Longchamp Le Pliage Bag

Le Pliage was inspired by Japanese origami and become the must have accessory all over the world. They are absolutely everywhere! In various of sizes, colours and type. Although whether the bags are authentic or not, that is another question. I had tried very hard restraining myself from having this bag. On the surface, it just a simple folded nylon bag with astronomical price tag. I had this chance on 'experiencing' it up-close when my friend, Intan bought it. I 'inspected' the bag as I was quite embarrassed on doing it at the shop, not to mention the lingering eyes of the sales assistant.

So, after stalling the purchase for nearly a year, I had this chance on buying it (August 2012). The history started at the Heathrow Terminal 4 Airport! I was in hurry for boarding but the bag caught my eyes. I bought Le Pliage shoulder bag / LE PLIAGE 'SHOPPING' - MODELE DISPOSE in Navy. I think it is the biggest size; dimensions of 31x30x19 cm. The colours options were quite limited so I ended up on buying the safest colour. The RRP is £72 and the airport price is £60. What a bargain! I had to wait for another 18 hours before I can finally mingled my new best friend.

LE PLIAGE 'SHOPPING' - MODELE DISPOSE
Image from Longchamp UK

Although it looks simple but the bag is spacious because of the folding origami design. I can keep it in my travel bag, so that I can have an extra bag. I'm a person who will bring a lot of stuff in my bag - purse, coin purse, bus pass, iPhone, pens, small notebook, make-up bag, reading glass, passport, camera and once in a while, my iPad. Because of this bag is so light, I can save a few grams maybe a kilo burden on my shoulder. Early this year, I bought another one. This time was Le Pliage handbag (shorter handles) / LE PLIAGE TYPE M - MODELE DISPOSE in Camel. A dimension of 30x28x20 cm. Camel is one of the colours for S/S 2013. I bought it at Manchester Selfridge's with full retail price of £58.

LE PLIAGE TYPE M - MODELE DISPOSE
Image from Longchamp UK

Around Christmas, I saw this picture of Malaysian celebrity with the Le Pliage travel bag in Fir (dark green). I don’t know whether the colour or her stylishness that makes me wanted that bag. I stubbornly didn’t want to buy it from the high street and reckoned to buy it at the airport because of the free tax price (less 16% of RRP). I was unlucky because there was no travel bag in that colour. Adding to the heartbreak, I missed the chance on buying it at high street outlet after Christmas as all the Longchamp’s shelf at the high street outlet has been replaced by S/S 2013 colours. And it was still January! So, I bought the camel coloured bag instead. But… when I was at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 recently, I couldn't be happier than seeing the bag on the shelf of Rolling Luggage. Yahoo!!! Although I was looking for the biggest travel bag size (RRP £77), but I still happy settled for the medium size (RRP £67). I bought it for £55. Yeay!!! ♥♥♥

Apart from the flagship store in London and at the airport, you can buy Le Pliage at John Lewis, House of Fraser, Selfridge's and Harrod's (in store and on-line). But the designs and colours might be limited except for black and blue. Black and blue are available all year round. If you're buying on-line from the Longchamp's website, it might take you longer to receive the bag as the merchandise is sent from Paris. Through the website you can customize the design of your own bag. You can choose your own bag colour, the metal and you can imprint your initial at the top flap. But you have to wait and pay additional price of that... 

I strongly advise you not to buy from eBay or any third party website as fake Le Pliage might be sold to you with first class counterfeit standard. But one important info, previously Le Pliage was made in France. It was imprinted at the behind of the top flap. But now, the manufacturing has shifted to China. You can check it with the label inside the bag. Speaking about inside, bags with dark colour will have dark lining and bags with light colour will have white lining. Although the bag is durable to most situation, but remember, this bag is made from nylon and prone to breaking and tearing. This happened to my friend, Ban - Le Pliage has small hole at the bottom due to file's edges. I guess this goes to all type of bag; your 'friend' need love and tender... 

I'm planning to go to Paris later this year, I would like to check Longchamp there. Stay tune...

:)

Disclaimer: All images are from Longchamp UK website

Oriental Shop in Edinburgh - Matthew's Food

I would like to share about the largest oriental supermarket in Edinburgh; Matthew's Food. Coincidently and luckily, the store is just 10 minutes away from my house. So, coming from south east Asia (quite orient), I always go to this store to buy spices, sauces or even oriental vegetable - although the price obviously higher than UK's vegetables. 

Some might got confused while looking for this supermarket, only to see a Chinese restaurant, Imperial Palace Restaurant (with two big lion at the entrance) in between used car outlet. Afraid not, the supermarket is just below the  Imperial Palace Restaurant. Basically they are in the same building. Just people cannot properly see it from the road (below the road level). The restaurant serves dim sum and other Chinese dishes - tasty but expensive (more on that later). The restaurant is always full during weekend and Chinese New Year. There are ample parking spaces - up to 20 cars next to the supermarket, just enter though a small road next to used car outlet.

Picture from upper left: the small entrance from Inglis Garden Road (junction near to MKD Used Car), the view from car park. Lower pictures are the view inside the store.

Most of the products are imported from Thailand, Malaysia, China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, India, Singapore, Vietnam  and Philippines. It's like mini East Asian food galore under one roof. This include fresh vegetables, variety of tofu, fresh poultry, frozen seafood and exotic fish, frozen dumpling, frozen fruits (including the king of the fruit - durian!), spices, sauces, ketchup, chilli sauces, cooking sauces, instant noodles, fragrant Thai rice, sushi rice, vermicelli, noodles, exotic Asian beverages (in can and bottle) and Oriental junk food. They also sell oriental cooking utensils like chopstick, knife, wok and tableware. If you are planning to buy fresh vegetable and fish, I suggest that you go there by 11 am. After that, the chances of getting the fresh goodies are slim... The store is also packed during weekend. For Malaysian, they sell brand such as Brahim's (cooking sauce), Hablal (soy sauce), Adabi (cooking sauce), Maggi (instant noodles and chilli sauce), Yeo's and Knorr. The closet thing to home cook, right? :)

You can pay with cash, debit card and credit card. You have to pay 5 pence per plastic bag, so bring your own bag if you want to save 5 pence. Or you can buy Matthew's Food bag for GBP 1.99. There are also empty boxes (depend on availability) that you can use to pack your goodies - FOC! You might see that some students just bring their luggage when shopping here; to justify their action, they buy a lot, have to walk to the bus stop and take the bus home... 

Happy shopping and cooking (later)!

How to get there;
Address: 36, Inglis Green Garden, Edinburgh EH14 2ER
Bus service: 34 and 20 (bus stop: Longstone Inn or Inglis Green Garden. Longstone Inn is nearer)
TEL: 0131 443 8686 FAX: 0141 332 1688
Opening time: 9.30 am - 5.30 pm (7 days a week)

I leave you guys with the lion dance from 2013 CNY celebration (the fire alarm was triggered by the smoke from the firecracker).

, 

Edinburgh - Edisi Membeli-Belah Barangan Runcit Halal

Kat mana nak beli barang dapur dan daging halal di Edinburgh?

Ini lah antara soalan utama yang berlegar2 dalam kepala bila mula2 sampai sini. Senang ke? Mudah ke? Murah ke? Jawapannya mudah dan harganya berpatutan.

Paling utama adalah kedai runcit di kawasan Edinburgh Central Mosque. Basically, ada 3 kedai runcit utama; Maqbool, Bismillah and satu lagi lupa apa nama kedainya. Nampak sangat yang ketiga tu kurang impak di kalangan Malaysian sbb yang selalu disebut2 adalah Maqbool dan Bismillah. 

Bismillah ni kedai runcit bersebelahan dengan Kebab Mahal. Kedainya kecil tapi lengkaplah kalau nak beli daging ayam, lembu dan kambing. Tentang harga, tak sure nak cakap sbb harga ikut pasaran, tapi yang utamanya harganya lebih murah daripada harga ayam di pasaraya (harga pada 20 March 2013 - whole chicken leg £1.59 sekilo). Dan boleh beli daging dalam kuantiti yang banyak. Yang istimewanya, kat papan tanda kedai ni ada tulisan Bahasa Melayu 'Di sini ada menjual daging........' :)

Kedai Runcit Bismillah

Kalau nak pilihan barang runcit yang lebih banyak, boleh ke Maqbool. Maqbool ni terletak bersebelahan dengan Masjid (pintu utama). Kedainya lebih besar and of course barangan yang dijual lebih banyak. Personally, saya lebih suka ke sini. Kedainya besar and lebih bersih dan teratur berbanding daripada kedai runcit yang berdekatan. Kat sini, pilihan frozen foodnya lebih banyak. Kalau nak bayar pakai debit card, memerlukan pembelian more than GBP5. Kat Maqbool ni ada juga perkhidmatan Pay Point.

Rahman Halal Meat di Gorgie; berdekatan dengan Sainsbury's Murrayfield. Kedai ni baru dibuka sekitar 2012. Mula2 kedai ni dibuka, harga poultry mmg murah tapi lepas tu jadi mahal pulak. Ikan talapia freash ada dijual tapi mahal. Kawan2 Bangladesh pun kata kedai ni mahal. Tak seperti harga waktu mula2 dibuka dulu.. Maybe dulu promosi lah kot...

Najaf Halal Meat di Leith. Alamat: Elm Row, Leith EH7 4 AQ.

Kedai2 runcit ni menawarkan perkhidmatan memotong daging. Disebabkan language barrier, bila minta potong tu, cakap terang supaya butcher tu faham apa yang kita nak. Takut nanti, tak faham, ayam hancur pulak. Sbbnya, saya ada juga pernah 'menonton wayang free' pergaduhan mulut antara butcher dengan pelanggan sbb masing2 tak faham apa yang mereka nak/cuba sampaikan... Mmg diaorg ni kurang mesra sikit. Tapi kalau dah jadi pelanggan tetap tu, okay kot. Lagi satu, extra charge untuk perkhidmatan buang kulit ayam. 

Rempah2 masakan juga boleh dibeli di sini tapi banyaknya rempah India/Pakistan lah... Ada juga jual sirap, tapi rasanya pelik sikit. Ada juga chicken/beef cube brand Maggi (halal) dijual tapi ianya diimport daripada India. Agak masin sikit. Same goes with Maggi cream mushroom soup... Masinnya!!! 

Kalau part sayur pulak, banyaknya sayur untuk masakan ala2 India/Pakistan lah.. Harga sayur mahal. Lebih baik beli di pasaraya macam Asda, Sainsbury's, Tesco dan Morrison. Lebih murah dan segar. Yang murah adalah harga cili padi dan cili merah. 

Untuk kami yang study di HWU, kebanyakkannya shopping barang dapur di Asda Chesser. Di Asda, ada section kecil di kawasan poultry untuk ayam dan kambing (lamb and mutton) halal. Halal - green packaging / plastic box. Tapi pilihannya tak banyak dan harganya agak mahal sedikit (double the price). Tapi saya suka, sbb bahagian ayamnya lebih besar dari kedai runcit :) Di kawasan frozen, ada juga sausage, burger patty and other frozen processed food. Ada yang lebih murah dari kedai runcit. Again, bergantunglah kepada kelapangan masing2 bila shopping. Kalau ada masa, boleh lah travel to city untuk ke kedai runcit. Tapi yang tak de masa tu, beli kat Asda pun okay.

Selamat Membeli-belah :)

Edinburgh - Edisi Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan Part 2

Actually ada beberapa lagi tempat makan/restoren halal yang terdapat di Edinburgh selain di kawasan Nicolson Street. Antaranya Kebabish Original di Dalry dan beberapa restoren India/Bangladesh di kawasan Leith. Yang lainnya adalah take-away style.

Ada jugak tempat buffet yang terletak bersebelahan dengan Waverley Station Jimmy Chung's Chinese Buffet. Restoren ni menggunakan ayam halal dalam masakan mereka. Mereka ada sijil ayam halal tapi mereka tak tunjukkan di pintu utama. Simpan dalam laci. Alasannya, mereka takut omputih ni tak mahu masuk ke dalam restoren mereka kerana status halal tu. Jika ada pertanyaan, jgn segan2 tanya dulu status masakan diaorg ni. Masakannya sedap dan ada pelbagai pilihan/masakan. Ada juga desert and ice cream. Kalau pada waktu puncak (biasanya weekend), setiap pelanggan dihadkan makan dalam masa 2 jam jer. Harganya bergantung kepada lunch or dinner and ikut hari. Kalau lunch Mon-Thurs harganya GBP7.49 per person. Kalau dinner GBP 11.99 per person. Kalau hujung minggu, Fri-Sun, lunch is GBP 8.49 per person and dinner is 12.99 per person. Ulanglah ke meja buffet tu sebanyak mana pun selagi ada tempat dalam perut tu :)

Kalau nak ambiance yang relax di kawasan yang mewah, boleh cuba Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK). Restoren ni terletak di George Street. This restaurant as the name suggested, mainly serve burger. Burger ayamnya halal (panko bread crumbled chicken) - clearly stated in their website and menu. I suggest you all try Camembert & Cranberry Chicken Burger (9.25). Sosnya rasa manis. Nampak ajer simple, tapi puaslah makan. Kalau nak pedas sikit, boleh try Chicken Satay Burger (8.95). Kalau berminat, boleh order sekali milkshake. Strawberry and Banana are marvelous! Nyumnyum! Sambil tunggu makan tu, kita boleh ambil kacang and air kosong yang disediakan. Mudah jer...

Terdapat satu kedai kecil (take away shop) yang menjual ayam goreng. Lokasinya berdekatan dengan Nicolson Street. Namanya Chickies Fried Chicken (EH8 9JW). Kedai ini dibuka setiap hari dari pukul 12pm hingga 11pm. Kedai ni sangat kecil dan tiada tempat untuk makan di dalamnya. Tapi boleh order delivery through Just-Eat website or directly calling the shop.

Terdapat juga Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) halal di Edinburgh. Tapi lokasinya di luar city centre. KFC yang terdapat di Princess Mall dan di Nicolson Street tu tak halal.KFC halal ni terletak di Meadowbank Shopping Park. So, lepas makan, boleh shopping. Alamatnya: EH7 5TS. Boleh naik bas: 4, 5, 15, 19, 26, 34, 44 dan 44A.

Yang lain2, boleh rujuk kat post berlabel food/restaurant/travel. So, kepada pelancong2 Malaysian/Singaporean/Bruneian Muslim yang datang ke Edinburgh, jangan risau pasal part makan ni. Walaupun banyaknya akan ke kawasan Nicolson St. Yang penting, tepuk dada, tanya selera.

Enjoy Edinburgh!

How to get there;
Jimmy Chung's 17, Waverley Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1BQ
Gourmet Burger Kitchen 137, George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4JY
KFC, Meadowbank Shopping Park, Edinburgh EH7 5TS
Chickies Fried Chicken, 13 West Crosscauseway, Edinburgh EH8 9JW   

Beauty: Yves Saint Laurent Blusher

I bought this blusher at Loreal Group Outlet at Livingston Designer Outlet (next to Ted Baker outlet). I was looking for natural shade and the closest shade that I could find is this one by Yves Saint Laurent (YSL). Powder Blush in Radiant Blush (number 7). I forgot how much this blusher cost but I reckon it was around 15-18 pound (outlet price not the RRP). At the outlet, because of the nature of the product, you cannot return the purchased item. So, make sure that you really, really, really sure with your choice of color :)

Yves Saint Laurent Powder Blush in Radiant Blush

As the brand suggested, the product itself is full of luxury. I came in small golden case with mirror along with velvet pouch and a small brush. I did try using the brush but I prefer using my blusher brush as the brush is bigger and more accurately blending the color. But I guess if you're going out and need touch-ups, I guess the wee brush might come handy.

This blusher only came with 2 colors; white and pink. But YSL arranged it as four quarter with diagonal setting. So you can get a good mixture of colors. Color-wise, it is not that natural although the color seemed to be a little bit pale - white+light pink! It is because blusher has glitter. I didn't realize it during the swatch test but when I opened it at home, I just noticed the shimmering effects. What?! But after carefully applying it on my face, the shimmering effect was not that loud... And instantly I fall in love with this blusher. I did try taking pictures just checking the how strong the color was, and the color excelled in flying colors! Yeay!!! So, I can wear this blusher during day time... The pearly white shade is also great for highlighting your nose and eyes. But don't apply to much as your face will shine as if you're having an oily face...

I'm not really recommended this product. Just so and so. You guys can get the same effects from another brand with cheaper option. I bough this simply because of the price slashed. Nevertheless, it is a fairly good blusher. 

My verdict:

Price : 3/5

Colour: 4/5

Application: 4/5

Reliability: 4.5/5

Overall experience: 3.5/5
*this verdict was based on the price of the outlet, not the RRP.