A Visit to Boticca

I have managed to get in touch with Boticca, an online based luxury bazaar of fashion accessories, during my stay in London. I have been keeping tabs on Boticca since I heard its founder, Avid, speak about it 2 years ago at Asia Fashion Summit 2011. I really liked the concept of giving emerging designers in sometimes farflung parts of the world the chance to showcase their excellent work.

Boticca has a dedicated team of style hunters who travel the world to discover the best independent designers. This gives designers from even the markets of Morrocco a chance to gain appreciation for their work. Most designers handmade their pieces using fine materials and hence each piece is really unique and limited. Currently, Boticca already stock 330 different brands from over 40 different countries and yes, Singapore is represented as well thanks to the elegant jewels from Choo Yilin. 

I especially loved the collections from [1] Origami Jewelry and [2] ELYONA, a designer based in Korea for her creative use of textures and precious stones. Her knotted gold bracelet with set gemstones and gold/silver dipped lace jewelry particularly stand out from conventional jewelry design. The black pearl bracelet with the head of a gold stag (pictured above) is also striking, yet without being ostentatious. 

The organic designs of [3] Tessa MetCalfe also caught my eye for drawing inspiration from taxidermy. The pigeon talons are crafted with careful attention to detail, giving her designs a sense of realism hardly seen in jewelry. And I cannot help but marvel at the intricate sculptural pieces handcrafted by [4] Selda Okutan.

I would recommend you to click around Boticca's site and discover some of the other designers listed on my wishlist. It's like falling into a treasure trove of rarities and it's no wonder that celebs like Cara Deleveigne, Rihanna and Beyoncé have been spotted wearing pieces from Boticca. You can also get in touch directly with the designers to have customized pieces - perfect for special occasions like weddings if you ask me. So now don't tell me you don't know where to find an individual present for a special someone anymore! 

An Obsession with Fur

Wearing faux fur jacket from Zara, black knit crop from Beijing, black maxi dress from H&M, maroon ankle boots from Zara

Before anyone starts hammering me about wearing fur, please let me say that this is faux fur. I just love the luxury of feeling enveloped in fur during winter - it's like an unique feeling of receiving a warm hug from an animal of sorts. I love caressing it, or sinking my fingers deep into its warmth and the fact that it can change a silhouette and proportions so dramatically. 

You can wear it with a flirty A-like dress or skirt, or you can wear it with skinny leather pants, or even a slightly loose fit boyfriend jeans paired with platform booties. The good thing about fur is that it makes your legs look skinnier due to the contrast in proportions. 

It is regretful that Singapore's climate makes it impossible to make such a sartorial choice though... Another one of the woes of living on a tropical island. 

Burberry Prorsum AW2014 Livestream

Yes it's that time of the year for me to share with you Burberry Prorsum's AW2014 Womenswear livestream again. This autumn, I'm looking forward to an extension of what Christoper Bailey did for SS14 - ladylike, elegance pencil silhouettes paired with relaxed coats in luxurious mohair and wool that cocoons the body.

Check back here soon for the show!

Arossa Wine & Grill - Be My Valentine

Arossa's signature pork chop with Braised Beef Cheek in Red Wine Sauce with Mashed Potato

Salmon & Scallop Tartar with Oscietra Caviar

Plump, fresh oysters

Pork Chop with Ratatouille

Chocolate & Hazelnut Semifreddo

Wearing black jumpsuit c/o Lauren Jasmine, diamante collar necklace c/o Floral Punk, black court shoes from Charles & Keith

It's Valentine's day again. I have a love-hate relationship for this day celebrating love - it was supposed to be a day to show appreciation to your loved ones, especially your significant other, but now the capitalists have tainted it by pressurizing people to buy gifts and flowers and making it so commercial. And this is actually the second Valentine's which I have spent single, so thanks for rubbing it in, all you capitalists.

Having said that however, I think that treating you and your significant other to a really good full course menu on Valentines Day is a rather good idea. It gives you an excuse to splurge an exquisite meal and if you want to splurge, you might as well pick a good, reliable restaurant that delivers.

I have to say that Arossa does deliver a great dining experience, with its Italian influenced menu but hemmed by a female Japanese chef. Food presentation is exquisite and the colors are balanced off beautifully in all its dishes.

You start off with a mini mascarpone cheese tart with orange marmalade to whet your appetite, followed by a Salmon & Scallop Tartar with Oscietra Caviar. The raw seafood is delicately seasoned, but nothing great to shout about, yet. Then comes the Roasted Foie Gras with Black Truffle Risotto - I have to say the black truffle risotto is a great combination with the foie gras, because it helps to balance the usual fatty, oily bits in the duck liver.

Then comes the pasta in the form of Home-made Lobster Ravioli with Bisque Sauce - this came in a portion of 6 big, green ravioli, green because spinach was added to the pasta dough. It was obvious that the ravioli was homemade as the pasta was very chewy and the bisque sauce complemented the ravioli very well. For mains, you get the choice of Braised Beef Cheek in Red Wine Sauce with Mashed Potato or Roasted Seabass with Sauteed Sea Urchin & Persimmon Sauce. I have to say I enjoyed the beef cheek more because it was very well cooked - it simply melted in your mouth and was an explosion of flavours, which was well balanced with the mashed potato. The roasted seabass was a milder flavour, with the seabass very flaky and soft. Finish off the course with Chocolate & Hazelnut Semifreddo, which had the texture of chocolate ice-cream, a sweet ending to a heady night.

This is my first time doing a media tasting. How would you like more of these on my blog once in a while?

Disclosure: Vera was invited to Arossa Wine & Grill for a media tasting.

Seven Sisters - An Outdoors Look

I'm excited to share with everyone the beauty of the white chalk cliffs, otherwise known as Seven Sisters in Eastbourne. Eastbourne is just over an hour's train ride out from London and the Seven Sisters cliffs consist of 7 peaks and troughs, that stretches for more than 10km.

I went there with two girlfriends of mine on a beautiful day, and had an amazing day enjoying the views, the azure blue sky and just simple beautiful English countryside. 

Wearing vintage denim jacket from Burberry, vintage wool vest from Savile Row, thick-knit wool scarf from Primark, knit sweater from American Apparel, stretch jean leggings from Uniqlo, trusty ol' sneakers from Converse

And who said you have to forsake style when going on outdoor hikes? Simply pair a longsleeve shirt or sweater with a 100% wool vest to keep you warm, add a scarf and throw on a good jacket and a good pair of Converse and you're on your way to looking good outdoors hiking! This vintage denim jacket from Burberry was great in fending me against the winds atop the cliffs, albeit being oversized. The important thing is actually to wear a comfortable pair of pants and shoes, and you can layer your way on top. It's all about proportions.

I swear that I did not do much to the post-editing of these photos. The sky was this blue and the cliffs so strikingly white. The winds were blowing at 40km/h, but with the sun shining overhead and casting oversized, elongated shadows overhead, it was not extremely cold at all.

Sometimes I feel the need to go out and get in touch with nature. To experience the vastness of the horizon, the sheer height of mountains, feel the sun beating down your back and the winds whipping you about. To return to the roots, where we came from. And at the end of the day, you, as a small speak atop a cliff or standing at the side of a giant lake, despite your tired body, will feel that you are infinite.

Next to the Docks

Wearing turtleneck knit sweater from Zara, pinstripe skirt from H&M, studded bag from ASOS, maroon ankle boots from Zara, black pea coat from Uniqlo, shades from Le Specs (stolen from Mich)

I managed to catch sunshine almost every day after I came back from my Europe trip and with just 4 days left in London, as each day passed my heart grew heavier and I was thankful for sunshine each day. It was a curious feeling for me, to spend each day being so thankful for the smallest and simplest things, when in Singapore I hardly feel anything similar to that. Maybe it is time to change and learn to count my blessings more.

Visiting St Katherine's docks was a really interesting experience for me. Who knew right within just a few minutes of Shoreditch there would be a dock parked full of yatchs and little boats? This just goes to show further how much London surprises. I raided my dear friend Michelle's closet out of laziness to unpack the clothes in my suitcase and came up with this ensemble. Out of everything that I wore here, only the pinstripe skirt is mine.

I like this look for its simplicity but still with attention paid to the details, from the cable-knit turtleneck, to the pinstripes and black glossy buttons on the pea coat. Putting thought into details and finding small things to appreciate - I guess that's how we find beauty.

Hey Mademoiselle

Wearing faux leather nude crop top by Lauren Jasmine, faux leather midi skirt by Lauren Jasmine, floral print court shoes from Dorothy Perkins, studded handbag from ALDO 
Photos by dearest Zean Vo

Yes, I have now been back in the +65 for slightly more than two weeks now and I can't help but still pine for London now and then. I'll continue to post photos from London to make up for the lack of updates during my stay there! Despite the continuous days of sunshine and longer hours of the day, I can't help but miss London for the strangers that I talk to on the streets, the gritty roads, the beautiful street art, the cold crisp air and its beautiful architecture. I felt very alive when I was in London, as though I was constantly inspired and I constantly found something new, even if it's the same places that I've been going dozens of times.

But one thing is for sure - being back gives me the liberty to wear crop tops and shorts and not worry about freezing to death. I love this ensemble from Lauren Jasmine as it is elegant, ladylike and yet not too stuffy. Pairing a crop top with a midi length skirt updates the look and saves it from being too granny. You can also pair a midi skirt with a light, pastel sweater, or a translucent chiffon blouse with an inner bralet. Lauren Jasmine also have many other designs that makes it easy for you to transit from office lady during the day to society girl during the evening.

Being back also means really yummy but sinful food during this Chinese New Year period, and of course with Chinese New Year, comes irritating interrogations from your relatives probing your personal life. I have always received comments from relatives asking me about my school, my studies and my ex-boyfriend. And they will always ask How tall is he? Oh, he's shorter? Why? as if I gave birth to him. 

So for the first time, there is an interactive Facebook app launched by Heaven and Earth to help you come up with counter-attacks to these questions. #CalmComebacks is armed with smart comebacks to help you deal with awkward questions, ranging from looks, salary, to relationship status. To make your Chinese New Year even sweeter, now 5 lucky readers can stand a chance to win a variety pack from Heaven and Earth! 

Yup, you can get 24 cans of H&E tea with 4 flavours simply by heading over to my Facebook page and like and share the latest post on Heaven & Earth's Calm Comebacks on your Facebook page.
Then, leave a comment on my Facebook page.
Contest ends Wednesday, 5 Feb 2014. 

Photo from my Instagram @nakedgloryvera

So eat, drink and have an awesome Year of the Horse!