birds in paradise...

hello, it's me again.

as usual, just when i thought my days of drama were long gone - hence the then-appropriate name '_______' - the floodgates were opened and to be very honest, i nearly drowned in the aftermath. metaphorically speaking, of course.

shit happens, and unfortunately you don't get to choose when and where. when shit happens, it happens all at once. gross, but true. and the drama unfolded during the most crucial point in my life thus far - my final major project.

anyway, it's all over and done now. there's nothing more to say.

so here i am, draped over the couch in my new flat, a thousand pillows propping me up from behind as i tip tap away on my laptop in the dark. technically. my gigantic candle cum centrepiece and its four wicks are lit up, defusing the most perfect smells into the air. vanilla... yum. the aforementioned candlepiece (candle + centerpiece = candlepiece) is courtesy of Next Home. it's uch a fantastic find that i can't help but pat myself on the back for discovering it, in Next Home of all places, who would've thought?

the flat is unlit save for spotlights in the kitchen (yes, i actually have a proper kitchen now, not a crappy corner in an equally crappy studio apartment aka glorified room) so i'm not sitting in complete darkness - that's just weird, and a little bit creepy.

browsing the sales online at topshop and asos, not a bad range. so tempted to click 'add to basket' but shall resist the temptation on the grounds of being unemployed. 'clothes off' by gym class heroes is playing on itunes - love it! i have the best memories of this song haha; in the photography studio half-awake at 10am, dervin as jesus, my bedsheets wrapped around him as a makeshift loincloth, struggling to maintain composure with a half-naked friend in front of me, and the first song that itunes shuffle starts playing is.. "you have to take your clothes off..." talk about an ice-breaker.

[can't believe katy perry and travis of gym class heroes broke up - hot couple! sizzle. they would've had much cooler/cuter kids than any she will have with russell brand. i'm sorry but any guy who wears more eyeliner than me - um, no thank you.]

quiet night in; the first since moving in a week ago. daily protocol: v1 gets in from work, i cook/we eat in or meet friends for dinner. weekends are wayyy more fun; last sat we brunched with friends at broadway market then walked around exploring the place while everyone else obsessed over football *rolls eyes*; browsing stalls, stealing wooden crates (i wouldn't call it stealing since they were discarded in piles along with the trash.), browsing a vintage sale underground (literally. we walked through a pub, to the back, down a flight of steps and into the basement). left the sale 15 pounds lighter, armed with a floaty embroidered chiffon top by laura lee (sample sale). can't wait to wear it!

oh! i also purchased a gorgeous floral vintage halter dress from one of the street stalls, reminiscent of prada's 2008 resort collection (dresses 8, 18 and 20 in particular) except that mine is navy with yellow poppies.

(omfg, it took me AGES to locate this image)

true to form, the asian in me bargained with a lovely french man manning the stall, bringing the price down from 19 to 17 pounds. hey, 2 pounds is still money! its built-in boning - which acts as a corset - and full skirt create an emphasis on my waist (making it appear tinier than it actually is). hee hee.

i have the entire flat to myself for the next 6 days. twiddling my thumbs, what to do what to do.. for tonight, i've given my toenails a fresh coat of red polish - lush! perfect for open toed sandals and espadrilles in summer. vogue and a cup of tea (how english!) by my side tonight, plus my trusty laptop to the rescue, saving me from a long nightweek of boredom, too much peace and quiet. without my sister bugging me, messing up the flat or grossing me out with her smelly feet - it feels too quiet, if you know what i mean.

i've been on an online shopping binge of late; i don't know what it is about summer, sunshine and the general abundance of sales that makes me wanna shop shop shop. ordered the practical magic dvd and book 'tabloid love' on amazon. to my credit, i've trawled most dvd/book stores and have not been able to find either item for YEARS, plus it's cheaper online anyway. (+ considering getting the friends season 1-10 box set). anddddd *drumroll* the most expensive household items i will probably ever lay my hands on; duvet cover + pillowcases (birds in paradise white), round cushion (birds in paradise green), bedsheets (lovely branches pink) while v1 got this shabby chic bed set and matching bolster.

aren't they to die for? *drools* i absolutely cannot wait for both packages to arrive, one from john lewis and the other being shipped in from amsterdam. i've been harrassing the reception ever since placing the orders but nothing has arrived as yet :( i love the fact that our bedrooms will have an oriental feel, especially with my hand-painted wooden fans and scented wood carving from shanghai.

i just realised the time, it's 5:476:02am and i seriously need to sleep or else i'd waste a perfectly good friday sleeping which could be better spent in the sunshine. alright, i'll leave... right after i place my order for this jumpsuit on asos. i should feel guilty but i find it hard to when i think back on all those times throughout my life i've saved and saved and never bought anything nice for myself. well, first step gorgeous bedsheets, who knows what else life will hold instore for me?

ta!