Interests:Jesus (Lover of My Soul). Gastronomical Indulgences. Exploration of the World. Sartorial Elegance. Prose. Design. Film. Music. Racing. Black Humor. Sunsets & Sunrises. Expertise:Blogger extraordinaire. Model and Events host. Closet Nerd/Geek. Fashion entrepreneur at www.lexilyla.com
Spam, slander, abusive remarks and comments that propagate lies are not tolerated. Just as no one wants trash in their home, I do not hesitate to clear out trash here too.
Check your passport’s validity and apply for visas if necessary.
Cheapest day to fly is usually Tuesday/Wednesday. Fridays & Sundays are most expensive.
Buy yearly travel insurance if you fly frequently. When your flight is delayed for 6 hours or more you’ll be glad you have it. My yearly plan also covers cancellations, medical emergencies etc. and it is not expensive. Better safe than sorry!
Invest in easy-to-pull 4-wheel luggages, they are a God-send. Get one that’s distinct – leave the conveyer belt quickly and avoid mix-ups. Also remember to add a luggage tag with your contact details.
Put valuable items into your carry-on bag if possible. Bags do get lost, and you never know when things will get stolen from your check-in luggage, especially in developing or third world countries.
Bring a lightweight, foldable duffle bag. It’ll come in very handy when you do a bit too much shopping!
Going someplace dressy? Place sports jackets, pressed shirts, and dresses in agarment bag. Use wrapping tissue paper to avoid wrinkling.
Double check you have your cameras, SD cards, phone, chargers and other electronic devices. It’ll be a costly nightmare if you realize you didn’t bring them. I’ve learnt from my unfortunate experience of having to buy a camera and laptop charger when overseas. A complete waste of money!
Avoid shocking phone bills. Purchase a local sim card with internet access. Especially if you plan to stay connected and upload all your holiday photos to make your friends envious ;)
Do research on your destination. Plan. Even if you’re not the type to plan your trip down to the last detail, it’s good to at least have a list of some things you want to do or places to visit so your vacation time isn’t wasted. Unless you’re planning to laze in your hotel the whole time! I personally like the Luxe City Guides.
Locals are your best friends. They have insider knowledge on the best places to go and can give you a slice of authentic life in the city you’re visiting. Should you be… socially disadvantaged, haha… ask around to see if your friends can hook you up with people they know living there.
For accommodation bookings, download the Hotels.com app.
I find it’s the best by far - very easy to use with great features. The intuitive interface is designed specially for phones/iPads, which makes the process a breeze.
Having dinner with friends and suddenly, all of you unanimously decide to go on a beach getaway together this weekend? Don’t wait to go home, just whip out your phone and start making your travel plans pronto.
Let’s imagine you are traveling through Europe, and you need to secure last minute accommodation for the next city. Oh no!
Don’t fret, no need to hunt for a computer. No need to pay exorbitant front desk rates. Take out your nifty phone or iPad, and easily search 140,000 hotels around the world. Choose from 20,000 last-minute deals at your location, browse more than 2.5 million user reviews.
Flick through hotels, photos and reviews with one swipe, and make use of powerful sort and filter tools to manage your selections. Enjoy huge savings and special deal rates.
Photos, information, and guest reviews at your fingertips
Like it? Click on the ♥ to add to your shortlist
Easily view your shortlisted hotels for easier decision making.
Both the phone and iPad apps use GPS to show you the hotels around your location!
Possibly the best thing about using Hotels.com, is their Welcome Rewards program. For every 10 nights accumulated through their service, they will give you 1 night FREE! (the average price of the 10 nights)
I like this perk a lot because it definitely gives you the most bang for your buck. Your booking comes with a price match guarantee so you can rest assured you will get the best rate.
Check your Rewards credits on the Hotel.com app. Redeem a free night anywhere in the world :)
Still not convinced how great and easy this app is?
Check this out: If you're skydiving towards your holiday destination and realize that you've forgotten to make a hotel reservation, fear not – Hotels.com app will help you out. Extreme sportsman JT Holmes shows off the speed and ease of the app as he free falls towards his holiday destination at Lake Tahoe!
Even without an internet connection, all past and future bookings can still be accessed through the app. Download the Hotels.com app via the following link:
It was a cheery Saturday which started off with a dim sum lunch with friends at Wah Lok followed by coffee at Toby's Estate. A short walk away was The Polliwogs - welcome to kiddy bubblegum play land!
In one of the two party rooms was where family, friends and hoardes of excited, shrieking kids gathered for Kayla's 4th birthday party.
You had better come dressed to the theme of *red blue and white* or Little Captain America will bash you far into the sky!
The party was spared no expense. The superhero was everywhere - from balloons, to the table cloth, piñata for the kids to hit, and a life sized cardboard figurine - all specially flown in from the USA.
You might think it strange that a little girl is into such a guy action hero. Don't worry, it doesn't mean she will grow up butch or anything. When I was her age I was crazy about Superman and Robocop. Look how I turned out, haha.
Captain America has a playful and feminine side too ;o)
My cousin/bro & little 1 year old Davian, the birthday boy and also brother of the birthday girl.
The Polliwogs party host did an incredible job of leading the children in a myriad of games & entertainment. It takes a lot of energy and enthusiasm! Like a giant perched on a tiny stool, I sat there watching them in enjoyment because they were all too adorable. I had flashbacks of my own birthday parties in Mcdonald's, Magicland (at Marina Square, who remembers it?!) and other various places some 20+ years ago.
At The Polliwogs @ Robertson Walk, children can literally climb the walls or jiggle on the water bed, aside from traversing the bigger play arena. Adults in the meantime can relax and enjoy a cuppa in the spacious cafe while keeping an eye on the young ones.
Gazillions of fun! It'd been a long time since I ran amok in a play gym like this one.
A breathtaking film with stunning visual effects, Ang Lee brought the Man Booker Prize winning novel to life. It has one of those twist endings that will leave you wondering and debating... spoilers ahead if you haven't read/seen it!
In the end, Pi shares with us two versions of what happened out at sea.
I find it interesting that it seems everyone assumes one story has to be real and one imagined.
The question he asks is not which is true or false, it is "which do you prefer?"
BOTH stories have truth. They are one and the same.
As in many things in life, you can choose to understand with a rational mind, or you can understand from the heart, viewing with spiritual and emotional eyes.
While logically speaking, it is likely that Pi was the one who killed the cook and saw the Japanese sailor and his mother cannibalized, it is also true that Richard Parker DID EXIST – within Pi. Richard Parker is an emotional aspect of Pi’s personality, the beast in him, the violent and animalistic side of human nature that we struggle with, and it has to be tamed. Richard Parker was very real to Pi in his 227 days out at sea. He was Pi’s companion and motivating force for survival. Just because Richard Parker was not present physically, does not negate his emotional truth.
Remember, Pi was a profoundly spiritual person who took on three religions at the same time and reveled in God's fiery thunderstorms. Needless to say, there is a spiritual depth and deep philosophical introspection to the way he interprets and gives meaning to events in his life. By using allegories in his Richard Parker story, Pi could illustrate the complex ideas and symbolisms of things that happened, in an elegant (less horrific) story that people can pass on and relate to better - much akin to a parable.
Like love (and arguably like God)… “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart” – Hellen Keller.
Science is true, beyond a doubt. The purely rational will see science as just that – cold hard facts and proven theories about the world around us. Scientifically speaking, love is simply a heady concoction of chemical reactions in the brain. But if you view this fact with emotional/spiritual lens, you will understand love as a power far more magnificent than, well, mere brain juice. Yet, both are true are they not? Which version of love do you prefer?
Likewise, when Pi remarks, "and so it goes with God", I believe he is saying belief in a higher power that seems fantastical and impossible has to be intertwined with an embrace of faith in the spiritual and emotional side of life. Only then are we more likely to accept that science & God, like Richard Parker and Pi, are not really mutually exclusive. That perhaps science is also the creative language of a God we cannot fully comprehend. The name Pi itself- the famous irrational mathematical number 22/7 that never ends - makes him symbolic of the unfathomable, mysterious complexities of our human existence we will never fully grasp.
He isn't insisting either story is right or wrong. Hey, if you prefer the story without the animals, it's okay too. But it would be a pity because you're missing out on something deeper, something more beautiful.
I ♥ this series of shots because it was quite impromptu at the resort over Zoukout weekend (I hurriedly jumbled up my hair in a few seconds, and tada!) but thank God, everything came together so effortlessly for a really nice result. Really quick too! No photoshop was needed except for a bit of exposure adjustment :)
It's a long or short dress, depending how you look at it! Part of the long lace skirt is sheer with a slit to show off those legs. Perfect when you want something a little formal and elegant but not still fashion-forward and chic.
Want more style ideas for the festive season?
Here are my recommendations:
Count down in dazzling style. Shine under the party disco lights in glamorous embellishments and shiny stones.
Attending a dinner soiree? You can play up your girly, feminine side with luxurious, soft textures and flowing silhouettes.
Or of course, send some yuletide cheer to your Christmas gatherings in bright and bold festive colours!
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Present for my niece
You had better come dressed to the theme of *red blue and white* or Little Captain America will bash you far into the sky!
