Since then, i’ve been aching to write a post on my Top 10 Me Time Books to share with you all, especially after more and more readers have been requesting it!
Even though i have less time to read compared to my childhood,
i try to consume as many as i can on weeknights (difficult!) and holidays (leisurely, yay).
The good thing is that Clem loves reading too,
and even though i told myself i’ll read as many French books as he does English,
well… that hasn’t happened at all.
At the rate i’m currently going with English books,
reading a French one armed with a dictionary might very well take me a year :p
My childhood hunger for books started with Enid Blyton.
Oh how i adore Enid Blyton and the joy she’s given thousands of children the world over!
If i were to be a writer, i’d aspire to be one who touches people the way she does.
I read all the Famous Five, Secret Seven, The Secret Series,
all the Malory Towers and St. Clare’s ones,
Mr. Pink Whistle, Mistletoe Farm, all the circus stories,
and every random short story / fairy one.
I read all the Enid Blyton books till there were no more to read.
Then i moved on to Sweet Valley, English classics,
teen horror stories like Fear Street and Night World,
When i ran out of books, i started digging into my parents’ library when i had nothing to do (i.e. avoiding homework).
Read all my dad’s Stephen King books,
got nightmares from reading The Shining
(reading it is SO different from the movies okay!)
but thought Cujo was boring as heck.
My mom would take me to Novel House to borrow books when i had been good,
and a bonus would be being able to loan 3 books instead of 2.
As i grew older i expanded my reading to all sorts of topics –
poetry, paranormal activity, history, art, fashion
and lots of autobiographies.
I remember going through a phase where i didn’t see the point (silly me) of reading fiction when i could read about someone’s life that REALLY happened.
Am guessing this got triggered by reading my mom’s Princess by Jean Sasson.
This list was quite tough to make…
because there are so many books i like for so many different reasons!
So i’m clarifying that this is a personal list of my favourite novels,
not counting art and fashion books.
Also, i have a feeling lots of girls will like these…
but not guys.
I realised many of the titles are chose are mostly about women and some sort of tragedy :p
With all books, there has to be some Dove chocolate in hand.
Smooth, sweet, and its rich chocolate taste that lingers
will last dramas and kidnappings,
discoveries and losses,
and generations throughout a family’s existence.
Current choice is always Dove chocolate.
I have no more Dove Crispy Chocolate cos Clem has scoffed them all.
I also have no more Dove Dark ones cos Steph loves them and i don’t have the heart to keep them from her.
So i’m left with Dove Milky Chocolate for now, which is just as well cos it’s my second favourite after Crispy!
Once armed with chocolate,
it’s easy to get settled in and start…
1. Princess
This was the first autobiography i ever read and it belongs to my mum.
It was the first time my eyes were opened to a life and Fate so different and tragic from my own that i couldn’t help being deeply moved by it as an adolescent.
2. Alice in Wonderland
Come on, you must have guessed this book would be in *my* list!
I even have the one with the same cover as above!
It’s a wonderful trippy story that can be reread with new phrases and glorious bits to discover every time.
3. The Joy Luck Club
I love this book so much i’ve read it 4 times..!
It’s better than the movie (as it always is, but that’s saying something cos the movie by Oliver Stone was great too) and the intertwining of so many different lives, tumultuous mother-daughter relationships, and fusion of olde and modern Chinese culture always gets me.
4. The Graveyard Book
I’ve read most of Neil Gaiman’s books,
but this one really rekindled my feeling of being a child while reading it for the first time as an adult.
5. A Thousand Splendid Suns
After reading The Kite Runner, i ran to pick up Khaled Hosseini’s second book.
I probably like this more than the Kite Runner just because it involves more female characters.
Plus his depiction of the Afghan war is so distinct and terrifying that i cried all the way through it.
I love a good book cry as i do a movie one.
6. Kafka On The Shore
I own about a dozen Murakami books, and still keep an eye out for more.
He’s one of my absolute favourite writers, using his genius stringing of words to connect the person reading it with their soul.
Kafka on the Shore made me evaluate my life, things that happened for supernatural/spiritual reasons, and heightened my belief that anything is possible.
7. Scar Tissue
I’ve read so many biographies from Richard Branson to high class hookers,
but this one takes the cake.
Besides having a torturous rockstar life, Anthony Kiedis is a master of words.
I completely salute him and respect him wholly as a songwriter and storyteller.
8. The Concubine’s Daughter
I mentioned this book previously and especially enjoyed the first half of the book.
It tells the story of a mother’s treacherous life, followed by her daughter’s,
and is told with beautiful lyrical sensitivity.
At one point Clem caught me crying while reading it on the bed,
and i was actually tearing with happiness!
There are also many Chinese customs and quotes inserted in the story,
so i got to learn more about my own roots.
Like how in the 1900s, women were to serve men – as concubines, slaves and prostitutes. *feminist emotions bubbling*
And the utterly gross things Chinese people eat (which is, everything!).
9. The God of Small Things
I first saw the cover of this book and saw so many people reading it when i was a teenager.
Somehow, the cover really turned me off and i never ventured near a page.
Years later i picked it up at the airport, and was stunned at how beautiful one can tell a tale pooling together descriptive and lyrical words that slid lightly off your tongue.
Arundhati’s writing is so pretty, i reread the first half of the book right after reaching the middle of it!
10. The Boy Who Saw True
This book practically changed what i believe in.
It’s written by a boy who had a third eye and kept a diary throughout his life.
Before his death, the man told his wife she could publish his diaries so the world would know all that he saw, on the condition that it’d be anonymous.
It reads out as genuine as the book holds its olde English style, childish observations and innocent contemplation on seeing spirits, auras, and creatures of the other world.
//////////////////
And THAT is my Top 10 Me Time Books!
Of course, the experience is made all the more pleasurable
with a bar of chocolate in hand i.e. Dove chocolate!
Since i shared what my favourite books are, what are your favourites?
Put them down so i can look out for them too!
Sharing is caring 😉
We went for lunch at Wild Rocket,
where the chef had prepared a set menu with various choices for us.
I started off with a savoury light broth which was a GODSEND in my condition.
Blue swimmer crab congee soup with egg emulsion
I wish i could have this exact soup every time i have to recuperate.
I chose the roast Chilean seabass with winged bean fermented shrimp salsa for my main.
The fish was so tender it just fell apart in my mouth. Fantastic.
My Wild Rocket cendol dessert totally perked me up!
I love the taste of cendol,
and it mixed with crushed biscuits, cream, and ice cream just tingle my halfdead senses awake.
I’m wearing:
blue skirt; azorias lace top; bkk
bag; jim thompson
shoes; kg
sunnies; marc jacobs
We dropped by Marina Bay Sands to check out the new LV store.
The Louis Vuitton Island Maison is one of two stand-alone glass + steel crystal pavilions designed by architect Moshe Safdie (who also designed the ArtScience museum which i love).
Visitors can enter the LV Island via three ways:
– the outdoor bridge (above)
– by boat, disembarking at a jetty
– from the mall via a tunnel and ascending ‘travelator’
The nautical-inspired interior of the store was designed by Peter Marino,
who implemented timber that’s used for sailing ships and stone of harbours and slipways.
There’s even an art exhibition and book store in LV,
where i bought Julia Child’s ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’!
Been reading it and absorbing so many interesting facts
The others went to walk around Marina Bay Sands,
while i shopped till i tak larat to carry everything,
then sat outside and started on my new books.
We didn’t have time to go back to the hotel
and went straight to the F1 racetrack.
Didi and i were trying to take a picture of ourselves.
We must have looked pathetic cos a stranger offered to take one for us.
He snapped and ran off.
Then saw we totally got photobombed by some friend of his.
We saw Shakira live! Have to say i thought her dance moves were very… suggestive.
But damn her body is BANGING.
Makes me want to RUN to the gym and get mine to be like hers.
After F1, Didi and i finally managed to make it back to the hotel.
Seriously… we were like DEAD people.
SO freaking tired from being out most of the night before,
and all day!
Whatmore i had to have a hangover, period cramps and headache simultaneously.
Triple whammy can die.
We were just dying in bed.
When Sa insisted we COULD NOT miss out/ffk on Amber Lounge,
so we got up, turned on all the lights,
put on some music,
took a shower and made up all over again…
to go out at 2am.
I really think we deserve a medal for our Party Efforts.
Deeds in heels is indeed a rare sight.
Deed’s accessories – thirtyfour cuffs and clutch, and her beloved BlackBerry -_-
Amber Lounge is a pop up party along with F1,
that is held only in 4 cities globally – Singapore, Monaco, Abu Dhabi and Delhi.
Supposed to be one of the most exclusive parties in the world.
Well i managed to see Richard Branson!
But i didn’t want to be a starer cos i hate that too,
so i allowed myself to look at him for ONE second before looking away.
me + Didi
Man Deeds, your bone is jutting out so much i can place Wilson in there and he won’t fall off!
My make up was a lot better in SG than in KL.
Promise i’ll try to make more effort in my own city
I’m using Chanel foundation, Shu Uemura eyebrow pencil + eyeshaow,
MAC eyeliner, and some loose powder (forgot brand).
BlackBerry collaborated with 7 different brands from around the globe,
each established for its craftsmanship, quality and attention to detail
– holding the same values as the BlackBerry brand.
I only took pictures of the leather covers cos they’re the ones i like
I didn’t even know what it was…
Had just a hint that it was going to be a club of some sort,
but i didn’t even know the NAME of the club!
NOW the name has been released!
Club NEVERLAND!!
How cool is that!
It’s… *made* for me hahaaaa!!!
Club Neverland is a new club coming soon to KL,
with a sister club already open in Singapore.
Both clubs will hold interactive live performances in a stylish and hip interior!
A picture speaks a thousand words,
so i’m posting up some wicked pix taken at Club Neverland SG!
We can expect some international acts and exciting new DJs coming to KL!
One of the important things about a club is its crowd.
Just LOOK at that crowd!
I can’t wait to see a crowd going at it like this in KL.
We NEED it!
NEVERLAND will be located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur at 1, Jalan Kia Peng.
The fully-refurbished interior boasts a 900-seating capacity
with an on-site car park of 500 cars.
There will be a Pre-Launch Party happening
next Friday, 7th of October 2011!
I’ll be giving away Exclusive Invites to Club Neverland’s Pre-Launch to 10x lucky readers! Each winner will be able to bring 1+1 people to the Pre-Launch,
meaning Winner A can bring Friend B, and Friend B can bring Friend C.
Three party people are always better than two!
I’ve always been impressed by how Topshop managed to take their brand to the runways,
and Topshop Unique has been churning out some amazing pieces the past few years!
I was invited to preview the Topshop Unique collection yesterday, a day before its release
You can view the pieces for yourself at the KLCC or Pavilion outlets from today onwards.
They set aside a rack of Topshop Unique pieces in my size for me to try on,
with Denver, the Topshop stylist, helping me out.
I love you too Topshop!
Love the use of silk, 101 dalmatian inspiration, and 30s-inspired silhouettes.
They’re pieces for anyone, who deep inside, is a little girl who never wants to grow up.
High-waisted dalmation denim shorts
Sailor back on one of the pieces
Dress inspired by the elegant era of 1930s America
Oh i almost got this sheer dalmation cape shirt…
but it didn’t look good on me so i refrained!
Damn my frame is too small for runway pieces sometimes -_-
Sleeveless jumpsuit
Thanks to Topshop Unique for letting me pick out a full outfit from their AW11 collection!
*spoilt*
i chose the sheer black shirt with dalmation print in velvet,
and a lush pair of silk shorts.
With every purchase of any Topshop Unique piece,
you get a free hardcover Topshop notebook + Topshop paperdolls!
The notebook’s blank pages are great, with funky graphic insertions in between.
I’m gonna use mine for work now!
And….
OH MY GOD you’re gonna love this!
I LOVE mine and can’t stop playing with them!
Topshop Paperdolls! With outfits from 6 new designers!
They’ve even got that iconic dress from Mary Katrantzou with the goldfish on it!
My paperdoll wearing David Koma.
GUESS WHATTTT! Thanks to Topshop,
KinkyBlueFairy will be giving away
20x sets of Topshop paperdolls!
All you have to do is write: “I love Topshop!”
on your blog, twitter or facebook!
I will pick 20 random winners.
That’s all!
Email the links of your shoutouts to joycethefairy@gmail.com
with the title Topshop Paperdolls.
Don’t forget to include your full name.
Winners will be contacted via email.
Deadline: 9pm Monday 10th October 2011
