Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend - the weather was not so kind here in Edmonton, and I ended up catching a cold! Boo. Ship me back to the warm weather in Asia, please! Haha, kidding (or not..)

I still haven't gotten around to fixing my laptop, but luckily convinced Vince to lend me his for a couple of days (thanks!!) so I have a couple posts written up and ready to go in the meantime. And since it's Monday - here's another Manicure Monday installment for you!

My Pointe Exactly was a really interesting shade from the OPI NYC Ballet collection, as it's a grey jelly polish. The shade itself is not a true grey, and has more blue in it, making me want to call it a slate grey jelly. The colour will translate onto the nail if enough shades are applied - I'd say about 3 thick shades or 4 thin shades).


The colour does stand out as different from the rest of the soft shades from the collection, and wears very well up to five days without chipping. Application was a dream like the other shades, and dries relatively quick. The grey doesn't look dirty as you would expect, and should look good on all skin tones. It really is a unique polish since it is a jelly, so if you love greys, definitely check this one out!

As I'm writing this, it's 3AM. Jetlag sucks. Only, the weird thing is that the jetlag I'm experiencing from this Asia trip is different from what I've encountered in the past. Usually when I get home, I crash, and wake up groggy and grumpy the morning after. For the days following, I wake up numerous times throughout the night and have the worst sleep ever. This time around, I sleep soundly throughout the night.. the only problem is that I sleep from 3AM til noon. Not exactly ideal, but I guess I'll take it over waking up at 4 in the morning.

So yes, I'm finally home, my laptop is still dead, and it's freaking COLD here in Edmonton. Well, it's not really that cold, but in relativity, I feel like it's winter again after coming back from Hong Kong. I've caught a cold, and it's forecasted to rain everyday for the next week, so if I do plan to step outside over the next few days, I'll be wearing this trench coat I picked up a month ago:

Coat: Zara | Top, Shorts & Tights: F21 | Boots: Bought in Asia
Jewelry: Derng | Watch: Coach | Sunglasses: Gucci
A well-fitted trench coat is something I think of as an essential piece in the closet. Perfect for Spring and Fall, the coat keeps you warm against wind and rain, and is such a classic piece that makes any outfit clean and sophisticated.



It's been so hard to find a nice trench coat that fits well. Probably because I've been looking in all the wrong places. This particular trench coat I picked up at Zara... in the kids department! I have no shame. The material is lightweight, water resistant, and fits so well over my small frame. All too often, I'll find a coat that fits in the body, but the arms are too long, or the arms fit well and the body is way too loose.


The fit of the coat is quite boxy if left unbuttoned, so I typically tie the belt into a little bow in the back and head out the door. For windier days, I'll button it up and tie a knot up in front.

What do you typically wear on colder days during the warmer months?

Woohoo, I'm finally back in Hong Kong and no longer held in the clutches of the Great Chinese Firewall. So frustrating not having access to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blogger and even Google at times!! Yes, I am a slave to social networking.

Anyway, I'm still in Hong Kong for another day, but managed to put together some of my pictures from my time in Thailand. I went to visit Pattaya and Bangkok - the time I spent there definitely wasn't enough, so I can't wait to be back soon!

left: riding elephants in Pattaya
right: birds nest dessert cooked in a fresh coconut


left: freshly made papaya salad at the Central Festival Pattaya Food Court
right: Gelato & sorbet bar at the Central Festival Pattaya Food Court


left: so called food truck: motorbike w/ a charcoal bbq attached
right: bbq squid off the side of the road in Pattaya


left: Pineapple fried rice served in a little pineapple
right: Sushi at the Central Festival Pattaya - $1 for 3 pieces!


left: Morning walk along Pattaya Beach
right: Perfect afternoon spent on an island off Pattaya


left: Dragonfruit w/ purple flesh - stained my fingers for a day
right: Mango sticky rice - best I've ever tasted & made before my eyes


left: Coconut juice - cold & refreshing
right: Pork skewers from a vendor at the Asiatique Riverfront
for 30 cents each - absolutely amazing!!


left: Lay's chips in Thailand: Chili & Cheese flavour
right: Milk Solid from Siam Paragon - Madagascar vanilla ice cream made w/ liquid nitrogen


left: Award winning Tom Yum Goong @ the Baiyoke Sky Hotel - so good
right: Saying goodbye to Thailand! Beautiful airport.