On Cooking – I don’t know and I don’t care.

Once and for all, I cannot cook and I am NOT ashamed of it. So, stop judging me as if I am a lesser woman. Because. I. Am. Not. Look, accept that some women are not born to be domestic goddesses. I am bad at housework – there! I said it. So what? What’s the big deal if I can’t cook or clean well? I don’t have a problem with people who cook well, it’s a virtue and good for them. However, if anyone endlessly extol the virtues of cooking and repeatedly expect me to, we have a problem.

1. I am not striving to be a perfect wife/mother material.
I spent around $35,000 studying, slogging my ass off for XX years from primary, secondary, junior college and university not to be a friggin’ Martha Stewart. Repeat: I have no problem with anyone who are great in the kitchen or housework, I think it’s extremely admirable. I am just not them and everyone’s different. Accept that. I strive to work hard so that I can hire a domestic helper,

2. I don’t want to learn, thank you very much.
Stop asking me to learn how to cook. I know that it’s a life skill, that women need to know how to cook, that it’s good, that it’s healthy and yada yada yada. Thanks, but no thanks. I do not wish to acquire any culinary skills because:

(a) I have limited time
I have 24 hours and I’d much rather spend it on activities that I enjoy. I want to maximise my time; time well-spent, time enjoyed.
(b) I don’t enjoy cooking
(c) I am bad at it

3. I am not picky with my food
I enjoy eating everything and I don’t have a particular palate. A $2.50 economical rice fills me up and makes me as happy as a $50 meal. I eat everything and everything is easily available in Singapore.

4. Eating outside is economical for me, both logistically and monetarily
Buying groceries cost money. So do kitchen utensils, detergents, condiments and other kitchen necessities. Food, like I mentioned, is easily available everywhere in Sg. I can survive on an average of $3 per meal, what’s stopping me from just eating out every day?

5. There are many things I like but won’t be able to reproduce in the kitchen
My pathetic (non-existent) culinary skills aside, I enjoy a lot of food that I find hard to reproduce in a domestic kitchen. (The counter-argument to this will be a lot of home-cooked food can’t be found outside. I am aware of this.)

My mom’s a fantastic cook, all my friends want to be invited to eat her cooking. Yet, there will always food that she can never cook as well as dining establishments – sushi, for instance.

6. I don’t eat a lot. I don’t mind taking-away. I have no qualms reheating leftovers.
More of a counter-argument to ‘What about when you go to places when it’s expensive to dine out?’ I’ve stayed at expensive cities (New York, London, Sydney) for months and survived on not cooking. It works well for me. And NO, I didn’t suffer and enjoyed myself a lot. I know some people feel ashamed about taking away or hate eating leftovers. I have no such problems. In fact, I advocate them.

There you have it! Reasons why I don’t cook, why I don’t want to learn to cook and why people should stop asking me to. It’s annoying. Do I ask you to read books on Finance or Economics? Do I force you to write or read? Do I force you to play brainy games? Do I force you to shop or look at fashion catalogues or trashy magazines

Big. Fat. No. So, stop bothering me already. I don’t expect you to know the difference between Hervé Léger or Roland Mouret; so, don’t force me to know how to differentiate parsley and celery. I. simply. don’t. care.

Oh, Chanel!

Chanel is synonymous with its classic 2.55.Lily Allen is the face of Chanel bags Fall 2009. Don’t really like her, never really warmed up to her music and her antics are disgraceful. I didn’t think it’ll be a ‘fit’, Lily and Chanel.

Chanel’s new handbag line, Coco Cocoon, will be launched in October. From Red Carpet Fashion Awards (excellent site, btw), “It’s a collection of reversible, lightweight nylon and lambskin bags in black, ecru, navy, or beige. Turn them inside out, and you’ve got the same tote, overnight duffel, or hanging garment bag in quilted garnet—the original lining colour of the house’s classic 2.55 bag.”

I THINK THE BAGS ARE HIDEOUS. UGLY! Did Karl actually approve them?

Child Models

How cute are they? Each time I see them, my heart melts. Here’s my attempt at capturing their good looks.
Interesting fact – they are child models with their own adverts! 🙂

What a cool wedding!

Have you guys seen this wedding entrance video? It’s mad crazy awesome. I want my wedding (if I am ever going to have one, that is) to be this way – fun, touching and creative. Watch it, you will smile and sigh. :)))

Girls, tsktsk!

Girls just being girls. What do you all think? Should I post more pictures ? What will you like to see more? 🙂

xx

Girl Crush #1 : Georgina Chapman

I really love her. Not only she’s absolutely breathtaking, she is an accomplished fashion designer and actress. She was a formel model too, I think. Georgina has amazing style. She looks gorgeous each time she is photographed!

She was born into a family of riches but she’s no spoilt socialite. She set up her own label, Marchesa, named after a socialite, Marchesa Luisa Casati. She married a billionaire, Harvey Weinstein, co-founder of Weinstein Co. and Miramax.

Must be good being her! Let’s all adore her style and be jealous.

Street Shots #1

Shots of 4 different girls.

#1. Pretty Korean girl. Who else can wear a hat and looks so adorably cute in Singapore? Oh, and her nails! Her nails!

Finance #1 : Budgeting

Do you have a personal financial budget?  Many people I know don’t.  ‘I spend lesser than I earn‘ or ‘My spending every month is arbitrary‘. If you do spend less that what you earn, that’s great news but a budget is still important because you might have a bigger need that you thought.

WHY :

1) Tracks your expenses
Know how much you can really spend on an item. Just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean you need or can have it.
2) Curb your spending
Many are resistant to this. Not many people like to control their spending habits.
3) Achieving financial goals
4) Debt reduction

A budget will not solve all your financial woes and it won’t let you have more to spend but it will (hopefully) let you spend, save and pay off your loans. You might even have enough savings for that holiday or bag you’ve been wanting!

Finance Topics

After much discussion with some friends, I came up with a rough outline on the topics I am going to cover. Not all of them will be relevant to one single person but hey, I hope you find something you like.

The (rough) Outline:

# Budgeting
# Financial Pitfalls
# What you should have
# Savings Plan
# Credit Cards
#Interest Compounding
# How to reach $____ by age XX
# Trading Account
# Trading Concepts
# Simple Accounting Concepts
# Simple Investing Concepts
# Asset Classes – What are they, really?
# Interest Compounding
#Asia Business Schools
# UK & US Business Schools
# Gap Year Financing
# Insurance Plans
# Housing

Will be adding more, whenever I think of something. If there are more that you will like to see, drop me a mail or comment!

Cherry kisses!

After much deliberation and procrastination, here’s the website I’ve always wanted to have. All sugary and sweet. Still defining the concepts I will like to adopt but so far, it will be :

1) Fashion
Street Shots
2) Finance
3) Reviews – Food, Restaurants and Events
4) Blogging about everything under the sun
5) Travelogue

Here’s a big, fat hello to Candy Factory.

Love,
V,
Your Excited Candy Lover
xx