{bubble tea love}

The results of some afternoon browsing on ASOS ... i want :)

A good friend Ro (check our her fab food blog ) is posting on her facebook page a different song every day for a month.  This one from yesterday makes me happy! As Ro, so wonderfully puts it: Song#11: I have a playlist on my iPod called "superhappyplaylist". This song is no.1 on that list. The entire album is fabulous and I must have played it over 50 times. Passion Pit 's sound is like sweet sweet candy to your ears and you can't help but smile at the singer's electronically modified high pitched voice and catchy pop hooks. Let this song improve your day!

Some very important people in my life are currently going through alot at the moment whilst they are dealing with some really big things - life, death, love etc... so I just wanted to let them know that I am thinking of them...  some pretty flowers to help brighten up your day..  I am only a phone call away if you need me to talk, not talk, whatever...whenever... a cup of tea always helps, even if just a little :) all images from chocolate therap y 

[image from Stone Soup] The lovely Mr cooked a Chickpea and Chorizo salad last night - this recipe is gold (very quick and very tasty) so try it out.  Thank you to the wonderful Stone Soup ! Ingredients: 2 chorizo (approx 200g or 7oz), sliced into coins 1 can chickpeas (400g or 14oz), drained smoked paprika, optional 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped Instructions: Preheat a frying pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil on high. Stir fry chorizo until nicely brown on both sides. Stir through chickpeas & paprika and cook for another minute or 2. Taste, season, and stir through tomato and parsley.

[...] Fill your bowl to the brim and it will spill. Keep sharpening your knife and it will blunt. Chase after money and security and your heart will never unclench. Care about people’s approval and you will be their prisoner. Do your work, then step back. The only path to serenity. - Lao Tsu Some great words of advice c/o Sarah Wilson's blog (another fantastic blog to read!).  As Sarah so wisely says, " The trick, of course, is to know when your bowl is comfortably full, to know when you’ve done enough work. I think you only know that once you step back quietly. In actuality, work is never “done”. There is more we could always do. But we need to realise backing off, releasing control, letting things be for a bit is as essential to creating as doing is." Sometimes we just need to stop and step back for a bit...

Seems fashion labels are increasingly bike mad and are releasing their own label bikes.  Kate Spade recently announced a collaboration with  Adeline Adeline  and released this pretty signature green beauty... Other like minded retailers include:  1/ Urban Outfitters who have teamed up with Republic Bike to bring you your own customised bike shopping experience . 2/ Paul Smith - teaming up with Mercian Cycles .  He also has a range of cycling clothes with Rapha 3/  and the ultimate in high end and I think a little ridiculous - Chanel .

The Mr and I are currently sitting in the airport in Taipei waiting for our flight home to Singapore. It's been an awesome but quick long weekend here.  Some down time was definitely needed.  We stayed in a fabulous little boutique hotel ( Hotel Quote - definitely recommend it if you are visiting) and ate and ate our way through this wonderful city. Taipei reminds me of a cross between Hong Kong and Japan.  However it is oddly populated with lots and lots of scooters (usually synonymous with more developing Asian cities).   The Shilin night market was a highlight - awesome street food and great shopping (I picked up an amazing lavender coloured blazer with cute little gold buttons).   We ate ALOT.  From deep fried beef and cheese pastry things, crumbed and fried lotus root and fried chicken to pizza that came in a cone to amazing beef noodle soup.  We also checked out the Ximendeng area and the area in the east near Zhongxiao East Road....

Rompers, playsuits, jumpsuits, onesies... whatever you like to call them, I LOVE them.   I think I own about 4 or 5 different ones.  They have all the benefits of a dress  - you only have to worry about one item of clothing rather than a top and a bottom, great to scrunch up and take travelling and easy to dress up or down.  In theory it makes getting ready easier and quicker although I have been known to change outfits 4 or 5 times before I head out the door.... Refinery 2 9 (a great fashion blog to read if you don't already read it) recently featured some great rompers to run around in....

Recently, the Mr and I were accepted into the Founder Institute to kickstart our entrepreneurial idea.  We get booted out of the course if our business idea is not good enough to stand up to scrutiny so let's see if we make it through!  will keep you updated! Lots of meetings, classes and assignments coupled with work and the usual things has meant a lot of other things including blogging have been on the backburner a bit!  Therefore, time poor Phuong post = a round of pretty pictures that I have come across lately and make me happy... Two favourite things - Bikes and Burgers... from  Rides a Bike   Pretty office space filled with some favourites - ghost chair, apple, teapot, peonies [...] The perfect little picnic basket  - image from my friend  A's tumblr looking forward to this weekend's getaway with the Mr... image c/o my friend  R's tumblr  

[...]  I LOVE weddings.  They are such amazing and happy days. It is always an honour to be invited and share such a special day with the lucky couple.  This year is quite the year for weddings and we feel very special as we have been invited to six of them!  Unfortunately we are not able to get to them all - one of the downsides of being an expat and living away from home... But we are getting to a wedding this weekend.  My brother-in-law is marrying his lovely lady and I can't wait! I am so excited for them!

Falling in love with these bags from the Cambridge Satchel Company Available at ASOS

[...] Had a rough time at work this week... things seem to have gotten really busy and stressful I don't really see it easing... sometimes work is really overwhelming and full on and I sometimes find myself getting a bit stressed and anxious about it at all and wondering if i have gotten in a bit over my head.  Luckily the lovely Mr is here and helps put things in perspective for me.  You often just have to step back and remember that 'it's just work' and there are so many other wonderful things in life that take priority and to be thankful for - family, friends, good food, happy times - simple stuff. For instance, we were very lucky to have two really fun weekends on either side of my sometimes yucky work week... Last weekend 2 of our lovely Sydney friends came to visit on a stopover before heading off on their European jaunt.  Was soooo good to see C & D and show them around Singapore.  We had loads of fun with them - eating and drinking at one of our fa...