Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
23/12/2012

A Magical Realm: My Kota Kinabalu Diary





As some of you may be aware, I am currently on holiday in Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia. The city is known for its amazing snorkelling, diving and the majestic Mount Kinabalu which is the largest mountain in Borneo! But what is it that makes me view it as a magical realm, well... There is something surrounding the quaint nature of the city and the constant surrounding of nature. As we drive back to our hotel after going out in the evening, you can often see wisps of cloud floating amongst the hills or even jungle mist early in the morning. When we went snorkelling, the water was so clear and the fish so diverse that it was as if you had been thrown into their own water world, living amongst the coral, as if it was your castle.
Needless to say, our hotel is located on the beach so many of my outfits are beach related. The beach that it is located on is not one that is often seen on postcards, yet it is still gorgeous! We actually went snorkelling at a picture perfect island; more pictures to come. The maxi dress in the image is from Urban Edge in Manchester (near Manchester Piccadilly), the hat is from a little shop in Koh Samet in Thailand and the sheer cardigan is from Primark!
Overall, this is a perfect beach look, especially as the maxi dress is ideal for the humid weather that we are currently experiencing! Personally, an outfit similar to this is perfect for dinner at the hotel cafe or even just for a smoothy at a hut on the beach (minus the cardigan). If I was to leave the hotel, I would probably pair the dress with my gladiator sandals. 
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11/08/2012

Vietnamese Cuisine for Beginners

I was recently in Vietnam and was fortunate enough to attend a fabulous cooking class at 'Saigon Cooking Class'. We were taught by a local chef and learned how to make spring rolls with dipping sauce, beef noodle curry and banana blossom salad with a dressing.
I have been privileged to experience a large variety of Asian foods and have attended several cooking classes in Thailand, but there is a large difference between their cooking despite them being neighbouring countries. 
One thing that particularly surprised me was the combination of the sweet, sour and spicy flavours into one dish as well as the different textures!
{The amazing spice rack on display at the cookery school}
 {The initial ingredients for the spring rolls includes sliced taro root, oyster mushrooms, minced pork and sliced carrots}
 {The final product! The spring rolls were assembled and then wrapped in a medium thickness rice paper; fried in peanut oil for 5-8 minutes. The dipping sauce consists of chili, fish sauce, lemon juice, pepper and rice vinegar to taste}
 {The ingredients for the banana blossom salad which include chicken breast (pre-boiled), green capsicum, onion, kaffir lime leaf and basil}
{This has to be one of the biggest chilis ever! We used it for a garnish after sculpting it into the shape of a flower}
{The banana blossom. Apparently the best kind (according to the chef) is the kind from Vietnam, but it can be found in Asian supermarkets or Wet markets. Banana blossom is what is formed beneath the little bananas before they start growing!}
 {The final salad. The external 'petal' from the banana blossom used as a dish. The rest of the banana blossom sliced finely and mixed into the salad. The chef recommends cabbage if you are unable to find banana blossom.
The dressing used involved the same ingredients as the dipping sauce for the soy sauce but not rice vinegar.}
 {The dry beef noodle soup consisting of raw beef tenderloin, cooked beef muscle, spring onions, coriander, basil leaves, kaffir lime and cooked rice noodles}
{To complete the meal, add beef stock made from the bones and boiled for 3 hours. Serve with Hoi Sin sauce which can be found in every Asian supermarket.}

It was such an amazing experience to attend the cooking class and I really was provided an insight into the making of traditional Vietnamese cuisine.
Now that I have tasted the original direct from Saigon, I shall never be able to eat take-away again!
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28/07/2012

Ellie Update: Vietnam

Hi everyone!
As you well know, I am currently in Vietnam! However, I have been unable to update my blog as often as I would have liked because blogspot is blocked here, which means I have to use proxy servers that are seriously slow!

So as I don't really want to spend ages on the internet due to costs, I decided to just post some of the pictures I have been taking around the country!

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20/07/2012

Outfit of the Day: Styled Maxi Dress

I am completely obsessed with Maxi-dresses for summer! I love how cool (literally!) they are. Beach holidays are great, although I do tire of that near constant trickle of sweat down your back. I love this maxi dress in particular because of the material it is made from; cheesecake linen. It isn't clingy and has quite a low back which once again adds to the cooling affect. 

I often style my maxi dresses as I hate having my shoulders uncovered! As a result, I often wear a sheer crop top over them so I feel slightly more decent!

I bought the maxi-dress in a little shop in Manchester called 'Shout!' but it has been renamed to 'Urban Edge'. The sheer crop top is from Forever 21. If you want to see a close up of the top, check out my new purchase post linked below.





This is just a brief look at the maxi dress without the crop top to show the style and design. 

It's summer, that calls for a wardrobe update - fancy any of these summer dresses anyone?




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19/07/2012

Summer Fashion: Handling the Heat

I hate humidity. Don’t get me wrong, I love a beautiful summer day just like everyone else, but I can not stand the feeling of sweat dripping down my back, clothing clinging to me, or having to constantly re-adjust due to the uncomfortableness heat forces on me. Clothing should allow you to express yourself and sometimes the high temperatures can make it seem almost impossible to do so. Luckily, there are many different stylish options to combat the heat all at very reasonable prices. As you all know by now, I am on a beach holiday so some of these looks may not be able to be worn in the city!
Just like maxi dresses but cooler…literally. The high-low silhouette is super on trend this season and a great way to beat summer heat. Long flowy fabrics create a breeze within the garment and pairing them with a shorter hem just enhances this. High-low dresses can be found at every extreme, from long trains to super short front and everything in between. Also, because of their versatility, these dresses can easily be dressed up, for a date night, or dressed down, for a music or art festival. What’s not to love?

Shorts, and bottoms in general, are really taking center stage this season. Shorts can be found in many different styles this summer. From different prints, prints, colors, materials– shorts leave you with endless options for a cool summer look. With the right length, shorts can remain classy while still giving your legs room to breathe.
There are many different styles of tops this season to beat the summer heat. Crop tops are making a huge come back and are a fantastic way to stay chic and cool. These type of tops also provide an opportunity for a fun DIY project. Try taking some of your old tees and cutting them up to make your very own crop/cut-out top!
Whether worn alone or under tops, like the ones described above, bandeaus are the perfect solution to tastefully show some skin. Because bandeaus can be worn alone, they give you the ability to not have to deal with the inconvenience of wearing camisoles or tanks under your tops, which can really add on heat in the summer. A bandeau does suffice as an undergarment but it should not be regarded in the same way. Unlike a bra, It’s ok, and actually kind of encouraged, to have your bandeau show through your top.
Rompers, like dresses, are a super easy way to stay comfortably cool in the summer. However, unlike dresses, rompers give you the freedom to move around anyway you want, which can make all the difference when it’s hot out. Rompers are a  whole outfit in one and are effortlessly cool. With the right styling, they can be appropriate for a number of occasions.
Wide brim hats are not only super stylish but they’re also practical. The wide brim of the hat will give you the protection and shade that you need from the hot summer sun. Although these hats are definitely a statement piece, they’re extremely easy to integrate into your everyday look. For a feminine vibe, try a light-colored hat in white, tan, or a pastel, and pin a hair flower around the band. For an edgier look, try tying a scarf in a bold color or print, around a hat in a contrasting colour.
You can beat the heat and stay cool this summer without sacrificing style or putting a strain on your wallet. Which way is your favorite to dress for this scorching weather?
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15/07/2012

New Purchase!

I was recently in Kuala Lumpur on a flight stopover and was able to squeeze in a bit of shopping, however I was only able to buy one shirt due to monetary reasons! 
It is a sheer over shirt that requires a singlet or crop top to be worn underneath but is so cute!


 It has three-quarter length sleeves that pull in with a band, making them slightly puffy.
It has a slight 'mullet' look with the back being longer than the front!

It has the cutest teardrop cutouts on the back which mean that I constantly have to be aware of my hair positioning! 
This top is definitely one of my new favourites and I dont know how I lived without it! 
It ties in with both the current sheer trend as well as the girly florals as seen in recent fashion weeks.
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09/07/2012

Summer Lovin'

Tomorrow I am leaving for my summer break so I decided to do a quick post on my summer suitcase.
I am going away for four weeks to various locations that include Chiang Mai (a mountainous region), Hua Hin (a beach town) and Vietnam. This means that my suitcase item choices may appear to be slightly unusual! 



Obviously I will be bringing more than listed, but I could hardly post the contents of my entire suitcase!
Have a great summer!
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