my love runs deep

Ever since I found out about the existence of the UK edition of the Urban Outfitters website, I've had an immense, IMMENSE craving to go to London...

(the incredible edifice that is the Urban Outfitters BUILDING at Covent Garden)

Looking at this beautiful building brings back memories. =)) I can't believe in the 3 days that I was in London over the summer I very nearly missed it!! It was sometime in the evening when my friends and I were walking to a show at the covent garden area when I happened to turn my head to the left and the sight of it completely stopped me dead in my tracks and elicited an almighty shriek. Thank goodness I spotted it because none of my travel mates had even heard about UO ;p that was the only tough bit about traveling with non-shoppers. I felt like a crazed, obsessive woman half the time.

I love the UK Urban Outfitters site so much more than the U.S one! ;p The items for sale just seem so much prettier... a lot more refined...dressy... just a personal preference I suppose. And the best thing is, there are all these GORGEOUS photos available for downloading.

(UrbanOutfitters.co.uk)

I've never seen a prettier dress than the very first floral one. I would get it in a heartbeat if it wasn't so expensive and if not for the fact that UO.co.uk doesn't allow billing addresses to come from anywhere outside the UK region! Why why whyyy do they insist on coming up with things like that that are merely curtailing the millions more they could make?! I'm praying that the price of this item will eventually be whittled down to a mere 9.99 pounds... in the meantime, I'll be watching diligently.

(View from my friend's room in her apartment in London.)

I miss the feeling of exploring a new place. I miss the feeling of London. The excitement, the feeling that there are sooo many incredible places to step into, sights to see, things to eat... This is what photos and the stress of impending exams does to you I suppose. I've got about a week and a half more before an exam. Yelp.

I can imagine being absolutely happy even by myself in London because all I'd do all day is walk walk walk... step in shop after shop after shop... rest at a cafe and people watch...go for a musical/play at night... and repeat the same sequence of events the next day. :) so the only thing missing from that equation is money hmm....

Strawberry yoghurt from Sainsburys :D I LOVE.

never settle

This is my 3rd blog in a year. I find myself a bit of a walking contradiction. I love it when things are constant, when nothing changes. But then once I settle into something and realize it's just not what I want, I have to up and go for something new.

It reminds me a little of Steve Jobs' commencement speech. Don't settle. Keep searching till you find what you need. I wish life was all about living the way we want and not about always striving and searching until we get to that stage... but it never works that way does it?

I'm happy with the way things are now.

favorites

(Heidelberg, June 2009)

I'm finally started to dig out all my Europe photos taken during the summer! I've a ton of stories to tell but I guess this one will be first since chronologically it happened first too.

First stop on my trip was Heidelberg, Germany, to visit my best friend whom I hadn't seen in agesss. I was supposed to get off at Heidelberg Hauptbanhoff (the main station) and since I'd gotten everything right before that (getting on the right plane by myself, getting the right train ticket, all that tough stuff ;p) I was feeling absolutely proud. I knew based on the schedule given that I'd be reaching the Hauptbanhoff soon so when I heard the announcement "fjkaljdsfklajklsdjfkljskHEIDELBERG-HAUPTBANHOFFfjklsjfkdljfa" I immediately stood up from my seat, struggled a bit with a backpack 1.5 times my height (am sure the Germans were sniggering), waited at the door and when it reached the platform, promptly got off.

It was so peaceful and quiet and there were hardly any people on the platform it took about a second (and that's the length of time it took for the train doors to whooosh close behind me) to realize that I was definitely at the WRONG STOP. I was at PFAFFENGRUND station, the station right before the Hauptbanhoff. Way to travel by myself eh? :)

I love how I the name is so unpronounceable. It just makes the story more exciting to tell.

No worries, I called my friend and managed to get onto the next train within a few minutes and the next time, I got off at the right stop.

(my favorite sandwich EVER! hands down! :) smoked salmon sandwich at The Soup Spoon. go treat yourself)

500 Days of Summer seems like such a long time ago... I remember feeling moody and pensive a week after that with songs from the movie playing in my head. I've a new favorite band now though. Listen to Sweet Disposition by The Temper Trap. :)) It's my current cell phone ring tone now.

(the best soft ice cream ever! i love how it's Soya Bean ice cream hence you don't really feel guilty eating it since Soya Bean's supposed to be superbly healthy.)

Feels like I've neglected this blog for quite awhile... Have been busy with so many random things. There's so much stuff to study now I'm not too sure how I'm going to remember everything for my next exam in december...boo.

Cleared out my closet and have started selling my old clothes/even new items that I just can't wear now on livejournal. I get sooo frustrated whenever I see the hugeass pile of decent yet unused clothes in front of my closet. Making clothes look nice on photos is hard work though...Cumulatively I think it's a hell lot of time spent on that lj shop... but I definitely get a high when I'm able to get rid of one more item. And I'm just amazed at the colossal amount of crap I have in my closet.

It's been so long since I last clicked on style.com.

(Phi, Spring RTW, 2007)
(love love love this V-neck design!)

(Phi, Resort, 2009)

source: style.com

I love the versatility between seasons.

(go get some sleep, you)

today's as good day as any

(i know, i wish this were a corner of my room too. unfortunately, it's from Ikea ;p)

Recently I've been having a bit of a funny rollar coaster ride of emotions inside of me. It gets me when I least expect it and then at those moments I just feel like I don't really know what to do about things in life.

I borrowed a book from the library entitled 14,000 Things To Be Happy About. It's basically an extended, 611 page list of things the author's happy about. Things that she's noticed since she was in grade school and has kept a note of. I'm such a sucker for books like these. :) I know some people would rather... do something really extreme than to open up the pages of a self-help book/inspirational book but I runnnnn to these things the minute I feel I need some kind of direction in life. Most of the time I think these things actually work! Heh but maybe it's also because I start of being open and receptive and words can only work their power on malleable minds.

I'll start on a couple of things today:

crisp, white bedsheets to snuggle into
cold, fresh, ripe pieces of mango
holding my grandma's hand as we walked out of the restaurant after lunch
eating year old fruit cake (cousin's 1st wedding anniversary)(apparently it's tradition?)
afternoon nap
11.30p.m jog under the watchful eye of the moon and clouds
looking through photos taken over the past few weeks

What are some things on your list? :)

P.S. Am really really craving some good ol' popcorn... crunchy, hot popcorn perhaps tinged with a hint of cinnamon spice... not sure why I thought about Christmas with my uncle,aunt and my little cousins last year but i remembered us walking in a little Christmas village at night. it was so cold and their was mushy snow around and my uncle bought the hugest bag of fresh popcorn i'd ever seen from a stall and we all dug our hands into it with relish...