This is my last post on jadeseah.net. My blog has moved to the Diary section of www.maryjulian.com.

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Thanks so much for reading all this while, and here’s to a great 2012 ahead!

Road trip to Arles! Headed for the Boulevard de Lices and Boulevard George-Clemenceau for the Saturday market.

Lunch at Lou Marques, right where the market is.

The house-smoked salmon was really good; not overly salty, retaining the sweet firmess of the fish.

The scampi risotto was surprisingly really yummy! Couldn’t get enough of it!

Headed back to Avignon after lunch to check out the famous (or infamous!) Palais de Papes, or papal palace. This place is a must-see because it is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe (and a UNESCO World Heritage Site).

We had planned to have dinner at the famous Christian Etienne’s, but it was fully booked for a wedding =’( so we headed to Hiely Lucullus (a much further away second choice) for dinner.

The cheese selection was superb, and I couldn’t get enough of the stuff! This is France after all, famous for its cheese. Love!

The olive oil ice-cream dessert sounds stranger than it tasted, although it was still a little more exotic than I like my desserts to be.

Morning in La Banasterie. I love how the entire house is decorated in a warm, colourful, cosy style. (And I want those lamps and the side table it’s on for my own place!)

The La Banasterie courtyard. The weather was beginning to get nice and warm – break out the shorts and sandals!

Drove out to Saint-Remy-de-Provence for the day, in time to catch a street festival, and a bullfight!

Lunch at L’estagnol. We just randomly ducked into this place as we were starving, and it turned out that the food was pretty good!

Did the 5km hike up the hill to the asylum where Van Gogh spent his last years. It was really sunny and hot by this time, and we were pretty much drenched by the time we reached the Van Gogh Museum. The place was like a welcome respite though; its concrete walls and proximity on the top of the hill meant it was cool and quiet at the top.

We went into the actual bedroom where Van Gogh stayed in; that was his impression of his room above. I found it really cool that we were able to look out of his window into the actual field that inspired a few of his works.

Van Gogh’s impression of the field that was his room view.

We finally ended off the day with dinner in St Remy’s La Maison Jaune, a Michelin starred place. Service was very…hurried.

Loved the attractive-looking hors d’oeuvre platter (I know it’s strange to use the word ‘attractive rather than ‘appetising’ for food, but look at how cute and colourful it was!); it was a nice, fresh start to the meal, between the parma ham, tomato soup and egg, a good balance of tart and salty.

The prettiest execution of a prosciutto starter I’ve seen!

I actually ordered chicken breast as my main; I usually hardly ever have chicken unless it’s deep-fried, breast meat, and I’ve no other choice, but it came recommended, and I know the French generally do their chicken well (hello, coq au vin!). Although nowhere near a coq au vin dish as it was done really lightly, it was lovely; delicately flavourful, without that awful ‘chicken taste’ that plagues a lot of white meat dishes done cleanly (main reason why I don’t favour chicken).

Dessert was a berry soup that was a much to tart for my liking (or consumption!). Berry fans may feel differently though. =)

Last night in Avignon! On to Marseilles next…

Watch out for my last three posts on my French adventure!

Road trip! Left Bordeaux for Albi, but with plans to explore Toulouse before nightfall.

Cassoulet is a speciality of Toulouse, and we searched out this place that does a wonderful version of it. Rich, warm and flavourful comfort food.

The shape of this building in Toulouse reminded me a little of the Flatiron building in NYC. Not as tall, but prettier. New Yorkers, you may beg to differ!

On to Albi! Stayed at St Antoine. It’s like the accomodations just get prettier, and prettier. =)

Dinner at L’epicurean was a real treat, and a close fight for being one of my favourite meals on the trip. Exquisite without pretension. The amuse-bouche served with our apéritif were the best I’ve had, both on this trip and in general. Especially tasty was the french bread served with a smear of cheese and a piece of fresh sardine. More, more!

The fresh sardine was divine!

Pork belly, ahhhh. So sinful, but so good. Done just right, and lovely balance of sweet-savoury flavours when paired with the apple slices.

The next day, en route to the Pont du Gard, we just happened to stop off (starving!) in Carcassonne for a late lunch. Found a little cafe next to this photogenic castle; I should be a movie director(heh!) for later I read that this served as the exterior of Nottingham Castle in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

Lunch was a light, simple, but very tasty affair. Very French. Heh.

This grilled eggplant tart was scrummy! And the french bread with cheese was so simple yet so satisfying.

Lamb skewer.

Trout flavoured with a salty, preserved meat (some form of cured sausage; I think it was salami). An interesting combination that worked – the two nicely balanced out each other. Presentation not the most appetising, but them this was just a small cafe and not some Michelin starred place.

Simple chocolate cake served with a side of fresh cream.

We drove into Uzès, then the Pont du Gard.

It was spectacular! Not a UNESCO World Heritage Site for nothing. =)

Then drove on to Avignon, where we’d made a booking to stay at this B&B, La Banasterie. We picked it as it is opened by a couple of chocolate lovers; the place supposedly smells of chocolate, they leave fine chocolate in your room and around, and the morning hot chocolate that comes with the breakfast package is said to be really good. I’m a chocolate lover myself, so…

It was amazingly hard to find though! Despite being good with directions, AND having GPS in the car, we kept missing the spot. This is because Avignon is not a car-friendly city (love that, actually!); roads are barely wide enough for 3 people to walk abreast. Not only are roads narrow and curvy, they are all one-way, and signs are also not very visible. We were also attempting to find the place in the dark of night, a place marked by an inconspicuous, small, blue door. To make matters worse, Avignon is a walled city, which means that every time a turn or place is missed, it means going out of the city gates, circling its walls, and coming back in. Arrrgh!

Starving by the time we located the place and checked in (the owner was a little upset with us at first as he was waiting for us to arrive before going out for his dinner), we asked around for the nearest place to get our own dinner (more like supper). In France, places don’t stay open for dinner 24 hours or even past 10+, so thankfully we found this cute posh-backpacker little place caled L’epicerie; it was walking distance from La Banasterie, and right outside a church.

View from our table. So nice. =)

The food was really good, and portions were pretty huge, perfect for hungry travellers!

The hall and dining area in our unit in La Banasterie. Simple and cosy, but no one cared that night; we were exhausted. Off to bed!

Arrived in Paris, got a car and drove straight to Bordeaux, one of the world’s most important wine-making regions. With plans to visit the wine country the next day, we settled in the town for the night.

Dinner at Le Sebastian madefor a gorgeous start to the culinary adventure that was my France trip. It was traditional French food (the homemade foie gras was absolutely divine!) in a most gorgeous dining room.

This crab meat cappuccino starter was slightly strange, at least to me. There was something sweet in it (I couldn’t place what it was) that I found disharmonious with the overall taste and that didn’t quite agree with me.

Deceptively simply presented; rather un-pretty, even, but a most satisfying piece of meat. The accompanying wine sauce was stellar too, but the beef was so good, it was almost a shame to engulf it in sauce.

Super beat (a long flight, a train ride, a drive and s spot of sight-seeing, all in the space of 24 hours – who needs sleep, right?) but very happy. Finally made it!

It was bright and early the next day to wine country! And what perfect weather it was; clear blue skies and crisp, cool air. Unfortunately, many of the Premiers Crus (First Growths) vineyards are closed to visitors in the summer, but we did manage to line up two Seconds Crus and one Fifth Crus one to head to.

To Chateau Guraud Larose first.

We lined up a cheese tasting session as well; the goat’s cheese was a particular standout.

Quick lunch at a restaurant nearby, as recommended by the very friendly people at the vineyard. It kills me that I don’t have the name of the place! (I guess you can ask the folks at Gruaud Larose; seems they lunch there very often!)

Next to Chataeu Pontet-Canet.

Final stop, Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. They have the most beautiful grounds; well-manicured lawns, water features and blooms aplenty. By this time, we’re a little wine-fatigued (and rather happy; the result of stubbornly not using the spittoon!).

To the most charming little chateau to stay for the night! I absolutely love the quaint, country-house vibe; the long windows, worn, wood floors, aged wood furniture and choice of florals. Would have changed the runner on the floor and mixed up different floral prints though.

Dinner at Maritime Cafe. It’s among a row of warehouses by the water; a new area they’ve recently developed for F&B. Interesting location, slightly cheesy ‘maritime’ kind of decor, middling food.

Foie gras with apple – this was a huge portion, as far as foie gras is concerned. I think I was somewhat spoilt by the really well-done one I had the night before; although pairing it with apple helped balance things out a little, I found this to be somewhat jelak after awhile, and didn’t finish it.

Outside the cafe at 9pm. I love the long summer days. =)

Look out for my adventures in the south of France in the next few posts!

Post-season/ pre-Halloween celebration!

The team that eats together…

Stays together?! (Just another excuse to eat, not that we need one!)

Internal Speed carnival.

Sprint, albeit missing PS and M.

Till next season!

The producers rounded up people they thought to be “Mandarin-challenged” (my words, not theirs!), and pitted us against each other to see who would emerge the winner. Each week, three contestants vied for top spot as Tongue Twister champion. In the episode that I was in, I was up against Melissa Faith Yeo and Ris Low.

We had to go through a series of challenges – reciting a typical Mandarin tongue twister to see who made best time; styling a model and explaining in Mandarin why and how the final look came about; matching phrases with the option of asking passers-by by help. The tasks were not easy – I found describing how I chose a particular look for my model especially challenging, given that a limited vocabulary is my biggest weakness where the Chinese language is concerned! It really felt like I was back to school…

There’s Melissa struggling with her interview in Mandarin!

And I struggled even more!

Yifeng gave me a hug for what she dubbed “fearlessness” – I simply gasak-ed when I came across words I didn’t know how to pronounce. Hey, it got me through school…

I’m not sure who was more relieved when we were done butchering the beautifully language (it does not sound one bit as lilting as it is often described when we speak it); us or the hosts! Ah well. Back to the (Mando) drawing board.

maryjulian is very personal to me as I not only design the items myself, I also see the process from start to finish. I personaly enjoy playing around with clothes, and I’ve designed with the Every Woman in mind – easy pieces that can be worn as is, or mixed and matched with other things to create your own unique look.

Many girls have written to me to ask for style tips, (do write me if you want; you can find my email address on the maryjulian site) so I thought to do a little entry on styling. I’ve challenged myself to pick just one dress, and to build no less than four very different looks that can be worn for different occasions with this dress.

The dress I picked, pleated hem tennis frock in milk by maryjulian; one of my personal favourites.

Even though I don’t work in an office environment, this first look was something I would put together to wear if I did.

Dress: www.maryjulian.com

Shoes: Charlotte Ruse

Cardigan: H&M

Belt: Vintage

Glasses: Viktor & Rolf

I personally love thick, oversized pieces (great for the freezing a/c in the studio), and I know how crazy cold it gets in air-conditioned offices too. For those with smaller frames, I’d advise a slightly less over-sized and chunky cardi so your frame isn’t overwhelmed; pick a more streamlined one in a light-weight knit instead. Cinching it in at the waist helps make sure you don’t get lost in the fabric, and gives you some womanly shape. Heels are great for this ensemble to balance out the proportions, and make the look pop with pumps in an eye-catching colour.

I deliberately played with texture for this look, juxtaposing the heavy knit against the light, pressed-pleated chiffon.

If you’ve an event to head to after work, I suggest getting rid of the glasses (contact lenses, eyeliner and lots of mascara for all that networking you’re about to do!) and throwing on a little choker instead. Again, I wanted texture to be the focus of this look, so I picked one with pearls and chains.

I thought to casual it up a little with the second look. For those who don’t work in a corporate environment, this is perfect for running around and getting things done.

Dress: www.maryjulian.com

Shoes: Puma

Tee: Petit Bateau

Belt: Puma

Necklace: Flea market

My friends know how much I love my tees! I have a whole bunch of T-shirts, and my favourite colours for my tees are white and grey. The Petit Bateau ones sit higher on the collarbone, which I like. (Bought a whole bunch on my recent trip to France!) This look also works with a form-fitting singlet, for those who get warm easily or who want to show off lean and mean arms. I also love my Puma sneaks – these are from the boxing range. Low-cut sneakers work too, and may be better for smaller girls as high-tops tend to cut off your legs at the ankles and make them (and hence, you) look shorter. I’ve also put the belt on the hips instead of at the waist – more slouchy, more casual, more comfy.

For die-hard heels addicts, or girls who don’t like the rough and tumble look of sneakers, yes, this can go with heels too. Just be sure to keep them fun, whether in terms of colour or style. I’ve put the bright yellow Charlotte Ruse ones here.

For bad-hair days, add a trucker cap! This one’s from Puma. As with the shoes, just keep it fun!

This sweater-over-a-delicate-dress look was done by Alexander Wang for Fall 2011:

And so the next look, using the same pleated hem tennis frock in milk by maryjulian, was put together. Another play on texture, and another one of my favourite layered and slouchy outfits – so comfy!

Dress: www.maryjulian.com

Shoes: Shoes, shoes, shoes!

Tee: Petit Bateau

Jumper: H&M

Necklace: Flea market

I love the mix of csaual and dressy, practical and ladylike, and of course, the play on texture; fuzzy knit with the cotton crewneck tee, followed by plain fabric then light pressed chiffon.

The dropped waist, longer length and loose sihoulette reminded me of the 1920s, and as such I kept to ladylike T-strapped heeled sandals for a slight play on the flapper look.

I like the feel of boy-meets-girl , and so have played with that for the next look. Check out one of D&G’s 2011 ads for more androgynous inspirations:

For smaller girls who find it difficult to carry off the slouchy look (you get lost in all the layers of fabric!); for bigger girls who need a little more definition to the curves while not wanting to show too much skin; for girls who are shy about colour and too much experimenting…I guess, then, for all girls in general, this last look is for you:

Dress: www.maryjulian.com

Shoes: Steve Madden

Belt: Calvin Klein

Jacket: Zara

Easy-peasy, effortless chic. Play around with different jackets to find one that best suits you. I picked a slightly cropped one here to show off the waist, but a boyfriend one will look cool with brogues, especially on taller girls. Swap the shoes for heels if you want more height; I chose pointy brogues for a bit of boy-meets-girl.

Hope you found that fun. Happy Sunday!

This was the ‘blank Smurf’ we were each given.

I sat and thought about my design for the longest time! Initially, I had plans to keep Smurfy blank, and to design and make little clothes for him. I’d actually sketched out some ideas – wanted to give him a preppy, geek-chic look with a little buttoned-up chequered shirt and heavy, tortoiseshell frames. I had to scratch that idea though, as I didn’t have time to source for materials.

I knew I didn’t want to paint clothes on him, and I’ve personally been seriously considering getting ink done myself, so I finally decided that I’d give Smurfy a full body ‘tattoo’ job.

I included motifs of my favourite things (motifs I’ve been considering for my own tattoo) - stars, the moon, clouds, wings, dragon and phoenix elements. As a tribute to 8 Days for all their love and support, I included an ’8 Days’ motif on his little chest. I also drew a few wine bottles on his arm (I was sipping some vino as I worked - helps with the creative process, you know. Heh.).

To eye or not to eye? Initially I was not going to draw in eyes, but as I drew him, he seemed to be calling out to be given eyes to see, and so I did. As a side point, I ended up smudging one eye pretty badly – it took quite a bit of acetone (all I had on hand!) and a lot of careful rubbing to minimise it. Ah well. There’s beauty in imperfection!

Red is my favourite colour, so Smurfy got a red topper. He’s all ready to pose for you now!

I gave him a little ‘dragon’s tail’ and also added a tiny signature on his back – see if you can spot it!

I wasn’t the only one tasked to design a Smurf; more than 70 Smurfs will be showcased in a Smurfs in the Cityexchibition at Bugis Junction from August 7 to September 9, 2011.

Bid for your favourite celeb Smurf in a silent auction from August 7 – 21. All proceeds go to the 75 families adopted by MediaCorp Radio as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations.

To place a bid, simply e-mail the organizers to let them know which celeb Smurf you’re interested in and your bid amount (together with your name, i/c & contact numbers). Please indicate the subject header as “8DAYS & i-Weekly Bid-A-Smurf” and send the e-mail to meevents@mediacorp.com.sg. Minimum bid amount is $20.

The silent auction closes at midnight on August 21. Winning bidders will be contacted via phone or e-mail. Should the winning bidder be unable to fulfill his/her bid, the Smurf will be awarded to the next highest bidder. All Smurf figurines must be collected by September 9, 2011.

Please show your support, and do your bit for charity at the same time! =)

So apparently we were supposed to dress all 80s. I was going for a Debbie Harry-esque look; not sure if I succeeded. It was funny though because I didn’t think I looked all that outragous, and yet a few friends couldn’t recognise me that night!

Johnny Hates Jazz were so-so, Debbie Gibson was pretty good, but Rick Astley! The man was highly entertaining, and I found myself embarrassingly singing and dancing along to certain songs like “My Arms Keep Missing You”, “Strong Man”, “Hold Me in Your Arms”, and of course, “Never Gonna Give You Up”. I didn’t expect to have that much fun!

We’re no strangers to love
You know the rules and so do I
A full commitment’s what I’m thinking of
You wouldn’t get this from any other guy

I just wanna tell you how I’m feeling
Gotta make you understand

Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

We’ve known each other for so long
Your heart’s been aching but you’re too shy to say it
Inside we both know what’s been going on
We know the game and we’re gonna play it

And if you ask me how I’m feeling
Don’t tell me you’re too blind to see

We arrived on a Sunday evening, and were put up in the Beverly Hilton after a long 20-hour flight. I think I was probably too tired when we checked in, but it was the next morning, when I’d ordered myself a nice brekkie that the ‘California Dreamin” mode really started to kick in…except it wasn’t a dream!

The scrambled eggs were done just right; creamy and ever so slightly runny, with breakfast hash and superb apple sausages, washed down with freshly squeezed OJ and hot chocolate. Fueled up, and with a full day off, it was time to go exploring!

We decided to rent a car to cruise down the Pacific Coast Highway (or PCH if you are hip, apparently). S has no license so I told her she was in charge of navigation while I’d drive. It seemed easy enough on the map, so off we went!

It was a gorgeous, gorgeous day. We couldn’t have had it any more beautiful than if we had engineered it ourselves; the sun was out, the skies were blue, the air was cool and crisp (none of that tropical humidity). We had the radio blasting and our hair flying in the wind!

What I wouldn’t give to stay in one of these! Imagine waking up everyday to the Pacific Ocean as your view.

Here’s S getting into trouble with the law! Haha no, she was just asking the Sheriff for directions.

We met with a friend, Neal, who showed us around. He took us to lunch at the Fred Segal (an upscale Los Angeles, California based clothing retailer) cafe, and we browsed the boutique after.

He also brought us to Farmers Market and The Grove. For some reason, the lot of us had scarves, hats and frames galore between us that day!

We ended off the day by checking out some of the lovely architecture of the city such as the Walt Disnet Concert Hall, for one.

And also with a very satisfying dinner at an Italian restaurant. Buon appetito, and salute to a wonderful first day in LA!

The next day, it was time to work! All Green Lantern-ready, we headed down to The Oasis, a lovely area of the hotel where the interviews were to be held. They’d really gone all out with the decor; the area was all decked out in Green Lantern stuff. Fan boy heaven, I say!

Trying (and failing miserably) to do the Green Lantern ‘arrrrgh!’ pose. Ryan Reynolds looks all fierce and cool; I look like an auntie carrying imaginary plastic bags, very pleased that I’d just snagged a bargain at the local supermart. Ah well. We try.

The whole gang!

Just ‘hanging out’ with ma pal, Hal Jordan, aka Green Lantern…

Right. Lest you think all I did was play, enough goofing; I really did meet the man himself, Mr Ryan Reynolds! He’s a lot taller than I expected, with a slightly kooky sense of humour. When I asked him to say “hi” to Singapore, instead of addressing the camera with a “hey there, Singapore”, or something similar, he looked me straight in the eye with an emotionless expression and simply said, in a deadpan voice, “hello, Singapore”. I really wasn’t sure how to take that!
 
Also, perhaps he was tired that day, or it was a case of art mirroring life (or really spot-on casting?), but almost like how his character in the film, Hal Jordan, is a somewhat unwilling hero; so too Ryan Reynolds seemed a little the reluctant movie star who longed to be doing something else instead of talking about himself and the movie he made.

I also interviewed Peter Sarsgaard, who plays an extremely convincing Hector Hammond in the show. Yes, he actually looks very normal (pretty good, actually) and when I told him this he joked that that was a perk in playing an ‘ugly’ character; that people are always pleasantly surprised at his looks – “I probably get told how handsome I am a lot more than Ryan does!”.

Very, very sadly, I didn’t manage to get a picture with Blake Lively (her manager flat-out said “NO”; boo to you) but I can tell you that she is even more stunning in real life (and yes ladies, her hair gives new meaning to ‘crowning glory’), and very chatty and warm, to boot.

I’m going to end off with a shout-out to Tew Li Li’s love interest in First Class (well then again, any man is interesting to her…), and someone you guys know and love, Mr Max Loong!

He’s based in LA now, and we met up for dinner, drinks and a night of friendship and good fun.

Thanks for showing us a great time, thank you Channel 5, and thank you, Warner Bros!

California love!