Thursday, September 29, 2016

Where to get fresh cut flowers in Singapore


You wish roses are this cheap in Singapore.

In this infernal weather, fresh cut flowers don't last long at all. Spending a bomb on these flowers at boutique florists only to have them wilt 3 days later can be really frustrating, so I'm always on the lookout for cheap and fresh flowers from local wet markets and wholesale florists. So far, there are three places where I usually get my fresh cut beauties:


Far East Flora at 565 Thomson Road

Far East Flora specializes in online deliveries, floral decoration, and the usual bouquets for every occasions, but what I really love about FEF is their cold room! UBER cold room, mind you. I feel numb to the bones in about 10 seconds after stepping in there. Although the location of this place is the furthest from where I stay, they have the best selection of cut flowers, with species that are hard to find anywhere else without busting your wallet (they even have a room stocking fake flowers). FEF is also the priciest on this list of three: a bunch of 10 tulips costs around $20, and the freshest roses from the cold room cost about $24. If you don't mind getting the older bouquets to save a few bucks, look in the other room just right outside the cold room. There are usually more chrysanthemums, pom poms, daisies and such, but there are also some buckets holding slightly bruised roses (some bouquets look perfectly okay actually, prolly just a few days old) going for around $10 - $14. 



Tiong Bahru Market at 30 Seng Poh Road

Again, not located near where I stay (man, can't have the best of both worlds) but the ground level of this market is occupied by a few florists situated right beside each other, which means competitive prices. Of course you don't get as many different species as FEF here but the selection is still pretty wide. The floral scent is awesome and they have an array of colourful baby's breaths. I got a whole bunch of roses for $14, and sometimes I purchase them by the stalk too; chrysanthemums are around 80 cents per stalk, roses are $1.50. Sometimes, the nice folks will even round down the price. Also, they have some of the best hawker fares upstairs, and the cutest directory website ever. Not to mention the numerous cafes and bakeries nearby. Win!


Cold Storage Supermarkets

Obviously the most convenient on the list. Minus the ones in places such as the airport, I think most outlets stock fresh flowers. The most common flowers I see being sold at the nearest Cold Storage to where I stay are baby's breaths, lilies, chrysanthemums, and roses. I also notice that the Cold Storage at Bugis Junction stocks a whole lot more different species than the neighbourhood outlets. The chrysanthemums and baby's breaths usually go for $3.40 a bunch, while the roses are a lot pricier (also not as pretty) than the ones at FEF and Tiong Bahru Market. But if you're not as lucky as the folks staying right beside FEF or Tiong Bahru then Cold Storage is your best bet for express flower shopping. 

Whether you're hoping to put together your own bouquet or centrepiece, these places can help you save big bucks without compromising on quality and aesthetic. I heard that the market in Holland Village also offers fresh cut flowers but I haven't been there to check it out. If you know of any places in Singapore that sells cut flowers at a great price, and also how to make the fragile babies last longer, do share them with me!

x

Saturday, September 17, 2016

New Romantics


dress: Patvarin via Modparade; hat: Lack of Color

A simple low bun, paired with a flat-brimmed fedora, has become one of my favourite way to tame my mane. Often, I find it difficult to style my hair as the thickness hinders the hair tie from making more rounds to keep the bun or ponytail secure. To lighten the load, I usually opt for light layering at the hair ends, but that also means that the shorter layers will fall out of the bundle to become pesky little flyaways. With this bun, the flyaway fine hairs actually add on to the whole 'effortless' look, and the hat keeps them away from the face. 

This dress was a piece I picked last out of my selects from Modparade, but is fast becoming one of my favourite dresses. The lace-up detailing towards the hem makes a classic shift silhouette so much more interesting to look at and wear... I am glad that my collection of dresses is growing. They are so easy for lazy days, and the possibilities of layering with them are aplenty. 

This dress is part of the curated collection by Modparade, which will feature various labels from different Asian territories, so do drop by their physical store at 68 Haji Lane to get your Thai Designer pieces from now till January 2017!

x

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Obsessed with: Graphic Tees

Tee: Modparade


Ever since I got the Campbell's Soup Cans tee, I knew I'm onto something. I love how perfect these tees are for hot summer days, or rather, perpetually sunny Singapore. They are so good with just jeans and a choker, like this one. They look so good layered too. Maybe a basic black tee will do just fine. But will it ever look as cool as one that says Chanel in the Metal Lord font?

Nope.

This obsession ain't gonna stop for me. Uh-oh!

x