Cafe-Hop: Lavender

Cafe-hopping entry is backkkkkkk. Gathered my favorite foodie girlfriends for a cafe-hopping adventure on a weekday evening some time ago near Lavender MRT station. 

Many cafes are sprouting around the Jalan Besar stadium and i have previously blogged about Windowsill pie cafe located within the area so we decided to try the other new cafes along Tyrwhitt Road and Lavender Street that night =)

First on our list - The Tiramisu Hero, 121 Tyrwhitt Road

New kid on the block but fast gaining the popularity of cafe-hoppers, TTH cafe draws consumers into their cafe with their cute hand-drawn drawings of Sir Antonio found all over the walls of the dining place. With so many cafes appearing in the local cafe scene, i think they did a great job differentiating themselves from the rest of the competitors out there by building a strong identity/brand!

When we looked at their dining menu for the first time, one thing came to mind - Comfort Food. I have no idea why but it just felt like their food options (albeit not alot) are mainly dishes that i would love to eat when i am feeling depressed or simply food i would love to indulge in just to make myself feel happy. haha. Well, we are off to a good start eh? 

Mac & Cheese

Ordered a smaller portion of the Mac&Cheese for sharing from their Appetizer section and it turned out to be a good choice. While it was creamy, rich and quite delicious, i doubt i can finish the entire bowl by myself if i were to order their original as my main. With 4 girls sharing this small bowl, it was a wonderful way to kickstart our dinner. hee.

ChefChef Curry Baked Rice

A Chef's recommendation dish, CL went for this fragrant curry rice dish that day. I took a bite from her and thought the curry was pretty delightful and delectable. CL's comment that night was "wah, taste like the nasi briyani i ate that day" LOL. 

Baked Cheesy Chicken

My main that evening! I love how they made an effort in presenting my food - makes me happy even before eating! haha. My boneless chicken leg was succulent and does not have that stale taste often associated with "frozen chicken" which was a relief. It was topped with sauteed mushrooms, adding on an additional texture to the dish1

Savoury Creamy Salmon

Both YL and Twin felt this was pretty mediocre though this was another recommended dish on the menu so this might be our least favorite item on the table that day. However, if you are in the mood for some salmon the next time you visit TTH, you can always opt for this since it really isn't that bad, just not outstanding. haha.

MommaHero

Our dessert we came to this cafe for!!! =D This MommaHero-sized tiramisu sure did not disappoint! This divine dessert was creamy and wet, with a strong espresso-aftertaste - peeerfect for caffeine-addicts like us. 

Left TTH cafe with some room for drinks and headed off to 

The Coffee Shot, 103 Lavender Street

2nd visit to this small cafe located, just a short 5mins walk away from TTH. 

Was trying to convince the girls to order the "Otah Pizza" i previously ate here but they were all too full from dinner so we settled for simply drinks.

Honey Con Leche

Yes, i had this honey-filled coffee AGAIN >.<  It came with a little heart-shaped doodle on top of the milk foam but my friends insisted i'm hallucinating. I mean, hello, IT IS A HEART CAN?! =P

Bailey Hot Chocolate 

When the girls took a sip from their glass, they both went "omg, this is good" immediately. This tempted greedy me to steal a small sip from them and while i initially thought it could be due to the hot chocolate, i soon realise it was the generous proportion of Baileys Irish Cream that won them over. hahaha. Pardon my alcoholic friends. 

Alcoholic friends x2 =P

Coffee pals x2

And ending this post with my OOTD that you might have seen on my Instagram @yvonnekt already

Going for the grunge look and carrying TAYLOR satchel in Black from Yventually's latest launch! =)

Until next time~

Behind-the-scene: Collection 109 折り紙

Yventually's BTS entry is back~~~ *throws confetti*

So thrilled to be back blogging about this collection here. As you guys must have seen from the preview album of our FB page, our theme this launch is Origami! Inspired by some fashion spread i saw online, i started conceptualizing the whole idea wayyyy before i even told my model about it. 

Initially, this idea seems great - having Elaine pose next to life-size origami with our latest bag design. It all seems perfect, especially the unpredictable weather these days did make outdoor photography tougher than it already is. Then, i started buying mahjong paper to try out the different shapes i wanted to achieve and immediately, this shoot was coined  "Mission Impossible" T.T 

Not only was it hard to find paper hard enough to stand on its own, it also seems impossible to find paper BIG enough to complement Elaine's frame =( My brother was even more convinced if i do it with miniature-sized origami, my photoshop skills will not be enough to make the pictures look convincing. I was THAT close to changing the theme entirely but the day before the shoot, i told myself "oh heck, let's just do this tomorrow and if it doesn't work, i'll do another shoot."

With that "i don't care because i will make it work, somehow" mindset, Elaine and i entered the photo studio with (some) optimism. haha. A huge thank you to Vilvian from La Novella studio for helping me with synchronizing the lighting for my origami and model shoot so that my post-editing process can be made simplified =)

We started off by taking pictures of the origami i folded! Yes, these are your normal-sized origami made from your regular A4 paper!

Then, it was Elaine's turn to work her magic! Poor her had to imagine the origami beside her according to my verbal guidance and therefore, you end up with pictures of her staring into blank space, looking ridiculous with her funny poses. haha.

A possible thought in Elaine's mind at the moment "Oh, i'm looking at.....something. And I'm going to smile at that.....something" 

LOL

And...i know you have seen the end products but i have to show you guys again!! haha

Not the best presentation (dear photoshop experts and professional photogs out there, please have some mercy on me >.<) but i think the campaign still came out quite ok? Do give us a holler if you like this concept? =)

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As for the design of this Taylor satchel, i was determined to bring in a more practical bag design this Fall since party crossbody bags will probably dominate the handbag market with the upcoming festive season so i wanted to be a little different. 

Besides, a classic satchel design like Taylor will remain stylish throughout all seasons which makes this bag a good investment if you are looking for a durable work/school bag that will last you till Spring Summer next year ;)

If the color "Egyptian Blue" sounds familiar, that's because the Becks messenger bag is made of the exact same material/shade!! For those who owned a Becks bag will know the shade of this blue is not overly "loud" which allows easy matching with most outfits you don on a daily basis =)

Oh oh, the front zip pocket is FUNCTIONAL! It makes a wonderful compartment to store your lipstick/lipbalm or some basic necessities like keys as it makes retrieving these stuff easily accessible.

My favorite part about this satchel? While it might look a little formal when carried on the shoulders/arms (which explains the semi-formal outfits i had Elaine wear), it becomes a casual weekend bag when slinged because of its slouchy laid-back look!!

For the most accurate depiction of the colors of the bags in real life, please do refer to the color chart below:

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For me, i kept Taylor satchel in Black! Going for a "darker" look this Fall (time to dress up in faux leather all day long without getting weird stares? Yes pls!!) so a black Taylor will be able to complement most of my looks these days.

However, if your skin tone is on the fairer side, i would recommend the Nude shade instead! Egyptian blue will be suitable for both skin tones in my opinion and like i have mentioned earlier on, it is not too "attention-seeking" as the grainy leatherette material will down-play the color in real life, making it more versatile for everyday use.

We are also launching a few party-perfect clutches for Collection 109! 

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Last but not least, this collection will always hold a special place in my heart because not only are we launching gorgeous bags for you guys out there, we are also hoping to do our part for charity while doing so. Every day i kept reading the sad stories about the victims of Typhoon Yolanda on the news and it made me feel like i had to do something which is how this "Shop for a Cause" idea came about. I know S$2 a bag is not going to accumulate to a huge amount but i strongly believe every cent helps, one way or another =) 

And there we have it - a lengthy BTS post after the short hiatus. hehe. 

See you at our launch on Wed (20 Nov) at 2pm at www.yventually.com then?

Until next time~ 

Random.

I am back from my work trip~ 

Was a little disappointed when i had to give up on one of my favorite manufactured bag designs during this trip abroad due to some unforeseen circumstances but i'm still really excited about our next 2 bag designs as well as....our accessories line! After much thought, i have decided it is really time to expand the variety of products for Yventually so while i will still put my main focus on designing and manufacturing bags, we will also try to launch accessories and shoes in between the bag collections!!! I managed to find several jewelleries suppliers during this sourcing trip so make sure you stay tuned for our very first full-accessories line in a week or two =D

Apart from running around settling designs, i also managed to squeeze in time for a short Hong Kong day trip. Hip hip hurrays!

Desserts before my trip at Meet Fresh. Omg, i am now salivating just looking at this pic. I need my herbal jelly nowwwwww.

Well-maintained high-speed train to HK. I was impressed with the cleaniness and spaciousness of the seats which made the 2 hour journey more bearable.

First stop: AUSTRALIA DAIRY COMPANY

This was one of the main reasons why i decided to slot in this day trip to Hong Kong. In case you don't know, they serve the best scrambled eggs toast and milk tea!! This eatery is not a place for you to chill and hang out with friends though so expect to share tables with strangers and be asked to leave right after you are done with your meal. With that being said, it's all worth it just to be able to eat my eggs =*)

Mak Man Kee Noodle Shop

Since this noodle shop was situated right next to Australia Dairy Company, might as well pop in for some wanton goodness right? Had the wanton soup without noodles because i was really full by then. The wanton were huge and stuffed with so many prawns! A little pricey though =/

Didn't take any pictures after that because it was just plain shopping and wandering around Mongkok and dining at my favorite Tsui Wah restaurant before heading back. I managed to grab a discounted leather jacket from H&M so i guess i am all ready for my Fall work trip already? hahaha.

My HK OOTD:

Abstract Print dress: Chaceylove

Cherie hobo: Yventually

Cat pumps: FEP 

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Before i end this extremely random post, i bought these ear cuffs for my friends during the trip and gotten a few more just in case anyone is interested so do email me directly at yventually.sales@hotmail.com if you are keen in getting one? Please note that it is one-sided and available in either white or black. Selling at S$12 including normal postage + COP.

Until next time~

Why so Selfish, Gene?

Ace and i continued our food hunt at Tanjong Pagar last week and got my model Elaine to join us for lunch since she was interning near the area =D Yay to more lunch buddies!

E suggested Selfish Gene cafe, 40 Craig Road so we went ahead with it since i have heard friends talking this brunch outlet but never gotten the chance to try.

Seated at Table 31 with this cute yellow daisy on the table. I love this place already. haha.

I love my coffee but i get dehydrated very easily so i always like the idea of cafes with self service counters to provide water for those who need it. A simple gesture but a much-appreciated one, in my opinion.

As usual, click on the menu for a much clearer look at what's available ;)

Tempted by the Iced Chocolate A ordered so i got myself one too!! I skipped the cream for a "heathier" choice (who am i kidding right? hahaha) 

Since i already had a heavy breakfast at home, i opted for the Banana Cake from the "Sweet" section of the menu. A mini loaf of banana cake was quickly served, with peanut butter sauce drizzled on top and real banana slices as toppings. Omg, can i just say this is one of the best banana cakes i have EVER tasted? The warm banana cake was baked to perfection with just the right amount of moist and fluffiness. The peanut butter sauce was like the icing on the cake, giving this dessert dish a slight savory taste and bringing this dish to a whole new level of awesomeness. THUMBS UP.

Since we didn't know what to order from their breakfast menu, E and A ordered based on the food items that are most commonly seen on Instagram when people patronise Self Gene. Creative eh? 

The Valerie for E

Homemade berry compote and cream cheese on toasted brioche sounded like the perfect brunch for E but it turned out to be too creamy for her and she said on the overall, the dish was pretty much...meh =/

Breakfast Plate for A

Being another scrambled egg lover, A chose the breakfast plate in hope to fill her growling tummy that day. While it was served with a good serving of everything a good western breakfast should have (sauteed mushrooms, eggs, ham, sausage, toast and cherry tomatoes), it was mediocre in taste and was just not good enough to impress any one of us that day. 

A self-taken group pic of us! Let me explain this pic: 

From left to right - Small face, well-hidden small face, "i have a big face and i am not hiding" face. HAHAHA.

My OOTD that afternoon after a happy brunch session:

Eyelet romper: Her Velvet Vase

Bag: Yventually's Olivia satchel in Mint 

Shoes: Yventually's Manda jelly shoes in silver

Alright, time to go back to planning for my work trip. Until next time guys!!