Retail therapy

For less than $200, I picked up all these Buys today on sale:

1) Wittner Pastel Multi leather strap sandals; $34,99 from $139
2) Ipanema  by Gisele Bundchen fancy flip flops that I am looking forward to wear in my European summer trip; $17.95 from $30
3) Forever New Amelie Dusty Pink top with cutouts; $27.97 (Further 30% markdown score!)
4) Forever New Alexa Zipped Blazer; $69.96 Also  another Further 30% markdown score!)
5) Lovisa funky neon coloured necklace which I thought went well with my crazy coloured Prabal Gurung for Target top. $7. Also bought rings which aren't pictured here. I figured I am gonna add rings to my styling too despite never really having worn any in the past.

All that for $165, who said Australia was too expensive to shop in?

From the other side

Last week has been difficult because my manager's just come back from maternity leave. I don't mean to judge but watching her settle back in (or not) really makes me question a lot of things about what I will be like when it comes to my turn.

From my perspective: it really sucks being a colleague of someone who  has just come back from one year's maternity leave. It's hard for everyone at stake.

Here's the story, she comes back and she doesn't want to work full time any more but she wants the same role. While we think it's not possible but because we love her we divvy up her work and try to make sure everything goes on as normal. At the same time management tell us the extra workload will not be remunerated because that's how it's going to be if we want her back into the workplace, and they are putting all their resources into making sure she is supported, not us. Is that really fair on us? We don't want her to not come back but the truth is she can't work at the same capacity and it affects everyone else in the team, but she's the only one it seems that will get the support, not us, so management tells us.

So what does the workplace do to accommodate all these costs and intricacies of facilitating a working mother's needs? What do we do to accommodate/accept the decisions made?

What is right and just for her is the opportunity to actually be a mother and still work. And we want that for her because it means something for us too in our future with the organisation. But, somehow nothing was planned and everything is so haphazard now for her coming back. They really should have thought about this 12 months ago when she left to have her baby. Sigh. Mind you, settling in with the manager of the maternity contract was not even that easy and now we go into turmoil again readjusting to yet another change to the team.

Here's my notes for myself:
1) As soon as I fall pregnant, really start thinking about the current workplace and putting things in place so that I can go and come back with minimal impact to the team

2) Don't take that long off work because it makes it harder to come back (Separation anxiety with your kid apparently is easier to deal with when they're much younger) and harder for the team to adjust twice plus it stagnates their progress.


If you've been incredulous reading through this and maybe a little upset, I apologise, but I am noting these feelings because one day I will be on the other side and I have to remember what it was like for my team members now for when it's my turn then.

Also, I was raised very differently. In Asia, Maternity leave was a foreign concept. You get your confinement period to recover and then off you go again. My mother didn't have to worry about the business stagnating or adjusting to change. The mentality is Work is important and she has to put work first so we fitted around her time-wise and priority-wise. And it was acceptable. It was the way it was and it instilled in me a good work ethic myself.


My mum sent me this photo recently. I think she means to say she missed those days when we were little and still clung to her. I was surprised as I had never seen these photos before. I didn't remember ever taking breaks and family trips with my parents when we were little. I assumed they were so busy working that we never went.

But here it is, evidence that they still tried and gave us time when we were little and that the two young mum and dad did everything they could to provide money and care for us.

So the decision is mine, What will I do when it comes my turn?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

So so

Easter's meant to be a spiritual renewal time for me and it was just that. But it wasn't quite as pleasant a long weekend as I would have liked despite the great company I had on Easter Sunday and our opportunity to try one of Messina's infamous creations- Dr Evil'sMagic Mushroom gelato cake.





I fell sick and spent Monday in bed instead. Did I also mention that in an attempt to go out for breakfast on Saturday I got booked for a $300 fine? Ouch. Still waiting for that ticket to arrive. It's in the same time as my car rego's due too, so I'd be broke this and next month paying all that off.

Mr. HEA was travelling in Norway so we didn't get to converse all that much. But then my little nephew is in town so his antics make up for me not having the company of Mr. HEA. I am enjoying learning from the parents around me on blogs and in real life so that I can work out how I want to raise my kids. Hearing my in- laws's discussions also help me build my understanding as to what family values I am expected to instil in my kids in the future.

Anyways, finally made it back to work yesterday and got this terrible announcement made of a decision by management for a non- satisfactory solution to a problem we were anticipating. It feels like they don't care about us. We were on the cusp of presenting a solution of our own but management seems to not have given us much of a choice to not follow in their decision even though they tell us they have our best interests at heart and that the solution is just a 'trial'. I don't see how it will be reversible if it doesn't work out. Sigh. It was really hard getting up to go to work today with the rain, my insomnia pondering over this matter and my nagging cough. But here I am, about to step out into the rain to walk towards work. Brave enough to take on whatever more shit they want to put on us. Like we don't have aspirations or need motivation. Blergh. Wish me luck.

On a brighter note, Malaysia's dissolved their parliament. I guess we might have some good change there still. Here's hoping and praying.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Caffe Sicilia

I would highly recommend Caffe Sicilia for a group booking. They serve a beautiful set menu for $60 per person which includes a pre-dinner Prosecco (exchangeable for a mocktail bellini if preferred). The attention and service you get there are of professional waiters who are out to give you a very positive experience whilst at the same time, highly affable and eager to please.

The four selections of entrees included:

Pumpkin and provolone fritters served on a bed of mixed lettuce & chestnut salad

Yellow fin tuna tartare served on citrus cous cous 

Tasmanian smoked Salmon rosettes with cream and lemon filling

Buffalo milk ricotta served on housemade sicilian caponata

Followed by a choice from the following four mains:

Orecchiette Scampi with garlic and majoram

Wagyu Sirloin Tagliata with peppercorn and parisienne potatoes

Risotto e Nduja Salami,with chardonnay wine reduction and grana padano cheese

Black Cod Fillet served on kumara potato cream

And Cake of the day as desserts:

Everything  was cooked and seasoned to perfection. You cannot go wrong with this rustic Italian joint in the streets of Surry Hills.

Bucket List

To live in Italy one day ala Frances Mayes in Under the Tuscan Sun but with Mr HEA as the grumpy old
man that is constantly asking me when is the next meal which will be made out of the freshest
 Italian local produce.

To go to Bangkok on that shopping trip with my girl cousins and to go to Vietnam with my girlfriends like we vowed to over dessert/ cocktails but then we let the daily grind take over and haven't revisited the idea since.

To be able to live in London with Mr.HEA and build our home there living simple lives

 On the cooking front:

To Master Macarons

To learn how to roll rice dumplings

To learn how to make sushi

To learn how to cook Confit of Trout/Duck

So many more dishes that I'd like to learn: Nem Nuong, Pho, slow cooked eggs,  Radish/Yam cake.

And Restaurants I am yet to visit: MoVida, Quay (Guava Snow egg!), Fat Duck (Sound of the Sea!), Porteno (Fried Brussel Sprouts goodness), Popolo and Momofoku (Infamous Pork Buns).

What about you? Do you have things that you'd like to achieve or want to share with that special someone or are saving for that particular joyous occasion? Given what I've been through in the last few months without Mr.HEA, sometimes I begin to believe that Life is what you make of it. There is no point getting hung up on dates and specific anniversaries or birthdays as long as you keep building and reminiscing on the great memories. My motto from here onwards is to concentrate on my three Fs, Food, Friends and Family.