woman beats man in singapore

canto typing

"you might be saying, 'i love you' to your girlfriend in cantonese, but it will still sound like you're fighting. it's just our tone. we always sound like we're in a shouting match. mandarin is so mellow. cantonese is strong and edgy."

- howard lee

for those of you who, like me, have minimal cantonese reading/writing capabilities, online cantonese is perfect. "ngor oi lei" instantly becomes "我愛你".

h&m discount coupon

"virtue has its own reward, but has no sale at the box office.”

- mae west

even h&m is now on sale....

hairbands are back

"long hair minimizes the need for barbers; socks can be done without; one leather jacket solves the coat problem for many years; suspenders are superfluous.”

- albert einstein

hairbands are back!! was so excited when i found this in seoul - hand made hair pieces (i literally stood there and watched the girl stick everything together). want one?

don't close down my chicken, please

"i have my own parties. they involve being barefoot with a piece of fried chicken and margarita in each hand."

- tori amos

korean supermarket in seoul, e-mart

pierce chicken (which is actually baked, not fried) take-out from 360 at the landmark

after being tempted time after time by the deep fried goodness in the aisles of e-mart last week, i couldn't wait to get home and eat me some pierce chicken. yesterday evening, much to my dismay, i found that this had been removed from soho delivery's restaurant list and, after driving by, that the staunton street store was closed. upon calling, i was notified that the lan kwai fong location had also been shut down and that they were only operating out of 360 now. phew!! dinner didn't end up happening till 21:00 but at least i got my chicken.

g bar permits smoking

"we have to remove ashtrays, but honestly, if we find customers smoking, we can't do much as business has already been very bad. we can't stop them smoking and drive them out of there. we won't do anything. we don't want to annoy smoking customers, especially those drunken ones, who might react very unexpectedly."

- chin chun-wing, vice-chairman of the bar and club association, a group which represents about 200 bars in the city speaks to the south china morning post (28 june 2009)

despite much uproar by the entertainment/f&b industries earlier this year, the hong kong government decided to proceed with its complete ban of indoor smoking on 1 july after a two year grace period. the press have documented many cases where this new law has been blatantly ignored - and was stunned out of my seat when i personally discovered that g bar in ifc was one such establishment. upon inquiry to the manager, i was politely informed that g bar's vips are indeed permitted the indulgence (the guy in the background of the second photograph is smoking a cigar) and perhaps if i was uncomfortable i could sit outside (on the public property terrace). SERIOUSLY??!!

diamonds are a girl's best friend

"better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one."
- chinese proverb

sorry - i am away this week so posting will be at a minimum. this should get you going though....

keep out - bloggers only

"so actually whilst arcadia made a shrewd marketing move, they also inadvertedly enforced a blogger meetup that needs to happen more often."

- susie style bubble

susie style bubble attended a uk blogger's only event hosted by arcadia at their headquarters earlier this week. it is great to see the big industry players finally taking notice of online press and its increasing importance within marketing strategies today. susie noted that it actually turned out to be a very entertaining evening and the "fashion blogger meet'n'greet" aspect almost topped the racks and racks of clothes. shame hong kong has nothing of the sort. fear not, i will continue to campaign that we are a serious and very real force to be reckoned with.

red sole rehab

"blue flower, red thorns! blue flower, red thorns! blue flower, red thorns! oh, this would be so much easier if i wasn't colour blind!"

- donkey in shrek

louboutins need just as much care (if not more) as any other shoe - so why don't any cobblers in hong kong offer red soles? although it is slightly tedious to have to take every pair to new york at the end of each season, i can vouch that it is totally worth it. the guys at arty's shoe service (243 eighth avenue - between 22nd and 23rd streets) really want the best for your shoes. i handed this pair over (after shot above), the man at the counter took one look and he said to me, "you did the right thing by brining them here." sweet as pie. their services are a little pricey at usd30 a pop but they definitely pay attention to detail - my shoes were returned well-finished (they edged the new red plastic in black so that the addition was not at all obvious) and repaired the leather which had been scraped off the heel (i didn't even have to ask). if your pair simply cannot survive the trip, scarlet undercarriages are available on ebay.

my perfect little bag

"i feel very lucky to work in the environment that i work in. i'm surrounded by people that i love and care about and who make me laugh every day. i get to work with my friends and you really can't ask for more than that."

- rachel bilson

like rachel bilson and her little green bag, i too am obsessed with my little grey chanel bag. it is so versatile it will go everywhere from shopping to weddings to hiking with me. the amount of bag envy i receive from friends whenever i use it is insane!! made of calfskin, the finish is an antique silver foil so it can easily be dressed up or down and hide scratches. the full length of the strap allows for cross-body wearing but it can also be looped twice around the flap to create a short shoulder bag. it's true beauty, however, lies in its practicality - there is dedicated space for six credit cards (two by three rows of slots), a zippered section for cash (notes can lay flat without needing to be folded) and also room for a lipbalm, 1/2 a packet of tissues and my iphone. unfortunately, i bought this a year ago in paris so it's not likely to be still available but good luck to you in your search.

katie grew up

"this season's grunge is all about being creative about how you put your look together, and not necessarily spending a fortune. it's about being a little bit surprising and very creative. i love the glamour of adding some vintage to my look, and have done for years, as it keeps things original."

- kate moss on her fw09 collection for topshop

kate moss's fw09 collection for topshop launches tomorrow. the styles seem to have grown up: scallop-edged tea dresses have been forgone for strapless cocktail numbers and 80's oversized faux fur. the look is very "biker girl meets her banker boyfriend for happy hour" with lbds being studded and sweaters receiving the sequin and chain treatment. for delicately laddered tights, use a quick-unpick or the needle end of a safety pin and carefully undo the weave at the top, running your finger all the way down the leg for a straight run. lightly dab some clear nail polish at the beginning and end so the tear does not continue more than you'd like it to.

please explain

"that's the thing about the internet. you can put a lot of distance between yourself and the person you're trying to rip off."

- ellen wright

seriously? did billabong just take diptyque's logo and put it on a t-shirt? really??

the cure to all your problems

"for me and for every woman, the most important is to have healthy skin and also to take care of your body. i clean my face with a special soap my doctor gave me and when possible i go to the gym."

- daniela urzi

there are so many dermalogically-formulated brands out there now, what makes this one different? this one will help you with your problem skin. german-made dms (derma membrane structure) is the thing for you. free of emulsifiers, preservatives, perfume, mineral oils, silicones, dyes and amines, dermaviduals were originally created to tackle acne, atopic skin irritations, erythema as well as cornification and barrier disorders whilst providing preventative care to normal areas. it subsequently became evident that the products could also be recommended for the care of normal and young skin for the maintenance of optimal natural skin and fight premature aging. an entire range of skincare is available and can be tailored to your individual skin conditions. friends of mine have even used their serums to heal major surgical scarring to great effect and i absolutely swear by it. if interested, i can pass on a contact....

anna on the late show

choppin' it up with mr chan

"i am thrilled to be awarded this honour by her majesty the queen for my contributions to the hairdressing business in britain. although i was born in italy, i came to britain in the early 1960's and have been very fortunate in my chosen craft. starting from a small shop in south london to then move the business onto a worldwide stage makes me very proud."

- toni mascolo on receiving his honorary order of the british empire in 2008

i took my sister to see benny at toni&guy this morning - the only person i have trusted with my hair for the last 10 years. benny trained and got his license (which many hong kong stylists do not possess as it is not required by the law here) in sydney at the toni & guy academy on oxford street where he then stayed on to practise, then managed the victoria station salon in london for two years before returning home to asia. pros are really pros - my little niece sat quite happily as he snipped away.

kain get enough

"i get to be a kid now, because i wasn't a kid when i was supposed to be one. but in some ways, i'm like an old woman - lived it, seen it, done it, been there, have the t-shirt."

- drew barrymore

it seems that all the girls are being papped in their kain tees lately. a great option for the heat of high summer, these tees are meant to be draped on the body and are perfect with skinny jeans or leggings. one size fits all. boutique to you ships internationally.

icee fresh

"i am a diamond concierge. our base is here [slauson super mall, south central los angeles]. i won't bring tom cruise into the store but i'll go to him. we're doing well here. with the way the economy is going, it would have been stupid for us to migrate west. the diamond district is a ghost town now, people are killing one another over business.... it's bullshit that the luxury market is not affected. even the rich are more conscious about how they spend their money."

- ben baller on his business, icee fresh

want customised jewellery? go to icee fresh of california state, pillsbury doughboy and 13-carat g-shock fame. this life-size 7up can was moulded with 720g of gold and decorated in 150 carats of diamonds. price upon application. bodyguard, neck brace and painkillers sold separately.

jumpsuit pretty

"in the beginning nobody believed in us.... i remember the first and second collection we'd call customers, stores and magazines and they'd say, 'who? dolce who?'"

- stefano gabbana

ashlee simpson attended last thursday's instyle magazine summer soiree in jill stuart's lamina jumpsuit accessorised with brian atwood pumps, dolce & gabbana clutch and lia sophia layered pearls. the look was an obvious departure from her usual rock/goth style but she wore it with aplomb. pretty is good!!

miss piggy in marc jacobs fw09

"never eat more than you can lift."

- miss piggy

miss piggy went for a private consultation at marc jacobs' studio last week in preparation for the macy's glamorama show in chicago over the weekend. the 35 year old diva chose look #4 from fw09's runway, pairing the custom-made cap sleeved jewelled dress with her signature black opera gloves. luv it.

luxury week parties

"priceless."

- mastercard moments

m1nt hong kong is the official host of all the after parties for this year's mastercard luxury week, starting today and going through to friday. entry is complimentary with your show ticket or by rsvping to bookings@m1nt.com.hk. don't miss out.