Liz Lisa Fukubukuro 2011

You know how the Japanese shops all have their fukubukuro sale at the end of the year?

Fukubukuro is like a lucky gift pack where merchants pack items from one particular brand/theme in a mystery package.The total value of the items in the package is usually more expensive than the package itself.

Here's a more precise definition from Wikipedia (i love them)

"Fukubukuro (福袋, lucky bag, mystery bag) is a Japanese New Year's Day custom where merchants make grab bags filled with unknown random contents and sell them for a substantial discount, usually 50% or more off the list price of the items contained within. The low prices are usually done to attract customers to shop at that store during the new year. The term is formed from Japanese fuku (福, good fortune/luck) and fukuro (袋, bag). The change of fukuro to bukuro is the phenomenon known as rendaku. Fukubukuro usually are snapped up quickly by eager customers, with some stores having long lines snake around city blocks hours before the store opens on New Year's Day. Formerly, Fukubukuro were an easy way for stores to unload excess and unwanted merchandise from the previous year, due to a Japanese superstition that one must not start the New Year with unwanted trash from the previous year and start clean. Nowadays, Fukubukuro are pushed as a lavish New Year's event rather than a way for stores to get rid of excess merchandise."

But if you manage Liz Lisa then your main selling point is the bags used to package the Fukubukuro! You may not know how the stuff  inside the bags will fit you but you sure as hell will know you're gonna love the bags.

Here's their 2011 Fukubukuro catalogue.

The official website is here.

But some shops already advertise what's in each Fukubukuro (a bit of a cheat) so you know what you're gonna get but you cannot try it beforehand.

Good concept, but if it were me i would never buy clothes without trying it on first.

Here's Cheeserland selling the Fukubukuro luggage bag she got last year.Looks pretty good quality to me.

Here's to all the people in Japan lining up for their Fukubukuro!

HAppy New Year everyone!

Ikea refund

Remember i ranted about how i was overcharged for something i bought at Ikea? I just had to write in a letter of complaint.Here's the original post.

Here's what i wrote:

Would like to highlight that i was over charged for a Gnarp utensil set i bought. Attached is a picture of the receipt. I had bought only one set but was charged for two. The amount is not huge but the way the money was lost marred my shopping experience totally. It did not help that the cashier was chatting with her friend over at the next counter when she overcharged me.

I am not asking for compensation. It was partly my fault for not checking the receipt but would like to highlight this so that future incidences do not happen.

Yours sincerely,

Me

I thought nothing of the letter as it was more of me releasing some pent up anger by verbalising it in written words.

However i got a speedy reply from Ikea a few days later.

Dear customer,

Thank you  for your mail and feedback. I do apologize for the error made by our cashier. We would like to honour the refund of RM11.90 for the extra piece GNARP that was wrongly charged to you.

In the meantime I have brought up the issue of the inattentive cashier to the department manager for action to be taken. On your next visit to IKEA, please do bring your receipt along with a copy of this email for the refund at Customer Service Exchange and Returns counter. Thank you.

Best Regards,

Aruna

IKEA Damansara,

No 2, Jalan PJU 7/2,

Mutiara Damansara,

47800 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor DE

Telephone: 603 7726 7777

Facsimile: 603 7726 6255

Website: www.ikea.com.my

Store Hours: Mon to Thurs: 9.30am to 10pm

Fri, Sat, Sun, eve of & on Public Holidays:9.30am to 11pm

Muahaha customers rights exercised! Now that's what i call good service!

Marc by Marc Jacobs shopper bag with Sweet Jan 2011

I had my eye on this but was really concerned that the picture advert might be deceiving. The problem with these Japanese magazine freebies is that the quality can vary quite significantly. Some are of excellent quality. Some of them just have the name of a designer brand and that's it.

So looking at the actual product or at least  pictures of an actual product is a must. There were unfortunately no sample item on display for this particular freebie in KLCC Kinokuniya that day. The Japanese counter lady was kind enough to want to open the magazine packaging for me so that i could see the brand item. I declined. Such a hassle. I decided to wing it and buy it anyway.

As expected the quality of the product was pretty abysmal. But strangely i still like it. I like the concept of a paper-shopping-bag lookalike bag.

The item picture always looks great.

But the item.. hmm not as nice as the advert right?

No reinforced stitching.No lining at the seams. Just a plain waterproof polyester bag with a brand name emblazoned across.

Some loose thread at the sides.

And for good measure you had better tighten the ends of the straps.

As you can see not your average designer product.

But i like the boxy structure. I do not like bags that have bases that droop hence why i resisted choosing the Speedy over the Neverfull.

As this bag will definitely droop, i decided to reinforce it.With trusty scissors and the cardboard box the magazine came in.

Walah.. maybe i should have taped the two pieces of cardboard together..

The end result was nice. Despite it's inferior quality, no doubt the bag looks good. I don't have an actual picture but it looks like this in real life too.

And if you bring the bag to Japan , you can redeem pins for your bag from Marc Jacob stores. Unfortunately it does not look like i will go to Japan anytime soon.

Ok before you start bashing me for spending RM 45 on an inferior bag and a gorgeous Japanese magazine that i cannot read,  i must highlight to you other more preposterous investments people around the world have made.

This leather Marc Jacobs shopper bag retails at around US$700. Granted it's made of leather, but does it not look familiar?

And don't get me started on the Chanel Rue Cambon leather shopping bag. US$1525 for the small and UD$ 2625 for the medium.

And Frieda Pinto has one too.Can you actually tell it's leather?

Of course this world is getting too brand conscious. I am guilty as charged. It might be good to take a leaf from this ingenious persons book.

(Photo credit: Jak and Jil)

Loving it!

Is Clinical 9 piece gift set with cosmetic surgery and beauty magazine

I've never had totally clear skin since i was 13. Never. I had really bad acne breakouts pretty much my whole teenage and young adult life. So much so  you couldn't even see the surface of my skin. It was covered with flaming angry bumps!In medical school i started taking short courses of oral antibiotic and that did the trick. The surface of my skin could be seen, and my skin was not perpetually red and lumpy. I was ecstatic. That was good enough for me.I did not have the best skin- plagued by open pores, uneven skin tone and wrinkles,but i am thankful my skin was no longer how it was before.Luckily for me there were minimal scarring.

Even with the marked improvement,i get breakouts regularly- like a daily basis.Any change in skin care will render breakouts of catastrophic proportions.Stress too causes the same problems.

I was glad to get an opinion from my friend PLynn who suggested that i try Is Clinical. She could help me purchase it.Initially i was really hesitant and brushed it off as so far no skin care product had ever worked for me. When she mentioned it to me again, i did a quick search on the internet and found many good reviews.However being a skin care line that could only be bought from a dermatologist/aestheticion, i was unable to get any samples to try first lest my skin is sensitive to it too.

It is obviously God-send that i realize from Fiona that The cosmetic surgery and beauty magazine was giving out a 9 piece sample size gift set at Kinokinuya. That is all i need!However Fiona did tell me that i had to hurry and there were not many left.

But i didn't cos KLCC is not exactly near. I bided my time and went when i had holidays. And true enough there were plenty left.

Here's what i got.

Comes in a lovely gift bag.. i was half expecting a plastic bag i dunno why.

The cover featured Erra Fazira. Have not gone round to actually reading it yet.

 

So the goody bag contained these products.

1) Cleansing complex

2) C eye advance

3) C-15 serum advance

4) Poly-vitamin serum

5) C & E serum advance

(All the above 0.125fl oz)

6) Moisturizing complex (1ml)

7) Eye complex (1ml)

8) Youth complex (2ml)

9) Firming complex

Apparently worth RM 269. Really?

Considering the magazine costs RM 20 i reckon i paid for the freebie. 

 I was only interested in the cleansing complex and active serum.

Too bad active serum was not included as part of the goodie bag.

So here's to me again trying another skin care range in the hopes that something clears my skin. If it works you'll hear from me.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

It's Christmas , it's Christmas.. and i am half awake typing this. Don't get me wrong, i am not suffering a hangover from some happening Christmas eve party. Rather i am post-call and tired from working a 24 hour shift on Christmas eve right up till Christmas morning. You'd be surprised at the number of people who bring their children to the hospital at unGodly hours (12am, 2am, 4am, 6am, 7am) after keeping their children at home with a fever for 3-7 days! Christmas day must be an auspicious time for them to bring their children to the hospital.

On that note, here's wishing everyone who do not work such hours a very Merry Christmas *you are so lucky*and for those who are indeed working as i type this, sucks to be you but we need you.

Enjoy people!

Here's one of my favourite Chritmas songs from the 'love actually' soundtrack. Retro i know! I think this version is easier on the ear than Marian's.

Happy Tang Yuan Festival

I made Tang Yuan from scratch *woots* but not without many messy attempts.I went to an Indian conveneince shop and asked for rice flour and they gave me glutinous rice flour or Tepung Pulut instead of normal rice flour and that was exactly what i needed.

But what screwed up my Tang Yuan was the red coloring. I must have put in too much cos it left a yucky bitter aftertaste.Last years Tang Yuan's were more pleasing on the eye so let me just leave you with last years picture.

Yums i even wrote a cheat recipe here.

All i can say from this years atttempt is-
1) You can do without colouring.. or very little if you really need it.
2) If you want clear syrup then you better not be lazy and prepare the syrup separately.
3) Stupid colouring can bleed into said Tang Yuan syrup.

Oh well, it's the thought that counts yeah?

Happy Winter Solstice Festival Everyone!

Louis Vuitton Neverfull Review

I'm supposed to be studying right now but i can't seem to concentrate. Oh well.. i just have to put up something on my blog.

JH got me this a while ago as my future!! birthday present. Like that also can?!But i'll take it cos i love it!

It's a Louis Vuitton Neverfull MM. Many people are pretty turned off by snooty sales people or seemingly snooty sales people at high end stores. So much so they have no accessible way to walk into a store and feel the product.I'm speaking from experience here. Well i can't let you feel the bag but i can tell you how it is and what's inside.

To tell you the truth, i've seen fakes from afar and i cannot tell the difference unless the stitching is really off. But i guess it's how you feel about carrying an imitation bag.

So basically the Neverfull comes in Damier Ebene, Damier Azur and Monogram. I love the classic monogram so I chose that.

It also comes in 3 sizes, PM (small), MM (medium) and GM (large). The small is really very small and the large -well very large so the medium tote would be still large enough to stuff everything in but not overwhelmingly large.

From the outside the bag looks like this.

Basically a simple tote with no zipper at the top and two 'strings' at the side to fold it into a more boxy shape it you wish.Contrary to my previously skewed belief, it is not entirely made of leather. The monogrammed part is made of treated canvas while the lining and handles are made of cowhide leather.The cowhide is a light tan and turn darker and darker with age in a process called 'patina'. I like mine really light so I'm hoping it won't patina so soon.

The inside is equally simple. Only one zipped pouch, a ring to clasp keys/pouch, and a wide base with impeccable stitching.

Made in France.So obviously cheaper by a lot if you buy it there. I bought it in Singapore and even then it is cheaper than Malaysia.

The zipped pouch is large and had a nice old school vibe.

Some clasp to keep the bag partially shut.

Like so.

Yellow stitching.

Inner ring to clasp something on it.

Why i like it:

1. It's casual

2. Impossible to get the outer part of the bag dirty.

3. Shoulder straps are just the right lenght.

4. It smells of leather. (I'm a scent person) I know this sounds so wrong. Sorry i'll eat less beef.

5. It is large.

6. But not too large.

7. It matches any colour of clothing

8. It's flexible and can change shape.

9. The interior is old school.

10. It's Louis Vuitton!

Things i do not like about it.

1. It's casual. Can't really bring it out for dinners.

2. It's possible to get the inner part of the bag dirty.

3. Shoulder straps only. No other way of carrying it.

4. It's made of leather - guilty as charged PETA.

5. Its is large.

6. I am small.

7. It is everywhere. Almost everyone seems to be carrying it.

8. I'm too lazy to change it's shape.

9. The interior is too light.

10. It's Louis Vuitton! Fakes are everywhere!

I know i am a very contradictory person and sometimes optimistic with a pinch of pessimism.

But the bottom line is, i am grateful to own this bag and love it despite it's deficiencies.

And now it's back to books :)

Ikea buys

You know you're getting old when the things you buy in Ikea consist mainly of kitchen utensils.Here's my buy this time, excluding a quilt and quilt cover.

The only thing young about my buy was a Pysslig Scrapbooking set which costs RM19.90. I've always thought of myself as crafty but always end up with mixed results.

The kit consists of 24 pieces of patterned paper, 2 decorative frames, 4 plain frames, 2 oval frames and 6 envelopes. All multicolored of course.

 

I have yet to even open the box thought cos it looks so pretty unopened. Am pretty happy with my buy, except for one minor glitch. They overcharged me! And i only realized today !

If you notice the third item on the receipt,it shows that i have bought 2 pieces of kitchen utensils for RM 11.90 each. But in actual fact i only bought one set! I hardly cook and why would anyone buy 2 sets of the same kitchen utensils unless they open a restaurant?! And i blame myself for not checking immediately after paying. RM 11.90 down the drain. It's not a big amount but it's the way it was spent on nothing that gets me really angry. I would rather have dropped the cash on the road and have some unsuspecting lucky individual pick it up.Damn you Yasmin incompetent cashier.She was happily chatting with her friend in the next counter when she overcharged me. Chat all you want but at least be competent. I am so gonna file a complaint and make sure your bosses know how you are overcharging customers at the expense of your frivolous chatter about the weather.*Fumes*

Okay.. *Trying to calm down*.. on another note, i only bought one item from Daiso the last i went there.. Is this self control i'm exerting? Haha .. and the only product i bought was a cape for protecting clothes during DIY colouring projects. Overpriced probably but totally important product. No more accidentally dyed clothes.

And in another totally unrelated note, this is a door gift from a really unique wedding i went to recently. A wedding in a museum! Will blog about it next post.

Hmmm.. why am i still boiling.. gotta calm down..

Wedding deco and door gifts

I have attended so many weddings this year! So many! Everyone put in a lot of heart and effort for their big day and here i am sharing some of the lovely deco and wedding gifts that they have so painstakingly planned.

First up is of course Tahirah and Hadi's wedding under the stars.That was my first garden wedding and contrary to popular belied there were no attack of the mosquitoes at all. It was breezy with nice music, good deco, lots of flowers and good entertainment.

Here's the table deco. Simple and sweet yet effective.

The dais is of course not so simple but mainly spectacular.

Lots of time and place for camwhoring.

The doorgift is once afain sweet and simple but effective. The colour of the box complements nicely with the tag and gold ribbon.

Inside is another surprise, quail eggs in place of regular 'bunga mangga'.

The layout of the wedding.

And of course the gorgeous couple.

Don't you just love the bouquet?

Here i am halfway though the cupcakes while camwhoring with buddies Soomi and Yasmin!

And i did mention flowers right? Pale hydrangeas are really effective!

Next up Cheryl and Jose's wedding. Which had the nicest place setting ever. The photo frames with the guests name was a nice touch and obviously needed some planning.

The Sunway Hotel ballroom was decked in purple and silver.

And the guys were all smartly suited up.

Table deco.

The purple paper bag contained a box of really nice chocolates and a mini portrait of the couple.

Back to Jb for an old friends wedding.

We helped out at the registration table. And figured out many guests are really averse to revealing their names.

The very oriental door gift.

It's a personalize key chain ..

...with a mirror at the back.

From Jb went back to KL for a Jb friend's wedding. Seriously why are people all over the place?In a perfect world everyone will just stay put.

It was a really nice private affair. Nice food and a cute door gift.

In between i've attended at least 3 weddings in Ipoh!With some pretty nifty door gifts too.But i've yet to upload the pictures. Will update when i have them.