Travel Tales: A Very Quick Visit to Sydney, Australia

Paris B 7 Comments

Last month, I was given an unexpected privilege by Olay to join a few other Asian bloggers in Sydney, Australia. I didn’t quite share any travel tales from there because I actually didn’t have many! It was a very busy 2 days there working and despite it being Summer, Sydney was hit by a cold spell! Just for the 2 days I was there – what were the odds eh? 😛

But few sights seen or not, I thought I’d share them anyway. I didn’t spend any extra time coz I headed down to Melbourne the day after the activities ended, so this is the little I saw of Sydney 🙂

sydney harbour

I took a walk down Pyrmont Bridge from the Darling Hotel where I stayed, and on my last day there, it was a hot and sunny day! So that was quite perfect for me to hang around the Harbour.

I’ll have some pictures for you so I’ll cut the chatter and just show you what I saw ok? 🙂

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Scrumptious Weekend Vol. 29 : Getting a little Cointreau, Cointreau, Cointreau-versial

Paris B 17 Comments

A week ago, I was invited by a friend to go sip some Cointreau (pronounced ‘kwan-trou’) and find out a little more about it. It was a purely social event but I had so much fun, I thought heck, let’s just blog it anyway. Partly because it’s fun to not have obligations to blog about something, but want to do so for the fun of it. Partly so I’d remember a recipe or two of the cocktails mixed that day that passed pretty much in a blur after a while LOL!

cointreau cocktails

The interesting bit was getting to meet also, the brand representative, who is a 6th generation Monsieur Cointreau. For some reason that amuses me. How many of us can walk up to a brand and say “My great-great-great-great-great-grandad created that!”

Cointreau is a clear liqueur distilled from a mixture of bitter and sweet orange peels and turns cloudy when mixed with water or when the temperature drops so, it’ll turn cloudy when water or ice is introduced. It’s really fascinating, if things like this fascinate you. It sure did me, because I was familiar with the square squat bottle but not familiar with the drink myself. There’re a couple of recipes I picked up below, if you’d like to whip something up for the festive season 😛

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Cath Kidston brings Modern Vintage to Malaysia with their first store in Kuala Lumpur

Paris B 19 Comments

Goodness me! Beauty and fashionistas in Malaysia have been so spoilt recently with the introduction of so many new and popular beauty and fashion brands, I’m so afraid to wake up and find out it’s a dream LOL Pinch me!

On second thoughts, don’t pinch me. I bruise easily.

cath kidston malaysia

The newest brand I’m aware of to enter our market is UK fashion brand, Cath Kidston. Any fans in the house? 😀

Cath Kidston is most famous for her vintage designs or what they call “Modern Vintage”, being the use of vintage English heritage prints on modern items. The most popular print that is easily identified with Cath Kidston is the rose, which was one of her earliest designs.

I hestitate to peg Cath Kidston as just fashion because aside from bags and pouches (I honestly thought that was all there is!) there are many household items too, if you’re into that sort of design. I personally am not into the vintage or shabby chic look, but I can’t deny feeling a bit of nostalgia looking at the prints. I can just see the apron hanging from the door of a white kitchen cabinet in the traditional English style, a tea pot on the table, biscuits on the side…

So let me take you on a quick tour of what is supposed to be the region’s largest Cath Kidston store for now, previously housed in MidValley Megamall, KL 🙂 Update 2016: The Cath Kidston store at Mid Valley Megamall is now closed. 

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Travel Tales: Putting up at The Darling Hotel, Sydney Australia

Paris B 22 Comments

Sigh. This was supposed to have gone up yesterday but you know how it is with technology. You never know when it’ll trip you up and leave you with egg on your face! That said, maybe it was providential because I actually didn’t have a post scheduled for today haha! Guess it all works out eh?

For my quick trip to Sydney, I was put up at The Darling Hotel, which is a new hotel attached to The Star, a casino and shopping complex down on Pyrmont St, near Darling Harbour. I’m told that at time of writing, it is just 18 months old! I’m not sure if I’d be able to put up here again (far too out of my budget!) but it was a nice experience.

The darling hotel sydney

This here is the Junior Suite and the bed was humongous! Also very high. I felt like the Princess and the Pea as i climbed up lol! The room is pretty large, with a sitting area, a small kitchenette and importantly, a Nespresso machine! YES!
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