Jetsetter's Vintage Finds - Interview with Charlotte Hwang, Co-founder of The9thMuse

First published in ELEQT on 3 July 2012.

A few weeks back I had the pleasure of meeting up with Charlotte Hwang from The9thMuse, a quaint little store right above Hyde that offers some unique yet daring fashion and home accessories, with a contrasting variety of styles from all corners of the world to suit each and every one of us. Charlotte will clue us into how she and her business partner Jing thoughtfully sought all the vintage, fair trade, and bespoke pieces on shelf, as well as their desire to allow every woman to shine through with their own blend of good taste.

Dressing Up for the Heat

First published in ELEQT on 26 June 2012.

Now that you have pampered your skin and glammed up your flat, isn't it just the perfect time to bulk up your wardrobe with some special 2012 Spring/Summer pieces? Here are some of the secret finds I have stumbled upon recently:

Clothing

Book of Deer is a super new brand by a young Scottish-Chinese fashion designer, Eilidh Ho. Based in Hong Kong, she aims to bring to life a dreamy collection filled with chiffon pieces, digitally-printed with her girly hand-drawn illustrations, each attempting to tell a different fairytale.

Celebrating the Italian Festival

First published in ELEQT on 25 June 2012.

Two weeks ago marked the opening of the Italian Film Festival, and there is nothing in the world that could deter us from participating! Michelle and I eagerly rushed over to their night long celebration on Thursday, 7 June 2012, which kicked off with a wonderful cocktail at W Hotel's lovely Sing Yin Restaurant. After tucking in some mouthwatering canapés and Italian wines, we headed over to the Grand Cinema at Elements to watch I Love You in Every Language of the World by Italian director Leonardo Pieraccioni, whom they are paying tribute to this year. He also played the male protagonist in the film, and the comedy was lighthearted and entertaining, making a great watch after a long day of mind-draining work.

Domestic Makeover

First published in ELEQT on 27 June 2012.


Now don't just give yourself a makeover for the summer, give your home some touch up as well! Pick out something that is bold and beautiful, and give your most intimate pad a well-deserved face lift.

Delightfull, an innovative brand from Portugal, injects elegance into each of their pieces, making your home tastefully unique. The latest addition to their Heritage collection, Clark Suspension, adds a touch of melodrama to your otherwise homogeneous Hong Kong flat. Entirely made of brass, it resembles that of a trumpet, as it was inspired by the jazzy forties. It will definitely go well with a track by Ray Charles and a decent glass of single malt on rocks.

Amenpapa's 2012 Spring/Summer Collection - Let There Be Light

First published in ELEQT on 29 June 2012.

Amenpapa, a Hong Kong startup that fuses inspiration messages with I.T-esque designs, has been stepping up their game with their latest collection - Let There Be Light. Their mastermind, Salina, along with their talented designers Lulu and Illusteven, whipped up a bright and colourful collection for the upcoming season, with an occasional touch of the playful neon colours, bringing a dash of light into our boring ol' lives.

Beauté de L'été - Caring for Summer

Published exclusively in this site on 7 June 2012.

Summer is definitely on its way. What have you got up your sleeves to protect that delicate body of yours from the glaring sun and heat? Between the ultraviolet rays and dehydration, you will have to work hard on preparing for a fun and ravishing summer. Here's what you can shield yourself with:

Face - Bare Minerals

If you have taken a peek at the Story of Cosmetics, you will know investing in Bare Minerals' makeup is well worth it. After all, where can you get a starter kit with several full size brushes, pots of powder foundations and makeup base primer for a steal? As somebody with super sensitive skin and develops rash at the slightest hint of impurity, I swear by Bare Minerals, which is formulated without any preservatives or harsh chemicals. It might be a little daunting at first to find all their products to be in the form of powder, and to begin with I was unsure of how well it will stick on. To my surprise, their foundation and concealer offers amazing coverage, without the sticky feeling from liquid foundation or cream concealer.

This year, they decided to extend their natural line of products into skincare, with ingredients that is clinically proven to have extraordinary antioxidant capacity, which reduces pores, fine lines, and wrinkles, bringing you the brighter, younger skin you have always been craving for. As their VIP customer (yes, I am the proud owner of every single product they have ever manufactured, from their non-smudge eyeliner to their powder sun block), they invited me to their skincare collection launch party at the French Window to find out more.

Nuffnang's June Featured Blogger

First published in Nuffnang on 1 June 2012.

I am Gillian, a Hong Kong based Canadian blogger who keeps a local lifestyle blog. Since writing is not my day job, I must say this has been a very humbling experience, and I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to take a glimpse of what the glamorous editorial world is like. I have never even thought of keeping a blog until December 2010, when my friend Erica invited me to go to a fashion show with her on behalf of the online magazine she represents, and casually asked if I could do the write up for the evening, which gave a kick start to my guest contribution with Lifestyle Asia. On February 2011, after several months of guest contributing on various online magazines and blogs, I decided to keep my own blog on top of writing for others, pretty much because I have just way too much to write about than an occasional guest post.

我Gillian是駐香港的加拿大籍博客，而寫作題材多數環繞時裝、藝術及旅遊。由於寫作是我的興趣而不是職業，所以我很慶幸能夠有機會一嘗為生活雜誌獻稿的滋味。為Lifestyle Asia寫文之前，我從來都無想過要做博客。但當時好友兼Lifestyle Asia編輯Erica需要有人幫手寫幾篇派對報導，所以就因此開展了我的博客生涯。

Michelin Cuisine on the Go

Published exclusively in this site by Jasmine on 1 June 2012.

As some of you may know, I love to pack my schedule back to back, entirely filled with an assortment boring ol' classes, glamorous events, and fun-filled activities. Sometimes it gets so overwhelming that I don't even have time to eat. When that happens, I always wished that I had something healthy, yummy, and not messy with me. After all, I can't always just grab a cup of shiu mai every time! That is why I was so excited when I recently discovered some neatly packaged goodies that are also good for your body.

Stephen James Luxury Organics produces these awesome granola bars that can constitute a light meal in itself. Each bar actually takes 3 days to make in Macau. Can you believe that? There are six flavors, with some sweet and some savory, so you can have one for lunch, snack or even just desserts.