Sakura

Mood:

Yes I'm changing, yes I'm gone

Yes I'm older, yes I'm moving on

And if you don't think it's a crime you can come along, with me

Life is moving, can't you see

They say people never change, but that's bullshit, they do

Yes I'm changing, can't stop it now

And even if I wanted I wouldn't know how

Another version of myself I think I found, at last

There's a world out there and it's calling my name

And it's calling yours, girl it's calling yours too

How many times have you heard Singaporeans say, "if only Singapore wasn't so hot, it'll be perfect"? If perfect existed, I think the Flower Dome at Gardens by The Bay comes close. The odd-shaped glass dome, which might be mistaken as a really sophisticated green house, offers the comfort of the A.C. so you could be 'outdoorsy' (how ironic) without actually getting a heatstroke. 

Nigel and I recently went to see the temporary Sakura displays at the Flower Dome. It was quite an experince for me as it was the very first time I saw cherry blossoms in real life. It's fascinating how the 'Sakura' is just so overused – mainly in marketing – I mean, I've prolly tried 'Sakura' flavoured snacks prior to seeing the actual plant. 

When I finally saw them, wow, I get it. I see why it's a big deal. Besides the species being a rarity and exclusive seasonally, I saw hope, life, and beauty. I was mesmerized. I'm not saying Sakura is the most beautiful flower, but it's been a long time since I last admired a flower in detail. I am so caught up with technology and work everyday that the most natural things in life has become foreign. Diversity, faith, beauty  balance and perfection — all these a natural occurence of life, yet, these are the things we human beings try to hard to pursue. Or have we become blind to God's creations?

I'm wearing Sweet Drug top, Pull & Bear denim jeggings and YSL lip tint in no. 2.

Starry-Eyed

Mood:

Never let the darkness leave us

If you can't I'll be the dreamer

Be the night and I will be your shining light

I'm your silver line, only you will find

Two weeks back, I was invited to see the Z Wedding Couture Runway Show 2016. The invite reached me right smack before one of my major school submissions, but I'm glad it did anyway because fashion shows always put me in a good mood. It was an exhaustive journey but nevertheless fun experience — from finding our way to the very isolated W Hotel Sentosa (I mean, there's a good reason why it's Madonna's choice of temporary tour residence in Singapore), anticipating for the show to start to seeing the beautiful dresses. The dresses for Spring were definitely based off classic, hourglass and princess silhouettes, but that's not to say the designers spared any effort off their signature bare-back look. The models' makeup glowed against their white frocks. Dresses with lace or flower appliqué were my favourites. Unfortunately, the lighting situation at The Grand Room wasn't ideal, so I decided to desaturate everything and consolidate the pictures I snapped into my lazy-style collages. Hope you enjoyed the images anyway!

#zweddingcouture2016

Review: Essentials by Rosie Jane

I received a package last week in courtesy of by Rosie Jane, a Californian beauty and lifestyle brand which prides itself for organic and cruelty-free products. The products sent to me for review were:

• JAMES Soy Wax Candle
• JAMES Eau De Parfum
• JAMES Fragrance Oil
• LEILA LOU Fragrance Oil
• POPPY Cheek & Lip Gloss

The first thing which caught my attention was the scent. You know it's something good when the entire box literally smells like fresh roses and essential oils. The handcrafted line has a distinctively soft scent that is unlike any mass-market perfume. And I must say, after a week of consistent use, I am in love. BRJ is one of those brands that allow you to immerse in a great product stripped of unnecessary adornment and marketing. Rosie's containers are fully recyclable, packaged minimally with brown paper and wax thread.

JAMES is a unisex scent for those who prefer warm and woody scents reminiscent of fall. I love JAMES because it's practical and makes me very happy. LEILA LOU, namely Rosie's signature blend, has a girlier persona with breezy notes of Jasmine and pear. Each product line evokes the mood of a different season. They come in forms of a soy wax candle, spray bottle and rollerball. The naturally scented candle burns beautifully and fills up the room within minutes. A real treat for my bedroom because I use it every night to wind down. The POPPY cheek & lip gloss is a multi-purpose balm that gives me super moisturised lips with a hint of berry. While you shouldn't expect too much in terms of pigmentation, what makes POPPY special to me is its smooth waxy texture and coconut aroma. It makes an excellent lipstick base and can be used to highlight if you like a glossy sheen.

For every brand I talk about here, I genuinely wish that it'll benefit some of you too. There are a couple of beauty brands I root for, such as LUSH  and Etude House skincare which I probably don't speak enough of. Earlier this year when I culled my room (you can read from this post), I made a mental note to myself to make better and responsible choices this year, such as buying less in general and choosing sustainable products. Seeing the amount of thought Rosie puts in her brand really encourages me to keep going at this positive lifestyle transition. Life is about creating meanings, isn't it? Rosie's small but purposeful product range was worth featuring and I definitely see myself stocking up in the near future.

You could shop by Rosie Jane at www.byrosiejane.com or from the window below.

Laneway Festival 2016

Like + Subscribe!

Among the many things I plan to do this new year, one of them was to try my hands at YouTube. I'm a huge fan of YouTube. I've learnt how to do makeup, solve Excel problems, discovered The Sims 3 cheats, 'travelled' around the world and more just watching people on my computer screen. I decided that it's time I do something too, starting with a vlog at Laneway Festival just last month. The Meadow at Gardens By The Bay was a perfect scenic spot for the occassion. Me and my pals enjoyed ourselves and we were lucky to catch our favourite acts including Grimes, Chvrches, Purity Ring and more. 

I hope you enjoy the video and if you do, give me a like and subscribe to my channel ULIMALI. I look forward to your thoughts (please, anything!), stuff you wish you see, and making more videos like this in the future.

I'm wearing PAPP UP paper sunglasses, Taobao top, Feiyue sneakers, and Uniqlo x Hana Tajima Hijab.

Fragments Of Time

Picnic with Nigel at the Singapore Botanical Gardens, November 2014.

En route to Jurong East MRT and bus interchange, early 2015. 

A dear friend with her daughter, February 2015.

At the Fullerton Hotel dressed in ZARA lace dress, February 2015. 

Spent a day at my late grandfather's Shanghai home after he passed away in June 2015.

My grandfather was a physics professor. His home was soulful but humble. Your space reflects your character.

Surprise birthday celebration with my best friend Mandy, November 2015. I had turned 22.

Christmas house party with a pine tree, December 2015.

Yun Jing at the National Gallery of Singapore, December 2015. 

St. Jerome's Laneway music festival with Nigel and Nic, January 2016.

Yun Jing at Mosburger, February 2016.

Failed attempt of a self-portrait, dressed in vintage French Connection, February 2016.

Today, I sent in my long-accumulated Kodak negatives to develop. It's always an exciting process because by the time I finally made it to shot number 36, which took me two years, I would have forgotten completely what was in there. In a hyper-instant digital world like today, the beauty of film photography lies in not knowing, which is liberating and really hones your eye for detail. On the other hand, it is daunting to realise how limited our memory is. If I couldn't even recall capturing a moment just two years ago, what would make me visualise my twenties on my deathbed?

Shot on my thrifted Pentax ESPIO98M. Photos unedited, selective photos desaturated. Negatives developed at Triple D Minilab Centre, Burlington Square, 175 Bencoolen St, Singapore 189649.