Zen Living Part One

Hoshinoya, Kyoto wearing: Borsalino Fedora | Isabel Marant blouse | Acne Studios Jeans |

I sat on the window sill and admired the stillness in front of me. The quietness was deafening at times. Occasionally, I'm comforted by the soft rattling of the Scenic Train that passes by on the other side of Ooi River. The train always stops for the tourists onboard to take a glimpse of Hoshinoya. I imagine this place would be just as spectacular in appearance from the other side of the river as it was for me, enjoying it from the inside. Their faces all blurred from the distance but I didn't mind, I took a few snaps of them taking snaps of us. I'm sure they were as delighted to see us as we were to see them...

 

Inspired by nature.

I love green pastures. The very sight of these lush rolling hills of Akaroa made my heart beat fast with excitement. So overwhelmed by the beauty of nature, it felt like being there still wasn't enough to satisfy my hungry eyes. This here, is my happy place, 360 degrees of pure bliss. 

Be still my beating heart..

An obligatory touristy shot, without  the hordes of tourists in frame. Counting myself lucky! The grandness of this place had me utterly speechless and I'm in awe of this perfect symmetry. 

Paris

My first encounter with this charming city back in 2011 left an indelible mark. There are many beautiful cities around the world but few that makes my heart flutter. Paris, you had me at bonjour and I hope we meet again soon. 

A Quiet Moment

Quiet moments like these are infrequent and often too short. In this chaotic world where one's happiness, needs and wants  are more or less defined by what money can buy, it's a good feeling to skip town sometimes, drive somewhere quiet to reflect on the things that truly matter the most to you.  

 



 

Venice, after the rain.

It was early in the morning and right after the rain had stopped. I stood here in the silence, admiring the beauty in front of me. The colors, textures and intricate detailing staring back down at me. I was fascinated with the architecture. So quintessentially Venice, so hauntingly beautiful. My eyes studied every single facet until they hurt and until my brain could no longer absorb anymore information. The mind then started to drift as I wondered about life behind these windows. What kind of people were they? What dishes do they prepare in their kitchen? Did they have pets? What do they do to pass time? These lingering thoughts of the unknown were unstoppable. So many questions I had absolute no answers to but as I took my last snap of this place, I felt blessed to have been here, to have witnessed this beautiful part of history. 

Instagram- Captured Moments I

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@mrpaddingtonbear

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I'm starting a new series today- Instagram Favourites. Ideally, I'd like to choose a few of my favourite shots for the month. Here's part one which is actually a selection of images from February and March. 


 

what breakfast dreams are made out of....

Our morning breakfast at Borgo Santo Pietro. Take. Me. Back.

bliss

Borgo Santo Pietro

Wouldn't mind waking up to this again. It feels like this part of our Italian holiday was all  just a perfect dream. Precisely a year ago today, my husband and I were strolling around the grounds of Borgo Santo Pietro—an immaculately kept Italian Villa in the small town of Chiusdino, around a 45 minutes drive from Siena. Sigh! Such fond memories...

 

Barely-there Makeup Essentials

Bathroom swoon at The Blackwood in Sassafras.

The Daily Essentials.

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the essentials: Becca Soft Tone Blush in Whisp | Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed | Diorshow Mascara | Shiseido The Makeup Mascara Base | Chanel Le Crayon Yeux Precision Eye Definer in Brun -Teak | NARS Eye Shadow in Bali | Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner | Becca Eye Tint in Gilt | Becca Boudoir Skin Mineral Foundation in Bloom | Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealor in 4 | Becca Luminous skin color in Cashmere |

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Here's a post I've been meaning do to but just haven't got around doing—makeup essentials. I've never been much of a makeup junkie. Skincare on the otherhand, is another story I'll leave for another day. Like most things in my life, I like to keep everything simple and fairly minimal, makeup included. I'm a huge Becca fan! My favourite product from their range would have to be their tinted moisturiser, which I use as a base. It has a sheer to light coverage and gives the skin with a healthy, natural glow. I also love using this product on it’s own!  

Here are my favourite items used to achieve a ‘no makeup’ face. I don’t like to look overly made up but ironically, making it look like you're not wearing makeup when you actually are is hard work! Sometimes I'll add in a little eye shadow to give my eyes a little more definition but for the most part, I prefer my everyday make up to look fresh and barely there.

taipei/osaka/kyoto

In my usual form, I left planning for my holiday till last minute. I leave in under 2 weeks and had nothing booked, no itinerary, until today. Thankfully all the hotels and ryokan I want to stay at were still available! Luck was definitely on my side. 

For those who gave me suggestions on Instagram about where to go, stay and eat, thank you! I've jotted down a few places to visit in Taipei, a couple of must-eat restaurants and cafes in Osaka and extended my stay in Kyoto—which I'm most excited about! I'm also hoping and praying that I won't completely miss out on seeing Cherry Blossoms. Crossing my fingers they'll still be in bloom for at least a couple of days longer while I'm there. This was such an impromptu trip and in retrospect, I wish the timing of it could have been better planned but enough with the afterthoughts, cat cafes here I come!

So with the exhausting task of itinerary planning crossed off from my list of to-dos, I'm now making notes on what to pack. I'll need to be precise with this as there's not much time for revision before I leave (don't know where all my free time has gone?!?). At the moment, I think the following items shall suffice for my two weeks abroad:

-Isabel Marant Parka 
-Isabel Marant Jacket
-A. Wang Striped Long Sleeve Tee
-A. Wang tees (in white and blue)
-Equipment Silk Blouse 
-Everlane Silk Blouse
-Everlane Sweater
-Chinti & Parker Sweater
-Isabel Marant Sweater (pictured)
-Gillian Tennant Skirt (pictured)
-Isabel Marant Dress (x2)
-Acne Jeans (in aged black and used blue)
-Prada Oxfords (pictured)
-Chanel Espadrilles
-Borsalino Fedora (pictured) 
-COS Scarf
-Celine Trapeze
-Celine Trio 

Basically, I'm packing the outfits I have on rotation week in and week out! I'm so boring like that, even when I travel. 

Queen Bee.

Maddy with her Birthday Crown.

Her clumsiness and easy going nature brings so much joy to our lives.

Happy 1st Birthday, my baby girl! We love you dearly X

 

Freedom Furniture A/W 2014

I arrived early and thank goodness for that. I'm so glad I got to take a few snaps of the beautiful rooms (styled by none other than the super cool Mr Jason Grant) before the rush of people came through the doors for the Media Launch. The event was held at Bite Club House, which was the most perfect space to complement Freedom's Autumn Winter collection. Items can be found in store now or online through Freedom's website: www.freedom.com.au

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Copper Mania. Limited Edition Copper Bed Frame and Lamp.

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Those little guys on the shelf had me at hello.

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Retro vives.

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Kitchen bench envy.

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Textures and layers to perfection.

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Current Mood

Things du jour:  Nectarine Blossom & Honey Cologne by Jo Malone  | Celine Trio | Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 | April by Chanel | Rouge Noir by Chanel | Bali by NARS | Charlotte Olympia Kitty Flats

Some of my current favourite things, laid flat, just the way I like it. 

New Zealand

I want to do this, all over again.

Reliving our New Zealand holiday through holiday snaps. I've just about finished sorting and editing the copious amount of photos I took during our very short visit to New Zealand last month. If you think South Island is picturesque by car, wait till you see it from above. Truly amazing. I'm curious to see more of what this island has to offer.
 

Flying over the surroundings of Milford Sound.

Baileys- Part I

A couple of months ago, I created these images for one of my clients. Had so much fun styling and shooting for this brief, hope you guys enjoy it!

And on a side note, if are interested for me to style and shoot your products for your business, please contact me at through the Contact link or email me at hello@cindychen.com.au for a quote. I would love to hear from you!

Quaint Spaces

As soon as I laid eyes on the images I found online, I immediately fell deeply  in love with this house.
 
The White House is around one and a half hours drive away from the heart of Melbourne. It's situated in the town of Daylesford which borders Hepburn Springs and this is an area renowned for its natural springs.

As many of you might be aware, I'm a huge fan of capturing light and shadows in a photo. That soft, diffused light streaming though an open window and the way it delicately spotlights a small section of a room is so charming and so elegant- it makes my heart flutter faster every time. Every nook and cranny of The White House is immaculately styled by Lynda Gardener. Everything is so tastefully executed and the attention to detail is beyond flawless. 
 
I was here for work and not leisure but I managed to snap a few photos of the place a few minutes before it was time for me to pack up to leave.

BR One: The house has two bedroom and another gorgeous room complete with its own en suite in the garden of the house.

En suite in The Garden Room.

Bathroom details from the main house.

Bathroom details from the main house.  

Open plan living and kitchen area.

Mr Manfrotto taking the photo for me. 

Kitchen to the left, living room to the right.

Not a country cottage without a fireplace. 

If you're looking for a relaxing weekend, away from the hustle and bustle of modern society, this is the place you dream to be in.
 
For more information about renting The White House please contact Lynda at: www.thewhitehousedaylesford.com.au

Black and gold with soul

When I cook, I look forward to what the final dish will look like rather than what it tastes like. Isn't that kind of ridiculous?! Luckily, I always follow recipes without skipping steps so there's little that can go wrong with the taste, right? 

TRIO

Trio of Trios and Paddy making a cameo.

My go-to bags. Trio by Celine. It holds my life in three little compartments- perfectly!

And I'm not sure why he decided to sit in for this photo but I kind of like his cute little expression here. This little boy melts my heart. 

Ever Changing....

Current mood...