The Proposal - Prelude

It is my personal belief that every girl deserves a memorable proposal.

It doesn't have to be anything fancy or complicated, but definitely something to remember and smile on for the years to come.

A great story that we can tell our kids, instead of "so daddy and mummy's been going out for a while and we decided to get married".

Or something to share (and maybe show off a little *winks*) with our girlfriends so we can all tilt our heads to the right and go "awwwwwwww!".

This might be a bit foreign for the gentlemen, but for us ladies, our favourite question to ask whenever we hear about engagement news is always "How did he propose?" *Inserts big hopeful eyes*

Followed by "How does the ring look like?" *Inserts wide sparkly eyes*

And of course, lots of OMG's and ohh's and ahh's. Yes, that's what we girls do.

It is, afterall, an once in a lifetime experience, to say 'YES" to the most important question in our lives.

If we were to commit the rest of our lives to one man, it is only fair for us to expect a little sincerity and effort. Yes?

It doesn't have to be the typical "cliché" proposal.

We don't necessarily need extravagant dinners, expensive flowers or the classic on-bended-knee-in-public proposal.

And we totally understand that not everyone can fly us out to a secluded island on private jet, or have words written all over the sky.

At the end of the day, it's the thoughts that count. The rest of the little things, they're really just icing on the cake.

A personal and genuine proposal of love is more romantic than what money can buy.

Dermalogica Skincare Haul

I've vowed to not hoard up more unnecessary skincare products or be talked into buying things I don't need by sales people.

Let's face it, I've never continuously used any skincare product for more than a week. That's how lazy and "persistent" I am.

This is a girl who's been summarising the 3 step cleansing-toning-moisurising routine into a single rinsing-with-water-and-off-she-goes step in the morning, and going to sleep with her makeup on at night.

(Psst, wanna know a secret? It's easy to pull that off before the age of 21, but as one steps into late twenties, not so easy!)

The latter, because, well, I have difficulties saying no to people. Needless to say, I'm an easy prey for sales people and they know it! They jump on me like sharks in a feeding frenzy.

Having said that, I must defend my latest purchase from Dermalogica.

First of all, yours truly finally realised that she's not getting any younger and her skin is now paying for her irresponsible behaviours for the past 20 odd years.

Secondly, I've left all my skincare products and cosmetics (except a few pieces of necessities) in Melbourne.

So now, a new beauty wadrobe is in order.

Starting with Dermal Clay Cleanser, Daily Microfoliant, Gentle Cream Exfoliant, and Skin Hydrating Masque by Dermalogica.

More to follow.

Suggestions are more than welcome. :)

Baby Steps

As requested. :)

*The picture has been removed*

Flowers for ROM - Part 2

During my first visit to the florist, green hydrangeas were suggested to be the filler flowers for my bouquet.

I wasn't too keen on the idea of having filler flowers, but because of my inability to say no to sales people, I agreed anyway.

I'm rather fond of green flowers, so I guess that made it better.

Few days later, I picked out the blue pair of Martinez Valero slingbacks as my shoes for ROM, and this gorgeous baby blue shirt by Ermenegildo Zegna for Bee.

Purely coincidental.

But I guess it goes without saying that if there was gonna be a theme colour for our ROM, it should be blue.

So the day before the ceremony, I popped by the florist again to cancel the green hydrangeas.

MisSmall: Hi, remember me?
Florist: Of course! You have a bouquet to pick up tomorrow, yes?
MisSmall: (Thinking to myself: Wow, that's good memory.)

Before I could said anything, the florist continued.

Florist: You wanted me to add a lot of curly frilly things to your bouquet mah! I remember that.
MisSmall: What?! What curly frilly things?
Florist: You said you wanted it to look like a bird nest, remember?
MisSmall: (I nearly choked!) No, I never wanted a bird nest. You must have mistaken me for someone else.
Florist: No, it was definitely you. You want pearls and crystals too, right?
MisSmall: Nooooooooo.....DEFINITELY not me. I'm the one who wanted a REALLY simple bouquet, without any crystals, pearls, or bird nest.

Still insisting that I'm the customer who ordered the bouquet with "the lot", the florist then showed me a picture of the floral arrangement she was talking about.

I then realised that by "curly frilly things", she was actually referring to using curly willows as the collar of the bouquet. And it wasn't a small collar, I'm telling ya!

I think I'd remember if I actually requested for a "bird nest"? Don't you think?

When we finally got that outta the way, I asked for the green hydrangeas to be changed to something blue and small.

We browsed through the flowers available at that time and there was nothing blue, but the sweet florist promised that she will try to come up with something.

Still recovering from the shock about the possibility of me carrying a bird-nest-like bouquet, I emphasized, for the umpteenth time, that I wouldn't mind if she couldn't find any blue flowers. I'll be happy with just a small bouquet of plain ivory roses, WITHOUT any frilly stuff.

Before I left the florist, I made sure I reminded her again, "So, no crystals, pearls or curly stuff for me yeah?"

Now, a piece of advice for all the bride-to-be's - always ALWAYS double check your order with your florist.

You know what they say, one bride's bouquet is another bride's poison. :P

This is close to what I had in mind (minus the crazy leafy business)

Or this

Flowers for ROM - Part 1

My hand bouquet was only ordered a few days before our ROM.

Am I the only person who didn't know that most brides actually bring a bouquet to ROM?

I've just always thought that ROM is a simple and quick ceremony for formality purpose, and hence all we need to do is to show up to sign the legal papers.

But I lluurrvveee flowers, so I ain't complaining. *Grins*

On the Monday before our ROM, I did a quick search online and found a florist that's close to us.

Made a quick dash to pick my flowers on the way to lunch.

I was running late for my hair appointment and only had 10 minutes to spare, so the following conversation was carried out in a fast-forwarded speed.

MisSmall: I need a bouquet for ROM.
Florist: What kind of bouquet are you looking for?
MisSmall: Um.....*Pauses* *Pauses*
Florist: A bridal bouquet?
MisSmall: Yes......I guess so. (Thinking to myself: I hope she doesn't think I'm stoopid.)
Florist: So what kind of bridal bouquet do you have in mind?
MisSmall: Um.....*Pauses* *Pauses* (Silently panicking, because I had no idea!)
Florist: What is your theme colour?
MisSmall: Um.....*More pauses* *More pauses* (I don't have one! Am I a bad bride?)

I really should have given it some thought before I marched into a florist acting like a dumb blonde who can't tell her toes apart, shouldn't I?

The pleasant young florist showed me some of their designs to give me ideas, but nothing jumped out at me.

So I told her that I wanted something really simple.

Nothing over the top, and definitely nothing fussy.

The bouquet should also be small so it won't look too overwhelming on my petite frame.

I decided on a simple, hand-tied bouquet with ivory roses. The evenly cut stems should be casually wrapped in a white satin ribbon. None of those decorative ribbon bows or lace collars, and definitely no funny leafy business.

The flowers should look like they've just been freshly picked from the garden.

Simple, elegant, and tasteful.

Day 1 of Married Life

Our first day as a legally married couple.

Do we feel any different?

Well, yes and no.

We actually thought we wouldn't feel anything different since we've been going out for so long and lived together whenever we're in the same city.

He already knew what I look like in the morning with bare face and frizzy hair, so no one is gonna get shocked there. Haha.

Much to our surprise, we woke up this morning feeling a little odd.

It's not anything bad, just.....um, different?

It's a feeling that I can't explain.

Well, try, I will.

Imagine if your passport was taken away and you're prohibited from leaving the country for the next 12 months. Even if you didn't plan on traveling abroad anyway, you kinda feel confined? It's like all of a sudden you're aware of the restrictions and you go, "Ooo, I can't go anywhere now."

Okay, that's not a very good analogy. It sounded like we feel trapped huh? Haha.

It's nothing like that, I assure you. It's more like a sudden realisation that your status had changed and there's more responsibility involved now.

We're still us. Just married. :)

So, what did the newlyweds do today?

Well, we came back from watching the opening ceremony of Beijing Olympics at Bee's parents' place real late last night, so we slept in a little this morning.

Woke up just in time for brunch at Delicious @ Bangsar Village II. I was having serious cravings for bacon and eggs with sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, hash browns, sausages, grilled tomatoes.....you get the idea, the whole big breakky!

The cafe lives up to its name in offering great food and a lively ambience for brunch. Bee was very happy with his oxtail pasta, but they added way too much butter in my scrambled eggs that I felt sick after 2 bites. And my orange tea tasted like watered-down OJ. -_-

Did a little furniture shopping at this Balinese-inspired furniture shop along Jalan Maarof. I was looking for a decorative wooden bowl like the one we left behind in Hobart. Alas, nothing caught my eye.

So we returned home, had our afternoon nap and enjoyed a quiet Saturday.

How's married life?

Surreal, but nice.

Officially Married

I'm now Mrs T.

Officially.

:)

The Night Before

It's the night before our ROM.

Our last night as boyfriend and girlfriend, as Bee calls it.

And I can barely keep my eyes open.

We spent the whole day shopping with my parents, who just flew in to KL this morning.

I haven't walked this much in a long long time. And boy do I feel worn out!

My feet are so sore that it hurts to stretch my toes.

But worry not, by hook or by crook, they'll fit into my something-blue slingbacks with 3.5" heels tomorrow.

As Carrie Bradshaw once said, "These shoes pinch my feet, but I love them!"

Bee and I had a little "dress rehearsal" when we got home. Him in his suit and new tie; me in my dress and killer heels.

As we stood in front of the mirror, we still found it hard to believe that we're actually getting married tomorrow. It only seemed like yesterday that we both decided to meet up with a stranger from the net.

I was once called a dreamer for wanting to marry a guy whose eyes light up every time I walk into the room.

Tomorrow, my dream comes true.

After nearly 5 years, the stars in our eyes still sparkle like the day we met. And I pray with all my heart that this will always be the case till we're both old and wrinkly.

So goodnight, my dearest boyfriend.

I'll see you in the morning.

T-Minus 2 Days

Two more days till our ROM.

My parents are flying in tomorrow.

It's a pity that they're only staying for a night. They have to rush back to Swan City right after the ceremony due to work obligations.

A prior arrangement didn't come through because of some irresponsible employees who backed out last minute, so their return flight has to be pushed forward.

Both of my brothers are not gonna be there too. Long is in Apple Isle; and Yu, who was supposed to come with my parents, now has to stay back in Swan City to man the office on behalf of my parents so they could take the 2 days off.

To tell you the truth, I'm a little disappointed.

I console myself by thinking that it's only a quick ceremony to sign the papers, anyway, so I guess it's not that big a deal.

Oh well.

Today was spent ticking things off our to-do list, and running some errands for my parents since their trip has to be cut short.

First we had to collect my new I.C. from Putrajaya. I needed to change my address to a Selangor address so Bee and I could both submit our application forms for ROM at Putrajaya.

Next stop was to buy orchid keikis that my mum wanted from KL, and to pick up Bee's suit and my pashminas from the dry cleaner in PJ.

Then, it was off to a health food store in Subang to source organic wheatberries and wheatgrass powder for mum.

Oh, guess what I found at the health food shop?

Liquid chlorophyll!!

Remember the hype about this plant extract when super model Megan Gale revealed that it was the secret behind her glowing skin? (If not, read here.)

After that interview, liquid chlorophyll was sold out in Melbourne overnight! Young girls were scouting through every health food store and pharmacy, hoping to get their hands on a bottle of this dark green drink.

I don't necessarily believe that this is the secret pathway to Miss Gale's flawless skin, but maybe it's worth a try even if it's just for the antioxidant and detoxifying properties.

After a hectic day running around, I fell into a deep slumber the instant my head hit the pillow.

When I woke up from the much-needed nap, I found a rare sight of my soon-to-be husband cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

A very special dinner for us, he said.

And I was sent to the room to wait till dinner is served.

From the rate he's going, I guess we'll be having a very late supper instead. Haha.

Tai-Tai in Training

Finally kept my facial appointment with Leonard Drake today after canceling on them twice.

And I needed to get my eyebrows shaped and trimmed. I've always envied girls who can do that themselves, coz I seriously lack talent in that department.

Or maybe I'm just plain lazy. Hehe.

After the facial, I rushed to get a manicure and pedicure before meeting Bee for afternoon tea.

These were all the things that I couldn't do when I was working full time in Melbourne, and now I remember why.

They take up a lot of time!

Over my iced tea, I joked to Bee that I'm trying out a new career path - as a professional tai-tai.

With an organiser full of beauty appointments and social events, getting all dolled up to have lunch with husband, worrying about hair and nails and redecorating the house, going shopping and furniture hunting on hubby's credit card, having tea and jewellery shopping on weekdays, inspecting new properties over the weekend, and taking trips whenever possible.

Quite honestly, I'm not sure if I'm cut out for it.

Sure it's fun for a change from working 7 days a week, but it kinda gets boring after a while. And I'm not kidding when I say that it could be more tiring than working full time.

Let's see how long I can keep this up huh?

In the meanwhile, let's take a look at my newly painted nails.

The good ol' French tips

This is how they looked like when I got home

And this is 30 minutes later :|

I wanted a light cotton candy pink on my toe nails

Close up, it looked a lil more like a-stripper-named-Candy kind of pink

Shoe Shopping

I dragged Bee outta bed at 10am this morning to go shoe shopping.

I needed a new pair of heels to go with the dress for our ROM.

We spent the whole day rampaging through 3 major shopping malls - One Utama, KLCC, and KL Pavilion, only to come home empty-handed.

I guess I don't shop too well under pressure. Or with specific targets in mind.

Moreover, it really wasn't fair to all the other shoes when I'm still hung up on these beauties.

Manolo Blahnik Sedaraby pumps in Silver

Manolo Blahnik Hangisi pumps in royal blue

Every other pair of heels that I saw today just seemed to be pale in comparison when I think of these babies.

"Some people are settling down, some people are settling and some people refuse to settle for anything less than butterflies." ~ Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City)

And today, I just wasn't ready to settle for something that didn't excite me enough.

I did, however, had a pretty good time at Jimmy Choo in KLCC.

I think I gasped a little when the sales assistant took out a pair of Damon slingbacks in ivory to show me. I didn't even know that they come in any other colour apart from black and sapphire.

I slipped them on in size 35.5, they fitted like a glove! So I pranced around in the shop, refusing to take them off.

Fortunately, before I pull out my (or Bee's) credit card, my remaining sanity caught up with me. I had to stick to my decision to reserve all things ivory and white for the actual wedding day. Also, as pretty as these were, ivory doesn't really go well with my silver dress for ROM.

That, and because the price tag was a whopping RM5K! Luxury goods in Malaysia are seriously overpriced.

Jimmy Choo was having a massive sale though. They had a huge collection (all 3 walls of them) of shoes up for sale at 50% off. And it was the last day!

After a quick browse, I narrowed down my choices to the black Doll point-toe pumps (down to RM14xx) and the black Betsy leather pumps (down to RM12xx).

Jimmy Choo Doll point-toe pumps

Jimmy Choo Betsy leather pumps

Not for our ROM, obviously. I just couldn't resist the 50% off. At less than AU$500 a pop, they were a steal!

I was more leaning towards the satin Doll pumps with Swarovski crystals, leather lining, suede sole and 4" self-covered heel. I'm biased towards pointy-toe pumps.

However, from a practical point of view, I'll get more wear outta the 3.9" Betsy leather pumps as day shoes, instead of the evening shoes that the Doll pumps are. I wasn't too sure about the gold bit on the heels of Betsy though.

I suppose I can get them both to save the trouble deciding, but they kinda lack that "umph factor" for me to go crazy over. I was merely blinded by the discounts.

So blinded that I had completelt forgotten that I'm a slack who has zero income at the moment. -_-

While sipping my celery juice at lunch, I asked Bee, "How proud would you be of me if I chose not to buy any of them?"

"Hmm, pretty proud, but I won't be too surprised though. Neither of them made your eyes sparkle like how they normally do when you see something you really like." He said.

Point taken.

So I ended up not getting either of them. My self control has improved tremendously! I'm so proud of myself. Hehe.

And the search goes on, for the perfect pair of heels for our ROM.

Something Blue

The Manolo Blahnik Hangisi pumps.

Some called it the fifth star in the movie. But hey, let's not forget that we already have a fifth leading lady - New York! The city's role has been irreplaceable since episode 1 of the TV series.

After all, it is about Sex and THE CITY.

Having said that, this amazing pair of shoes sure did play a vital part in the movie.

First for Carrie to mark her territory in the walk-in closet Mr Big built for her in their new penthouse; then the heart-melting Cinderella moment when Mr Big proposed and slipped on the shoes for Carrie; and last but not least, as Carrie's "something blue" when she said her vows to the love of her life, Mr John James Preston, at their private City Hall wedding.

The original pair of Hangisi was custom-made by Manolo Blahnik for the glass-slipper plot twist in the film. Perhaps, as a token of appreciation for making Manolo a household name?

It truly is a beautiful piece of art. My breath was caught in my chest the first time I laid eyes on them.

The royal blue is strikingly vibrant, and the oversized sparkly rhinestone brooch adds a delicate touch of vintage elegance. Oh, the timeless charm!

The Hangisi has been sold out since its debut at the New York Manolo Blahnik boutique on June 9. Manolo Blahnik USA president, George Malkemus, says that sixty pairs of the US$885 shoes flew off shelves on the film's opening day, and there are now over 400 names on the company's waiting list.

Neiman Marcus offers their version of this shoe as the Manolo Blahnik Something Blue Satin Pumps. It is of a much brighter satin in Cobalt blue, 4 1/4" covered heel, identical silvertone hardware and crystal brooch, but a higher price tag at US $945.

Pricey, yes. But one can't put a price on art, yes?

(I'm THIS close to pulling out my credit card, believe you me.)

However, for the sake of my extended break from work, I can't just blow a thousand bucks on a pair of shoes.

Or, can I? *Tenting fingertips like Mr Burns*

Sex and the City - The Movie

After waiting patiently (and eagerly) for 4 long years, the movie is here. Finally!

If you haven't already noticed, yours truly is a die hard fan of the series. Bee's amazed by my ability to recite lines from every single episode of all the six seasons.

And all the anticipation, the movie just has to start showing in Australia the day after I left Melbourne. >_<

Coincidentally, it hit the big screen in Malaysia the day after I got back to KL from Swan City.

I'm less than thrilled to have to watch a censored version though. Not that I'm really interested in excessive vulgarity or raunchy sex scenes, it's just annoying to have bits and pieces cut out from the movie. It kinda feels, incomplete?

I mean, come on, no kissing scenes in an 18PL movie? You gotta be kidding me! Make it 21PL if you must, but how is Prince Charming able to rescue Snow White if he can't kiss her on the lips?

Oh well, just my 2 cents worth. *Shrugs*

Anyhoo, the movie.

To be honest, I shouldn't even review it because I'll be totally biased.

Yes, I have to admit that the movie did feel more like a summarised Season 7 of the TV show, but it also delivered everything that was expected of it. Fashion, drama, the everlasting friendship between the girls, fashion, ups and downs in relationships, lifestyle in NYC, and, did I say fashion already?

To me, personally, it wasn't just another movie on a Friday night. It was more like a reunion with 4 dear friends whom I've known for a long long time.

And I thoroughly enjoyed it.