You Bloody Nose!

WARNING: Not the most pleasant post to read if you're having Sunday brunch

Excuse the language, but I constantly have a bleeding nose and have even had to give up Bikram Yoga because the heat doesn't help my condition.

Last week it happened during lunch and thank god I was in the company of good friends, all who were willing to help and provide home remedies to make the blood go away. In the end a first-aider had to come to the rescue having seen a "damsel in distress".

However, I rocked back up to work late with a manager searching the floor for me. He found me walking in but I didn't want to explain myself or show him the bag of yuckiness. Don't think he was too impress with my apparent slack attitude. 

So here I am writing as I am trying to stop a bloody nose on a sunny Sunday morning because I refuse to let this get in the way of my daily routine (and also because I am home, it doesn't matter if I look ridiculous). How you ask?

With a tampon up my nose. It brings back memories of Steve from SATC being treated after an accidental hit to the face, but it was under doctor's recommendations...and it's working...for now :)

The bigger the better!!!

I'm surprised at the fact that there are some people who have not heard of Costco arriving in Melbourne. Where have you been?!

The large American store has taken Melbourne by storm with masses of people spending their weekend inside and others lingering outside suffering from the resulting traffic jams.

I visited the warehouse club (which you have to join as a member to enter just in case you were thinking of waltzing in for a browse) with Mum - she just wanted to see what it was like but we ended up with a lot of stuff! You'll be surprise what you can find in there...

Pre made pizzas too large to fit your fridge, bottles of Nandos sauces, Guitar Heroes, the biggest tubs of shampoo / detergent / body wash - the biggest of everything really.

We bought 40 rolls of toilet paper and 10 boxes of tissues. 60 dinner rolls and tubs of strawberries. Of course much of this had to be shared amongst friends and family. It's quite a good idea to buy in bulk and share. Prices are definitely more competitive than at the supermarkets and just the idea of going in to see all things big and in bulk, is quite exciting.

Costco ...where big is good :)

I've decided it is economically wise to join as a member, shop in bulk and share the cost with your friends and family - especially for items you can't get at markets. This giant is definitely adding a whole lot of competition to Safeway and Coles...About time!

Ditch your debts

A few tips to keep your bank account nice and full...

1. Pay yourself first

We work hard at our jobs but for the most of us, as soon as we get paid, we use the money to pay off bills and the like. Instead, set aside a certain amount of your monthly salary and transfer it into a savings account (preferably one where you can earn higher interest and fees are involved if you withdraw). This will ensure that you have enough money saved in case of emergencies.

2. Work out a positive cashflow

Draw up a spreadsheet to show your income and outgoings. This will help you detect where you are spending unnecessarily. Cutting back will give you a greater positive cashflow. 

3. Delay gratification

Postpone purchases - this will give you time to evaluate whether purchases are a need or a want. Unless it is a need, there is no real justification for it and this will  prevent impulse buys. 

Baby spending

The purpose of this blog was to share with everyone ways to stay chic in turbulent times...quite evidently I have done the biggest detour talking about sweet things, photography, food and everything far from money saving itself.

So now, I am here to share a tip devised by a group of girls at work to limit our spending on little things. Every week we are given a $10 budget for things that could technically be classified as being unnecessary such as coffee, lollies, magazines and cigarettes (as a nutritionist on Australia's Next Top Model implied, "smoking is so last century").

$10 a week in a coin purse to curb your spending

I've found this trick to be quite effective because it makes me think twice before I pull my wallet out. One Friday I had $0.25 left in my "small spending account" and I thought I must be able to find something in the supermarket for that price (or less). To my dismay, my friends were like "Uey, you can't even get a Chupa Chup...they're like $0.40!". Determined, I raided the fruit and veg section and came across bananas for $1.49/kg. I picked one and it turned out to be $0.16!! It might sound totally stupid, but the excitement I felt was quite gratifying!

So give the tip a try...it might just work for you :)

Lost Luxuries...

Due to unforseen circumstances, I was tied to my computer on a Thursday night and required to go back to the office on Good Friday *sigh*. I was up till 1am working and while that used to be my average bed time, I spent the next few days feeling absolutely drained. Quite disappointed with my inability to adapt, I decided to book in for a facial, massage and quick manicure (all things I have given up because of the recession kicking in) so that I can power through the next working week in full steam. As I was calling in to make an appointment, it got me thinking of all the little luxuries I'd given up on since starting life as a working girl to get my finances into shape:

• Buying lunches
• Fine dining
• Facials
• Manicures
• Going to the movies
• Buying magazines
• Eyebrow waxing
• Travel
• Bottled water
• Haircut every 6 weeks
• Using my credit card

It actually hasn't been too bad come to think about it. I've been working for a two months now and you might think that without my beauty treatments, I'll be roaming around like a hairy monkey...I beg to differ. I've just sought cheap ways to get what I used to but obviously without professional help.

Beauty treatments

Bliss at home when you're tight on time and money

• I slap on a clay mask to soak up all the girt while I sweep the floor.
• The tweezer is a very important tool now that the eyebrow waxing appointment is no longer in my diary.
• I do my own nails but I've found that with jewellery making, I've developed hard skin around my nails but Mum gave me this super tool. It's this clipper that can get into tight areas and snip off bits of dead skin. Revival in an instant!
• I have a stash of nail polish. Some bought, some given as free gifts, but I've found a color for every occassion sitting in the drawer.
• My special treatment was given in a little place on Glenferrie Road called Accent on Skin. I walked past one night and saw the promotion they had and couldn't resist: $99 for $189 worth of services and it lasts for almost 2 hours. It includes a back massage, facial, eyebrow shapping and quick nail colouring ~ it's the first pampering I've given myself since the "oh-so-difficult" start to working life.

Fabulous food

A yummy meal at Stokehouse, St Kilda

• Melbourne has an amazing array of food and trust me, it is hard to resist trying out a new opening or returning to somewhere you know dishes up excellence for your taste buds. But making lunch and cooking at home has made an impact on my purse and after a long week, I find it quite therapeutic to exercise any stress on the chopping board.

Travel

Hong Kong's famous skyline

• Cutting back on this is not by choice..it comes with full time work unfortunately.

Hair cuts

• I cut my hair mega short at the end of last year and decided to have a really good cut and start to grow it back. I went to a great hairdresser in KL just after Christmas and the only maintenance I've had to follow up on is for my bangs. I was delighted to learn that Rokk Ebony offered complimentary fringe treatments for clients :) I just let the rest grow without much hassle but on days when it looks a little crazy, I'll just curl it or put it up in a neat ponytail.
• A girlfriend and I spent half an hour around the city scouting for a cheap fringe trim - when in the world did things get so expensive!?

Using my credit card

• Plastic fantastic? Not so...as fabulous as it may seem, to be able to spend money you don't yet have, there is literally a price to pay for this. I've never been the type to spend more than I can afford but having access to a credit card has made me lose touch to the money leaving my hands. You can keep signing without being aware how much you've really spent whereas if you're using cash, you can see the notes diminishing in your wallet and everytime you open it to take a note out, you'll think twice.

Your wish is my command...

I'm not quite sure why I hadn't heard of the concept Wardrobe Wishes...

To keep it short and sweet, the idea behind it is that by hiring Diana (a wardrobe consultant), she can share her expertise and de-clutter your wardrobe so that all your staple and favourite pieces are within reach. We only wear 20% of what we own and WW will assist in organising and maintaining your wardrobe so that you can be more efficient when searching for outfits. Unused items of clients will go towards St Vincent de Paul to be resold or rationed to families in need. 

Once your wardrobe has been sorted, a personal shopping service is also offered to fill in the gaps of your new wardrobe and Diana will teach you smart shopping tips that fit your budget and also ensure that your purchases will last for more than a season. 

I can imagine the price tag on this service to be quite high given you'll be recruiting a professional shopper with a decade of experience in the industry and abroad. But I shall keep this wonderful concept in mind for when I climb the corporate ladder and earn super big bucks (if the day will ever come), but no harm dreaming :)

Note 1: Initial consultation is free, so I just might be inquisitive and ask. Will keep you posted if I do.

Note 2: I once helped a friend who just moved homes to unpack his clothes. I was so impressed after two hours of handling, sorting and re-arranging but when I revealed to him his brand new closet he just looked at me and said, "Omgosh how am I going to find anything? Why are my jerseys all over the place!?" I said, "But it's all colour co-ordinated!" He appreciated the effort but I definitely would not consider a career in wardrobe consulting. At least you could tell there was a touch of girliness in there :)

The Shopaholic's Diet

Does this scene look oddly familiar?

As I was running towards the escalators to my platform, I managed to grab a copy of Mx before boarding my train. I came across an article (quite hard to miss really since there is a full page photo of Isla Fisher carrying shopping bags) and I thought I had to include it in a post. 

A 10 step recovery program for the shopaholic:

$1: Keep a shopping diary. Whenever you make a purchase, note down how you feel and you'll start noticing a trend - maybe you can occupy that feeling with another activity. Recording also lets you keep track of how much you spend and what on. I started doing it this year and just to avoid writing it down (and of course, avoiding the feeling of guilt), I end up not buying it.

$2: Clean out your closet. You'll have more than you think and you'll probably find two very similar things!

$3: Get yourself started on a shopping detox. Avoid the shopping strip and the malls. As with any addiction, you might feel lost at first but you'll find time to do other things.

$4: Write a list of simple things you like doing like calling a friend, giving yourself a facial or having a warm bubble bath. Whenever you feel like shopping, pick something on the list to do instead. It'll do less damage to your wallet and you'll feel better after it too.

$5: Take up a new hobby that does not involve shopping. I keep busy with jewellery making and I can spend any day indoors even when its beach weather outside.

$6: Don't impose a complete ban because if you allow yourself indulge once in a while, you won't feel the pain as much every time you walk past a store. Just make sure its reasonable. E.g.: Let yourself go shopping once a month but set yourself a budget.

$7: Before you enter, think whether your potential purchases are a need or a want. And think will you use it more than once? Quite often we'll find things that look pretty at first sight but aren't all that practical.

$8: Use cash only when shopping. You'll be more aware of how much you spend if you have to dig out your wallet and count cash compared to just swiping and signing.

$9: Make a list of what you need to buy and stick to it.

$10: Bring a non-shopaholic friend shopping (someone who isn't into fashion would be better) because they'll be indifferent to everything you pick out and you'll be doing more walking than purchasing.

Good luck!

Eye Spy...

OSIM icare 200

A gift from Big Bear and has some interesting functions to treat your eyes...heat, pressure and vibration. Perfect for an eye workout after a long day at work :)

Having written about beauty sleep last night, I thought it was only right to give my peepers some much needed treatment so I turned to my OSIM eye mask. It was a gift from Big Bear some years ago and I must say it was quite a surprising gift because I’m usually presented with pretty things like jewellery and... jewellery really. Gadgets are not my thing and I suspected that my present was really one for Big Bear himself because he is a fan of these sort of things and true enough it has been lying in his room until last night when I asked for it back.

I’ve only been at work for 2 weeks and I swear my eyes have deteriorated already. I can’t find numbers in financial statements and I’ll miss something important sitting on my table. I am still transitioning into the working world and already I’m feeling rather bleh (that was the best word I could think of to describe how I’m feeling). My neck is strained from looking down at the computer or at papers all day, my back is aching from the sitting, my feet hurt from the heels and my eyes…*sigh*! I have perfect vision which is quite rare for an Asian so I’ve picked up a few office friendly tips to alleviate the occupational hazards many of us might face day-to-day (and fingers crossed, my eyesight will improve):

• Blink more often ~ It's easy to just stare at the computer screen when you're concentrating hard on something. So look away, blink a couple of times so as to keep your eyes hydrated.

• Look away ~ Our computers are only several inches from our face and we're using them for most of the working day. So take a moment and focus on something in the distance.

• Greens are always good ~ Looking at a potted plant, the soccer pitch or the park across the road will have positive effect on your eyesight and it'll calm you down too.

• Rock around the clock ~ Sit and relax. Close your eyes and roll your eyes clockwise then clockwise blinking in between the change in direction. Repeat several times a day.

Reminder: The above mentioned is not medical advice but rather simple tips you might find handy for the office. If you have severe eye problems, please book in an appointment with your doctor. 

Counting Sheep...

Is the financial meltdown causing you sleepless nights? Here are a few tips that can really turn your sleep into a beauty one and you definitely won't be counting sheep to sleep:

The beautiful Audrey Hepburn. 

I love her movies...and I can watch them over and over again. The Devil Wears Prada, believed to be loosely based on Vogue editor Anna Wintour, is rather reminiscent of Funny Face. While we'd would love to wake up to Breakfast at Tiffany's, the closest most of us can get to Hepburn's routine, is having a good night's rest!

Lights out

Too much light can stop the build-up of sleep hormones so shut the curtains tight or grab an eye mask when its time to hit the sack. On the other hand, when its time to rise and shine, soaking in some sunlight will assist the process...no wonder yogis do sun salutations.

Bath Time

Have a warm relaxing bath before bed and massage in a nice rich soothing moisturiser. You'll smell lovely and your skin will feel lovely in the morning.

Couch Potato

Find yourself slumped at the couch after a long day at work? Add a few drops of relaxing essential oil to the cushions to help calm you down.

Pillow Talk

Spritz some essential oils (try lavender or ylang-ylang) onto your pillow case. It will ease you into your sleep.

Warm Cuppa

Have a caffeine-free herbal tea to relax your mind before bed.

Sweet dreams! xo

A good deed...

Melbourne has been having terrible weather of late. We're at stage 3 of water restrictions because it hardly ever rains on this garden state. But when it does, most of us are unprepared! We don't have our umbrellas, our leather goods that should NEVER get in contact with water get wet, and we turn up to whatever appointments we might have looking rather disheveled.

Whilst waiting for the tram on a wet Tuesday morning, I saw an International student standing in the rain (obviously unprepared)...or maybe she didn't know Melbourne has the ability to fit four seasons into a day. I shared my umbrella with her and she just smiled...no 'Thank you', but I'm sure she appreciated it.

The simple act of kindness put me in a good mood and even after the working day was over, I was still excited to share the story with Big Bear. If you're ever in need of a happy kick, do a good deed! :)

 

Lunch Time Love

A friend of mine once thought he’d found out the reason behind 3:30itis…it was the MSG in his lunch that was causing him to feel tired and groggy once the lunch time bell rang and it was time to return to the office. I love Melbourne for all its good food, you can get all cuisines within the CBD, but usually at quite a price.

I’ve aimed to pack my lunches once in a while…it has made a difference to my bank balance already and makes me feel healthier because I know exactly what goes into my Tupperware boxes. I’ve found the best way to pack my lunchtime munchies by including dinner’s leftovers. This not only lets me clear my fridge, stop me from wasting, it also means I can cook a fresh meal the next day. You should try it too!

SOS: Save Our Soles!

My favourite pair of flats are these ones from Prada…

Shimmer shimmer :)

If I were only allowed to pack one pair of shoes in my luggage, it would be these. They can carry me from day to night and the sparkles dress up anything nicely.

I bought these lovelies in Florence and they have carried me through the markets of Hong Kong, my kampung in Malaysia and even a storm in Beijing. As you can imagine, the wear and tear they have suffered resulted in some damage...a big big hole in the sole. I was distressed because firstly, they were my favourite, and secondly, I’d spent weeks in pain wearing them in to make them my most comfortable flats. Even with a hole in them, the pretty flats continued with me on my travels even if it was just for aesthetic pleasure.

Milan was my next stop after Beijing and I thought that being a fashion capital, the Italian cobblers could save the day. But as I waved my shoe in the air pointing at the massive perforation, the man standing behind the counter looked at me and shook his head saying “no, no, no”. I thought if an Italian can’t save me then no one can.

A week later having queued outside Prada at Seraville (a shopping outlet about an hour out of Milan), I found the same pair of sparklies gleaming from the shelves… and my size! As happy as I was to see them, was I willing to fork out that much money to buy the same pair of shoes? Even if I did, I didn't have the heart to chuck out my old flats. My dilemma was soon resolved when a friend chose to buy them and it meant I had more Euros to spend on something else. But I was still sad thinking that I'd never see Prada's bling adorning my feet.

A month later, Mummy Dearest came to the rescue by offering to take my flats home to a trusted cobbler. Not only did he do a fantastic job adding a sole he mended the hole so well, there is no trace of it even on the inside.

From now on, I’ll add an extra sole to all my shoes. And I’ve learnt its important to do so before the damage is done. After all, prevention is better than cure. But I must say, this cobbler did more than just cure and restore, he made my flats better than before! The additional sole provides more comfort and for a few dollars, you can add many more years to them. I have yet to find a good cobbler here in Australia…if you know of one whose work is top notch, do let me know. In the meantime, I’ll be transporting my shoes back and forth for a cheap but good fix!

My Brunei backyard...ahh, I miss home!

When I say the tropics, I really do mean the tropics where the trees are tall and the grass is green. This is a photo I took of my garden back in Brunei and just to clear common misconceptions of the country... Bruneians (as we are called) do not live in trees and the Sultan does not travel around on elephants.

Saturday Night In

Yumminess... but nothing beats the fresh taste of warm caramel popcorn (I've only ever had this in Asia. They only have sweet popcorn in the packaged form here. If someone knows of a place serving up fresh sweet popcorn... LET ME KNOW!)

Instead of painting the town red and spending lots on drinks and various other entertainment, grab a group of your girlfriends and raid through your DVD archive for a girl’s night in. Pop a bag of popcorn in the microwave and you’re set for the night. Some girly flicks to try:

• Never Been Kissed
• Sex And The City
• Clueless
• When Harry Met Sally
• The Devil Wears Prada
• Pretty Woman

You’ll save some money and save yourself from going through all the effort of dressing up and waking up on a Sunday morning with a hangover. So get organising and gather your BFFs for this weekend!

Apologies: I organised a pizza and movie night with my girlfriends the other day. 40 minutes after placing my order, I was wondering why there was no sign of a delivery boy. Then I wondered, why was it that when I ordered my pizza, they only asked for my number and not my address. 5 minutes later, four hungry girls set out hunting for this pizza joint where I had requested for "take-away" instead of "delivery"...silly me! So sorry ladies! Wont happen again ;)

Caffeine Cut Back

A famous coffee advertisement in France featuring what looks like the artist's rendition of coffee heaven!

One day while enjoying coffee along Little Collins, my friend revealed to me that in one week, he’d spent an astonishing $180 on coffee! Let’s do some basic math:

$180 / $2.5 (average cost of coffee)

That’s 72 cups of coffee a week, approximately 10 a day!

I asked how is it possible to consume that much coffee in a day. He said:

• One for the morning to start my day
• One mid-morning
• One alongside lunch
• One to combat the three-o-clock syndrome
• One with friends in the evening
• Sometimes I'll treat my friends to a cup or I'll throw in a muffin or a cookie

Melbourne is famous for good coffee, and you can’t blame one if they constantly want to enjoy what our beautiful city has to offer. But the financial crisis means its time for us so spend less and save more. As much as I’d hate to tell myself I have to give up good coffee and be stingy with friends, its probably wiser to cut back on the caffeine and do some saving.
Note: Cut back, not totally eliminate.. that’s what the French women do to stay so fabulously thin)

Some more math...If we were to cut out two cups of coffee a day:

• 2 coffees x $2.50 = $5 a day
• $35 a week
• $1,820 a year could be saved by cutting back our coffee drinking habits!

A much as I love looking down at my soy latte and seeing a beautiful fern or a heart shape through the froth, I avoid stopping by at the village to get my fix. Instead, I’ll whip up some instant coffee before I head out (a big pack costs the same as two cups of takeaway coffee, but serves me many times that). I don’t get a cute picture looking back at me when I look down at my cup at breakfast, but the Old Town Malaysian coffee gives me a nice little dose of home for a lot less.

Tips to make your beauty regimen go further

Picture from Vogue, UK

• Before throwing out an old stick of mascara, clean the wand with eye make-up remover and wash it in soap. Use the clean want to comb through lashes while they are wet for the best last separator
• When using a deep-cleansing mask, firstly dampen your face with lukewarm water. Cold water will close the pores and prevents the mask from penetrating into the skin.
• Lipstick can emphasize chapped lips. To get them silky smooth, apply some lip balm to your pout before your makeup routine. Once you’re done, tissue off the remaining balm and apply your lipstick. Viola!
• Make-up artists like the cream and powder blush combination. Laura Mercier swears the formula gives the rosy tint a longer lasting effect.
• Instead piling on the makeup remover to get rid of panda-like eyes after a drunken night out, just soak up a piece of cotton pad and hold it over your lids for ten seconds and let the remover dissolve the girt before wiping them clean.

A vintage Chinese beauty advertisement

~ I think it's interesting how ladies back in the day were also consumed with looking pretty. I remember when I was young, my grandma would start the day by dissolving a white pea-sized thing that would turn into face powder. Intrigued by the pot of peas, I took a handful of them, mixed them with water and slapped the mixture all over my face. Unfortunately, I turned out looking rather ghostly. Having said that, beauty routines are best kept simple and natural (this is also a cheaper alternative compared to buying bottled goodies from beauty stores). I'll soon be posting a few tips about how you can incorporate things you can find in any pantry into your beauty regimen...so check back soon!~

In Between Job Fillers

With the economy in its current state, I know of many graduate job offers being deferred if not cut. But the economy will recover, it’s just a matter of time. If you are one of the less fortunate ones, look at it in a different light…maybe its an opportunity for you to do something you thought you didn’t have time for. Or maybe its time to learn something new. But in the meantime, here are a few tips to spend your time productively:

Employ yourself
Get on top of domestic projects like painting the walls or putting new floors down. Start a DIY project. It will keep you busy and by restoring the structure in your life. You’ll feel more professional rather than self-pity.

Spread your wings
Don’t limit yourself to finding a job in the industry you’ve been in all along. It’s a good time to discover what is most important to you and do what you love or what you’ve always wanted to try. Maybe try volunteer work a few times a week, because its something we often wish we had time to do but never got around to it. Not only will you be occupying your free days, you'll help put a smile on the face of others.

Set your priorities right
Now you have time to reconsider all the different aspects in your life. You’ll have more time to spend with family and friends, get your exercise routine on track and get plenty of good sleep. A good lifestyle will help you on your job hunt.

Xue Zhong Wen (Learn Chinese)
Or any other language for that matter. Spend about 30 minutes a day learning a foreign language. Since we deal with a global market, with this extra knowledge you’ll be a star candidate especially for multinational companies.

Do a short course
There are many courses available out there. Whether it be jewellery making, dancing, photography or painting, your classes will definitely let you release your creativity.