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A treat, because I'm worth it. ❤ #houseofhackney #treat #shopping #decor #interior #lush #shoreditch #london #luxury #buynowworrylater #pretty #oohshiny (at House Of Hackney)

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A treat, because I'm worth it. ❤ #houseofhackney #treat #shopping #decor #interior #lush #shoreditch #london #luxury #buynowworrylater #pretty #oohshiny (at House Of Hackney)

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MOVED BACK TO BLOGSPOT. SORRY NOT SORRY.

http://poshbrokebored.blogspot.co.uk

xx

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DID YOU KNOW THAT PANNACOTTA WHEN MADE PROPERLY SHOULD HAVE THE SAME CONSISTENCY AS A TEENAGE GIRL'S BREASTS?

Neither did I.

What an interesting little of pearl of wisdom to be gleaned at the dinner table.

London, Thursday & Friday, 29 & 30 November 2012 

Shoreditch.

"I never drink water," my late grandfather said "Fishes p*ss in it." How strange to think that hundreds of years ago the Thame's water was so polluted that drinking beer was a safer bet. Whisky on the rocks, or better yet neat, the refreshment of choice for the perpetually ill. Never ending cold, tickly cough, always dizzy...yes, I have definitely settled back into London. Never a moment of health in winter.

E&O, Notting Hill.

It's not a dinner until you end with a platter of sashimi to cleanse your palette before dessert. What is it about sashimi's subtle flavours that are so delicate yet exquisite? Refinement is key, the devil is in the (little) details.

The mango pannacotta that sparked off the teenage breast analogy...

Topped with bits of lemon ice...refreshingly zesty.

I don't care if the BBC spells it 'macaroons'. Macaroons are american coconut pastries. These are MACARONS. 

Max's, Notting Hill.

Conservatory Mansions. If you get the reference you are cool and I want to be your friend.

And the lady beckoned with finger bent, "Welcome to my parlour."

The catalyst of my illness; at this point (Friday morning) I was literally death warmed up on a plate, having been up all night bantering, heated discussions about...everything, playing hide & seek among the plants, and smoking half a pack of cigarettes, and no sleep. I deserve my pain. 

Friday night; the cesspit of hell that is London traffic.

Brompton's, Kensington.

BLACK MAGIC. Sarah is my crack spirit shaman witch guide.

Can someone please teach me how to use the manual settings on my Leica D-Lux, I'm so sick & tired of taking terrible, amateurish photos on automatic setting. Or should I seek the Leica M?

Yes.

"And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil." Ecclesiastes 2:10

xx

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THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER (DEUX)

London, 28 November 2012, 12:30am.

How perplexing to think, that in this age of enlightenment, that there prevails a breed of person who in the face of others' achievement/wealth/success do not feel inspired to earn for themselves the same things, but instead choose to be resentful of what others have. True, the world is not fair, and not everyone is dealt the same cards. Moan all you want about the offspring of the famous using their family connections to further their careers, complain about how the beautiful have an unfair advantage in life for no other merit apart from winning the genetic lottery, groan about how the rich get richer and the class divide spread further apart. It won't change a thing. The only change one can bring about is bettering one's circumstances instead of wishing ill on those who have what you desire but don't have. When I have children...I will tell them  "Turn your envy into inspiration and you shall be unstoppable". 

Accept that the blessed didn't choose to be born blessed. But one has a choice to improve one's lot in life. And one certainly can choose to not whine, but to instead go out and get what they want.

 But then again, will keeping up with the Joneses bring you the joy you seek? Will coveting your neighbour's car/husband/handbag fill the emptiness in that corner of your ribcage?

Maybe the key to your happiness lies elsewhere. Seek God.

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" Matthew 16:26

Food for thought; "They are not showing off because that is their reality."

Surrounded by the dazzling beauty of others, the only thing that runs through my mind is "Blessed are they who have what I covet. This is my incentive to work harder toward having the same for myself."

I could write snide passive-aggresive passages about those who have what I want (and don't) but that won't make them any less rich. But it would definitely make my soul poorer.

Digressing.

I hate this London weather. I love the rain, the fog, the sirens, the crunchy red leaves underfoot and the sigh of the city. I even love the gray pallor the fading light casts over the pillars and columns, how it makes everything look like a daguerreotype.

But I hate that the sun sets so early and that I'm mentally exhausted by 9pm.

I shall have to buy a sunlamp.

These days everything looks like monochrome... 

And slowly but surely my mind degenerates into a landscape of shadows and undulating darkness. It's like my world is warping into a version of my other blog. We lived our lives in black, indeed.

Instagram @jasiminne

x

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YOUR EYES ARE FILLED WITH AN IMPURITY THAT LOVES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING

What is it about the '20-year fashion & trend cycle' that turns hideous into haute and kitsch into covetable? The nauseatingly adorable icons of my childhood, Hello Kitty and Bad Badtz Maru, I now wear proudly as twee badges of nostalgia. No, I am not regressing into my second childhood, nor is this the quarter-life crisis of a woman who woke up on the wrong side of 25 and suddenly, desperately, seeks to cling on to the last vestiges of youth. 

Or maybe it is and I'm counting on cuteness to fight the ageing process. Give me a shot of youth injection.

  Bad Badtz Maru jumper from Hello Kitty x Forever 21 (see! even the label mocks me) collaboration. Hello Kitty glasses from the streets of East Asia (Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tokyo, Korea etc.). ASOS cat ears. Face like a child, model's own.

Current style icon x crush; Grell Sutcliff from Black Butler. Nothing is more fabulous than a camp, deadly, sex-crazed grim reaper with a penchant for melodrama, violence, and sharp objects.

Yes, that is a man.

It terrifies me how accurately I can imitate his voice in the original Japanese version.

Bye bye, meow~!!!

xx

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INSTAGRATIFICATION V2.0

Two weeks without a single update on my little corner of the cyberspace I call this blog. And all the while my Instagram gets spammed with 5, 10, sometimes 20 pictures a day...what can I say, the Instagratification of lightning-speed sharing is threatening to make my blog posts redundant. Not that anyone except, say, my parents and a couple of friends would miss them. Is microblogging the way forward? As gratifying as updating in real-time is I doubt I could ever let it replace a blog post---a labour of love edited & written with care. Something becomes precious when you invest time in it. That's why Hermes bags will always be superior to H&M's and love-making always more satisfying than a quick romp in the cloakroom. Anyway, digressing...

Just a few quick proverbial fillers for a sagging, wrinkly face of my blog. All enabled by Instagram. Or is it Latergram? Whatevergram.

I'm back in London. 

...and already I miss having large living quarters. Everything in London is so small, my bedroom (above) is literally the size of a wardrobe. No matter, I can make it work.

Whilst I was in Kuala Lumpur there was a lot of...

Recreation.

I gained SO much weight---5kg---from two months of constant feasting, banquets, charity dinners, 10-course meals, and my way of dealing with it then was to go to the sauna and try to sweat it out. What do you mean water retention and weight gain are not the same? LIES!

Maybe if I lie still and drift long enough the fat will evaporate out of thighs. *delusional*

I have no car or driver in London so I'll be making use of my legs again and *gasp* WALKING!

I'm actually quite psyched to take public transport for the first time in months, there's something so liberating about not having to worry about traffic or where to park!

There were also parties. And afterparties. 

Lots of good whisky and scotch died in the making of these parties.

Lots of shopping, mostly me supporting local and independent brands. A lot of my money went to my new favourite boutique, House Of Eight in Publika, Mont Kiara. 

In Malaysia there was a lot of road rage. Anger on a daily basis.

What was that saying, "I'd rather be sad in a BMW than happy on a bicycle?" I don't know how I feel about that, can't we find a happy medium?

Somewhere in the midst I lost, for the first time, at credit card roulette.

Cavin shaking the bag full of credit cards.

I lost.

I was not amused.

And of course the whole point of being in Kuala Lumpur for two months was to help Michiekins plan her three, yes THREE weddings! I also threw her a hen's night.

Wedding #1 in Taiping, Perak---

Wedding #2 in PJ, Selangor---

And finally, wedding #3, her DREAM wedding, in Kuala Lumpur...!

Many blog posts to come about the festivites, in fact, 4---one for the hen's night and one for each wedding.

Oh, don't forget the food.

So much food.

Patience is a virtue, but for those who think waiting 2 weeks for a new blog post is taking the piss---and I am inclined to agree with you, I'm sorry, it won't happen again---avert your eyes to my Instagram where you can be sure I will update to your heart's delight.

http://instagram.com/jasiminne

@jasiminne

xx

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ESTEE LAUDER PINK RIBBON CHARITY BALL 2012

On Halloween night (Wednesday) I thought I'd step out of my comfort zone---ie. ghoulish, gory, gothic, all things that start with G---and try something different. I put the fake blood away and decided that this year I would go as a demure philanthropist in support of breast cancer awareness. Dosen't my 'costume' look convincing? 

Haha, I'm only joking, this isn't a Halloween costume, nor was I dressed up as anything. I was actually at the Estee Lauder Pink Ribbon Charity Ball, to show my support for their Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign.

Estee Lauder threw a ball in the Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur---only a couple of weeks ago I was there for the Malaysia Tatler Ball---a night of dinner, entertainment, and an auction. All proceeds from the tables as well as from the auction would go to the Breast Cancer Welfare Association, Cancer Research Initiatives Foundation, and the College of Radiology Malaysia & National Cancer Society Malaysia.

Me, after the gala, with my bidding paddle---I was at table 29, where were you?---and my win from the auction...more on that later.

I meant to wear a very racy black maxi dress with a plunging neckline and cut-out sides at the waist but demurred (or should I say demure-d?) at the last minute. In lieu of an evening gown I threw on a chiffon skirt from ASOS, a simple beaded top and a string of my mother's pearls. Oh and a clutch from River Island that I added spikes to for a little edge. I pretty much ended up with more or less the same outfit I wore to Hendrick's Splendid Soiree last month. But the fate of the earth's sustainability depends on us to recycle instead of excessively consuming. And recycle, I did.

With mummy and Selina.

Double Js...! When we ran into each other we both said at the same time; "Whoa, finally, somebody our age and from our 'friend group'!". By 'friend group' I think he meant The Real Housewives Of Mont Kiara. 

The Shangri-La Grand ballroom was bathed in pink light, which in real life was not at all jarring as the pictures may lead you to believe. In fact it was quite soft, and rather flattering.

Mummy and I by our table; we sat right in front just one table left from the main table, with a great view of the stage. We're all extremely near-sighted.

I opened my little package from Estee Lauder to find a pink ribbon which I promptly wore on my bosom.

And also some little pink boxes from Estee Lauder. I contemplated giving them away on my blog...but given that nobody reads this surely it would be just my friends Whatsapp-ing me with "Forget the giveaways and just give me the goodies!" So give them to my friends I will...

Our emcee for the evening, the ever upbeat Datuk Yasmin Yusuff. Even though she was faced with a rather reserved crowd who were somewhat tepid; no doubt from being way past their bedtime on a school night, Datuk Yasmin was unwavering in engaging the crowd and keeping the momentum going. No easy task on a Thursday night, but I really had to give her credit for working so hard...!

The adults talk business while I Instagram/take photos/text friends at the other tables/speculate about what would be up for auction.

K and mummy.

The food was so-so; after being spoilt by a month of gastronomical delights---you can peruse my archives for October here---it was hard to please me. But even so the simple 4-course dinner failed to live up to the dazzling menu Shangri-La served only less than a month ago, in the very same ballroom, for the Tatler Ball.

The salmon did look quite cute though, all the baby vegetables and bright colours made me think of children's meals. 

Never mind the food, the real tasty treat in store was the performer of the night, Ramin Karimloo.

The gorgeous Iranian-born Canadian famous for his critically-acclaimed portrayal as the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies wowed and blew me away with his incredible voice.

I'm a HUGE fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber. As a teenager I'd listen to the West End recordings of Phantom Of The Opera, Cats, Starlight Express etc. and even though I'd never seen so much of a recorded performance of the musicals I would use my imagination and draw the scenes in my mind just by the songs alone...! I know all the lyrics to Phantom Of The Opera and did a cover of Think Of Me for a project back when I was studying Advertising Design at The One Academy.

So to hear Mr. Karimloo sing Music Of The Night, pitch-perfect, with just the right measure of power yet vulnerability that the Phantom's voice was famous for (I believe the phrase is 'tremulous and tender'), and exactly the way I imagine the Phantom to sing it...was incredible. I swooned.

Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom performing Music Of The Night (Royal Albert Hall)

He's pretty easy on the eyes, sans Phantom mask and makeup.

Then Jaclyn Victor showed up for the duets and burst my bubble.

She's very beautiful and has impressive singing prowess but I couldn't help think that it should have been ME that Ramin was singing 'All I Ask Of You' to. *sulks*

The auction begins...

I would've paid any amount of money to have Mr. Karimloo serenade me to sleep with Music Of The Night...but alas the bidding was restricted to jewellery and other sort of simple things.

To be honest I was a little annoyed with the audience...I know Malaysians are a relatively conservative bunch who don't like to stand out for the wrong reasons...but bidding at an auction to raise money for a breast cancer awareness campaign is NOT a 'wrong reason'. Nobody wanted to be the first to lift their paddles of go higher...it was quite shameful, if I may say so. At first it was so quiet---the ballroom were literally just murmuring---that MY table did all the bidding just to get the ball rolling. 

I know it's a school night, I know it's late, I know you're all a bit sleepy...but this is a charity gala, please think of the bigger picture and the good your participation could do...! We're all in this together to do our bit to help. And don't pretend you're not going higher because you're poor. I'M the one who's broke, please refer to my blog title. I know for a fact how much your holiday costs, so please, don't hold back.

My mummy doing what she does best, fundraising and being nonchalantly bemused about it. All in a day's work.

We sipped our teas and headed home. I left with the spoils of my winning bid; a slick wood case of Tom Ford private blend. Four dark, mysterious, heady scents perfect for the days of winter that await me when I go back to London.

They smell incredible. And, everytime I look at the bottles, glistening and upright in the glossy wooden case with 'Tom Ford' embossed in gold, I am reminded of an evening where I drifted of to Ramin Karimloo's intoxicating voice bathed in soft baby pink light, and how grateful I am that I'm blessed to be healthy, strong, and have the support of loving family & friends.

"Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103: 3-5

xx

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CHANDON GIRL'S NIGHT OUT

Last Thursday, I took some photos of myself by the pool gardens (looking unfittingly upset) for a photoset I subtitled the lyrics from & named after Stranger In Paradise.

"Stranger In Paradise" blog post 

The photos came out well, I got the shots I wanted, and my hair & makeup still looked good despite rolling around in the humidity. So I thought I'd make the most out of looking presentable---most times I'm simply dressed with no makeup, pushing pixels at home---and go to TwentyOne at Bangsar Shopping Centre for Chandon Girl's Night Out. 

Zara dress / matching iPhone 5 (I'm going to ditch the white and go 'back to black') / CHANEL 2.55 reissue / Rolex / random rings from Korea

Chandon is... "The only Australian winery founded by Moët and Chandon. Domaine Chandon was established by French champagne house Moët & Chandon in 1986 and is dedicated to the production of méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine and premium quality, cool-climate still wines" I like to think of Chandon as the little sister of Moët. The Miu Miu to Moët's Prada. 

Chandon website.

The fountain centrepiece in Twenty One, the gentle & steady sound of flowing water, and the vague scent of chlorine in the air...it was as though I hadn't left the pool gardens. I kept daring people to jump in but there were no takers. Tame party... 

With Briekins (the emcee du jour...or should it be du nuit?) and Michiekins.

B and S.

Guests being fast-tracked into becoming mixologists. That's a fancy way to describe adding lots of different liquors and spirits into the same glass, haha.

For the guests' amusement, emcee Briekins made us play Spin The Bottle and Truth or Dare. I picked truth, as being transparent is one of my better qualities. The question asked? I'd prefer not to say, rather than lie. Sorry.

Won an inflatable champagne bucket for my trouble.

With some of the 8 bottles Chandon very kindly supplied Briekins for her work, some of which we appropriated for Michiekin's Hen's Night hotel-room pre-party.  Thank you for your generous & noble sacrifice Briekins.

KEEP CALM AND GET HITCHED-IKINS, MICHIEKINS [ Instagram edition ] blog post

What is it about champagne that makes you so hungry? Molten lava chocolate cake to the rescue.

Michiekins had a little too much to drink and got trollied.

Literally.

Going uphill in the carpark was a serious struggle, made no easier by Michiekins screaming "Oh my god there's a car coming! We're going to diiiieee!" (there was no car), or me going full speed at speed humps only to tip the trolley over and spill Michiekins out, and S torn between being amused or being worried.

But it's the best way to travel when you're drunk. Just ask her---

Quite a reasonable amount of fun for a school-night. Thanks Chandon for supplying the bubbles and laughs.

xx

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KEEP CALM AND GET HITCHED-IKINS, MICHIEKINS [ Instagram edition ]

Last Saturday I flexed my tyrant's muscles & megalomania by throwing Michiekins a hen's night to remember. By 'flexing' I mean more or less planning & directing the entire thing on my own...or at least, I intended to. But as I get older I get better at working with people (or maybe I'm more mellow and not the one-woman orchestra I used to be...haha) so this whole night was only really a success because of all the help I got from the other hens! Thank you Sukins, Briekins, Jillykins, Jokins, Linakins...all the kins really and everyone else who came and made the night special for Michiekins.

♡ KEEP CALM AND GET HITCHED-IKINS, MICHIEKINS ♡ [ Instagram edition ] 

Proper pictures to follow as soon I get them from the photographer of the night, Jaz Khai  

PHASE 1 DINNER at Chinoz On The Park, KLCC

We kept it low-key---just 3 courses, nothing fancy---to lower her expectations for the next suprise...

PHASE 2 PRE-PARTY AT MANDARIN ORIENTAL

Mandarin Oriental has long been our M.O for partying (haha), we always get a room whenever we have a big night out with the girls, and I knew she'd expect us to get a room at least. What she didn't expect was a 2 bedroom apartment filled with her favourite things---Tiffany blue cupcakes baked my yours truly, bottles of Moet and bottles of Chandon, belgium chocolates, strawberries, balloons, her favourite party photographer, fun party props to dress up and pose with...does it sound childish? Well she has the rest of her life to act like a grown-up married woman, this is her night to play.

All the hens...I mean brideslaves were tagged for easy identification.

A Princess bride needs her Princely fiance. Here comes Marcuskins, sneakily photoshopped onto Prince William's wedding portrait and blown up life-sized for her to carry around all night. His counterpart Princess Michiekins was with the boys on their stag do!

PHASE 3 COCKTAILS AND BACHELORETTE PARTY AT MARINI'S ON 57

Embarrassing tasks & games for the bride-to-be; or as I call it public humiliation & silly games in a classy setting. The Twin Towers, the bats gathering around the towers (It was nearly Halloween after all), the moon, and the huge crowd (Marini's was packed to capacity that night) bore witness to our teasing, our tipsiness, our ritual shaming, and gave Michiekins their well-wishes.

And also to Marcuskins, perhaps the most realistic cardboard cutout Marini's has yet seen.

PHASE 4 HALLOWEEN PARTY AT ZOUK

Zouk is the place to be for Halloween in Kuala Lumpur. No other club in K.L makes such an effort---we're talking graveyard gardens, Skull islands, shipwrecks, cages of skeletons dangling from the ceiling. And most people actually dress up, quite a feat for not-that-conservative-but-still-somewhat-reserved Malaysians, haha.

Michiekins was a knife-wielding bridezilla and we were her blood-splattered brideslaves.

Aladeen vs. Obama--- "Death to the West!"

Apparently I have a habit of appropriating club props when I've had a few to drink...I made it back to M.O with three skulls (I plucked ten off the ceiling at the end of the night and handed them out to strangers...what? They would've ended up in the trash anyway) and took a tombstone from the graveyard with me.

PHASE 5 MANDARIN ORIENTAL ROOM SERVICE AFTERPARTY

Lots of room service food at 5 in the morning, copious amounts of Berocca, lots of fluffy dressing gowns, and carb comas.

INTERMISSION

Woke up with a minimal hangover (thanks to the food I had before going to bed)...and in bed with Lady Butterworth, 3 skulls, and a tombstone.

The apartment was surprisingly tidy given that the night before we had 11 hens jumping and dancing around, a photographer encouraging our antics, and some extra guests for am impromptu room-service feast at the crack of dawn.

I'm a girl with a LOT of baggage...but the right sort. Mostly party-related, all designed by myself. *proud*

Checked out of Mandarin Oriental and headed to...

PHASE 6  SPA VILLAGE, THE RITZ CARLTON 

No better way to deal with party pains and hangovers than a couple of hours by the pool, soaking up the vitamin D, before adjourning to the spa for a good massage. Treated Michiekins and Sukins to campur-campur aromatherapy massages to soothe their tender joints from all the bishing & boshing about the night before.

I settled for a hot stone massage, my favourite.

Helloooo I'm the Spa Village idiot! If you can guess how & where this picture was taken, you're clearly a spa lover.

Several hours later we were fresh to death and so ready to do it all over again!

The hen's night (hen's weekend really) was a success and now Michiekins wants me to throw another one for her before her first (she's having three) wedding.

And to be honest we had so much I'm really tempted to...!

x

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STRANGER IN PARADISE

I took some photos in the garden and by the pool. Initially the photos were to inspired by the melancholy of Summertime Sadness (Lana Del Rey). But as I was going through my nightly ritual of editing photos while reblogging on Tumblr and listening to music (I have to do this for about a couple hours every night before bed, it's the only way I can go to sleep) one of my favourite songs played.

It was "Stranger In Paradise" from the 1953 musical Kismet. Or rather, Sarah Brightman's cover from her album Harem. Moved by the song, and inspired by subtitled movie screenshot gifs and beautiful poetry I only wish I could write, I added the lyrics to my photos. And made my own version of Paradise.

---

---

If I could compose music & write lyrics I would love to be a singer-songwriter...alas I'll just stick to singing other people's words...and subtitling my own photos with them. 

xx

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MY PETIT PETULANT PRINCESS

A couple of weeks ago, Michiekins watched for the first time the music video for "Primadonna" by Marina & The Diamonds. As I expected, she fell in love with the styling, the makeup, the hair, the lyrics, the song...the everything really. Appropriate really, since she's a little primadonna herself. Datin kecil, don't think I don't see right through your puppy dog eyes and sweet little smile. This one is a diva alright, or should I say bridezilla? *cough*

We thought we'd do what we do best; that is, bergolek-golek (rolling around) and take lots of silly pictures while blasting our (her) song obsession du jour on repeat. Here's Michiekins, channeling "Primadonna".

At the risk of sounding like 'Sh*t White Girls Say'...OHEMGEE this song is about uuuuus! Hahaha, but then again there's a little primadonna girl inside everyone.

"All I ever wanted was the world"

Michiekin's primadonna blog; The Kins.

  Bye! 

xx

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THE PEAK CEO DINNER SERIES

Last Thursday The Peak threw an intimate dinner party, one of many in their CEO Dinner Series. The Peak is Malaysia's leading corporate lifestyle publication; I've seen many an issue of it strategically arranged on the landing table in the hallway of many a home. Haha, we get it, you have good taste and like the finer things in life. Myself, I always sneak a peek at Peak (haha) whenever I feel like playing 'let's pretend I'm a high-flying child-prodigy turned socially-awkward accidental corporate mogul'. Basically every time I want to feel like Nolan Ross. 

Anyway, the CEO Dinner Series is for friends of The Peak to socialize & network in a more personal level, over dinner. Good food, good wine, a group of select few in someone's gracious home, and privacy. Certainly sets the tone for an evening of incendiary & intimate conversation that follows after several bottles of champagne, yet the guests are safe in knowing that the words never leave the table *wink wink*. 

This time round Benjamin Yong was kind enough to open the doors to his home and host the dinner. I'm a huge fangirl of his food franchise; you can be sure to find me in B.I.G every weekend buying baking ingredients, or having meetings at Plan B.

Just doing the weekly shop at Ben's Independent Grocer. Halloween edition. I've blogged about B.I.G before, here.

We stepped into Ben's home, a sophisticated city apartment in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, and were greeted by the scent of Baies candles by Diptyque. 

And lots of Bs. B is for Ben is for bright is for brilliant is for big is for...? 

Pimm's at the ready. Well I guess it's always summer in K.L, and if the cocktail fits, drink it.

A view of the Twin Towers...well just the one.

We sipped champagne and nibbled on hor d'oeuvres of venison tartare and oyster Bloody Mary shots to whet our appetites.

We sat down to a cozy dinner party, a table laid for 12.

I may have taken the 'intimate dinner party' concept too far and underdressed. While the ladies were looking stunning in killer heels and jewellery; I stayed true to my 'geeky pixel-pushing' roots and kept it simple in jeans, loafers, and the cleanest shirt I could find.

My date was mummy dearest; who I thought I would have to cling on to dear life like a safety jacket in the middle of a sea. All the guests were the brilliant entrepreneur and clever corporate types who could sell fire in hell, whereas I belong to the 'postmodern-irony faux savant artist' tribe. But no, we all got along splendidly and had plenty to talk about. 

Mummy and Selina.

Selina and Ming sharing a joke.

Elizabeth, founder of Bower Haus and Sherin, founder of Red Ribbon Days.

Hubert Hoi, Elizabeth, and Ken Lim

With Sherin...LOVED her earrings.

The staff hard at work in Ben's amazing kitchen. I had some serious kitchen envy going on.

The chef Marshad explained each and every course to us.

For our first starter we had sunchoke soup with pickled radish.

Followed by a second starter of pan seared foie gras with spiced brioche crumble and plums drenched in a sweet port wine jus. 

Time for our mains, a course of fish and a course of beef.

First; Seabass, chestnut, filo pastry, and gnocchi. Paired with Saint Clair Malborough Gruner Veltner. I don't drink wine because I'm allergic, so I couldn't tell you how well the white complimented the fish. *sad* 

The fish was delicious and beautifully cooked though. I ate every bite, and I'm someone who doesn't like the taste of cooked fish.

Our second main course, master kobe sirloin with green peppercorn jus, cauliflower, green peas, and mint. The accompanying wine was Nicolas Catena Zapata Malbec.

Oh my days the meat was so juicy and perfectly tender, I'm actually leaning toward my Macbook screen and trying to lick the pictures. It's 3:35 in the morning and I've got my usual late night urges to snack.. I really shouldn't be blogging about food. 

Benjamin and Wei Hsiang.

Kenneth and I, we had a most insightful discussion about trends, or rather, bucking them. Steadfast and sustainable wins the race.

Our cheese dish, with mushroom and barley.

We cleansed our palates with champagne sorbet and more glasses of ice-cold Dom Perignon.

...and somehow managed to find room for pudding AND petit fours.

Passion fruit, chocolate cake, and Nikka Yoichi 12 years.

By the time the petit fours came out we were groaning...but there's always room for a dainty chocolate. Or two. Two trays, that is.

Our gifts; Baies candles from Diptyque and Bower Haus jewellery. Loved the cufflinks as much as the pearl earrings.

Me and the host with the most.

Thank you for having us Ben! 

Here's a token of my appreciation and gratitude; some fine ginger hair extensions. From quality human hair. Human still attached.

"And thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." Isaiah 58:11

xx

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MOËT & CHANDON CINEMA CLASSICS 2012

I'm a bad, bad girl. I've finally gotten round to blogging about the Moët & Chandon Cinema Classics 2012 event in September. Has it already been a month since? To put things in perspective, I still had black hair then. Oh dear. It was the same evening as the H&M launch in Kuala Lumpur which most of my contemporaries were attending, but seeing as Moët has seen me through the good times and the not-so-good times, it was only a given that I graciously accept the invitation for an evening with this most beloved champagne house. Thank you Moët & Chandon! I'll always keep you in a pretty cabinet.

Only when I received the invitation did I learn that since 2009 Moët & Chandon has been the exclusive champagne of the Academy Awards & Oscars. It was more than apt that they drew on this silver-screen association and threw a glamourous little soiree; an evening of cinema, champagne, and classics. The theme? No other than the 1961 classic; the iconic Breakfast At Tiffany's.

There were LBD (little black dresses) & pearls galore, elegant white-gloved butlers serving popcorn and champagne on silver trays, a mix of well-known Malaysian personalities & sophisticates, and some of K.L's brightest and wittiest. All dressed in their interpretation of the night's dress code, “Sixties Red-Carpet Glamour”.

My date for the evening, the sweet & gentle Michiekins.

We arrived at Mid Valley Gardens GSC (Golden Screen Cinema) Gold Class Lounge, and walked down the cinema hall on a red carpet.

With the lovely Nadia Heng, Miss Malaysia World 2010, a gracious & unassuming beauty with no airs about her. I was secretly coveting her white peplum dress from afar and then she came up to us and introduced herself.

Please pardon my poor attempt at a '60s inspired outfit; black satin gloves and a shawl hastily thrown over a Herve Leger bandage dress and my Alexander McQueen Elvie.

As per tradition at the Oscars, the Golden Globe Awards, and major film premieres & film festivals, guests signed their names on a bottle of Moët & Chandon Balthazar. 

Datin Dian Lee, managing director and founder of The Clearwater Group. 

Debbie Goh, winner of the Golden Awards 2010 Most Popular Actress Award.

Joseph Teoh, Division Head for Menswear at Melium.

Michiekin's signature!

And my own rather outdated signature, I need to find one that is more 'me'. My signature signature, if you will. Haha.

Guests mingled and chatted among a gallery filled with black & white photographs from photoshoots inspired by the iconic film.

Michelle doing her best to mimic the opening scene of Breakfast At Tiffany's, when Holly Golighty contemplates the jewels in the windows of Tiffany's. All we needed to complete the picture was a pastry & a coffee.

Instead we made do with popcorn (toffee, my favourite!) and ice-cold glasses of Moët & Chandon. Little bit of trivia; do you know that Moët is not pronounced "mo-way" or "mo-wee?" The correct way to pronounce it is "Mo-wett". The name is Dutch, not French. 

The gong chimed; signaling the guests to be ushered into the cinema, and we were given our cinema tickets.

I've always loved the Gold Class Lounge. Sinking into comfy leather seats, reclining & stretching as one pleases, a butler at the press of a button, ever ready with a warm wrap (it does get cold!) or a drink...really the only way they could improve Gold Class Lounge was if we could pause the film to go to the bathroom. But I imagine there would be uproar among the cinema goers, oh dear.

Before the movie began we were treated to a Service Ritual by the butlers; bearing bottles of Moët & Chandon topped with sparkling crowns that gave off dazzling rays of light. Against a typically epic soundtrack, no less. 

Followed by an elegant serving of Moët & Chandon champagne.

Sssshhhh, settle down, the movie's starting...!

Grazing on popcorn, strawberries, and delicate little sandwiches, sipping on ice-cold champagne, to two hours of an iconic film. What a lovely way to while away an evening.

I never tire of Breakfast at Tiffany's, Audrey's Hepburn's wide-eyed potrayal of a worldly yet innocent Holly Golighty will always be mesmerizing to watch. The wistful strains of Moon River always makes me sigh with longing, and the final scene in the rain...I always end up in tears.

The curtain came down. Emcee Will Quah ushered the guests (now merry & slightly tipsy from the bubbles and the romance) to Bianco at Vertigo for the after-party.

The party kicked off with an energetic and sexy rendition of Hey Big Spender, by a troupe of shimmering dancers.

Michiekins and I, by this point we were slightly sleepy-eyed from all the champagne...!

The sparklers woke us right up though.

The suave Peter Davis, martial artist slash model slash actor. Look at him, you would never have known that he was a cage-fighter before he turned to modelling...! 

The gorgeous Hannah Lo, model and emcee.

Joseph Teoh, Datin Dian Lee, Ung Yiu Lin (the woman behind one of my favourite brands, Shoes Shoes Shoes and KLutched. I've blogged about my shoes from her label, here) and Sherin Wong of Red Ribbon Days, a gifting company that specializes in giving experiences. Funnily enough I didn't get to properly introduce myself to Sherin that evening but a few weeks later met her at a dinner party hosted by The Peak. Kuala Lumpur is just as small as London.

The rest of the evening was a pleasant one of making new acquaintances, new friends, and as the Moët & Chandon bottles began to empty, increasingly salacious conversations between us girls. 

We slipped away into the night high on bubbles, movie magic, and happy feelings...

...with a little keepsake; a photo of a very lovely and pleasant evening.

Thank you Moët & Chandon! And thank you for reading. Have a glass of Moët on me. Cheers!

xx

 ♪♫ ♩"She keeps Moet  Chandon in a pretty cabinet. 'Let them eat cake' she says, just like Marie Antoinette. A built-in remedy for Khrushchev and Kennedy, at anytime an invitation, you can't decline!" ♪♫♩

photo credits; pictures 4, 5, 6, 7, 17, 19, 22, 28, 29, 30, 31 thoughtfully supplied by Moet & Chandon

[poshbrokebored-blog-blog]

GANGSTA'S PARADISE

Test shoot in the poolside gardens. Big love to my homegirl Michiekins for helping me take these photos. 

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." Psalm 23

xx

[poshbrokebored-blog-blog]

WONDERMAMA

A couple of nights ago I was at my friend's dinner party. I had the pleasure of being seated next to a man who worked in property & development. We had the most interesting conversation; about architecture, attitudes of fresh graduates, sustainability, but mostly we talked about trends. We both agreed that as far as architecture & interior design goes, hopping on the bandwagon wasn't the way to go, at least not for us. The trouble with trends is the lightning speed of which they go out of style, especially now in the days of social media...And if you're going to create something that's going to be around for decades, like a building, the last thing you want is for it to look dated. Fads are all very good for food, fashion, anything with a short life span...but that house you commissioned, shaped like a crayon box when you were regressing into your second childhood at the age of 40? Going to be around for quite a bit, babe.

When it comes to architecture, decor, interior design, my taste veers toward classic, traditional, sometimes old-fashioned. If it still looks good after decades, centuries, surely it'll continue to transcend the fickleness of trends and harsh barometer of taste? Or maybe I'm just an old foggy.

Wondermama is my new favourite hang out and nom-nom spot in Bangsar. 

This is old-school Malaysia updated with a modern twist. With all the little nostalgic design elements, pre-colonial styling, and Malaysian favourite dishes, Wondermama makes me think of simpler days as a child. 

Kuih, or Malaysian puddings exactly like the ones I bought in the school canteen for 50 cents each, in little plastic bags.

Sweets and candies I recognize from the sweet cart parked outside school. After hours students from ages 5 to 12 would gather and empty fistfuls of pocket money for these, the sweet cart was like the watering hole of the school children.

Sitting beneath the fan whirring between the skylights of my grandmothers' wooden houses, in quiet towns far away from the gleaming steel monsters of the city. The only sounds are chickens clucking, bicycle bells ringing, children laughing as they play safe & unobserved on quiet roads. China bowls filled to the brim with piping hot noodles, steam rising around me in the wet kitchen I'd navigate on wooden clogs. 

Nothing more romantic than a tepid rainy day in a tropical country...monsoon storms are warm, sticky, and the air smells light and fresh yet heady and almost sickly at the same time. I can't quite describe it...but I am drawn to that scent in the air.

Nasi goreng.

Curry laksa.

And the most delicious drink ever; three layer Pandan milk---

The iconic ais-krim potong (sliced ice-cream) goes artisan, modern, and seasonal.

Normally I'm wary of attempts to rebrand something steadfastly traditional to the trendy, Instagram-ing, hashtag-ing crowd...but Wondermama puts a modern spin on classic Malaysian favourites without losing any of it's quintessential qualities.

That is, languid, delicious, hearty, and simple. It's like soul food. But spicier. And updated for the blogging generation.  A happy common ground between 'trendy & modern' and 'classic & beloved'!

Maybe this old dog can learn new tricks...

xx

[poshbrokebored-blog-blog]

THE EATERTAINMENT MIGF TOUR---CIRCUS, PAVILLION K.L

Everytime I go to Kuala Lumpur I inevitably gain weight (which thankfully I lose not long after I return to London). It's not just the lifestyle; ie. driving door to door instead of walking around looking for taxis, and the hot, humid weather being unconducive to anything outdoorsy. It's the food. Malaysia is a smorgasboard of good eats; whether it's hawker fare eaten standing up from a push cart on the street, or a 10-course banquet at a Chinese wedding, or simply a dinner party with family & friends. 

That the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival is happening all of this month isn't helping either.

"Now into its 12th successive year, the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival was initiated in response to the industry's need for zest and a rejuvenation of the then very obscure fine dining scene. Though Malaysians have always enjoyed dining out, their overriding preference was for traditional restaurants and hawker food. Only a few fine dining restaurants existed for the simple reason there was not a large enough base of local diners to draw upon."

Every year participating restaurants across Kuala Lumpur entice & lure diners to the dark gourmet side with menus especially created for MIGF.

The Eatertainment Group invited me & my girlfriends on their MGIF tour to sample the festival menus of two of their restaurants; Al-Amar Lebanese Cuisine and Circus. Sadly we were beyond fashionably late thanks to horrendous rush-hour traffic and missed out on the Al-Amar tasting session, but we made it to Circus...!

We joined our dining companions; media, travel journalists, food bloggers, and lifestyle writers. 

While everyone sipped on their cocktails & glasses of bubbly I explored every crook & nanny...sorry, nook & cranny of Circus.

I loved the art; rebellious, defiant scribbling, with little reverence for the photography or surfaces it invaded. There was very much a street-art vibe that vaguely reminded me of propaganda, Vivienne Westwood, and the Loud Flash! British Punk on Paper exhibition (London, 2010). 

Messages scrawled in rough, almost childish hand glowed in the gentle dim of the restaurant from mirrors...

...and tables...

...and on walls.

In the presence of Warhol, Dali, and Saint Laurent.

Dali and I.

My girlies; Briekins & Michiekins.

The food...!

For our amuse bouche we had Parmesan Grissini with Bresaola. For this course we had a French 75, a cocktail made from gin, champagne, lemon juice, and sugar.

The parmesan was delightfully strong and flavourful; we could smell the rich scent wafting pass our shoulder as the waiters served us. Definitely one for the cheese lovers. 

Our appetizer, Chili Crab Cake with Organic Mixed Salad. Paired with La Palma, Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. Chili and Chile! Now say that twice as fast, backwards, thrice as fast, backwards again.

Spicy, tasty little morsels of creamy crab packed tightly with delicate wafers.

Here comes the starter. I adored this! Crispy Wild Mushroom Risotto. Our wine was a Terrazazs Chardonnay from Argentina.

Creamy, gooey, risotto packed with mushroomy goodness...fried on the outside. And the mushroom creme on the side...! Oh my god. It's like being punched in the mouth with Campbell's mushroom soup...in a good way.

We cleansed our palate with Lime Granite. It was every bit as refreshing and zesty as it's punchy green colour suggests. I could definitely have had more of that.

For mains we had a choice of cod fish or wagyu beef. 

Cod Fish with Truffle Butter Foam. Oh my cod! Paired with J Lohr Painter Bridge, Chardonnay, from California.

I've never been a fan of cooked fish, so I opted for the wagyu.

Wagyu Beef Tenderloin. Accompanied by a glass of Tyrells Moores Creek, Shiraz from Australia.

The meat was tender and juicy, the sauce flavoursome, but I would have preferred it to be less cooked. What can I say, I like my meat raw...

The stuffed potatoes were delicious but I couldn't eat enother bite; at this point I was fit to burst. And to think the rest of the media team had eaten a tasting menu at Al-Amar only right before Circus...it makes me slightly nauseous, just the thought of it.

But there is always room for dessert...! Especially creme brulee.

Lavender Crème Brûlée. Paired with Dr Loosen, Riesling Qualitatswein from Germany.

Creme brulee. Infused with lavender. What else is there to say? Creme brulee makes everything better in the world.

With Chef David from Spain, the star of the show!

Malaysia International Gourmet Festival is running till the end of this month, during which you can try all the dishes above at Circus! Ask for the festival menu.

The full festival menu is RM278++ per person with wine and RM168++ without.

Now if you will excuse me I have 500 sit ups to do. Thank you Eatertainment Group for a most enjoyable evening, and for protecting my non-existent six-pack with a layer of (happy) fat. 

♥