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Just a little greeting before we all go on a Christmas break! 

While giving and receiving gifts are exciting do remember that the true celebrant of Christmas is Jesus. 

Hope you all have a very Merry and blessed Christmas. 

Much Love, 

Bex & jCel ♥

[TAG] What Christmas is to Me

We all know that Christmas is not just an ordinary event that we celebrate every year but it is an event that happened long ago which changed everything here on earth. Who would have thought and imagined, that a baby who was born in a manger could do that?!

Now, it is that time of the year again. How time flies! Before you know it, it's already 2013. But before we talk about New Year, Here's a tag that J and I did, this is just to give you an outlook on how we celebrate our Christmas. 

1. Describe Christmas morning at your house when you were a child.

Jcel: Christmas morning isn’t really any different with our regular mornings as we usually do everything at Christmas Eve. Only difference is there’s more breakfast due to the leftovers. hehe

Bex: Our Christmas morning is usually almost the same as the regular morning except for more food. If a special Christmas service is scheduled in the church then the whole family would usually attend but if not, then we most likely stay at home watch movies and eat.

2. What's your most memorable Christmas gift?

Jcel: My most memorable Christmas gift was the Ralph Lauren Romance perfume Jayr gave me which I still have and only half used after all these years. The reason why it was so memorable was because it was our first Christmas as a couple and when we opened our gifts we couldn't stop laughing as I got him the same perfume only it’s For Men! Didn't they say Great Minds think Alike?! LOL

Bex: Thinking about it now, I can’t recall ever receiving any memorable Christmas gift wrapped in a fancy paper.  Well, not yet! :D But then, everything I have right now in life is worth being in that category. My family, my friends, my work, my health are the greatest gifts that any human being can have. Every minute of every day I spend my time with my family is a memory that no material gift could ever replace. So, I consider the most memorable Christmas gift is being able to spend and celebrate Christmas with the whole family. Now that’s a memorable gift – a gift from God.

3. Did you believe in Santa as a child? Are you (or do you plan on) using Santa with your own children?

Jcel: No I don’t believe in Santa, because my parents were never really into the whole “Santa Claus coming to town” fiasco. We were always reminded that Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ so Santa is really not famous in our household and I plan to do the same with my future kids. 

Bex: To grow up in a Christian family, we never believed in Santa and from the start I knew that he does not exist. We were always taught that the reason for Christmas is Jesus Christ.  Ironically, my sister and I have a picture taken with Santa Claus when we're little. 

Do I plan using Santa with my own children? My answer would be NO. Just as my parents taught me what Christmas really is, then I would do the same with my kids. God willing!

4. How will you spend Christmas day this year?

 Jcel: For Christmas day, I’ll probably just be at home with the family.

Bex: My Christmas day has been planned out since last week which is I’ll be in church with the family and in the afternoon, I will be spending time with my friends.

5. What is one tradition you will carry on later into your own future family?

Jcel: I don’t know if you would call it tradition per se but every year we attend Christmas Eve mass… and I will definitely carry this on with my future family.

Bex: We don’t have a family tradition, I wish we have. But for one thing, my mum would always make sure that we have Christmas decorations in the house and of course our Christmas tree. 

6. What's your favorite Christmas Song(s)?

Jcel: My all time favorite is Oh Holy Night but recently I've been loving Lamb of God by Nicole Mullen

Bex: That would be “Have your self a Merry Little Christmas”. Why? Because I love the melody and the message of the song plus it’s a Judy Garland classic . Another would be "O Holy Night".

If you are reading this after 21-12-2012, then congrats you are among the ones that survived the end of the world!

Till our next tag!  (If we survive ... )

Bex & jCel

Christmas Gift Guide - Books

Wow, how many more sleeps till Christmas?! I still can’t wrap my mind on how 2012 is almost over. On the talks of Christmas I’m sure everyone is cramming to find what gifts to give and as an avid book reader I cannot give you a better suggestion than giving books to people. Honestly in my opinion it’s the best gift you can give aside from cash, obviously! (LOL!) So here are my picks what I think are a good book gift

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

This is his latest book and the one I just finished reading so I highly recommend! Mitch Albom is one of my favorite authors because his books always make you come out wanting to be a better version of yourself. He tells such insightful stories especially this book because it talks about your time on earth which is very fitting for Christmas and celebrating the New Year.

Emily and Einstein by Linda Francis Lee

I chose this book for those who like Chick-Literature. As the genre goes this is a romantic-comedy with a bit more depth as it talks about second chances. It’s a wonderful book and one where you will easily be connected with the characters.

Have a little Faith by Mitch Albom

Yes, another Mitch Albom! But I decided to include this book because it seems only right to share this book to others. This is by far my most favorite book from Mitch Albom because truly everyone needs to have a little faith to go through life but some may need it more and this is just the right book for them. It tells a story of two people who, despite their circumstances, never lost hope and faith that things will get better. This is such an inspirational book that it would be unfair to the world if I didn’t share this.

Be Satisfied by Warren W. Wiersbe

I’ve mentioned this book numerous times and again I HAVE TO MAKE YOU READ IT! I cannot give enough praise for this book. This book is such an eye-opener. It talks about the story of King Solomon, the wisest man who with all his richness and wisdom never found happiness. I seriously urge everyone to read this book.

There you have my book gift guide. I do hope you found them helpful.

While Christmas to many may mean giving and receiving gifts remember the true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ. Here’s my favorite Christmas song.

For more book infos, please check out Goodreads.

Jcel's bookshelf: read

More of Jcel's books »

Ciao,

jCel♥

LookIt!: Simple pin-up

In an effort to post more beauty blogs we will start with a new series called LookIt! We'll give you a list of products you can use and a step by step procedure on how you can recreate a certain look.

While we understand that people have been asking us to do makeup tutorials sadly we couldn't sum up enough confidence to do video tutorials but as a compromise we will make sure to have these LookIt! posts easy to follow so let's start with our first look...

(image source: pinterest.com)

Isn't she pretty? *sigh* No matter let's get cracking and recreate her face... I mean her LOOK! :p

Products:

Victoria's Secret Duo Eyeliner/Smudge (Black)

LA Color 2in1 Eye (Black)

LA Color blush in Pearly Pink

LA Color 2in1 Lips in Scarlet Red

This look is a fairly easy one which I'm pretty sure to others is a no-brainer, but let's begin shall we... 

Face

Pin-Up girls are never about the dewy glow so go for a matte foundation, I would suggest using powder foundations rather than liquid or cremes as they will provide you with a mattier finish. 

Eyes

Start with the Victoria's Secret Duo Eyeliner in black. Since we are not creating a smokey eye,  start lining from the outer corner of the eye, very close to the lash line stopping a little at the middle and smudge forward using the smudger that comes with this liner. If you line the whole eye it will look too overdone so only line the outer corner to create a slightly cat eye effect. 

Next is to elongate them lashes. LA Color 2in1 Eyes mascara is perfect for this kind of look because the brush is slim and spread out. We are not trying to achieve volumized lashes so the clumpier the lashes the better. 

Cheeks

Perk up those cheeks with LA Color blush in Pearly Pink. Apply the blush a little higher than you would normally to create an illusion of a higher cheekbones. 

Lips

The highlight of this look. To get that luscious red lips start with the lip liner that comes in the LA Color 2in1 Lips in Scarlet Red. Color the entire lips, rub it gently to the lips so that it will retain a red stain. Then apply a few good layers of the gloss on the other end of the 2in1 lips.

A little more powdering on the T-zone and voila you are all set to get that candy man! 

We hope this is easy for you all to follow. If you have any suggestions to what other looks we can cover for you please feel free to let us know. 

Also we'd love it if you can show us pictures of you recreating this look with our steps. 

Much love, 

Mixxed 

[TRAVEL]: Oh My Shanghai!

Recently I had the opportunity to tag along one of Jayr’s business trips but this time it wasn't a place I was initially too keen about, Shanghai. I don’t have anything against it but it isn't actually a place where you’d put in your “To Visit Countries” list because really… it’s still China and as a person who is born and raised in Hong Kong, going to China isn't something you would call a vacation but alas Jayr wanted me to go and so I went.

Jayr and I didn’t know a thing about Shanghai so we made sure to do research and also mapping out a timetable of our trip, because 3 days of the trip was just me alone and him working so everything needs to be scheduled *roll eyes*. Upon doing our “little” research we found lots of interesting places to see in Shanghai. It was in fact a surprise to both of us as we were going there half blind. Jayr did our itinerary and I basically (as always) just enjoy the ride.

1. Nihao (hello) poster all over the airport  2. Pudong Airport

3. Took the Metro (train) to the Hotel   

4. Metro card that can be used over and over (like Octopus in HK)

On our first day, we went ahead and visited The Bund. It was one of the most reviewed places in Shanghai; needless to say we were mind-blown! At first I thought it was somewhat like Star Ferry in Hong Kong, a promenade overlooking the buildings on the other side. In reality it is in fact just like Star Ferry but only 10 times bigger and better! The promenade overlooks the buildings in Pudong. And the architecture around The Bund is so exquisite that it didn't feel like we were in China in fact it gave an European feel. I absolutely loved that place. However, places to dine in The Bund are quite limited as we've come to known but otherwise it is a perfect stroll.

1. Buildings in Pudong  2. I believe these are banks  

3. Architecture  4. Promenade

1. Pub camouflaged as a lighthouse (LOL)  2. Random building

After The Bund, we went to Shanghai Circus World to watch Era: Intersections of Time. It is, again, much raved about and was told that you cannot simply go to Shanghai without watching this show, so that didn't give us much choice. As soon as we got in, my expectations went down a couple of notches because to put it simply the stage and seating wasn't what you get in Macau watching Zaia. But despite the less attractive stage and the props, the show was spectacular. I will so much as say that it is better than Zaia and House of Dancing Water put together. The art and stunts was so beautiful and also jaw dropping that my heart kept its race until we got back to the hotel. It was SO AWESOME! Definitely a must see.

1. Tickets  2. Entrance  

3. A sneaky pic of the show (sadly taking pictures and videos are prohibited)

Next in our schedule was to visit the French Concession. It was said that it will take you 5 hours to go around the area, I was a little apprehensive to say the least. But the taxi dropped us off a random corner and told us to just walk and so we did. It is basically the place that once belongs to the French and is now popular for shopping and dining. But what really fascinated me were the old streets. I couldn't ever explain the feeling or even describe the place and I can tell you now that the pictures don’t do justice.

1. Xintaindi Style Mall  2. Of course we spotted a Vespa, its the French Concession!

3. The amazing old streets  4. Even local boutiques are cute

Wish the H&Ms in HK are like this

The next 2 days were a blur because I was all by myself and Jayr had to work. I literally just read, slept, watched and pampered myself. It’s good to get a little "Me Time"  every so often so I did enjoy it.

The next day, Jayr was supposed to do a full shift but decided to spend time with me instead, yay! We went to Shanghai Centre and  had lunch in Gourmet Burger which was awesome and had a little chat with the manager there. 

1. Just a random shot of Shanghai Centre  

2. Old man fishing inside the centre! (Obviously fake)

3. Gourmet Cafe  4. Their menu are so PUNny!

Afterwards, we went to The Bund again and spotted a park, but I apologize because I couldn't for the life of me remember the name of it! The end of the park goes through the Yu Yuan Garden. It's not so much a garden than a shopping area. This is where we bought most of our souvenirs. Tip from the wise, DO BARGAIN. I don't like bargaining, I am quite shy doing it so Jayr had to haggle for me and it worked. What I love about this place is that the everything looks like a temple to me. If a shopping area could be this pretty than I'll probably be there everyday. However the things they sell aren't that unique or at least they aren't different from what you can get in HK. 

Solo pics in the park I couldn''t remember :)

Pictures of Yu Yuan Garden

We were supposed to go on the ZhuJiaJiao tour but it was already fully booked so we went to the next best thing which we were told was even better, The Suzhou and Zhouzhuang Water Village tour. It’s a whole day tour visiting the places below:

- Net Master Garden 

- Ancient City Wall 

- Grand Canal

- Suzhou No. 1 Silk Spinning Factory

- Lunch
- Zhouzhuang Water Village
- Boating on Waterways 

It was a small group tour, only 3 other couples with us plus a driver and a tour guide. Our first stop was supposed to be the Net Master Garden but because we went on a public holiday we had an unfortunate event of being stuck in traffic for 4 hours, a travel which only takes 1 hour on a normal day but oh well nothing we can do. As soon as we got out of traffic our tour guide was so apologetic and decided its best to feed us first before our tour begins. We dined at the Bamboo Hotel which was close to empty but the food was okay and it gave us time to freshen ourselves before we head off. I wouldn't and couldn't talk about the tour one by one because it will be a whole other novella post but to sum it up both Jayr and I, well me the most, thoroughly enjoyed the tour. There was soooooo much history that I wanted to wrap myself around each place. I would definitely recommend taking on this tour if you are someone who is interesting in culture and history. Plus Jamie our tour guide was extremely helpful and informative.

The Master-of-Nets Garden

(Said to be the best place to watch the full moon festival)

Ancient City Wall & Grand Canal 

Silk Factory

Zhouzhuang Water Village

(This village has been there for 900 years!)

On our last day, Jayr wanted to dine in some fancy-schmancy mansion restaurant but unfortunately the one he had in mind closed down and so we went to the other mansion which is the Fu Restaurant. From the outside you won't think it is a mansion, it's more like a regular quaint restaurant but once in you will see why they call themselves a mansion-restaurant. Everything from displays to utensils are what you will see in a mansion. The awesome part is that you will have your own little room to dine. Pretty schmacy! So you definitely get the romantic and intimate vibe. However as soon as you get in they tell you that they have a minimum of 500RMB per person, so for us we need to spend about 1000RMB. It is quite expensive if you ask me but the food was really good. 

The mansion restaurant that closed down but now they are a hotel

2 of the best food we ordered. The drunken chicken and marinated fish

Apparently Jayr doesn't want to take pictures of me then 

so I had to get a shot from a mirror in the room. 

All in all Jayr and I really enjoyed our week long stay in Shanghai. I never knew I have this fascination with culture, history and architecture and really you can't go wrong with China if you want history. However I do have a few tips to share not only for Shanghai but travelling in general. 

1. Get a map and bring everywhere you go!
2. Make sure you have the address of the hotel, preferably with directions 
3. Have a list of at least 10 places you want to visit with address, phone nos. (if necessary) and directions 
4. When going to places by yourselves, make sure to get a card of the hotel so you can give to the taxi. (Very important in Shanghai because most taxis don't speak english)
5. Dare to try their delicacies and absorb the culture :)

Other pictures will be posted in my Facebook page but sorry you'd have to be my friend to view them. :)

*Edit* Just finished my first try in doing a video montage so please pardon my amateur skills. I hope you like it though :D

Till my next trip... 


Ciao, 
jCel ♥