Beginning of a tropical adventure

We're flying out tonight to look for apartments in Singapore!  Good thing I'm coming back in a few weeks because there's a lot of stuff to bring...

So I've been looking through a few sites recommended by a good friend: iproperty.com and propertyguru.com if anyone else is looking for real estate in SE Asia.

Since we're both going to be working (wish me luck on my job hunt), we're going to go for it and rent a nicer condo.  Mr. Gadget says we have to get a condo with a pool.  My friend was totally making fun of my Facebook statuses when I lived there because I was always swimming.  It'll be good to be back in shape (though it's so hot there you seriously could lose weight just by hanging out outside!)

That means I can wear...
...breezy, summery dresses in fun prints, like this Yumi Kim Love Dress (30% off this week with code yklove)

 

$204 here, pre-discount

 

...a cute, colorful bikini (with "hipster" bottoms no less)

 

$38/per piece here

...some flat sandals, sigh love these!

 

$79.95 here

...a simple straw hat to protect my pale little face from burning

 

$7.99 on sale here

It'll be a fun week of apartment hunting and shopping!

Semi-Meaningful Musing: Not being bound by "type" in finding your partner

As SuperBowl Sunday approaches, so does my 3-year anniversary of meeting Mr. Gadget (well re-meeting since we went to college together and never talked to each other).  So I thought about delving into how we go for "types" in our partners.  We were at a mutual friend's SuperBowl party and I recognized him from school and talked to him for a minute.  Apparently the fact that I acknowledged his existence was enough for him - he got my e-mail address from my friend and e-mailed me the next day.  Silly boys.

My first impression of him: He seems nice and all, but not my type (I had a height requirement, he wasn't as preppy as I liked, etc.)
His first impression of me: She may be too nice aka boring, but I'll still take her out to dinner anyway because she's cute.

So it wasn't exactly love at first sight.  He wasn't like the sometimes bad-boy, clean-cut boys that I had previously brought home to the parents.  He was a little more urban and academic at the same time.  But we enjoyed each other's company and continued to see each other to see where it would go.  Love blossomed  after a few short months and of course the rest is history.

I guess the point is, Never say never.  Mr. Gadget seemed a little cheesy and we were more friendly than romantic at first.  But it became the best relationship of my life.  I began to see past my "type" and see him.  I was also ready and more selective about the qualities I wanted in partner...this took a while for me and sometimes you have to go through the bad to get to the good you know?

He also had many of the aspects of the I realized I wanted in a life partner (and was sometimes lacking in my previous relationships).  He was extremely considerate, caring, and helped me to grow as a person.

So take a look around that bar, Superbowl party, supermarket - you never know when or where you'll find that person.  But don't settle and always have fun.  

Image taken from here. How did  he do that?

How did you meet your partner?  Was he/she your "type"?

FFF - Ann Taylor $20 off for trying on shoes 2/6, Black History month, NYC Cocktail compass

Happy Friday everyone!  I'm so glad my husband has FINALLY recovered from his food poisoning (8 days of torture) and we're finally able to go out and see our friends.  Of course it kinda sucks we're going to Singapore in a few days and I have to go apartment and furniture hunting.  Eeeek!

Anyway, here's a run-down of some fun, free stuff for ya!

Everywhere (in the US)
Ann Taylor sent me an e-mail about a cool promo - try on any of their newly designed, luxe but affordable shoes on Saturday,  Feb 6 and get $20 off any purchase with this e-mail (woo, could get some cheap accessories or clearance things!).  Print from the link here.

It's Black History Month!  There are a ton of great events so look in your city for cultural events to art exhibits and events for the kids.  Here is a link to some NYC events.  The Harlem Gospel Choir is putting on a free performance tomorrow so sit back and enjoy!

NYC
Happy hour alert!  The best time of day to unwind and go to town on some half price quesadillas.  I was told about L Magazine's free app The Cocktail Compass.  It's like a GPS for Happy hour specials - it notes your location and lists the closest bars with happy hours, their specials, and digits.  Technology totally rocks.

Otherwise, sorry about the spotty postings.  But I do have a lot in the works (you should see my drafts folder) and fun giveaways for you. Have a fantastic weekend!

Blue Moon Cupcakes or Hazelnut chocolate whisky cookies?

A fine port and some chocolate torte.  A coffee with a shot of Bailey's and your favorite crumb cake.

Sometimes dessert and alcohol just go together.

I can also imagine that these touches of alcohol give just the right kicking balance to a sometimes too sweet dessert.  I don't always have a big sweet tooth but am super intrigued by these Blue Moon cupcakes - my sista from another mista LOVES Blue Moon and can't partake because she's pregnant.  This may be a good way to enjoy Blue Moon and some yummy cupcakes too.

 

$30for 12 from Etsy seller Cacao Bakery

For a (slightly) lighter treat, I love a good cookie.  These cookies remind me of a grown-up's Milano cookie with a kicked up Nutella spiked with whisky.  Yum!

 

$9 for 6  online at Whimsy & Spice in Brooklyn!

Sigh it's a good thing that it's still winter and I get to wear big sweaters all day.  Though I gotta figure something out when I move to a tropical climate, darn...Till then, enjoy the sweets sweeties!

Photo Love: Chris Craymer and Stripped down love

I recently came across Chris Craymer's photography and some of his stills really caught my eye.

I love how it depicts love in a quirky and very basic fashion (and the lampshade is super adorable of course).  Love when no one else is looking and we're in our "house clothes" with each other.

Or really stripped down love (not necessarily in a literal clothing sense) when we're really comfortable with our partners and can brush our teeth next to each other and just let it all hang out.

It goes to show that our partners really love us as we are and those are the kind of people we want to spend the rest of our lives with.  Awesome.

FFF - Sample sale benefiting APEX (inner city youth) and Keeping Hope for Haiti Alive

Happy Friday dears!

This week is an NYC event in which everyone can participate! If you're not in NYC, shop to your heart's content at cutdrop.com.

The Lovely Dream Sequins is part of the committee that has organized a designer sale benefiting Apex - a NYC-based youth mentorship program (side note: my best friend met her husband when they both volunteered here!).  I'm thinking of this cute cashmere dress and at only $60!

In addition, let's all remember to keep Haiti in our hearts.


Liz's friend has these amazing t-shirts for $15 and 100% of proceeds benefits Haiti.

Tiffany and her brother Billy are also generously donating their time or services to get us to donate more to the Haiti relief efforts.  For a $20+ donation, she will give you a 8" x 10" print - something like this if you'd like.

For $100, talk to Tiffany and she could donate some photography services if you're in the Seattle area. More info here.

Have a lovely weekend!

My Wishpot Wedding/Fashion Guest post and Wedding blog funniness

I have a guest post on Wishpot's Wedding and Fashion Blogs today (so exciting, my first guest post!)
My post is about using your wedding registry to get cool things you want for the wedding itself - think makeup, birdcage veils, jewelry, ties, etc.!  This was especially relevant for us because we moved to another country and didn't want to bring too much stuff (even if we hadn't I have a TON of house stuff due to my obsession with Amazon's housewares department ). 

As I mentioned here, we really loved having a unique wedding registry that really reflected what was uniquely important to us - donations to the American Cancer Society, a man-purse for Mr. Gadget's Amazon Kindle DX, and luggage for our travels (and boy, are those babies getting mileage!)  So I'm a total advocate of a registry that allows you to select items (even from Etsy!!!) from across the web.

Also for my bride friends still wondering about whether to even have a registry, go for it, and make it fun!  We initially didn't want one either for the reasons mentioned above.  But if your friends and family are generously gifting you something, don't leave too much to their imagination - accept the fact that you will receive gifts and pick them out yourself.

I still use Wishpot to organize my online shopping lists because hey there's always something to shop for dream about and my Bookmarks menu is too full.

Bravo Bride also contacted me recently and said they listed me as one of their favorite wedding blogs.  Aww thanks!  Did they find the picture of me making a cross-eyed look at my husband during our wedding ceremony?  I am unfortunately not brave enough to post that right now.
But I will post an example of how silly faces between cousins never dies.

They seriously post some funny pictures and I love people that can laugh at themselves.

Ladies, this could be you - wedding gown + worm = awesome memories