Dress You Up in My Loves!!!

Cleaning up my Photo memory on the iPhone and came across all these cool vases I have managed to pick up, here and there, since trading up to the iPhone 5 back in March of this year..,  so far I have a total of 12!!!

This Fun Jimmy Liao vase was the first one I got...  

This one is a fave illustration from this Popular Taiwanese artist...

Marc Jacobs: first designer outfit for the iPhone!  

Some Eclectic Designs!

Monkeying Around with Baby Milo!

SNOOPY!!!

A gift from Sue n Cecilia from  their last Japan Trip!

These two are acquired from two different Manila trips!

The latest addition:  yellow Rubber Duck is quite popular these days...  

Since the Giant Yellow Duck landed in the Taiwan shores..

IKEA - More Than Just A Furniture Place: Part II

Over the years I have gone and visited IKEA shops, whenever there is one, in my travels... I always find it exciting to see the latest offerings from this SCANDINAVIANS furniture shop... it is always AMAZING to see how simple they make everything for people to DIY to make their home even much more cooler, stylish and functional...
Here in Taiwan, there's a couple of IKEA shops that I go to now and again... Taipei & Kaohsiung... every visit something new... something exciting... not only in the furniture offering department but the highlited room designs on display... ideas on how to make your place - no matter how tiny - cool & cozy.... It never ceases to AMAZE me how many shops & boutiques I have been in and recognize IKEA goods... even our Taipei home is filled with IKEA stuff...


But nowadays, IKEA, offers soooo much more to the family -- that is has actually become a regular hangout for family and friends.... both IKEA shops in Taiwan has now expanded their restaurants -- their menus run a gamut of choices - local and internationally flavored... and at such AFFORDABLE prices.... the menus changes almost every two weeks as well , so people can keep coming back again and again...For me, the BEST part is that they also offer FREE WIFI connection.... so, whenever am in KAOHSIUNG - IKEA Breakfast trip is a total must for The Wus and myself... we go quite early armed with our own individual laptops - not only do I get CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST with limited supply of COFFEE, TEA or SODAS - I get to check in on my emails, do a bit of computer work, and even BLOG for a good couple of hours.... Ali for a special price of NT$39 (roughly $1.10US or 60 Php)... how can you beat that??? even going to regular Internet Cafe anywhere in TAIWAN would have costed me the same for just an hour... with no meal of beverage to boot....

So, next time your traveling and come across an IKEA shop - be sure to go in and check it out... you just might be surprised with all the AMENITIES they offer their guests...

NOTE: though there is no time limit as to how long you can stay, they do not provide sockets for your computers... so always make sure your battery is full for MAXIMUM WIFI CONNECTION!

Colour My World

Spring Fling: With the nicer weather already becoming more and more visible in Taipei... it is time once again to put away the jackets, sweaters and scarves, and to bring out the lite coats, tees, shorts in all lengths....

Couple this with being told to stick to bright colors for the year, after having my sign read - am all ready for a totally new WARDROBE MAKEOVER... adding colors, bright colors but still sticking to a few black, grey & white classic pieces....

Of course, I first look to my tried and true FAVES... so here's a few looks I have my eyes on...
Lacoste & PS by Paul Smith

Now, if I can only win that LOTTO already....

Coach Again!

Parker Joins Penelope!!! As I got the 2nd figure offered through the Marie Claire Magazine... Now all I need is Katy & Zoe... God Only knows where I might find them though - as I cannot find info anywhere telling me where to look... boo hoo.... Still am quite HAPPY as now I have three, including the COACH EVENT SPECIAL - as I Previously Blogged..
The Line Up. One is a MYSTERY design.

What a TREAT!!!

Just got home from dinner with the gals (Juliana, Sue & Cecilia -- David, too!) and am soooo ecstatic.... Sue & Cecila gifted me with this SPECIAL bear issued for COACH, Taiwan...
Only yesterday, while at the bookstore, I came across an issue of Marie Claire with a FREE GIFT of the same bear but in a different style... it seems for the magazine there were 4 styles issued (3 pictured and 1 a MYSTERY surprise) -- randomly, one accompanies each issue sold.... and as an added BONUS, this particular issue has my FAVE Taiwanese Actress, Shu Qi on the cover!!! The one I got from the Marie Claire issue I purchased.

It seems, earlier today happened to be COACH's VIP Fashion Show as well, which the gals attended... at the show, there was also a VIP SALE in which, with a purchase of NT$20,000 (about $600US) you are GIFTED the SPECIAL Bear made just for the event... and since Sue & Cecilia are such Coach fanatics, they were able to get 3with their total purchases... and tonite over dinner, am LUCKY enough to be gifted of one of them!!!Thanks Again Sue & Cecilia!!!

Holy Cow, Batman!!! It's A Cow Invasion!!!

Wednesday afternoon, I took time off in the middle of the day to check out the Cow Parade Exhibition in Taipei. This Global Phenomenon, Cow Parade, has been around for quite some time now and have been shown all over the World. It is the first time it has come to Taiwan. And what PERFECT TIMING -- as The Year of the Ox is just around the corner... am also glad that I have taken the time to see it as it is only running till the 1st of Feb. Would hate to have missed this one... upon arriving to the venue, Hua Shan Yi Wen Xhiong Xing Museum, I was already greeted by a few life size cows surrounding the area... then giant posters of the Exhibition to truly entice passers by and exhibition goers... I knew right away it was going to be a FUN EXHIBIT!!!

What a GREAT Exhibition -- even if you are not into cows... Colorful, Creative, Artsy, Inventive, and FUN!!! It will be sooo hard to choose a FAVE as there was just way too many GREAT ones -- I say GREAT as all of them are GOOD... All cows exhibited are done mostly by local artists - famous, not so famous, and wanna bees... am told that various well known artists/designers were invited to participate; while design students were ask to submit their entry and the chosen one goes on to realized their design sketches...

It was GREAT that I was able to hook up with a couple of curators, I call them Cow Buddies, as they were so kind to walk me through the exhibitions and answer a lot of my questions - in Chinese and English. They made it much easier for me to make sense of it all.. and Jenny even was kind enough to snap a few photos for me - as my cam battery died towards the end.

4 Large rooms of cows... in their different splendours... some of the Highlights for me are the following:
-Coming across Miss Fashion Queen, done by a local clothing designer friend, Goji Lin
-Running into a studio where HK artist and Illustrator, Lee Chi CHing, was working on his special cow. He was kind enough to invite me in, so i was able to talk with him, photograph his cow before it got put on display, and snap a few photos of him in action.
-The fact that unlike most exhibitions where photo snapping is prohibited - it was very much welcomed here.

It would be GREAT to have one of these for my collection - I would LOVE IT... At the end of the Exhibition run, some will be returned to the designers, some as permanent exhibit at the Taipei 101 (a big sponsor for the exhibition) and some will auctioned of to benefit various local charities -- sadly, am sure they will all be out of my budget...

So if you are in Taiwan between now and Feb 1st, be sure to check it out... A FUN Day Is Guaranteed!!! If not, hope you ENJOY the photos I have taken here.

"I Knew Him When..."

well, this one tops my Springtime Travel Itinerary -- for sure!!!

Watching Mr Obama's Inauguration on TV earlier today (feeling Patriotic here)... and was admiring Michelle Obama's gown -- Lo and Behold, all of a sudden I was getting emails from friends telling me that the gown is done by none other than a very good friend, Jason Wu -- actually one of my very first friends upon moving to Taipei.

Am not one to drop names but this one I cannot pass up on -- as am more excited and elated for The talented Mr Wu, himself! WHAT A COUP AND ACCOMPLISHMENT -- AND VERY MUCH WELL DESERVED!!! BRAVO!!!

Go Go Go Mr Wu... and Pls Do Remember Us - your Loyal Friends!!!
You can see more of Mr Wu's designs here: Jason Wu Fall 2008

Feast on a "Spoonflower" of Fabrics

As most of you know, I collect just about everything... travels always entails perusing through the Antique shops, toy stores, and fabric shops... love seeing what's new and exciting... and of course, true to my nature, what's RETRO...

Today I got an email from a good friend in New York, Mike Dawson, he entered a design a fabric contest through SPOONFLOWER, a site that helps and encourages one to create/design your own patterns... Was just going to take time to see the entries and log in my VOTE - instead found myself going through pages and pages of fun, creative, artsy, gaudy, colorful design patterns... I LOVE IT ALL!!!My Friend, Mike's entry to the current contest.
If you ask me, this is such a wonderful idea -- perfect for those who are sooo particular when it comes to their curtains, beddings, etc... I mean, how often do we go in search of the perfect patterns to match our home needs... This place will certainly fix that. Check It Out and be sure to VOTE for my friend's entry -- LM by Mike Dawson: Spoonflower