this!
Uniqlo. AGAIN!
LOL! I’m not a big fan of Uniqlo, seriously, honestly, truthfully! It was just that I still have a few RM20 vouchers left, and it seemed to be a waste not to use them. Moreover, the introductory/promo price would be gone after 18th November. I wouldn’t want to miss the bargain.
It’s selling winter clothing now, but since some of them are of great value, no harm getting 1 or 2 long sleeves. Went there 2 weeks ago during Public Holiday, not a lot of people I would say. First and foremost, grabbed a reversible fleece jacket for Andrew. RM49.90 only!!! Original price would be RM79.90.
I thought that’s it, just go to the cashier pay the bill and go home lah Ashley. Nah…… Don’t forget that I am ASHLEY!!! Hahaha. Sneaked to the 2nd floor, wanting to replenish some long sleeves for Andrew. :D Okay, I “sayang” my husband a lot one, ok! :p Ahhh…… Found just the perfect one for him. Nothing much for the man then. Time for MYSELF! :D
Went back down to 1st floor where all the ladies clothing is. Couldn’t believe I was there for nearly an hour!!! Geez…… Andrew was waiting outside in his car! LOL! He didn’t want to follow me in because he didn’t want to pay for the parking! Ok dear, you slowly wait lah huh outside. :P
Let’s see what I got this time. :D
Shawl – RM49.90 (It feels so nice and looks so chic around the neck.)
Long sleeves – RM39.90 each (Pretty comfortable cotton.)
Sandals – RM39.90/pair
Didn’t get to snap a photo of Andrew’s reversible fleece jacket, he has taken it to the office.
Guess my Uniqlo fever will stop for some time. The fever has burnt a big hole on my wallet! Geez……
Ashley
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