I'm moving on my love

Dear readers (and my beloved blog stalkers),

I know I travel more than I update my blog.

And when I do, I infuriate you by writing in crypts.

But that's why you love me.

This blog has been with me since my days in NUS, when I was just experimenting with writing, boys, the swoon-worthy lecturer, the modelling days and a whole bunch of crazies.

But like me, the blog has to grow up. It's still around, but is moving out of the parent's house!!

I'll still be writing, but on a bigger, better blog that is all mine. Well at least Sabrina says so.

Check out my quite bare but new blog at http://isabelleneo.com. And I posted something new.

Sabrina said that soon, it will have all the swanky features that will tease and make me churn in my bed at night. In addition, she has very kindly pulled all the very best of Isabelle Neo moments into that new space.

So long Blogspot~

XOXO,

Isabelle Neo

The Perry Amber Story

Look Ma, it's me!

White dress with pearl embroidery from Perry Amber

The Making of Perry Amber

Every girl needs a bit of pretty things. Like diamonds, flowers and a sprinkle of dream...

Every girl needs her best friends too. Because some friends never grow old...

Thank you Pris for taking such awesome pictures of me.

I *heart* my outfits from Perry Amber. Do you?

Some friends never grow old

The making of Perry Amber...

Stay tuned...

Hair & Makeup by: Gena

Photography by: Aylwin Lek

The beautiful ancient water town - Wuzhen

Wuzhen, at the north of the Zhejiang province in China, is known affectionately among the locals as the Venice of the East with its dense network of rivers, wharves, stone railings, spacious 19th century courtyards and beautiful arch bridges.

I only stopped over for less than 48 hours in early January this year, but the snow capped town of Wuzhen looked like a living museum, preserving the details of the ancient Chinese civilization. Located in the middle of Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai, the ancient water town is said to have preserved its name, water system and way of life for over a thousand years.

The canals of Wuzhen

The town is divided into 4 zones. This is the West Gate

Teahouse by the lake

Silk worms and smoked meat. No prizes for guessing why it is also known as "the town of fish, rice and silk"

Ermm...preserved what's-his-name?

Snow-covered jugs of rice-wine lined up across the courtyard

Yet another quaint little hut

And it's really cold outside

Word of advice: Bring really warm clothes if you intend to visit during winter. They have 5-star villas with courtyards and proper heating system, but the temperature dips below zero at night.

On Isabelle

• Maroon wool dress: Miss Sixty
• Wool Coat: H&M
• Olive leather boots: Steve Madden
• Leg warmers: Shibuya, Japan

Like in my dreams...

Sailing away across the seven seas...

O hail Shanghai Tang

It's no secret that I like Shanghai, with its colonial architecture, self-absorbed haughtiness and larger than life people. The way the city is evolving never fails to fascinate me, and I find myself looking forward to visit the place every time.

But I'd be the first to scrunch my face when it comes to chinese inspired clothings, or outfits with "a touch of the orient". Mandarin collars, silk screen fans and butterfly embroidery are not something that you'd see on a fashionista. When you see someone wearing a silk blouse with chinese buttons, the person either works at a hotels, a Chinese restuarant, or he stole the ensemble from the Chinatown masseuse.

But the latest ad-campaign from Shanghai Tang - the unlikeliest of brands, took my breath away.

This season, Shanghai Tang place presents a contemporary collection with accents, embellishments and colours from the Miao culture. The Miao people are an ethnic minority living in the hills around south China.

Juxtaposing antiquity and modernity, the intricacy of Miao elements dovetails beautifully with clean fluid lines to create visuals that redefines Chinese beauty.

The placement of sleek models against the majestic mountains is both romantic and bold; and the use of jade on navy star embellished silk blouse is just crazy beautiful.

Gone are the days when the notion of Chinese beauty is identifiable only by the iconic red lips and thigh high slits. O hail!

Dear Hong Kong,

Guess what, I miss your face. You are beautiful like a beautiful place.

When I was hungry, there was great food.From Agnes b. Le Pain Grille at IFC, to Fung Shing Yum Cha at North Point and Four Seasons' Caprice.

When I felt dumpy, there was crazy partying.

So I can't wait to see you soon! (like in 1.5 months)

Chillaxing at Isola, IFC

SoHo! My favourite place to shop

New year, new look

New Year. Time to present to the world with a better version of me -

New hair, new clothes and a renewed resolve to conquer the world in my 5 inch heels, among other things. Hee

You know how the Chinese always pray for a good year ahead, failing which they will spend the year quivering in fear avoiding water, marriage, and women with surnames beginning with "P" or "L" or "C".

But I choose to believe that life is given to those who take it.

I had a hell of a 2010 defined by memories of me beating incredible odds, meeting incredible people, learning incredible things, finding incredible luck, feeling incredibly dejected, behaving like an incredible asshole and getting incredibly drunk.

And such is life.

So come 2011, who knows what I'll learn, which new places I'll visit and what opportunities might come knocking on my door. But whatever it is, 2011, I am coming straight at you.

And perhaps, just perhaps, this year, I will take a leap of faith.

Square-necked "Audrey Dress" in Grey from Sophisticate @ 51 Telok Ayer Street #01-05 Singapore.

CNY promotion at Sophisticate boutique from now till CNY. 10% off 2nd item, 15% off 3rd item. Exclusively manufacture, limited pieces available (only 2 - 3 per size, per design).

When I grow up...

I want to have an awesome Executive Biography.

It would be completed with an orchestrated smile, airbrushed skin and a lofty title.

But I will write myself the awesome Executive Biography.

Because of late, I've been scarred from reading the Executive Biographies of many Senior Executives, that are written by outsourced professionals with a misguided sense of humour.

• Some are empty-caloried fluff; others are so mindnumbingly technical that I'd rather read Sumiko's Sunday columns.
• Some develop the kind of creative conflict within the bio that makes the Sino-Japanese relationship look like a pillow fight.
• Some come with personal pledge creation like "My Personal Motto is Ever Onward!"
• Some so disturbingly personal that I won't be surprise to learn from the bio that the Executive uses Herbal Essences Shampoo and goes for bikini waxing twice a month.

Onsen

You can Onsen with your mother

if you can accept that nakedness is just a state of being.

And it really helps if you are extremely short-sighted.

@ Toya-ko

Snow capped town

Just outside our cottage - Log Yukari

Ningle Terrace - 1km from the cottage

白い雪が街を染める頃にも
君の側にいさせて
私これからも
困らせてばかりかもしれないけど

白い雪が溶けて街が
鮮やかに彩られる頃も
こうして君の事が大事で仕方ない私でいたい

XOXO,

Isabelle

Fall is the season for Hairy Crabs

Fall means different things to different people, the crisp air, the turning leaves, Halloween, and if you're really lucky, pneumonia. It's also the time when even I have the common sense to put some cloth over my bare shoulders and swap my tank tops for a cable sweater.

To the Shanghainese, Fall is the season for eating hairy crabs.

I have always assumed that the Shanghainese' love for hairy crabs, like their obsession with powerpoint presentations and their preference for women with hairy armpits, was just part of the many fascinating and complex cultural traits that a Singaporean like me will never understand.

I was in Shanghai in October, when the palm-sized crustaceans with bushy claws from the Yangcheng river matured, and I witnessed how the city went wild with cheer after 8 months of anticipation. There wasn't a chinese restuarant who didn't offer this not-to-be-missed delicacy.

Served with chopped ginger and vinegar, the hairy crab is prized for its rich and creamy orange-coloured roe. A lot of effort is spent shucking open the shell to suck out the roe, and the meat though sweet, it is thin. Bad ROI if you ask me.

But savour it with a group of friends over a few rounds of Chinese wine or sherry, it's not hard to see why they make a culture of gathering together each year during fall to have hairy crabs.

Sometimes it's easy to overlook simple joys like the change in season. And perhaps Fall is simply the season to celebrate friendship.

I'll be back before the winter chills. Till then ~