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Hong Kong is busy, hot, and ridiculously enjoyable! I’ve been slightly attached to this outfit in the past few days due to it’s durance in humid weather. My daily activities include rising far too early as a result of jet lag, lunching on sushi, dim sum, and assortments of cakes, afternoon cappuccinos, naps, visiting Hong Kong’s many quirky boutiques, delicious cocktails during happy hour, and partying till the early a.m. Tomorrow we head to my Dad’s place, so we can hang in the lap of luxury. Some much needed rest is definitely necessary.

Sipping a foamy cappuccino while browsing Vogue editorials, the feather light touch of an overused tank when worn to bed on a sticky summer night, the embrace of his sweet, musky scent as you rest lightly against your lover’s chest, a perfect, reliable outfit that seduces you to dance until sunrise.

My reluctance to a life of organization, and forward planning has not stunted a fondness for familiarities. I am a slight nomad, a modern nomad. We jump from one apartment to the next, shifting our preferences due to season, budget, and proximity to our new favorite bar. The inability to find commitment with a property has lead me to latch onto other habits that produce a feeling of home, no matter the location. Comforts are instead derived from rituals, experiences, food, garments, and most importantly, an extra large comfy bed.

I possess several fail-safe garments that ensure my confidence, comfort, and ease. Along with the boy’s obsession for dining at every restaurant in the Zagat guide, we circulate a sprinkling of eateries where we are welcomed as friends, and order sans menu. A craving for Dominos always hits at noon on the day of a hangover, when the boy and I consume the piping hot delivery in bed. And Summer means several long weekends in Cannes, where we return to our quaint flat, and frequent the same beach we found over two years ago. Each custom can pacify my mood as quickly as a security blanket for a young child.

Tomorrow we jet off towards Hong Kong, a place I have visited every summer since the age of twelve, the city where the boy and I said our vows, a home for family, and one of my favorite shopping destinations. I can already feel the wet heat, see the disheveled racks of quirky shoes, and taste the oak scent of my Father’s favourite bottle of Puligny-Montrachet. Can’t wait for a perfect two weeks!

What are your favourite comforts?

I have been avoiding excessive social interaction lately due to a sudden aversion to ‘friendly’ opinions. I find expectations a daunting aspect of life. Back in my insecure teenage years, my Mother found it incredibly frustrating that I felt the need to meet ‘social’ standards so closely. She held onto high hopes of me not absorbing the judgemental words of others, willing me to be whoever I wished to become. The concept was lost on me during those naive years, when I grasped to the belief that I needed to be the picture of perfection in everyone’s eyes, otherwise happiness would evade me.

This need has evolved as I matured, after moving away from our small town, I learned the importance of taking what I wanted in life, and escaping the over zealous recommendations of others. Although I have released myself from immersing my mind in assumptions, I still feel a yearning for approval. Often my solution is to isolate the boy and I, ignoring anything that may puncture the safe bubble. I dodge opinions on our lifestyle, ‘career’ goals, avoidance of order, and even fashion choices. We are all programmed to have our own ideal, and mine is incredibly unique. I have never felt the need to follow the expected path, be an adult in the most boring way. I don’t posses a savings account, have absolutely no urge to invest, often sleep until noon, never plan anything more than two weeks in advance, most likely will be 20 minutes late, and have no idea where I will be this time next year. I take life one day at a time, fulfilling my needs for the present. I never fear the future, I embrace it. A five year plan is not necessary to know I will be happy in five years.

I get an abundance of emails enquiring about my skin, hair, and make-up rituals, so here I go…it’s beauty post time!

WARNING: I don’t have a strict beauty regime, and would definitely rather see my dough hanging in my closet, or adorning my feet, rather than filling my bathroom cabinet, so sorry for the lack of miracle products.

Hair
I am not a hair product junkie and usually use either Loreal Elvive Repairing shampoo and conditioner or the Pantene Pro-V ‘Ice Shine‘ range. I have tried numerous pricier brands and never felt the benefits, so the decision was made to stick with my wallet friendly choices. I always brush my hair with an Aveda paddle brush, and use a serum in my wet hair before brushing. The one product I have found worth every penny is Kerastase Ciment Thermique. You use it on wet hair before blow drying, resulting in super shiny, soft, protected locks. A little goes a long way as well! I also always use a shine spray after blow drying. I don’t stick to one brand, I find any shine spray does the job.

Skin
My favorite cleanser is Eve Lom. It takes off all your make-up, and keeps your face hydrated and smooth. At the moment I am using Philosophy ‘Hope in a Jar’ day cream and Garnier Ultra-Lift night cream. I am not attached to either of these, and often just get the face cream that has a pretty package or is “buy one get one free.” More often than not this is Loreal or Garnier. For the body, I’m obsessed with Soap and Glory body butter and Soap and Glory ‘Easy Glistening’ on bare legs. I also stock up on Nuxe body oil, which smells amazing, and gives your skin the perfect sheen. A date night essential!

Make-Up
I find it impossible to live without Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner, Guerlain bronzer, and YSL Volume Effect mascara. I’m very adverse to foundation (any foundation!) and weaning myself off a YSL Touch Eclat addiction. I like to give my skin room to breathe at all times. Other products that are used pretty much daily are Mac eyeshadow in Smut and Black Tied, Bourjois Rouge hi-tec lip tint, Pout Plump lip gloss in clear, and Rimmel Passion Red lipstick.

And I think that’s it…If you have any other ?’s leave a comment and I promise I’ll answer 🙂

I was tagged by Confiture-Chic to reveal ten random facts about myself.
Here we go:

I spend a ridiculous amount of time in bed; math confuses me; I speak fluent Mandarin; an enormous chunk of my life is spent reading novels; I prefer to apply my make-up on the bed, using a small compact mirror whilst watching music videos; hair extensions kinda gross me out; I’m completely adverse to bras with underwire; I’m American, but attended an all girls English boarding school from the age of 15; sports scare me (playing them, not watching them); I’m very clumsy and manage to fall over A LOT!

I tag everyone that wants to be tagged 🙂

Happy Saturday!

xoxo

Is the absence of both atmosphere and clientele at all social venues due to the credit crunch, swine flu, summer holiday season, or all of the above?

I’m going to follow the trend and jet away…we’re off to Hong Kong in exactly two weeks. Couldn’t be more ecstatic! Fingers crossed I don’t somehow contract swine flu before my departure date.

Zara blouse, Missoni skirt, Zara heels, vintage necklaces, Miss Selfridge headband.

When the hangover is too strong to overcome, and the ability to shift oneself out of bed is impossible, Sunday lunch is vetoed and Movie Day commences. The boy and I breezed through four films yesterday, ranging from action and horror to my very favorite of the night, Marley and Me. I was more than shocked to be incredibly touched by the film, finding myself engrossed in all the details, relationships, and the fact that life can evolve faster than we can follow.

I can think back to my youth, and how having a ‘best friend’ was such a simple statement. As we move through life, insecurities can trickle into relationships changing the term, creating the best and worst of friends. I’ve witnessed and experienced examples of competition, jealousy, betrayal, and gossip altering people, their relationships, personalities, and the kind of ‘friend’ we become, whether intentional or not. Sometimes relationships grow closer with hardship and transitions, but more often a falsity lingers in the air, stealing the relationship’s genuine nature. Friendship should be defined by loyalty, support, the desire to look beneath what one expresses to what one really wants and needs.

With each of these thoughts rolling around in my mind, I took the final note of Marley and Me to heart, that the easiest relationship I will ever have is with my dog, Chloe. We bonded immediately, she is constant, sweet, always happy to see me, can sense immediately if I need her support, tries her best to protect me, is void of expectations, and will never be competitive, angry, or jealous of anything I possess. She is definitely a girl’s best friend, and the very start of a family the boy and I will build together.

The social strike ceased last night when the boy suggested it was time we paid our favourite bartenders a visit at the E&O. Although I felt the need to infuse my body with alcohol content once again, the urge to choose a garment that closely resembled a nightgown was impossible to resist. I’m sure I have mentioned in the past that I have a small collection of vintage half slips I enjoy wearing as dresses. They are incredibly breezy, silky, and can look classic with minimal effort. The fact that I purchased every single one for under $10 in random vintage shops makes them all the more appealing. The weather was chilly, and the bar was slightly empty due to holiday slump, but the taste of a passionfruit martini was more than therapeutic. I’m back to my party friendly self, and will be going all out tomorrow night…but I do think I’ll be needing a new pair of shoes to top off my mood.

And while I’m mentioning vintage and shopping, my friend has just recently started a eco-friendly vintage fashion site, www.zuburbia.com. They are all about being eco-chic! Ten trees are planted with every order, only recycled packaging and soy based inks are used, and 20% off all fur sales are donated to animal charities. I love the concept, and think it’s a great way to help the environment (fashionably).

The urge to get out of bed, make oneself presentable, and engage in social activity is near non-existent. Since returning from our wine/beach driven vacation I have sustained a semi-comatose state, reading non-stop, avoiding the internet, and losing myself in random episodes of CSI. Once my batteries recharge, I shall return to my giddy, overexcited self, and start putting together outfits that are not solely for the purpose of a quick run to the supermarket.

Until my return, here are some personal snaps of our holiday…hope you enjoy 🙂

Sorry for bombarding you with an unlimited amount of body conscious dresses, but the look combined perfectly with my mood, and evening activities whilst in Cannes.

Do you ever commit yourself to a trend that feels infinitely right no matter your mood? It may be difficult to believe now, but there was a time when I was hugely adverse to bodycon. A few years ago I was incredibly attached to thin, loose tees, slips, or tanks over flared skirts, often accessorized with an oversized belt, and tribal earrings. During that time, my nature and life felt excessively romantic and carefree, almost to the point of reckless. I enjoyed being led by the wind, and my desires translated into breezy attire, garments that could move with my unpredictable lifestyle. My personality and life have not have not shifted greatly in concept through the years, but time has brought security, confidence, and comfort, leaving behind clusters of my irresponsibility. Maybe that is the reason my style is swaying towards structure, a look possessing constrictions and boundaries.

Either way I promise a non bodycon look next 🙂
Life tastes best when sprinkled with variety!