Sunday, June 14, 2009

So the fate of the book is...

As previously told, the fashionista has gone academic. Apparently, she has found a new calling in life, and it is called, E-D-U-C-A-T-I-O-N. Gosh, who would have known that I'd follow in the footsteps of my parents. It's sooo obvious, right?
Apparently, my book is completed. Sent the final draft to Prof a couple of weeks ago and was working on a monograph for AKePT. That, I completed too. Now, am working on a paper which is my current hush-hush project. Can't believe I'm being hush-hush on so many things right now. Didn't know I was THAT secretive before.
As I was saying, the fate of the book, right? I tend to get sidetrack when I'm talking and my introduction tends to be way longer than it should be. The book is entitled: Secrets to Journal Writing and Publication Revealed. It's about 125 pages (the manuscript). Don't know how many pages it will be once it's printed. Will post pics after it gets out of the press, wow, I am mighty excited.
Anyways, I will have to F-O-C-U-S. Am looking forward to a shopping session in Singapore to de-stress, yeay!

Cheerio!

xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Fashionista goes academic


Truth be told, I have a secret. Before you start wondering don't everyone has one, I'd have to get the matter straight that I'm going to reveal what my BIG SECRET is. I know, I know, why say it's a secret and then say what it is anyway? But that's the purpose of secrets now isn't it? It's so much fun to share them with others *wink*.


Anyway, I have been on this hush hush project for about 2 months. I didn't want to say anything about it earlier because I didn't want to jinx it. I was afraid that it wouldn't be completed. However, as of now, I only have about 4 chapters left (I'm trying to complete one today so that there's only three left by tomorrow) out of an original 15 chapters. I really can't believe that it is ALMOST FINISHED! I am sooo relieved. So, by the first week of June, I'll be showing the first draft of my paper (with all chapters fully completed) to Prof KJ (not Khairy Jamaluddin mind you) and will update y'all on what happens soon!

Cheerio!

xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Monday, May 11, 2009

Leaving the Nest


Yesterday was officially the last day for final examinations at our university. That basically means that my students would most probably be off by now, back to their hometowns. As I am teaching final year students, most of them had informed me that they won't be coming back. Instead, they will be pursuing their degrees elsewhere, seeking greener pastures (so to speak).

I have to admit, they were one of my best bunch. Teaching them has been a most enjoyable experience. I hope all my future lots will be like them but I'd doubt it. Different lots would as unique as they are.

I wish them all the best in their future endeavors. Hope to see them as a success in whatever that they aim to do. 

Wish you much luck peeps!

PS: That photo was taken after our two-day trip to Lundu, Sarawak. Tired, but definitely happy faces.

Before I get misty eyed, I'd better sign off then. Cheerio!

xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Friday, May 8, 2009

So Addicted

It's seriously detrimental to one's health. Yes, seriously it is. Yours truly has an addiction now. And it's not in a Madonna likes Kabbalah kind of way. It is all I think about now. Gosh, I am SERIOUSLY LOSING SLEEP OVER IT. *yikes*

You might be wondering what it is. The situation is not grim as one might think it is. Yeah, quit babbling and just out with it, right?

Okay, okay, the matter of the fact is, yours truly is currently SO ADDICTED to ONLINE SHOPPING! There, I've said it. You might not see it as a seriously bad-for-health thingy addiction but it is! I'm losing sleep over it cause I've been surfing and buying and surfing and buying. Gosh, I don't know how much more my purse can take. But then again, the up side is, I can't wait for my purchases to arrive. It's like waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve. Absolutely exciting!

No worries, I'll share my purchases with y'all. I might even be tempted to open my very own online store *wink*. 

With that in mind, let's get shopping peeps!

xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Friday, May 1, 2009

Fashionista Escapades: Jakarta, Indonesia


I simply don't know why does it seem as if my travels seems to lead me to Indonesia. It could be due to the fact that my grandfather's an Indonesian, but it could simply be the simple reason that their currency is way much smaller than ours, which simply translates to more items to purchase (which is oh so true here).


At Grand Indonesia, one of the largest shopping malls in Jakarta.

So I had the opportunity to visit Jakarta again last year in November. My first visit there was in 2005 so it was nice going somewhere that I was a bit familiar with. At least, I knew where the shopping complexes was. 

What is so apparent in Jakarta is the monstrous TRAFFIC JAM. It is absolutely horrible. I really think the Indonesian government should DO something about it. And most importantly they should do it SOON, before it swallows the metropolis, of course. 

We stayed at Ibis Hotel nearby to Mangga Dua. Although the location wasn't that great for me, however it was handy staying just behind a shopping complex. Which actually for us, Mangga Dua was actually two shopping complexes blended into one (there was an old Mangga Dua and a new one). And there was another one named Mangga Dua Baru (if I'm not mistaken). The best part about Mangga Dua is that it's not really a shopping complex so you can still haggle for a CHEAP BARGAIN. The not so great part is that it only opens til 5 pm (which totally puzzles me) and it sells mainly imitation products. Now it's not that I don't support the imitation market (which I honestly don't) but the fact is, why go for imitation? It is absolutely WRONG for a fashionista to parade an imitation product! I pity those designers. They come up with the style but somebody else is ripping off the profits *sigh*.

Now, if you're a backpacker, then I recommend you to stay at Jalan Jaksa which is a backpacker's haven. It's still in the middle of the city (Jakarta is HUGE so everywhere is in the middle of the city, unless your in the suburbs of course) and it's not far from everywhere. Not far still means that you have to either take a taxi or a mini van which they call 'Angkutan Kota' which functions as a bus, really.


Tanah Abang.

The best thing I liked about Jakarta is the many choices of shopping malls to choose from. And the best part is go can either choose to go high end, like Senayan Plaza or low end, like Tanah Abang. For me, I absolutely adore Tanah Abang. It sells a lot of fabrics and apparels which  fabrics are my one true love in shopping. 

So if you're thinking of making Jakarta your next destination, my advice is be careful of pickpockets. It seems that they are everywhere. And DO NOT leave your valuables in your hotel room. You might never know when a thief might be paying a visit to your room. 

Other than that, Happy Shopping Peeps!


xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

The current craze is all for cupcakes. Yours truly have such a sweet tooth. There isn't one day where I'm not craving something sweet and delish! And now apparently I have all the more reason to carry on with my sweet obsession cause my friend is opening up an online cupcake store!

I don't know about elsewhere, but cupcakes are all the rage here in Malaysia. Why are cupcakes better than cakes you might wonder? For one, it's bite sized. Which means that you don't need to finish all of them in one go. You can munch on one cupcake and leave the rest for later. It's just like having a handy dessert. It's always there for you to just grab one and go. 

Another reason, it's cheap. Cupcakes are generally between the range of RM1.50 - RM4, depending on the intricate designs and of course the toppings and fillings that one might request to go with it. You can personalize the cupcake with your name, a cartoon character or as my friend has proven, a stop sign *yikes*.

Interested? You can visit her blog at http://alisaccuppies.blogspot.com and preview what she have done, make your order (if you're interested) or request an intricate design of your own. The best part is, you can make the cupcake as unique as you are. 

Kindly be reminded that she needs time to buy her baking materials and bake the cupcakes so do place your order in advance. 

Let's head out to tea, ladies!

xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Monday, April 27, 2009

Fashionaholic

It seems that being a workaholic is famous in my circle nowadays. Almost everyone that I know is so focused on work that sometimes I wonder, since when did work become our first priority?

Would have to confess that I have now become a First Class Workaholic. Work has taken over my life that I am almost always thinking about work. And I work both from the office and at home. Crazy? Yes, I agree. It does sound kinda cuckoo~ish. However, I have also discovered that if it is your passion, it is NOT WORK. Apparently I am enjoying the thought of work so much that I am always thinking of ways to improve myself and make things better. 

Gosh, will I be the next Nutty Professor? I hope not! However, my advice to all is that, if you enjoy your work, well, stick with it! Why lose what you like, right?

Cheerio!

xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Fashionoholic, I must say

These days my waking hours have been filled with a freakish obsession about work. I could be due to the fact that I am totally excited about the thought of publishing a book with my name on it. But I'm also afraid that it could lead me to being a total workaholic! A boring, monotonous, dull, unfashionable *yikes* w o r k a h o l i c *sigh*.

That could mean the end of me I must say. However, I did linger on the thought that I could be one of those incredibly smart but good looking workaholic.
Cheerio!
xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Fashionista Escapades: Bali, Indonesia

I have certainly been busy. After a weekend in Siarbeach, Lundu with my students, I left Kuching for a holiday in Bali, Indonesia.

We departed at 7 pm from Kuala Lumpur and arrived at 10 pm at Denpasar, Bali where our driver was waiting to pick us up from the airport. Our trip was scheduled to be a tight 5 days so we decided on staying in Kuta for our first night.


We stayed at Hotel Sayang Maha Mertha, right in the heart of Kuta which was a great location for us. We opted to take a taxi as we were unfamiliar with the roads. I must say that the roads were quite packed with people even though it was almost midnite.


There were clubs spattered all along the roadside with people dancing and some were just talking by the roadside. Since the traffic was at a crawl, we decided to leave the taxi and just walk along Kuta Road. Surprisingly we felt quite safe walking up and down the streets due to the fact that there were so many tourists roaming the streets of Kuta.


Went to check out Hard Rock Cafe, Bali for some souvenirs as I'm an avid collector of Hard Rock t-shirts. 


Even Ronald McDonald goes surfing' in Bali =)


After that we went sightseeing to the bombing site in Bali where a memorial was set up for those whose lives were lost by the blast.




The next day we went sightseeing at all the various temples all over Bali. I must say that I was quite surprised to find Balinese people to be very religious. They seem to be praying in the mornings, afternoons and during sunsets.

The best part about Bali other than the beautiful temples and scenery would have to be factory outlets for all the surfer brands which I really liked! Bought so many outfits that my luggage was bursting at its seams.

Gosh, will certainly bring more money and a bigger bag next time I visit Bali.





xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

PS: If you're looking for a driver to drive you around Bali, our driver, Ari was an extremely nice chap and I'd totally recommend him for a tour or maybe as a hired driver for the day. Click for his website [here].  

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Fashionista Escapades: Pontianak, Indonesia

As I am thinking of what to pack and wear for my upcoming Bali vacation next week, I had the thought of sharing my shopping escapades and travel adventures. Who knows, I can even recommend a shop or two that one must drop by when one is in the area.


Grand Kartika Hotel, Pontianak, Indonesia.


So, first stop, let's talk about Pontianak, Indonesia. As I am a born and bred true Borneo Island gal, Pontianak is a mere 10 hours drive away from Kuching City or by plane it should be about 40 minutes of travel. The main city in Kalimantan, this is where most people go to when shopping when one is in the Kalimantan turf.


The happy faces in the photo is a clear indication of satisfied shoppers posing in front of Kartika Hotel on our last day in Pontianak.

I had the opportunity of visiting Pontianak last July and I discovered that it hasn't changed much since I last visited, which was 10 years ago. Although there were nice additions of new shopping complexes that I was delighted to explore.


What to expect? An array of small shopping malls with one huge shopping mall which is also nicknamed as the Mall (which is fitting, in my opinion). Shopping experience? Not much if one was only browsing at the shopping complexes. Although I totally LOVE browsing around Jalan Soedirman (if I manage to spell it correctly) for the numerous stalls displaying huge array of fabrics and hordes of shoes as well as clothes for all ages. The small lanes can be quite cramped and messy when it rains, the opportunity to bargain is a joy to experience. One can bargain up to 50% of the initial selling price if one is GOOD, but please take note that bargaining CANNOT be done in shopping malls. It is simply INAPPROPRIATE.


Visited the Pontianak Sultanate residence. 


The interior of the Sultan's palace.


Had dinner at one of the best ayam penyet restaurant in town *yummeh*. Thanks Bg Iwan for bringing us there! =).


Hotel Kartika is located right next to Kapuas River, so the patio is a nice place to chill and relax after a hard day of shopping =)



We stayed at Hotel Kartika, which is right next to the river (which I totally recommend for the wonderful staff and excellent location).



This photo shows the view from the balcony of the hotel rooms facing the river. At night there are even hawkers displaying their wares at the pier right next to the hotel where one can buy things that one does not need or just chill on the grass next to the pier sipping Es Jeruk (which means iced fruit juice).

A note of caution to those travelers, be mindful of pickpockets and snatch thieves, they seem to be attracted to heedless travelers.


xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Earth Hour


A true fashionista must never neglect her duty to the environment. So, a brave move for me, I'm going to support Earth Hour tonight by switching off the lights at my house for ONE HOUR. For all fashionista's who are in Malaysia, you can all join this by switching off your lights for one hour, 8.30 pm - 9.30 pm. Or, if you are in Kuching, and would like to meet all other environmentally conscious fashionista's you can head on to:

Green Height's Mall @ the Outdoor Marquee

and be part of the Acoustic Concert by Candlelight which will showcase local bands like Evenstarr, Mayze, Passive Fire and Venus & Mars. So, party on peeps! Let's show our support in helping our environment as well as having a great time while doing it too!

Interested to know more about Earth Hour? Log on to www.earthhour.org for more details or, you can even sign up for your support, which me and all my fashionista friends did. 

Let's go peeps or we'll be un~fashionably late! Saving the environment doesn't mean we can't be fashionable about it now, doesn't it?


xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Friday, January 30, 2009

Rainy Boots

It has been raining for the past month. Apparently it is forecasted that the rain will continue on until Chap Goh Mei (which is the 12 day of the new year for the Chinese Lunar Calendar, a mouthful to explain, I must say). Gray balmy weather does have a depressing effect on one's mood, but luckily I have cheerful and bright outfits to counter the somber weather.

The rain makes me think of boots. Not the yellow Phua Chu Kang (best in Singapore and JB style) but more towards ankle-length beige-colored soft moleskin boots. I saw one in Ngiukee the other day (by Emilio Valentino) but it was too pricy for my liking. When I checked out Crocs online store, I found that it was much cheaper for me to buy Crocs rather than opting for EV (online stores are certainly looking more and more attractive).

Let's get Boot-ylicious!

xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Crocs r 'Us


Being a follower of fashion, I am very particular about being comfortable as well as being in fashion. That is why I totally adore Crocs range of shoes, slippers and heels. They take comfort to a whole new level.

At first I was rather skeptical of Crocs initially as I heard so many rumors regarding the safety of wearing Crocs (imagine how weird it is to know that thy shoes are a hazard to thyself). Anyway, my curiosity got the better of me so early last year I bought myself a pair of Crocs and after a year of wearing them I'd have to say that I'm a Crocs convert and is in the midst of acquiring my own Crocs collection.

*That's the first Crocs that I bought last year and am currently using it whenever I'm on my travels. 

Cheerio! Happy Feet, Darlings!

xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Chinese New Year Sale

I am currently in the midst of a fashion crisis. The Chinese New Year Sale, is off to an end soon. And if I don't do anything about it, I am certainly going to regret the outfits that I have yet to purchase once the sale is over.

The question on every fashionista's mind when browsing aisles and aisles of gorgeous outfits and handbags and shoes are, To Buy or Not To Buy. But the best decision would always be, To Buy. That means that you have found the perfect outfit to complement your Monday Blues or to wear during casual Thursdays.

Gosh, the prices that my favorite shoes are being sold is an absolute STEAL. 50% markdown of Carlo Rino high heels in the perfect aquamarine color that really sets off my pearly skin *sigh*. How can I ever resist?

Will I ever stop fighting the temptation that fashion has to offer? Hopefully, no. The sense of satisfaction is too great for me to resist.

Let's go shopping Girls!

xoxo Fashionista in Action xoxo