life in 553

This book is so enjoyable just to read. Imagine how satisfying it’ll be to embark on the projects!

I really enjoyed reading the chapter “exploring color”. It’s a well-written introduction to colour and includes a wee bit about fabric prints. Hoverson explains the concept of colour with none of the scientist-unfriendly technical jargon of artists. “Related”, “Complementary” and “True” are as technical as she gets. She happily tells you that a true colour is “nothing more than a concept”. How sweet. Hoverson’s concise writing is much more informative than Elizabeth Zimmerman’s verbose prose (in the Knitter’s Almanac). Unlike Zimmerman who concludes that the appeal of colours is subjective to the individual, Hoverson inspires by encouraging her readers to explore the relationship between colours and to the recipient. I suppose what sets the two writers apart is the 33 years between the birth of each book and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Yale.

Elsewhere, she writes, “I recommend that you give yourself as much time as possible to finish each project so that you can enjoy the process…”. These words convicted me of my worst offense - impatience. I’m both goal-oriented and a perfectionists (read: numerous abandoned projects). This is the worst combination to have if one aspires to be a successful craftster. I am always way too eager to see the finished product and once I screw up a little, I move on to something else. I just can’t deal with blemishes. Even that one stitch that is facing the wrong direction irks me by screaming “I’M HERE BUT YOU CAN’T FIX ME!”. I’m determined to make a conscious effort from now on to “enjoy the process”.

Patience and Discipline.

Felting, more accurately called fulling, to distinguish it from “needle felting”, fascinates me! Today I dumbed my first 100% wool swatch into a basin full of hot water with biological detergent. Then I swirled, kneaded, squeezed, agitated and abused the swatch for a good 3 minutes. I got this hairy mess, I guess it would have been more solid if I continued abusing it for a while longer. Also, I’m suppose to be using washing up liquid but I was too lazy to go to the kitchen. Hand felting is very therapeutic indeed.

I WANT TO GO SKIING AGAIN.

Before I turned sixteen, I was disagreeable to eating leftover food. I’m glad that I’ve moved on from there. Now, I am a lazy student who cooks in batches for 2-3days. I stumbled upon Love Food Hate Waste, a website campaigning for less food wastage by easy and practical means. It is not difficult to believe that a third of food bought in the UK is thrown away. Even in student accommodation, food is being thrown away. And mind you, students are unquestionably the thriftiest, most frugal people. The website comments that the amount of food we throw away is a major contributor to the production of greenhouse gases in the UK. CO2 emission by food wastage = CO2 emission by 20% of cars.

My motivation for reducing food wastage is, regrettably, much less noble…£££ is all I want to save. Nevertheless, I find my newfound habit which subscribes to the “Only Buy What You Need” philosophy to be effective in reducing food wastage. I only buy what I need for a week, even if it always seems cheaper to buy that extra kilogram of fruit.

Enough of me! Do check out Love Food Hate Waste for great recipes which make use of leftover food and fruits & veg that are on the brink of, uh, decomposition (?).

I feel challenged to be more aware of my environment. Cindy and Hoi will be proud.

After an unfruitful day out on Princes Street, Edinburgh’s main shopping street, I understood why people visit Singapore with the sole purpose of shopping. I walked from West End to East End, then snaked back up onto St Andrew’s Square and George Street in 4 hours - NO luck at all.

This pair of Carvela shoes I saw at Kurt Geiger were the closest I got to buying something.

I am also sorry to say that Harvey Nichols, the “international luxury lifestyle store” is nothing more than substandard. I’m the kind of shopper who doesn’t mind paying for the shopping experience. In fact, I value a great store layout more than good service. To put it plainly and crudely, Harvey Nichols’ store layout suckssssss balls. It is true that I can’t afford the Balenciagas and Pradas and Marc Jacobs but I wouldn’t buy anything from Harvey Nichols even if I had the money because these luxury items are displayed on very 1990 glass-toped tables, OG style <—Singapore’s one-stop Aunty Shop. For goodness sakes, why can’t you just do that bit more and elevate them to eye-level! Excuse my ranting. This is post is suppose to be about Singapore.

I really miss Ngee Ann City, also affectionately known as “Takashimaya” or “Taka” after the Japanese department store it houses. In my opinion, Ngee Ann City is the BEST mall in Singapore. The stores include those which the atas (upstairs for Malay, commonly used to described people who are “high-class”) crowd frequent - LV, Gucci, Channel, Hermes, Fendi, Dior, Boss, Tiffany & Co., Zenga to name a few, yet does not neglect young adults and students who are on much stricter budgets - AX, Zara, Mango, M.A.C, Country Road, Guess, Ted Baker……AND THE FOOD, oh the glorious food in Taka, there must be about 5 different Crystal Jades, Angus House, Pasta Cafe, blah blah, and the Takashimaya basement food hall! Yummy snacks like Takopachi and Beard Papa cream puffs. Taka also evokes a sense of nostalgia because P and I used to hang out there so often when we were little 13 year-olds since it was only a 5min walk from her place ): I miss that quite a bit. Having said that, Ade and Pam: I am very sorry to hear that Cool Station closed down. I know how much you loved that place because I had to drag my ass along Orchard Road ever so often so that you two can get your fix. Perhaps, if I dare suggest, IT IS TIME TO GROW OUT OF BUBBLE TEA!

So here’s a mini list of my favourite places to hang out in Taka:

1. Kinokuniya - Craftsters alert! Japanese instruction books at reasonable prices! High quality stationery and just about any English/ Chinese/ Japanese book.

2. Pedder Red - Baby sister of On Pedder with none of the cut-throat prices. Where I got my bestest pair of DNKY sneakers which I wore to death. Bottom line is, you get what you pay for.

3. Toast - yummy sandwiches, salads, soups, muffins, muffins, coffee, did I say muffins already? A bit tricky to find, locate Stuart Weitzman then walk through the double doors (on the right) as though you are walking out of the building, then look right.

4. The Better Toy Store - ingenious toys.

5. Art Friend, Creative Hands and Book Binders

My list can go on forever, unfortunately, it is 9.20am and the timetable on my wall is screaming STUDY OR DIE. Please please please come visit Singapore and Taka which I am oddly proud of.