Do you have moments when you just want to declutter your life and start with a new you? I know I have and that goes for my wardrobe to my diet.

For the longest time I had a wardrobe that's just full of plain and understated garments. I wasn't very experimental with clothes so I was too afraid to mix and match patterns. But as I grew older I discovered more about myself and started to play around with outfits; picked out pieces that are more chic and stylish.

As for my diet, it's such a whirlwind. I wasn't really fat but I knew I could look better. Eating anything that's carbs is my weakness. From breads, biscuits to dessert you name it. It's just so hard not to eat that one last cookie. I've been there and went up and down the scale but one day it just hits me, I can't do it anymore. I had to stop and completely change how I approach things, so I did. Now I'm on a well-balanced diet and try to exercise ever so often. I went from 55kg to 47 kg, now that is something. It took time but it was worth it. I feel like a new person.

Whatever it is that you want to rid off in life, remember that it's all about you. It's about being better and becoming the person you never thought you can possibly be. Don't base your decisions on other people because at the end of the day, you know what's best for yourself. Starting anew brings a light and refreshing feeling. So don't be afraid, take the chance and become a new you.

Remember those caramel coated apples that you used to eat as a kid? How about home cooked pancakes that mom used to make during the weekends? Surely remembered mine and I had great memories with it. Now that I live far away from home and the weather is starting to change, it's nice to see how far I've come.

Fall is here and apples are abundant everywhere, why not whipped something up that reminds of you the good old days; caramel apple pancakes perhaps? This recipe from Buns In My Oven is simply amazing.



For the pancakes:
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk (or 3/4 cup regular milk plus 2 tablespoons vinegar - let sit for 5 minutes)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 tablespoons butter, melted

For the apples:
1 medium tart apple, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
tiny pinch of salt
caramel ice cream topping, warmed

To make the pancakes:
1. Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk, vanilla, egg, and melted butter until well combined.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk together until most of the lumps are gone. Do not over mix.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray.
4. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet and cook until bubbles form on the surface. Flip the pancake and cook until browned on the bottom and the center is done.

For the apples:
1. While the pancakes are cooking, set a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the butter to the skillet and melt.
2. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to combine.
3. Add the apples and stir to coat.
4. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

To serve:
Top the pancakes with the warm apples and drizzle the warmed caramel sauce on top.

image and recipe via

I don't know about you but I admire girls that are so high up their alley. Like they always look good and are in the know about everything. They are go-getters and are living the life they wanted.


I aspire to be that girl but I guess I set my standards too high that it has become a challenge. Like for me thin is weighing less than a 100 pounds, a successful career is being a director of a fashion brand, a luxurious life is living in a posh east side condominium (hopefully next year) with a closet filled with beautiful designer clothes and shoes. I want all that and more. It may sound so ambitious or materialistic but don't we all have that somewhere inside of us? Like we'd totally sing Fergie's g-l-a-m-o-r-o-u-s song for all we care. It's the high life and I admit I want that.

I'm slowly working on it; doing all kinds of diets, incorporating workouts into my lifestyle, investing on quality pieces - my first Ferragamo flats and some other designer bags that I own and treasure - and trips (london is love), reading my daily dose of advertising and fashion news before going to work, indulging in fine cuisines - French is my absolute favorite, and for someone to tell me "You're 24 and fabulous" only means I must be doing something right. What I'm trying to say here is stop dreaming and start doing. If you want to jetset ala Paris Hilton, go! If you want to look like Victoria Beckham then please do so. Because nothing is more fulfilling that being able to be the person you've always wanted to be. Besides we only have one life so make the best of it.

Can you tell which one is vintage? Among all of these, there's only one and that is the gold earring with creme ceramic stone. It's from the 60's and I got this at Portobello Market. The rest are all random stuff I picked up from Primark, Zara and Mango.

If you like some of these pieces, you can click on the link below to buy something similar.

They say when you travel to another country, it opens your eyes to a whole new perspective. I always knew about it but never thought how after a week long vacation in London would actually change the way I look at things and how I want to begin living differently... to begin living more in tune with who I want to be and how I want my life to proceed each and every day.

London is beautiful, so beautiful that I want to see more of Europe. It's so surreal, breathtaking and magical that after seeing all the gorgeous facades, people and learning about British culture, I felt like this is me; a girl who likes nice things, enjoys her morning toast and coffee, loves the adrenaline rush of a city life and a girl who treats herself to a piece of truffle or macaron every once in a while. 

The girl that I want to meet is all that and more; she values herself yet at the same time she enjoys the company of others, and this is exactly how I picture her:

1. Eats healthy food and limits her sugar intake

2. Works out to keep her body in tip top shape

3. Values quality over quantity

4. Keeps herself updated with the latest news in current events, fashion and beauty


5. Has a distinct style; classy, smart and playful 

6. Owns a collection of bag, jewelry, shoes and nail polishes

7. Reads novels to broaden her imagination and widen her perspective

8. Enjoys her wine with ham, cheese and olives with the company of good friends



9. Travels to New York, London, Paris and Milan 

10. Works hard to be on top of her career 

11. Allows herself to party hard

12. A caring mother and a loving wife

I think it's important to just listen to yourself and really know exactly who you are and what your aspirations are in life. It's not about being high maintenance or anything but it's more of being true to yourself and start living the person you truly are meant to be.

image via

I'm always on a look out for new trends to try every season and with New York Fashion Week Spring 2013 recently capped off, there's so much outfit inspiration to choose from. It gives me ideas on what to fill my closet with. I'm now learning to be more experimental with prints. I used to shy away from it because I always think you need a good number of basics to pair it with; not necessarily. Just take a look at J Crew's playful mixed of print. Surely we've seen it a million times but how about matching cotton with silk? Not something I would think off but hey it worked.

So if you're looking for inspirations this upcoming season, why not take a look at my favorites? Let me know which one you like best.

It's been a week since I came back from London and I can still remember the feeling I had when I first got there; it was surreal and magical. The feeling of having one of my dreams come true is just unbelievable.

Life has a wonderful, breath-taking-away moments it wants to share with us if only we dare to dream that the impossible is indeed possible. ~ Shannon Ables of The Simply Luxurious Life

The first few days in London was tremendously cold but the sun finally gave it's warmth days after, perfect for endless siteseeing.  As you can see I took a good number of shots from my trip.

New York Fashion Week Spring 2013 finally kicks off and I'm loving the recent collection of Badgley Mischka. I'm all about feminine flair, lace and romantic silhouettes so there's no doubt that I'm head over heals with this collection. From gowns to casual wear, the designer did it well by combining hard and soft elements into it's pieces. I'm dying for these.

 
Need a pair of eyewear that is stylish and affordable? Why not check out Firmoo? With over 300 styles of affordable and stylish frames for you to choose from, you will never run out of options to match your different clothes and moods everyday.

I recently got this free pair and I think it was alright. For the price, the quality isn't so bad at all. Nonetheless, it's an affordable pair that you can use anywhere. They launched a program offering free eyewear for first-time buyers. This is good for you to try the quality first before deciding to buy some more.

So why not take this opportunity? You'll be glad you did.

Cheers!