Modcloth

Oh my days I am so freakin excited by this one! I've just stumbled across this amazing online shop called Modcloth. They have some really pretty and unusual dresses which fit in perfectly with the "new Yvonne" look I'm working on (finances permitting). I've so far eyed these and will be having an internal debate over whether I should be buying them a little later tonight:

Side swept fringes

I've been looking for a new hair do for ages now, it always seems that after the first post-hair-cut wash, my hair just looks the same as it did before. So I'm thinking about getting a fringe cut so there will be at least some noticeable difference once I've undone all my hairdresser's work. I've been admiring these fringes:

Reese Witherspoon has been rocking the side fringe thing lately

I like this on Ashlee Simpson too

Loving this lady's general "I have great hair and I didn't even have to try" look

Rosanna, Inc

Rosanna, Inc. is an amazing tableware company founded by Rosanna Bowles (how about that for the perfect surname?!) based in Seattle.

As well as crockery, she also sells candlesticks, bottles, things for children, glasses, teapots and there is a massive variety of styles, all of which are just stunning.

These are some of the things I've picked out for my dream house:

Les Girls a Paris collection


Beach glass bottles collection

Boho Holiday collection

Secret Garden collection

Desira Pesta

Another fabulous Etsy find. She is a self-taught designer and visual artist based in Brooklyn, NY and she makes some really gorgeous clothes made with handprinted fabric. She makes some really unusual and interesting pieces and is not afraid to use colour. She also is excellent at draping, which is a style that I'm quite keen on. Anyway, go have a look and judge for yourself:

Short Architecture Skirt


Flor Corsage Dress


Les Enfants Skirt


Shibuya gown

Philadelphia

It was one of the stops on our 2007 road trip and it definitely sticks out as one of my favourite places that we visited. I got a really good vibe from the city and there was so much to see and do; lots of museums and cultural and historical points of interest.

Nick was very excited because of the Rocky movies, so he had a great time running up the steps to the Museum of Art, which he subsequently spent a great deal of energy and time turning into a video montage complete with music. Hmm. We also managed to catch some festival at the Seaport so there was lots of food, music and general good times - I also had my first snow cone. Very exciting.

We visited loads of places while we were there, the Franklin Institute was great, I imagine even better for kids but I loved climbing through the giant heart all the same. There was also the Rodin Museum, which I really loved because he is one of my favourite sculptors. Then there was the Mutter Museum which is a museum of medical oddities, probably not for the faint-hearted, there are lots of genuine preserved anatomical bits and bobs (tumours, skeletons, organs) including an entire chest of drawers dedicated to things that have been extracted from people's throats. Lovely.

And of course, the Philly Cheese Steak ... there are no words.

Stephen Fry

Oh so much. I want him to be my uncle. Do you think he'd adopt me? I think he is so funny and clever and I love his sense of humour. He's so dry and witty and I just love him to bits. He's definitely on my dream dinner table guest list.

I love watching QI, one of the few shows on TV these days that makes me really laugh - that snort tea through your nose kind of laugh - and it's always nice to know that there is something there in case I need that.

And then he went and did his America series which was almost what me and Nick did in 2007 so I feel a connection there.

Some favourite quotes:

"I think animal testing is cruel. They get nervous and get all the answers wrong."

"We’ve all met people who are supposedly incredibly intelligent but don’t know which way to sit on a lavatory."

"An original idea. That can't be too hard. The library must be full of them."

Stephen Fry: "It's in the Bible..."
Alan Davies: "I haven't read it!"
Stephen Fry: "You should—it's hilarious."

"Well, bless him, when he arrived—I'm not wishing to sound patronising, but I've just said "bless him," so there's no way out—"

Keep 'em coming Uncle Stephen!

Frasier

I think it's probably my favourite TV programme. There's nothing better than sitting with a cup of tea and watching a Frasier marathon on Comedy Central. It is really witty and it really makes me laugh out loud, even if it's the 5th time I've seen that episode and heard that joke.

I love how pompous and stuck up the Crane brothers are and how they always seem to land themselves in ridiculous situations. Some are a bit unrealistically tragic but still, they make for a good laugh!

Some favourite quotes:

Niles: I do love Maris. Why, the other week I kissed her for absolutely no reason at all!

Daphne: Do you see where I'm going?
Frasier: Insane?

Frasier: Don't stare at me, Eddie. I'm a humane man, but right now I could kick a kitten through an electric fan.

Jerome: Your wife sounds like a carefree lady.
Frasier: Oh, yes, she's ounces of fun.

Frasier: I am so tired of your exaggeration! You always make things 50,000 times worse than they are!

Christmas decorations

All the shops are starting to gear up for Christmas now, and it's closer than we think it is (43 days!!) and so I've been starting to notice all the lovely Christmas decorations that are around this year. I love Christmas, I think it is such a nice thing to have in the middle of grim British winters and I could easily spend a small fortune on all the beautiful festive things out there. Here are some favourites:

Christmas lights by Hannah Nunn, available at Not On the High Street

Ceramic disc decoration by Paloma's Nest

Knitted stocking

and decoupage baubles both from John Lewis

Whiteowl

Another favourite Etsy find: Whiteowl by Spivak & Spivak. Two sisters from Detroit who make the most beautiful vintage inspired jewellery using reclaimed lace. Not too many words today, I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Tryphena necklace

Marie Antoinette earrings

Cleo collar necklace

Blossom earrings

Go have a look at their Etsy shop!

Hong Kong

which is where I have been spending some of time since my last post. If anyone reads my mymiyel blog, you will know it was because my grandad passed away so the whole family went over to attend the funeral. Very sad occasion, but being back in the city does make me remember why I love it so.

Hong Kong is a very unique place. I think it has two very different sides: one which tourists know and which it is famous for - the skyline, the harbour, the lights, Mong Kok, cheap shopping and tailors and throngs of people. Then there is the other side as seen by those who are not high-flying business folk and still call Hong Kong their home. This Hong Kong is not nearly as cosmopolitan and rich as the guide books would have you believe. But I enjoy both whenever I go back.

I am fortunate enough to have family and citizenship in HK which means that I can go back quite regularly and spend relatively little...theory goes anyway. I love that over there you can go out at 10pm and still go clothes shopping and be surrounded by families. Things are so cheap and there is so much different food available. Sushi is amazing!

Another thing I love about going back is the anonymity. It's nice to blend in sometimes and be part of the norm (I'm Chinese for those that don't know). Strange some might say, but I suppose it is something that people take for granted.

How HK looks in the guide books:
(photo from crunchgear.com)

How it usually looks (unless I'm just really bad at photography, but even without a camera it does look really hazy most of the time):

The famous Star Ferry:


Ladies Market:


Festival Walk, one of HK's many many malls:

Pamella Roland

She is a New York based fashion designer and I absolutely adore her work. She makes some very feminine dresses which you know you will feel so pretty when wearing. I don't know how you feel about it, but I never liked it when designers put crazy things on the catwalk that, whilst they do push the boundaries of fashion, are completely impractical and unwearable. Pamella's work is the complete opposite. All her designs are wearable and commercial and as a mere mortal, I can still look at it and go "I want that, I will wear it and I will love it". Her website has a catalogue of all her collections dating back to autumn 2004 so go have a look through for some inspiration and that fashion fix.

Pushing Daisies

Did you ever catch it on ITV 2 (I think)? It was such a fun and quirky show and I loved that it was so bright and cartoonified (technical term I do believe). For those that don't know, the very, very summarised facts are these: Ned, our leading man, can touch dead things and bring them to life and he and a private detective, Emerson, used this gift to solve murders and crimes around town. But when he touches them again they die forever. If he doesn't do this, something else dies in its place.

The love interest is our very own Anna Friel who is the once dead, but not any more, childhood sweetheart of Ned, which of course means that they have something of an odd and complicated relationship seeing as they can't touch again. She got to wear some of the loveliest dresses. Though sometimes she does wear the odd thing that makes you go "eh?".

Then there are the yummy pies, which as you may have gathered from my previous Waitress post, I heart very much.

Sadly, the show was not picked up for a third season so the show is no more. Madness in my opinion considering the other pap that's on TV these days.

teal

The deep, rich and decadent shade of bluey-green is very in at the moment and I can't help but be swept up into the craze. It reminds me of the sea and I love the sea. My wardrobe, which has traditionally been black/grey, is slowly starting to brighten up and teal is one of my more popular choices. It looks great with tan leather shoes and/or accessories. Plus I like saying it. All in all, good times.

"Twinkle" photo by Irene Suchocki


Yarn by Knittydirtygirl


Silk dress by Flux Productions


Cushion by Joom


and I absolutely love this gorgeous dress by La Femme