To Outsource Or Not To Outsource - Decor Dilemmas

Two nights of back-breaking efforts at getting the curtains sewn and I'm technically still not done. Only the 2 side seams and top and bottom of each panel have been completed, we are holding them up with clothes pegs (hence not shown) and I have to sew the tabs. It's the sitting on the floor, bending over and pinning the folds down, ensuring that I've got them all consistent that is back-breaking. Why the floor? Because it's the only surface large enough.

And after all that, G is regretting his choice of fabric. There is just no pleasing everyone. I think IT'S FINE!

We got the new Queen bed delivered today, it was an online purchase. My regret is I didn't discover this earlier and we could have saved a bundle if we had ordered our European size bed from the same place. Anyway, once the bed went in, we could see how big our spare room actually is. I mean we knew it was a good size but with the placement of the largest piece of furniture in the room, the proportions became clearer. We have the 70s closet in there already, and my green tile top 70s table has also gone in and there is a lot of space for a standing lamp and perhaps one of the teak armchairs which we are repolishing and have got new cushions made. And we are off to Penang next week for a short holiday and to collect our precious cargo. And I am now thinking of sanding and varnishing the armchairs myself because it doesn't seem like too much work and is much easier to do it at home than cart it to the shop and back. (I guess when I have back aches and laments, I will regret I did not outsource the job. But till then, I am confident I can do it on a weekend.)

Shanghai Favourites

Some of my favourite things on my recent trip to Shanghai.

The great architecture along the Bund, gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! Historic, well-preserved and maintained, and expertly lit up to amplify their beauty.

Shanghainese food. Not a fan of mock anything, this yummy mock abalone with the wasabi soy dipping sauce is hard to say no to. And I picked out the yellow chestnut from this cold appetiser, skipping the red dates. I suspect they soak the chestnuts in syrup, so sweet so delicious.

Oh That Paradise Feeling

Some time back, I went up to the Sky Park on the top of the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort. The view was fabulous and the pool photos here give the impression of a lovely Asian resort, a real holiday feeling. Except that if you were one of the poor tourists staying at the hotel and sunbathing by the pool, you would have to put up with hundreds of members of the public who had paid an admission fee of $20 per person to come upstairs and gawk at you enjoying your tropical paradise.

Japanese Pasta & Pizza

We chanced upon this Japanese pasta-pizza joint at the Changi Airport and the variety of pasta available was mind-boggling. They all sounded so interesting and the couple we ordered did not disappoint. We also got a mini pizza as part of a set and it was good too.

The Japanese are a great one for taking someone else's idea and going one-up on them and making the original idea better.

The New Pad

Finally after 8 months, our furniture saw the light of day and made it out of storage and into our new home. Technically we are only half moved, as we have about half a truck worth of stuff still at my mum's but since everything we need to function is already here, we are fine. (note to self: still need to get act together and move the rest of the things over)

I've only enjoyed 3 days in the new flat before I went off for another work trip. So I am looking forward to more days in my own space, enjoying my own furniture. We still need to hang pictures, decide which clock goes on which wall and put our clothes and other junk away. But I think we've done quite well with the unpacking so far.

Next step - party time!