Thursday, September 29, 2011

Mayy's Closet #67

While I am at it, let's continue with a seriously crazy outfit idea for a cold winter day. Don't ever try it, I don't know what possessed me. Aside from the fact that I was sleeping over at the girls' place and they said no to my trackies. We had a last minute idea to head down to the Freo markets, great idea but not so great when I dont have my wardrobe with me...

Without further ado, here goes!

I know I know, I had on a scarf, long sleeve shirt.... skirt... leggings? stocking? Nope, didnt had any on. So it was my bare legs facing a battle with the harsh winter wind, even if it was sunny out. And perhaps I wore boots? Nope, I had on ballet flats.

The tartan skirt is from Shiyu's wardrobe and so is the Cotton On scarf. Only the electric blue strong-shouldered long sleeve top was mine. And I got it from the kids section of Best and Less. Who cares, if it fits... it fits.

But I really like the tartan prints here. They somehow match and all go well together for a cute weekend market look! If I do say so myself...

But so not for winter.

Photos credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com

I used to have a number of skirts in this style when I was younger and just outgrew them. So wearing this outfit really brought me back to an age when I was more inspired with the Japanese and Taiwanese culture. Dont get me wrong, I admire those looks but somehow, I am different now and my closet speaks for itself. I am still eclectic and multi-personalities (or schizo?) but just not so cute-sy...

Overall, a 6/10 for this look and I don't think I will be repeating it anytime soon.. Maybe when I have a daughter and I can dress her up this way?

What say you? Too young for me? Hahahaa...

Till my next closet raid, Mayy xo

Shoestopper #46

YES! SHOES! A wintery post for the other side of the world. Definitely not here down under, these boots are not make for walking in sun...

Wearing my casual furtrimmed cardigan and favourite Zara oversized knitdress with this pair of beige kittenheeled boots.


You can see that it was peeling... The poor thing! I hardly wore it and I even forgot I had it back in SG. I got it a while back for really really cheap when I went to Shanghai to watch Masters Cup (Tennis).

I love Shanghai, I do. First time in a proper China city and I never thought it would feel that way. I remember landing in the city and coming out from the airport, I felt like I've come home in some part of me. My intuitions and feelings hardly lie. It just depends on whether I wanna heed my own advice. Know what I am talking about? haha

Two ways to wearing it as usual. I love my wardrobe to be multi-functional and flexible!

Photos credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com

Prettier this way aint it? They are actually really comfortable and made of soft suede. While you may think beige is such a light colour and difficult to maintain, it somehow allowed me to walk in the rain and still remain pretty.

Unfortunately, the peeling got so bad (must be the heat in SG) and I had to retire it. The kitten heels were comfy and I felt really sad that I couldn't have more time with it. Bye my pretty, maybe one day I will find something just like you...

Till my next shoe-stopping experience, Mayy xo

Mayy's Closet #66

What with all the fashion week going on in the global fashion capital cities, I live vicariously through the likes of Ingrid of thebaghagdiaries and Bryanboy of bryanboy.com. Their lifes so amazing and they do their work so well. You can also see behind all the glamour and glitter, they must have put in so much hard work in their own way. If you don't already know, you need to head on over to their blogs for some awesome reads.

As for me, I shall take a break from my work and do a little post on clothes which neglected on this blog but my days revolve around it on my facebook page, Mayy's Closet!

Here goes! For the wonderful spring/summer days approaching...

A maxidress from Supre that can be worn two ways. Halterneck in this case and strapless in the next. It is a tad long for me but got it altered.

I love maxidresses, they really elongate the body and make me seemed so much taller than I actually am. In love with the simple style that you can dress up or down with it. Like a blank canvas to play with. Bangles, long necklaces, earrings, rings, bags, shoes. Oh the endless possibilities!

Photos credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com

No harm that it is definitely in my favourite colour of all time. That exact shade of blue/green. Oh the wonderful robin-egg blue colour of a Tiffany's box, wrapped me up with a pristine white silk ribbon please.

Maybe you will find a charm or diamond in me ;)

Till my next closet raid, Mayy xo

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

M's Food Find #71

YOU KNOW WHAT?! I could use a break and since I havent had any proper lunch nor brekkie today, let's celebrate... I meant that sarcastically of course.

Here's a little ramen shop in the heart of a Perth suburb called Kai.

Very little shop that only really sits about 20 and has about 6 tables.

Trading hours and phone number for you!

Located in Parry Avenue shops with a big cheesecake shop nearby.


Some photos of the menu so you know the variety they have. Pretty amazing and unique here.

Sashimi... yums!

bento sets, sushi, side dishes but when I headed there for the first time, I noticed the star of the restaurant is really their ramen.


Personally, I would go back to this place just for their green tea. Served in the cutest little pot but packs a real strong punch of flavour. I love it. The burnt rice is strong and you can just feel antioxidants and the healthiness of this tea in you.

That's their large sashimi order. Like I mentioned, I have yet to find the kind of sashimi I am accustomed to but I know I have been spoilt. So the grade of sashimi here in Kai is pretty decent for Perth and I can taste the hint of sweetness and freshness.

Ordered the tonkatsu ramen broth. Look at that absolutely stunning egg and molten yolk. well done Kai! The broth is very strong and flavorful and the noodles springy. So far the best Ive had in Perth for sure. But I have such high standards for Japanese cuisine that I really cannot bring myself to rave about everything so far (except the green tea, that I LOVE).

They have three different kinds of broth and several different accompaniments to the ramen. We have miso, soy and tonkatsu which I have tried. Sam who is a huge fan of this place loves their tonkatsu broth. My friend Shiyu tried the chicken karaage one (I didn't ask which broth she got because she went on a different occasion).

So far, so good. Worth a drive down!

And for me, another star of this little restaurant is their Special Bento Set Box. $21.50 for all that goodness.Trust me, its so worth it. There's assorted sashimi where the best one and the one that genuinely surprised me in a good way is the squid iku sashimi. So sweet and tender! WOW.

The grilled mackerel tasted amazing, just like the ones I had in my favourite restaurants in Singapore. So good, a little piece of home for me.

You see tempura, a good generous portion. Nothing to rave about here but its good. nothing bad.

Then that bottom right corner next to the mackerel, you get agedashi tofu and karagge chicken. I did tell you this is SO WORTH THE PRICE. And its all good. The tofu is so yummy! Karagge chicken is alittle too dark for my liking but the chicken is very tender inside. Topped with the yummy thinly sliced fish skin. So pretty.

The fan-shaped rice is really to finish and accompany the dishes. Not the other way round where you usually have dishes to accompany the rice. I like this way better. I didnt manage to finish the rice but polished off everything else.

Yes, I mentioned I was a pig...

Photos credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com

And I leave you with their details once again... GO. NOW. Lunch, dinner whenever.

Till my next food find, Mayy x Kai Japanese on Urbanspoon

A Litte Note from Mayy

Hi all, I miss writing on here! I really do but for now I must focus all these writing energies towards my thesis due on October 14! Oh my god, the year went by so fast. Well, don't worry I will be back soon after that with a lot more updates than you can cope! Making up for lost time, yes we must.

But before I go, I leave you some wise words from the ladies of SATC...




Photos credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com

Monday, September 12, 2011

M's Food Find #70

Well well well, it is the one week study break and uni seemed a little quiet. I even had a blissful morning packing my clothes and just spending time with my closet. Don't think Im loopy, I truly love clothes. And two packages arrived today for me. Whoots.

Anyway, have you had your mooncake? I did. Now, in a chinese mood so far? I am. So here's a food find for Chinese food in Perth! The newly opened Old Cathay down in East Victoria Park, all the way at the end and tucked away at a really new building just by the causeway. Just make sure you dont make a wrong turn into the causeway, just keep sticking to your left.


Hopefully this map on their takeaway menu will help. Apparently their peking duck is AWESOME.

Love the old school menu. Love the look.



Quite a big place really and my favourite seat in the house will be this little corner of the long sofa. So sweet!



The back area sits more...



Thats the front area where we were.



really liking the decor. nothing quite like it in Perth so far... Anyway, I visited this place on the very first night I was going to stay over in uni. Whoa. Had to get some good food in me! Opens at 6pm and we were too early. Had to wait around..



But the wait was worth it...here's our menu for the night.

Salted egg yolk chicken. It was really yummy when it came hot. Crispy and the coating was yummy! Amazing.



Braised pork belly is one of my weaknesses. I just love it. And this version, yums. Second to dragon palace only! But this one had better aroma and herbs.




Photos credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com




If you are thinking thats it?! Well there were only two of us so its more of SO MUCH?! We very nearly finish it all. Well, at least Sam could eat hahah. The last dish here is one of their specialites, beancurd and chicken and assorted vegetables. The tofu really is silky smooth and hint of egg. The mushrooms and sauce went really well together. There's flavour y'all! Snap peas were sweet and juicy. LOVES.




Just writing this post makes me want to head back. I will definitely want to go back. YUMS. Prices were on the higher side as it really is a classy place and a really nice place for a special date too. So well worth it.




Till my next food find, Mayy x

Old Cathay on Urbanspoon

Mayy LOVES Mooncakes!

The Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節), also known as the Moon Festival or Zhongqiu Festival is a popular harvest festival celebrated by Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese people. Dating back over 3,000 years to moon worship in China's Shang Dynasty, it was first called Zhongqiu Jie (literally "Mid-Autumn Festival") in the Zhou Dynasty. In Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, it is also sometimes referred to as the Lantern Festival or Mooncake Festival.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is in September or early October in the Gregorian calendar. It is a date that parallels the autumnal equinox of the solar calendar, when the moon is at its fullest and roundest. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, of which there are many different varieties. The Chinese festival is very traditional and a great way to celebrate.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the few most important holidays in the Chinese calendar, the others being Spring Festival and Winter Solstice, and is a legal holiday in several countries. Farmers celebrate the end of the fall harvesting season on this date. Traditionally on this day, Chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat moon cakes and pomelos under the moon together.


So that's all we have from Wikipedia. Hahaha. There are many different stories on how this festival came about and why we eat mooncakes. Just Google it if you are interested. In case you were wondering, yes today 12th Sept is the day this year!

Where kids take lanterns, electric and the olders ones play with traditional lanterns and candles. Walking around the neighbourhood at night with so many colours and laughter. Tea and mooncakes for everyone. Loves it. I miss my childhood!



So far, the best traditional mooncake Ive had in Perth is from Maxim in Hong Kong or otherwise called Mei Xing. Dragon Palace has them and Emma's and VHT. VHT sold out real fast! Emma's too. I got myself the white lotus paste with double yolk. Yums. I can eat them all day but apaprently the calories are mad!

Mooncake (simplified Chinese: 月饼; traditional Chinese: 月餅; pinyin: yuè bĭng) is a Chinese bakery product traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival / Zhongqiu Festival. The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching; mooncakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy on this occasion. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. The Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the four most important Chinese festivals.

Typical mooncakes are round or rectangular pastries, measuring about 10 cm in diameter and 4–5 cm thick. A thick filling usually made from lotus seed paste is surrounded by a relatively thin (2–3 mm) crust and may contain yolks from salted duck eggs. Mooncakes are usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by Chinese tea. Today, it is customary for businessmen and families to present them to their clients or relatives as presents,helping to fuel a demand for high-end mooncake styles. Mooncake energy content can vary with the filling and size; the average moon cake carries 800 to 1200 kcal, mainly from fats and sugar.
The festival is intricately linked to the legends of Chang E, the mythical Moon Goddess of Immortality.Most mooncakes consist of a thin, tender skin enveloping a sweet, dense filling, and may contain one or more whole salted egg yolks in its center to symbolise the full moon. Very rarely, mooncakes are also served steamed or fried.

Traditional mooncakes have an imprint on top consisting of the Chinese characters for "longevity" or "harmony", as well as the name of the bakery and the filling inside. Imprints of the moon, the Chang'e woman on the moon, flowers, vines, or a rabbit (symbol of the moon) may surround the characters for additional decoration.


More from Wikipedia...






Look at that glisten in the sunlight. YUMS.

Photos credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com


That is the photo of the blueberry cheesecake snowskin mooncake from Wing Wah. I found it and it looks so good!


SO REMEMBER TO HAVE SOME MOONCAKE TODAY! And spend some lovely family time =)

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Completely Random

Its times like these that I remember the studying days before. And mummy and daddy would have to go to the markets to get stuff. I couldn't go... but Daddy would buy flowers back for me. On several occasions, I got beautiful sunflowers!



So gorgeous and brighten up any kind of day a girl was having!


Photo credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com

And look at how tall/long one of them was!!! WOW. But sadly we didnt have a tall enough vase so we had to cut it =(

Ahhh, I know flowers eventually wither. But while they are alive, they bring so much joy to people, and to me. So beautiful!

Completely Random

Some goofy pictures of me...

Came across this cute little hooded bath towel for kids in Harbourtown earlier this year. Made Anna take photos for me, alittle embarassing but who cares.

Photos credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com

Ok, I couldn't stop laughing. If it didnt cost a ridiculous $20, I would have bought it. I mean the hood is a princess crown!

Mayy LOVES Mooncakes!

Last post for now...I think. Well, it is definitely one of my favourite seasons/festivals in a year. And one that I have been devastated to be away from for the past three years.

However, I still somehow to manage score my favourite traditional ones from Da Zhong Guo in Singapore (Ubi) for the past couple of years except this year because my family visits during the period when they are available for sale. I just cant have them with salted egg yolk... sad.

Anyway, while I had my traditional ones, I missed out on my snowskin mooncakes. It is heartbreaking that I have to be away from Singapore during this season because every year you get new flavours from everywhere, discover new levels of food pleasures from different makers.

This year however, I decided to find me some in boring ol' Perth because I accidentally came across Dragon Palace selling some last year but I didn't get any. Definitely have to make up for lost time!!!

If you are missing snowskin and like me want to get your hands on some this year, fret not. I have tried quite a few and am quite pleased to share my photos and experience with you. And you know what, I truly love mooncakes, so much more than cupcakes. There, I said it.

This is from Wing Wah in Hong Kong. Selling at Dragon Palace restaurant, Emma's in Northbridge and VHT Perth. Price check: Cheapest at Dragon Palace! I got mine for about $40 at Emma's =(

I got the large size and it comes with 8 mini mooncakes (4 flavours) and one big one. The small box comes with 6 mini mooncakes (3 flavours).

Black sesame is always my favourite and it is quite fragrant and yummy! Good version.

Strawberry flavour...



What it means is strawberry jam middle with mung bean paste. Very gooey and sweet. Love this combination! The snow skin is also very smooth and tender. Well done.

I missed out on a photo of blueberry cheesecake flavour!!! ARGH BUT IT WAS SO GOOD!!! You can taste the slight hint of cheese and blueberry middle goes so well.... Drools just thinking of it!

The big mooncake in the middle is the mango flavoured one.

It definitely did not disappoint! Smells yummy, tastes like mango and near heavenly! no wonder it is in the big size!


Yes, you read that right. I hear you, chocolate pearls! This is actually in the small box but I swapped the mocha flavoured for this. Shhhhhhhhh....

However, this flavour disappoints. While it sounded good, the chocolate pearls were tiny and didnt have much flavour overpowered by pandan which was quite faint as well... Makes me wonder how mocha tasted like?

Overall, Wing Wah did well in the snowskin department so far! Next up, I tried Taipan from Hong Kong again and I got it from Emma's. When I went, only came in small boxes of 2 in one flavour. $8.80 for a pair. Apparently the big souvenir box came later that weekend...

Sam missed his green tea mooncake so I got a pair for him. And I had to get myself some too.


Didnt have much of a strong green tea taste and quite disappointing. The snow skin is also not as good as Wing Wah's.

Loosely translated as soft heart aka soft-hearted, one wonders why the chef named it that. Well...

Its because its a soft chocolate lava centre!!! Truly melty chocolate lovin'. While the chocolate bean paste is not my favourite kind of chocolate flavour, the middle is really very good. And Shiyu who tried it loved it so much she went and got herself some too.

Another love of mine, durians. When I saw that I knew I had to get it. But did it disappoint like the other two Taipan snowskin mooncakes?

Photos credits: mayydiaries.blogspot.com

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO it did NOT disappoint. YESSSSSSSSSSSS it is super good and awesome. The middle is real durian and the flavour is super overpowering. Just right and burps out like if you actually ate durian. Oh boy. BIG POINTS FOR THIS and I may just get some for myself again when I head down to Northbridge tomorrow.

This mooncake lovin' really doesnt come cheap though. Who cares. However in my mother's words: "I can't believe you are spending so much on mooncakes over there when we have so many at home and no one really eats them." Sighs, did I mention I was the mooncake monster back home?