And the Best New Year's Eve Outfit Goes to...

Hands Down, Dolce & Gabbana. You have to agree with me that this sparkler is the only dress made for ringing in the new year! :)

And if you can't wear something this sparkly *I would! haha*, at least carry a sparkly or metallic bag :)

Try the more muted Alexander McQueen Squeeze It Metal-Effect Leather Clutch

Currently marked down at 50% its original price! Not a bad deal at all to own something from McQueen at this price! :) Available for purchase only at The Outnet.


I will do a brief bag trend report tomorrow. But today, I just want to say:

HAPPY 2012, everyone!!!! :)

x

TheBagHag

Marc Jacobs in... Hermes?

Yep, you read that right! Marc Jacobs, creative director of Louis Vuitton (last I checked :D) was seen carrying a black Hermes birkin at the beach over the holidays :)

Photo Credit: Splash News

And how, the birkin looks like a pretty darn good beach bag in Marc's hands :) P.S. In the bag is his Louis Vuitton x Stephen Sprouse neon graffiti beach towel :) The man IS loyal to Vuitton, see  :D

x
TheBagHag

Food Blog: Tonkatsu Ma Maison, Singapore

In the last four days of being in Singapore, I had gained 4 lbs. It should come as no surprise anymore, really. Because I have chosen eating over shopping while in the Lion City. Funny thing is, I haven't been eating Chinese food. I've been eating a lot of Japanese food!

One of those Japanese restaurants is Tonkatsu Ma Maison. Now, I've tried a few tonkatsu *breaded and deep friend pork cutlets* places, even ones that have been recommended by friends who lived in Tokyo. Japan is an entirely different place altogether for tonkatsu and ramen, but for Singapore, I have to say Ma Maison was topnotch. We had to wait nearly an hour for a table-- well, there were also 15 of us in the group haha. Yes, we're one biiiig happy family! There is really nothing like spending the holidays with my children, my husband, my siblings and the kids, and my lovely mom. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy :)  

Ok back to Ma Maison (funny too, since those 2 words are actually in French :D Ma Maison stands for "My House")

Not a very big place-- the restaurant was separated into 2 sections

This was the main section

Long lines every night!!

Special Rice that I didn't try because I was trying to taper my carbs intake. Tsk.

We ordered both the pork fillet and the pork loin. The fillet is supposed to be leaner than the loin, but had to try anyway :) Sometimes the fattier ones taste better haha. Sad but true :D

Sat beside the sake shelf

And then the orders came just as our stomachs growled loudly while watching the chefs deep frying tonkatsu

Pork fillet:

Breaded and deep fried oysters-- yes, they don't just serve pork here :)

The cross section of the pork loin. Mmm it was fatty!!!!

A cross section of my pork fillet, which I couldn't resist instagr.amming :)

Look at the meat! It was melt-in-your-mouth good! Try the spicy sauce... Mmmmm....!!!

Verdict? Tonkatsu Ma Maison is definitely worth a second and third visit! Hopefully the next time I can have a bowl of that special multi-grain rice to go along with the meal haha ;) But I was very satisfied this time around because I had the shredded cabbage salad and radish with the house soy dressing (haha lesser evil compared to the other dressing). I also highly recommend the sesame dressing-- it was sinfully goooood!!!

Tonkatsu Ma Maison is located at the 2nd level #35/36 Mandarin Gallery, along Orchard Road. Call +65 6733 4541 for more information. It's really worth the wait!! 

x

TheBagHag

A Bally Comeback!

Was at Takashimaya again yesterday (I seem to love Takashimaya the most because of the food at the basement lol). Passed by Bally and realized that this brand has really been hitting the right notes of late. 

Loving these ballet flats! And Bally is known to make very comfortable shoes, so these not only look great on the feet, but am sure they'd be excellent shoes for walking too!

Cute bags

I attended the SS2012 Collection presentation in Milan a few months ago and these were the standouts:

I am loving these heels!!

Love the crocodile leather trim!

This bag was beautiful in person! It was really so luxurious! And not that heavy at all!

Would love to have this leather dress. I love the cut!

The mosaic miroir minaudiere is truly eye- catching!

Very red carpet worthy!

Bally is really making a comeback! I had already previously featured two of their bags and I was really astonished with the designs. I had honestly hardly looked at this brand and only do so to remember my father. But the bags that they've been designing of late have been making me notice the label even more. And oh, the shoes for SS 2012 and that miroir box clutch! I am liking them! Greater things to come for this brand. I can't wait!

x
TheBagHag

Travelog: Hermes in Singapore

Photos taken from the vitrines of 2 different Hermes boutiques here in Singapore. And like most other Hermes shops of late, they don't carry a lot of leather bags. But I think it's safe to say that as a result of the leather bag shortage, the brand has been seeing a generous climb in sales for their watches (as compared to last year). According to my source at Hermes Singapore, even the H hour watch is sold out and is currently on a waitlist basis! That's incredible :)

Scarves

My favorite window

 Wallets

Who owns a  printed toile canvas wallet?

Watches

Hermes watches are so in demand in Singapore right now :)

x
TheBagHag

Travelog: What I See in Singapore...

Photo diary time! Here are more photos of what I have seen so far in Singapore...

Chinese New Year is in less than a month, and people have taken to buying "lucky charms" for the coming year. One of them apparently is a turtle shell. I find this really sad. It's not like these guys have CITES papers or anything. I hope the turtles died of old age before their shells were taken from them :( Anyway, turtle shells are said to bring longevitiy. I'd rather get a carved jade turtleshell to be honest. It seems so morbid to hang one of these real ones anywhere in the house.

Oooh give me some fried stuff on a stick anytime. Squidballs, dumplings, and the like please!

Street acrobats. Are these girls part of the travelling acrobats from China? Whatever, they're really good and they seem to really enjoy performing in front of the crowds. Very pleasant little girls. But wow, such physically grueling training to be that good!

x
TheBagHag

To Sue the Mocking Brand?

I passed by Charles and Keith inside Ion Mall and saw these bags.

Hello, Celine much?

I've never heard any statements from these big brand names when their merchandise gets copied. I really want to know what they feel about it. Officially. Are these bags enough to merit a lawsuit or two from Celine because there is intent to mislead? They do look very Celine luggage tote, with some very minor tweaks on the lines here and there.

Oh, Charles and Keith also has the mock Celine Trapeze. How do those bags make you feel? I personally do think these brands need to deviate from copying too much from the real deal. I know it's all business and bottom lines for them (especially since the Celine luggage tote sent women into a buying frenzy) and that companies like Charles and Keith (and they are certainly not the only ones) decided to jump on the bandwagon to produce similar looking bags under their label and call it as their own just to benefit from the "craze", but I do wish that they have a little more originality too. Sure, it's all about meeting the customers' demands too but it is probably wise not to tread into lawsuit boundaries :D 

Now, take for instance this bag from La Palette, also from Ion Orchard Mall.

Ok honestly, I don't think I'll want to buy this bag to carry for myself, but I'd probably buy it for my tweenage niece if the price were right. :)  My friend said this bag was probably a design taken from some other famous label LOL. I wouldn't know as this is the first time I've seen such a design :D I don't know if kitschy is the right word here... :D What do you think?

Anyway, which would you have preferred though ? Celine luggage tote or trapeze wannabe from Charles and Keith or horsey "baby boomer" bag from La Palette ? Come on, tell me the truth :)

x

TheBagHag

Ab Fab!

Who loves the Brit show Ab Fab of a few eons ago? :D I'm a huuuuge fan of this show. Loving Patsy and Edina, Bubbles and Saffy! And yeah, Edina's mum!

Today, I was on twitter when @Focusonstyle mentioned that there's a leaked full length video of the new Ab Fab Special via Fierth.

I've decided to embed it here to show you peeps. It's really the funniest! I still love the characters-- it was as if nothing has changed :)

Enjoy watching this *via Fierth*, darling! *while it's still available!*


Shopbop Sale - Save 30-70%! SHOP NOW!!

x

TheBagHag

Travelog: Singapore, Japanese Confections, and a Style Shot

I purchased some sinfully good mochi from the basement of Takashimaya that also made these:

This is the BEST though. Green tea powdered mochi with white chocolate filling. Sinful, I know!

I will try to get this for my mom as well-- but I'm personally not a fan of bean paste. But if it's really finely ground, I might like it. So maybe I will give this a try too.

After I decided on the purchase, I handed over my payment and was told to wait by the chair. I was with my little budding photographer.  So guess who took this snap? :)

Hmm... I should enroll this little one in photography classes during summer. Seriously :) LOL *Paging photographer Patrick Uy! Please accommodate my 8 year old into your class this coming year :D*

P.S. I really love the basement of Takashimaya. They have the best Japanese confections!! And oh, they also have these Japanese sticky rice "okowa" which is soooo good-- if I may, can I recommend the scallop one for you?  It's the best!!

x
TheBagHag

My Christmas Gift :)

I've gotten presents from my loved ones, and then I've gotten presents from my husband. LOL. Ok so I admit I can be a total ingrate when it comes to him. I mean, come on, your husband is supposed to know you best and get you something that you realllllly like, right? Not something that he likes that he hopes you'd like (or hopes that you'd dislike enough to say back to him "you can have it" LOL). I've gotten the strangest Christmas gifts from my husband, one of them I remember all too clearly. Brace yourself because you will probably laugh out loud like I did when I first received it. And no, to him this was NOT a joke LOL!!

I received a 3- piece VHS boxed set for the movie, ALIEN *and the sequels*. LOL!!!

Photo credit: Google Images

I know, you're thinking that it was just a prank that my husband played on me. That there must've been a more meaningful, romantic gift aprés the joke gift. I can tell you it was not. I laughed out loud when I first received it. Then I got peeved and angry (LOL yes I am bratty) after I found out he was dead serious that this was his gift to me.

I don't know which was worse-- receiving a blender for a gift *even if it wasn't a Christmas gift* (from the movie, Father of the Bride), or receiving a boxed set for the Alien series. Man, what did he think I was, a friggin' alien?! LOL!!!

How did this gift come about? Well over a discussion, I mentioned casually that I had never seen any of the Alien movies. At all. To which he answered (and he was bewildered by my not having seen it), "I can't believe you've never seen Alien! It's a cult classic." I just nodded and said "yeah yeah yeah that and a million other mind- blowingly fantastic movies that I missed."

I didn't think he'd take it serious enough to make me watch it. And duuuuude, in VHS format? I mean, seriously? LOL come on!!! LOL

I suppose he has been traumatized since then and has allowed himself to tell me (rather unromantically and rather practically) that this is his budget for me, and he hopes that X amount would be enough to buy myself a gift. Because, he says, if it were up to him to buy me another gift, he'd probably end up getting me some electronic gadget which he knows better to operate than I do.  That or he'd get me a bag which I'd rather not he do, because he might end up getting me a bag that I'd never carry (simply because the man is really clueless about the things I like LOL!)

And so this Christmas 2011, I dropped hints about what I liked-- thinking perhaps this 10th year of being married to me, he'd finally get it...

LOL. We walked by Cartier and I remarked, "I really, really want that watch *points to rose gold ballon bleu*. I don't need a diamond- studded version but I'd love it in a larger size.  I normally don't care for watches. But that watch, I really, really want to have." *Complete with longing voice*

I quickly looked over his way, hoping to elicit some kind of a positive response. After all, we didn't get to spend our 10th year wedding anniversary anywhere-- he did plan something initially but after finding out about the insanely high plane fare which would take us to his planned destination, the trip was scrapped altogether. No follow- up trip after.  Boohoo.  So I figured, maybe he'd say yes to buying me this nice watch, right? LOL

Guess what, silence greeted my remarks about the watch! :D

Drat, I guess I can't throw in that I wouldn't have minded this Cartier necklace over the watch too eh? Tsk this woman has some material needs that need to be met! LOL!

Gorgeous gorgeous emeralds and sapphires! Not as magnificent as Liz Taylor's rocks, but this'll do too :D LOL

Anyyyyyway, I am going to stop harping like a sick little brat now because DH did end up paying for something I really, really liked :)  And no, it's NOT the DVD boxed set of Alien :D (I did end up watching those 3 movies with him by the way hahaha- darnit, his gift turned out to be something I did "use" after all lol)

Here is my Christmas gift from Dear Hubby :) 

An Elsa Peretti gold "Diamonds by the Yard" bracelet from Tiffany :)

DH has since redeemed himself, but hahaha, I shall never forget that Christmas he gave me that VHS boxed set :D In fact, it's still sitting pretty on our video shelf-- and that VHS machine has since died. His friggin' gift outlived the machine that was meant to play it LOL!  So I guess the VHS boxed set gift is going to work quite nicely as a DVD/ book shelf end :)

How about you? How did your Christmas celebration go, and what did you receive? :)  *I'd actually want to know what was the worst gift you have received hahaha*

And lastly, woohoo don't forget tomorrow is Boxing Day :) SALE everywhere!!!

x

TheBagHag

Food Blog: Ippudo Ramen, Singapore

At the 4th floor of the Mandarin Gallery by the Meritus Mandarin Hotel, you will find Ippudo Ramen. It's always full and there's always a long line. Crazy long. We went there just as the place was about to close LOL. Perfect timing.

I let my husband do the ordering for me. All I wanted was spicy ramen :) In fact, all I wanted was a good bowl of ramen. I've been holding off on carbs to keep from feeling sluggish, but I'll make an exception for a good bowl of ramen.

And I found it here :)

It was miso based. My husband ordered something not spicy. Blah :D I tried his soup base and it didn't have that good "kick" like mine

The egg was a winner though. It was GOOD!

I think though, the ramen lacks these "condiments" like black mushrooms, Chinese black fungus, bamboo shoots... but they're available to be ordered separately. So I did :)

So spicccyyyyyy!!!

It was a great meal-- very satisfying! I can't say that this ramen place is better than the one I had in Tokyo (remember Kyushujangara?), but it was satisfying enough for that craving :) 

Ippudo does not take reservations, nor do they allow food takeout. Try to come in a little later in the evening to get seats. 4/F Mandarin Gallery, Orchard Road.

P.S. I found it strange though that the restaurant played Elvis music LOL :D  But nice ambience overall :)

Merry Christmas, everyone :)

x

TheBagHag

A Time to Reflect... Merry Christmas!!

It's 12 midnight, December 25, 2011! Merry Christmas!!! Tonight I take the time to be grateful... for my kids and my husband (who've been so patient, tireless, and understanding), my family (who've always been so supportive of me in everything I do), for my friends and loved ones (whose relationships I treasure so much), for my work (and all the opportunities I've been given), for this blog (especially for the readers who've never gotten tired of this writer's shallowness :D), and most of all, for my life.

It's a nice time to be quiet for a few moments to reflect on this year's events and happenings, and to be grateful for everything. Everything-- the good, the bad, and yes, even the ugly. For it is in those experiences that our lives have become more enriched, have evolved, developed, and improved :)

My 8 year old shot this photo :) Love it & thought I should post it. It'll make my little budding photographer proud & happy :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS from Singapore, everyone!!!!  :)

x

TheBagHag

Travelog: Bags, Singapore!

At Takashimaya- Ngee Ann City, I saw a large Celine luggage tote in fluo orange python. It was a beauty. And then there were the fluo colored Box bags.

Orange and pink (somehow it looks more red in this photo)

Something I am really loving:

Celine box bag in blue

And then over at Fendi,

Gorgeous python peekaboo bag! The color is beautiful in person!

An exotic Silvana. Wow.

And something I've been quietly eyeing in the last 2 months...  The Chameleon bag. Seeing it in the flesh pretty much confirmed how much I like this bag. Oh dear.

It's time you treat yourself to something special today :) Hope you all have a great Christmas eve tonight!!! 

x
TheBagHag

LUISAVIAROMA'S WINTER 2011 COLLECTIONS NOW ON SALE!  SHOP NOW!!