I have always been a fan of Canon Powershot, having owned one several years back. Regrettably, I then switched to Panasonic Lumix and have been lamenting about its inadequacies for the past 2 years. Now that I have my new Powershot, there’s no turning back for me.
JW also put up some new paintings and drawings in our home. We bought these during our honeymoon but just had them framed recently. 
Drawings of Florence line our hallway.
Oil painting of the Colosseum, framed in an ornate baroque-style frame.
And finally, here’s our Louis Ghost Chair in glossy black. Nobody sits on it though. 😛 It is really more of an ornamental piece of furniture.
The pictures were all unedited pics taken with my new camera. Since I was relatively free yesterday, I decided to take a photo of what I wore as well. 🙂 
We had a breathtaking view of Paris from our window seat. What a sight to behold.
The sliced wild apple was a perfect complement to the sweet and succulent lobster meat. 
Roasted chicory with black truffle and cheese. This tasted heavenly.
Medallion of Venison. Cooked to perfection, the meat was juicy and very tasty.
We barely spoke because I tend to concentrate on my food when I am eating. 😛
After a night at a gastronomic restaurant, we went back to street cafes the next two days. The last night of our 2 week holiday was spent at a lovely cafe just across our hotel. There we were again, with my Orangina drink and his English Breakfast tea, reminising about our little adventures throughout the two weeks and wondering when we will be able to take such a long break away from work again.
Now I’m wondering..should I go to Dubai on my own??It’s for work, but at least it wouldn’t be as stressful as my normal work trips 😉Perhaps I’m burning out? I hope not. Work has been smooth-sailing, with exciting new opportunities and portfolios, but sometimes, a part of me wishes that I can just take a one year break and be a home-maker for a while. Internal conflicts are never easy to resolve.
Whatever it is, health always takes priority over everything else.
Recently, my dear friend Jolene told me that her god-daughter, Charmaine, who is all but 4 years of age, has been diagnosed with fourth stage Neuroblastoma and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. It pains me to know that a child has to undergo so much suffering at her age, but like everyone else, I believe she is a fighter and will be able to surmount this illness.
Jolene has also very kindly set up a blog for little Chairmaine. Please visit the blog at http://ourfeistyprincess.blogspot.com/ for more information on this valiant little fighter. I have also included a banner at the side of my blog for easy reference.
We all hope that Charmaine will emerge victorious in her battle against cancer, but in order to do so, her family would require financial assistance to pay for her medical treatment. I would like to appeal to everyone who reads my blog to lend Charmaine a helping hand.
You may wish to:
– Make a direct contribution via funds transfer at POSB savings a/c 109-76705-0 (for local donors)
-Contact Cynthia/Jolene at ourfeistyprincess@gmail.com if you wish to make alternative contribution arrangements.
On behalf of Jolene, Cynthia, Charmaine and her family, I would like to thank you for all your contributions.
Angelina is famous for its decadent hot chocolate concoction, which we didn’t try this time but will definitely do so when we next go to Paris. We had the Angelina tea, which had a rich yet refreshingly sweet flavour. It was love at first taste.
JW ordered a chocolate tart with fruits. 
I ordered a salad, followed by the legendary Mont Blanc, which is a meringue base piled with chestnut puree and filled with whipped cream. Apparently, Coco Chanel, Marcel Proust and Karl Lagerfeld shared a common love for the hot chocolate and Mont Blanc served at this quaint Parisian pastry shop.
After a satisfying meal at Angelina’s, we took off to the Louvre for more art appreciation. I wasn’t particularly impressed with the Louvre after viewing so many masterpieces in Italy, especially at the Vatican Museums and the Academie. We made our way to the Mona Lisa exhibit immediately because the works of art simply paled in comparison to what we saw in Italy.
In my opinion, Louvre’s saving grace (other than the Mona Lisa) was Napolean’s Apartments. It reminded me of Chateau de Versaille, only that it had rich tapestries and red velvet canopies. The decor was so luxurious that I almost didn’t want to leave.
Musee de Orsay was the other museum that we visited in Paris. Orsay showcases impressionist, post-impressionist and contemporary art, including artworks by Renoir, Van Gogh, Monet, Edgar Degas ( I love his ballerina paintings!!) and Picasso. I prefer Orsay to Lourve, perhaps because some of my favourite art pieces can be found here.
Van Gogh’s Bedroom in Arles (1888)
My only regret was that I didn’t get to see Edgar Degas’s Prima Ballerina in the flesh, but there’s always next time right? 😛
Everyone loves Paris, but I personally think that the city is a little overrated especially in terms of its art scene. I much prefer the museums in Italy.
This is the King’s bed. It looks really tiny but I absolutely adore the intricate details on the headrest.
Here’s the Queen’s bedroom. JW said this bedroom looked like it was made just for me. I would have done up my bedroom in this style, but in the present day and age, contemporary furniture pieces are definitely more practical given our space constraints.
The beautiful palace park. It’s much prettier in spring/summer when the flowers are in full bloom.
We spent the rest of time shopping at Avenue Montaigne, braving the cold wintry winds, before ending the day on a sweet note with my favourite creme brulee and orangina drink. 😉
The whole of next day was spent with JW’s climbing friends. It’s amazing how the sport bonds people from all walks of life, transcending all cultures and races. We had a hard time finding Tonde’s apartment because my dear hubby forgot to exchange mobile numbers with his friend. Thanks to the friendly residents in the neighbourhood and a stroke of unbelievable luck, we finally found him. After heaving a sigh of relief, we adjourned for lunch at a bustling little cafe in his neighbourhood, where everyone knew everyone! It felt like a family gathering of sorts.
The food was sumptuous. I had Camembert cheese with Wild Rocket & toasted baguette for my appetizer, followed by foie gras and a glass of red wine. JW had sausages with mashed potatoes.
It was a very satisfying meal, but you would be surprised to know that the entire meal took us about 6 hours to finish. The pace of life is much slower, and all you do is chat, drink and be merry while waiting for the dishes to arrive. I really miss the relaxed way of life that the Parisians have. Over in Singapore, there is a mad rush for everything! I feel like a slave to time.
At about 8p.m. or so, we went back to the apartment for a second round of drinks. Champagne with Godiva chocolates. How sinful is that?
ITALY – ROME, VATICAN CITY, FLORENCE, SAN GIMIGNANO, VENICE
Rome – Basilica of Saint Mary, Spagna, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Basilica of Saint Peter
We arrived two days before the tour began in Rome, so we had time to explore the vicinity around our hotel and shop. 🙂 Our hotel was just 5mins away from the train station.
Basilica of Saint Mary – There are numerous Basilicas in Rome, the most famous of which is the Basilica of Saint Peter, which you’ll see later on. If you think this is ornate, wait till you see St Peter’s. 🙂
Later that night, we trawled the streets of Spagna for my favourite activity, shopping. I’m so glad we were there in winter as there were significantly less tourists.
Spagna
Prada@Spagna – Our favourite brand!
JW bought me a bag here as a gift. I bought the rest of the bags in my earlier post with my own money. 🙂 Nothing beats paying for your own purchases. The immense sense of satisfaction ensures that you treasure your purchases even more!
Took a train to the Colosseum the next day because we wanted to visit the Palatine park next to it.
We had a tour of the Colosseum the next day and explored the rest of Rome at our own pace.
Colosseum by day
Colosseum by night
Trevi Fountain
Pantheon
This is where Raphael’s grave resides :). He is a renowned artist of the Italian Renaissance.
St Peter’s Basilica
Vatican City – Sistine Chapel@Vatican Museums & Florence – Statue of David@Academia Gallery
Florence is one of my favourite cities. It exudes a quiet old-world charm enriched by art and culture.
The Statue of David at the Academia Gallery in Florence and the grandeur of the lifelike paintings painstakingly painted over an arduous period of 4 years on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museums left me in awe of Michelangelo Buonarroti, best known as the Italian Renaissance painter and sculptor.
The Statue of David, a symbol of Florentine freedom, was created out of a single piece of marble block. The statue’s posture, body proportions, intense facial expression and piercing gaze are , without a doubt, the epitome of perfection. I have never seen such a well-chiseled sculpture in my life! Needless to say, this was also the very masterpiece that catapulted Michelangelo to unprecedented fame. To this day, I personally feel that no one has been able to surpass his artistic excellence.
Vatican Museums
Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel ceiling is another acclaimed masterpiece created by Michelangelo. (forced to do so by Pope Julius II). The central theme of the painting revolved around humanity’s need for salvation. The paintings are so 3-dimensional, you can almost feel the 300 figures coming to life right before you. Michelangelo painted it from 1508-1512 in the most awkward of positions. Some claimed he was lying on his back, but according to Wikipedia, he was standing. He even wrote a sonnet to describe his discomfort:
| “ | Here like a cat in a Lombardy sewer! Swelter and toil! With my neck puffed out like a pigeon,belly hanging like an empty sack,beard pointing at the ceiling, and my brainfallen backwards in my head!Breastbone bulging like a harpy’sand my face, from drips and droplets,patterned like a marble pavement.Ribs are poking in my guts; the only wayto counterweight my shoulders is to stickmy butt out. Don’t know where my feet are-they’re just dancing by themselves!In front I’ve sagged and stretched; behind,my back is tauter than an archer’s bow! | ” |
San Gimignano ( a small medieval city in Siena, Tuscany)
San Gimignano is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The entire city has been preserved since the 13th century. The pebbled walkways and rectangular buildings seemingly transported us back in time. Apparently, many of the rich and famous have apartments here.
Venice – City of Love
Gondola ride
Grand Canal
TBC 🙂
Happy Chinese New Year!
The Trip
As the train passed through Switzerland, the train conductor asked for all our passports upon embarking for security clearance. He said he would return them to us in the morning.
Being the typical Singaporeans, we got worried so JW decided to snap a photo of the train conductor, who, as you can see below, was more than willing to pose for the camera.
Shopping
During this trip, JW also witnessed the manifestation of the shoppaholic in me. There’s a gigantic hole in my pocket now, but I’m still surviving with the help of some savings. There was a massive sale in many of the shops with discounts ranging from 30-50%. Unfortunately for me, only my Gucci bag and Jimmy Choo shoes were on sale.
We also went to Chanel’s flagship store at Rue Cambon, where I was greeted with excellent service. JW and I agreed that the sales assistant who served us made us feel like their most valued customers. This was also where I snagged my Chanel 2.55 in Caviar and a wallet.
I am still in the midst of sorting out our photos (a few hundred photos!!) but here are a few from the Paris leg to whet your appetite:
I will be blogging about the individual cities soon!
Thanks to our parents, friends (especially Ric & Karen for being our emcees!), bosses & colleagues (for allowing me to take 1 month off!!), relatives (especially my uncle for all the help and support that he gave us) , the wonderful photographers, KC & Gideon, who captured the beauty and essence of our matrimony, and last but not least, Caroline from Silhouette and Gin (MUA),the most doting designer and MUA one could ever have.
I love flowers so I had two hand bouquets and a vase filled with fresh blooms for my hair. I absolutely fell in love with the Eustomas in my hair and the black beauty roses (JW’s parents claim they look chao ta) with vintage polka dot ribbons. I have been told several times that I am such a “drama queen” because of my seemingly unconventional sense of bridal fashion, make-up, hair, right down to my choice of flowers.
I think the typical princessy sweetie pie bridal look is too boring, although many would say that’s the exact look that I’m suited for. Er, but what’s the point of paying someone to style my hair and do my make-up if I can achieve the same look myself with just a little more effort?
That was why I went for smoky eyes and big hair for my second march-in look. On hindsight, I think it was a rather controversial choice, but I threw caution to the wind and achieved what I set out to do. I wanted to look different and I personally think the look was very glamourous indeed. Like what JW said in his speech, I look deceivingly sweet, but beneath that sweet exterior lies someone with a completely different personality (ok la there’s still some sweetness in me I guess).
Here’s my hair ( If I were given a second chance, I would still have this updo!). Thanks WQ for the pic haha:
Before we hop on the plane for our honeymoon this Thurs, here’re some photos from the morning highlights, courtesy of Gideon, the very good looking photographer 😉 — I know someone is very smitten with him hahaha :
