I Didn't Want To Hang Up

This is how I feel. When I don't want to hang up but yet have no choice. Either because there was nothing else or nothing better to say. Or because there's this awkwardness now. I'm bleeding inside and no one knows. Sometimes, I really hate my life.

But because, Stan is such a positive being, she will end this post on a happy note. This is what makes her happy. Found this off flickr. Not exactly haute couture nor vaguely designer sketches but she likes it anyways. It appeals to her senses, though she's not sure why at this point of time.



And maybe she'll also look to refurbish Suite Stuff with stuff like these.


Enjoy the pics. Logging off now..

I want to be free

स्वातंत्र्य

Drama Queen

I was just telling Soap the other day that my life seems to be full of daily drama. As if the day can never be done with just mundane details.

Proven right, I had a major leakage breakdown on this Wednesday past. Part of my wall split open and water gushed out and down the stairs. Dirty water. From the choked gutter on the roof. Yikes! To make matters worse, some cracks appeared on the ceiling and water continually dripped down. Luckily some customers were around to help me move the mannequins to one side, and to remind me that yes, I had a pail that I could use. Why? Coz I was shocked into doing nothing. Absolutely nothing. My mind was thinking what I should do next but there were hundred and one nexts I should do. Haha. Jeremy from Quaint Secrets below went out onto the roof and cleared some of the debris from the roof. After one hour of cleaning up and waiting for the rain to die down, finally I managed to restore the shop to its usual resemblance, excluding the wet carpets and drapes.

Then I thought about it and started laughing. Its funny when you think about it. Tim says luckily I have a sense of humour. Which is true. Positivity and optimism helps in any situation. :D

Suite Stuff's clothes have been featured on December's issue of CLEO! Yaay!

Argentinian Indigenous Ensemble

On the fateful Friday that just passed, I watched a rhythmic, pulsating performance by the Argentinian Indigenous Ensemble. I didn't enjoy it. No lyricism, no melody. There was no one song that stood out. In an almost one hour and forty five minute show, thats a miracle.

There were spoken vocals that I (and I suspect, the rest of the audience) couldn't make out and some costume changes in the vein of animals. Oh, and not forgetting the Maracas Solo along with a backing track. I was thinking what "tape" meant - some indigenous instrument or something and came to realise it was what it was! Tape! And maracas solo? Thats just hilarious. Of all the indigenous instruments they could choose from, the maracas was the best they could do for a solo?

Oh well.



On another note, Beyonce looks fat here. Apparently, this dress is from the House of Dereon, that is, her label. Unfortunately, it doesn't do anything for her.

The Breezy Blouse

I love how this blouse can take you to so many places, whether it be lounging at Cafe Del Mar or just drinking mojitos at Cafe Libre. A punch of colour guaranteed to brighten up your day or night!

Out and About

For days when you just don't feel like wearing a dress. Nanette Lepore's Bandstand Blouse matched with Snow Wash skinny jeans from Topshop. This is my take on a day of shopping and then dinner and drinks with the girls.
Hang the gold and black ornamental scarf from Roberto Cavalli round your neck by day. Use it as a head scarf by night. Tan required.

When Coco Pops come into my life...

you know that i'm out of Singapore. Its funny how I only eat cereals when i'm overseas. Its like suddenly, the invisible shackles between me and that elusive breakfast cereal miraculously come off when I step onto foreign sand.

I'm still trying to make sense of this madness. Don't get me wrong, its not that I hate breakfast cereals. Au contraire, I love them! Especially Froot Loops! When I was in Edinburgh, I ate Coco Pops every morning, after bread and peanut butter just didn't cut it for me anymore. Yup, I finished the whole box in a week, pretty much the same situation here in Sydney now. Haha.

Maybe its my lifestyle in Singapore. The mad rush and chaotic crush. Those endless days of chores and work that doesn't seem to diminish even after you've put in so many hours. No time to sit down and have that bowl of Froot Loops in the morning because its a race starting from the time I wake up to the time I collapse on my bed. Mayhaps I need a change. And that bowl of Froot Loops may be just it.

The Whole Business with Kiffo and the Pit Bull

My current obsession is this book of the same name by Barry Jonsberg - full of witty humour plus a generous dose of drama...consider the following, taken from Chapter Four: Conversations with the refrigerator


Dear Fridge,

The casserole was great! Thanks. However, I feel that our intimate dinner was something of a flop. I made the effort, God knows. Candles, mood music. But, frankly, you were not receptive to my conversational overtures. In fact, solid presence though you undoubtedly are in my life, I sometimes feel that our relationship is not what it once was.
We need to talk.
In the meantime, my new English teacher, a charming woman of considerable charisma, has requested my presence at an after-school meeting tomorrow. Would you be so kind as to sign the attached permission slip?
Your loving daughter,

Calma

----------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Calma,

Permission slip signed. What have you been up to? Can you heat up a pizza for dinner tonight? I'm on late shift at the supermarket, so I'll have to straight to the pub. Will be home about two. Don't wake me, please.
Can you cut out the sarcasm in the notes? To be honest, I'm too tired to deal with it.
Love,

Mom

---------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Fridge,

How can you be so cold-hearted?
Love,

Calma

Party Dresses anyone?

The party season is fast approaching. No ideas whatsoever? Click to The Saloon @ The Chic Suite. A total of 13 yummy numbers in all, for your viewing and inspirational pleasure. Enjoy!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The pain will be intense for a while. I know it and expect it. But it will fade. I don't intend to pine away. I intend to live. I have had my little glimpse of paradise and now, I will go back to living.

- Mary Balogh

Its so hard to do. If only I were brave enough.

Shake it down..

I love this 1974 Biba poster done by James Wedge. Biba closed down before this poster could go on display. Its for sale now...i want!

I Want to be Honest

I really do. It hurts. And I have to make a decision.

Hepburn and Humphrey have gone

Thanks to all who came down for Hepburn, Humphrey and the old wardrobe. The event was quite a success although there were some major boo-boos along the way (read: Urban's mention of the event but the WRONG DATE). Excellent. I wonder how this could have come about. Gee, maybe I should have emailed them the date not twice, but five times?

Farhana, Liz and Adelyn stayed back to help clear, pack up and put up clothes. We took about one and a half hours before we gave up to starvation and headed over to Sultan Cafe for some sustenance from dear auntie. Thanks dearies for helping! Love ya!

Went to Oosh after to unwind and to meet Joyce and her wonderful funky cousins, Gerry and Carol. Laughter and conversation over mojitos and great music. My kinda thing. I had a great night. Well, sort of. I guess it depends on what one is looking for.

So today's Sunday. Woke up late, decided not to go to the garage sale (didn't know the full address anyway, haha, so kok) and had a leisurely lunch with fabulous Seow. I'm gonna miss her. So much. Sigh. We've made a date for high tea at Equinox on tues, if she doesn't leave by then. Can't wait!

We had a surprise birthday thingy for Hot Mama J, complete with an Oreo Cheesecake, great music at Insomnia and vodka redbull! mmm..what a great start to a great week!

I know i've been talking about it. And I must get it soon. What i'm talking about is the Krate KXB-100 keyboard amp. Priced at $780 on luthermusic.com, its gonna blow a big hole in my pocket. But I have to get it. I do. Really. I'm dying from not playing any music.

Phuture Friday

Friday night found me at Phuture in celebration of Jane's birthday. Happy Birthday babe! She can be so aggressive when high (read: drunk), making me down a mug of beer mixed with tequila and vodka and orange juice. Gross. It was a wonder I didn't puke if you combine that with one lamborghini, a vodka shot and another tequila shot and countless other drinks...which i forget.

Cam whoring ensued....censored pictures will not find their way here unfortunately...heh. Sorry guys, i promised!

capital amusement, not!

Sometimes I think God gave me my students for my amusement. I think men too. I've just about had it.

My only Grade 8 student is going to fail his exam. Which is, lets see...in one week's time?!?! How can I not be frustrated? He's a great kid and all but like all boys, so keen to skip practice. How could Ida have passed him to me at that standard i wonder.......aural not done, third piece not taught, second piece not finished, scales at best average, i can't even begin to describe his sightreading. If only he doesn't keep falling apart.

My Grade 6 girl: Tired all the time. Forgetful. And i have to correct more than 10 mistakes in a four-bar modulation SATB passage!!!

To top it off, my Haig Girls' kids can't seem to respond to slowing down and speeding up signals on the drums. And the teacher keeps making mortifying decisions on my behalf and right in front of my face. Hello?!?! Who's the instructor here?!! Oh. My. God. Someone. Help me!!

And then there's the men. Enough of these sulking, busy, i think i'm asking too much of you nonsense. What the hell's going wrong with my world?!

Wedded Bliss

Xin's wedding came and went. I decided to wear my vintage blue floral bustier dress. You can never go wrong with that. We saw lots of old friends. Some looked better, but the bulk went the opposite way. If you know what I mean. Age catches up on you. I say, run fast. You won't like it when it does.

Went to Butter Factory after the wedding with Cindy, Zenas, Steven and Qiang. There, we met up with Cindy's friends, Wei Da (birthday boy of the night), Lawrence and gang. Alot of drinking and dancing (ok, maybe mainly drinking) ensued.

Come Sunday, started teaching at 12 noon, all the way till 5pm. Then i had to head down to Raffles City to meet with the team planning the Gamelan Festival at RP in November. Tim texted me about Big Chief's performance at Chjimes that night. Serene texted me around the same time about some thing totally unrelated. I took it as a sign. We ended up meeting for dinner at Chjimes, and then heading to Insomnia where we had quite a lot fun actually, for two girls armed with glasses of vodka. Met my future guitar teacher (i hope! fingers crossed!), the guitarist of the house band, Alif.

Ok, what's a post without pics. Here you go.

At Insomnia with fabulous Seow

The tired bride at the end of the night

Our big family
My table

Me and da boys

Xiao Qiang!

With IreneYes yes, we do like taking photos...cam whores

At Butter Factory

my racks are falling!!

This week has been a most eventful week. First, we found out that my dress rack was hanging off its wall plug on one side. Stevie, bless his soul, made his way down on Monday afternoon to help with the drilling.

Then, on Wed, I found the mens rack in the same condition as the dress rack! How coincidental is that? So on Thurs, Stevie, again came down to help drill it back. We went through the rest of the racks to make sure they were all tightly screwed on. So fingers crossed! Please, no more falling racks!

I finally stepped into Fitness First after a hiatus of almost half a year. I did a 50-min Body Balance class and I felt so good! Hopefully I'm back on track...i'm already scheduling my next gym visit for next Monday night!

And i'm glad I'm finally making someone happy with the piano. Rather good condition with great hammer action, after all these years. It could do with some polishing and retuning and of course, a heater. Heh. Nothing like a free piano huh? :)

So, all in all, that's almost a week's work done. All disasters in the shop have been averted; I've paid all my designers; started going to the gym; and last but not least, got the piano issue settled. Yaay!

Brian just sent me the video that was recorded during the press preview in Edinburgh. We did the first story of the show, as it was meant to be a taster for the press.
View here: http://www.festivalpreviews.com/blog/archives/42

Tomorrow's Xin's wedding and I haven't decided what to wear. Argh!

We are the Devils

Last night was Xin's hen night. Enoch commented that its a sign of the coming era...me going to hen nights whilst he's still going to dorm and hall bashes. I've gone to three hen nights this year and I'm thinking there'll be more bombs next year.

The venue was MOS. When i arrived, they made me wear a devil headband complete with a battery pack on one side. Very visible, very eye-catching and very attention-seeking, especially with seven horn-headed women walking about together. People were touching our horns and directing comments at us.

It was strangely fun in a certain way. Its almost like there was a universal descending of barriers. Well, apart from the stingy army blokes who refused to buy Xin a drink even after she told them that she was having her hen night and to get a guy to buy her drink was one of her tasks of the night. And then we met another group of guys, having their stag night and that's when the fun really started. I shan't go much into details but lets suffice to say there was alot of carrying, kissing and feeding going around. Heh.


The tasks we set for her:

1. Stay sober till midnight (so we can have more fun instead of having to bring a drunk hen home early)
2. Get a guy to buy a drink for her
3. Get a guy to give her a kiss
4. Ask a bouncer to carry her
5. Dance with someone for an entire song

And I'm happy to report, she finished all her tasks with aplomb. Good on her! Oh did i mention i love her wedding dress! Gorgeous! Now...just to decide what to wear to the wedding dinner...

He said that he had lots of memories. Good ones. He could even remember what she had been wearing that first time and it moved her.

Takashi!!!

GA did 3 shows at Ai Tong Primary this past Friday -the last show with Barbara just before she left on Sat. In the end, due to bad organisation, we only performed a total of 55 mins for the three shows! The downside? Being stuck in the school for 6 hours. Boredom set in. We made a stupid video that's just priceless and took numerous silly photos. But it was the fun-nest school show I did this year.

The two gals who are leaving us : Barbara and Serene. Bon voyage!

Happy Teachers' Day? Riiighht..

Went to watch a volleyball tournament today. I arrived at Hougang Stadium just in time to see Mr Yong's team playing their last 2 sets to take the third place. Thereafter, International Kakis took on the Singapore Police team in the first and second placing match. It was a very exciting match, both teams closely matched in the 5 set (!!!) game.

Amongst the international players in International Kakis was this Japanese dude who looks a little like Alex Toh....he was freaking amazing! Oh my god! His spikes were straight on, the bulk of it undefendable and unblockable. Wooot! Xin nicknamed him Takashi, and it so suits him. Heh. Cindy took a picture of him in mid-spikeserve in the air. Now if only she sends it to me....