My good friend Amanda once described herself as a maximalist that dreams of minimalism. I immediately identified with this statement and adopted it as my own; a most apt way to describe my attitude to almost everything. I yearn for a simpler, refined lifestyle filled…
Read Part 1 here ✨ I have an enthusiastic but unskilled green thumb. I’ve invested in seeds, pots, and various plants but none seem to thrive under my care. My office plant, Steve, currently has mildew from over watering loving. I am half Singaporean and a…
Hello! It’s me and I’m a quarter of a century! I got this idea from my friend Rachel, to share some facts about myself at this point in time. Please excuse the indulgent nature of this post, but hopefully you find out something interesting in…
EAT In true Japanese fashion, Chaco Bar is hole-in-the-wall tiny but massive on tasty dishes and yakitori (skewered meat & veg cooked over charcoal). Since stumbling upon it, it’s quickly made my list of favourites. The grilled rice balls with chashew are a comforting order…
In addition to expertly blended small-batch gins, Sydney-based Archie Rose Distillery offers gin blending workshops and sneak peak tours into their behind-the-scenes processes. Named after a slang word for illegally distilled alcohol (Archie) and its suburban location (Rosbery), Archie Rose is full of passion and…
These are a few of my (April) favourite things ♬ READ Lincoln In The Bardo by George Saunders – As a non-fiction fan, this book (a fictitious imagining of Abraham Lincoln’s time in the graveyard with his deceased 10 year old son Willie) would not have…
A few weeks ago, I travelled to Singapore – home to late night roti prata, my beloved extended family, and some of the neatest bars around. Whilst in town, I visited a few new haunts and was impressed by their attention to detail – ice cubes embossed with…
Back in 2014, Sofie and I went for dinner at Arras. After our meal of steak tartare, snapper with confit mushrooms and duck liver, the most diverse and well-curated cheese selection I’ve ever had the pleasure of choosing from, and a buffet of petit fours, I was…
Current Reading Habits I’ll admit it: until recently, I hadn’t finished a book in months. Chapters here and there; a smattering of online articles; a handful of academic journal articles that I never finished; and way too many mediocre BuzzFeed articles. Never has there been so…
In the manner that most people keep up with television shows, I keep up with podcasts. How I Got Into Podcasts At the end of 2013, deeply starved for entertainment, I clicked on the ‘Podcast’ app that comes pre-installed on all iPhones with the expectation that…
I found it! My holy grail lipstick. Part 1: For years, I thought that lipstick was “bold red or go home” and that it was something for special occasions only. That was, until I was given a Lancôme 312 Beige Byzantin Mat for my birthday. A shade that I…
My goddaughter, Amelie, is now just over one year old, and can walk and dance (her favourite song is Say Geronimo)! I shot her at 11 months back in November, when she was just starting to stand up by herself! A big thank you to Mother Father PR…
A few months ago, I set my alarm to a crazy 3:45am. Waking up, getting dressed and getting into the car whilst the world was still a slumber felt surreal. But it was all worth it! The Sydney Flower Markets (Flemington) are visited each morning by…
Orto translates to ‘vegetable garden’ in Italian. But in my books, it translates to om nom nom nom nom. Ambience: Orto is bright and spacious, cool and friendly. An exposed brick feature wall, fresh flowers on each table, and large glass walls/doors mingle the outdoor and indoor…
A few months ago, I let my love of gelato come between myself and my better judgement. A certain car company Uber held a promotion for their app by giving away free gelato Messina. Like I am sure most people do, I approach promotions with a healthy sense of skepticism, and had…
As described in my previous post about Skincare Routine, having sensitive and unpredictable skin has previously prevented me from daring to go near much makeup. However, as my skin has been improving, I’ve been eager to try out some new techniques and where better to…
I have been a late bloomer in the field of beauty. Only in the past year or so have I begun using gel eyeliner, learnt the marvels of face powder, and become addicted to YouTube beauty tutorials/hauls/reviews. This is predominantly due to the fact that up…
Born on Christmas day, my goddaughter, Amelie, is now just over seven months old! She has grown so quickly, already lifting her head up with ease at the Tummy Time stage. I shot Amelie just a few days after she was born (see here) and it is…
Last July, my friend Mark had colour added to some of his tattoos, and let me tag along to see the process. What was your first tattoo? Is there a story behind it? Well, my first tattoo was a gold fish. It was designed by my older…
Vivid Sydney – festival of lights, music and ideas – has certainly taken it up a notch over the past few years (click here to see my photos from 2010)! Whilst there were quite a number of special events that had been put on as part of…
The city apparently founded by two twins raised by a she-wolf, Rome/Roma is full of history of grand proportions. Whilst there I wrote of the city: Roma is filled with cultural artefacts – architectural wonders that command your attention and awe. They are almost other-worldly.…
Easter is just around the corner! A time for celebrating life whether religious, cultural, familial, or social. Treating oneself is an important part of Easter celebrations, especially poignant in the Christian tradition as the Lenten period of fasting and abstinence ends. And whilst this indulgence…
WORDS Lucinda Burtt | PHOTOGRAPHY Vanessa Low A sponge sandwiched with strawberries and cream is one of afternoon’s delights. If you can’t beat a classic, add a twist. Matcha is poison green but fine in flavour and the powder pairs perfectly with vanilla. – PREPARE – You’ll need a…
This Summer, I traded the Sydney heat for the chilly weather of Europe and the humidity of Singapore. I adored the eye-opening experiences of both locales, documenting as much as I could when I wasn’t busy stuffing my face with food, trekking through countless art…
Aesop Tea Tree Leaf Facial Exfoliant (I tried it one day and bought it the next. Leaves skin with a most satisfying silky-clean suppleness) and resin bangles from Glebe Markets (I adore the clank-clank sounds they make as I walk).