The Nail Library Christian Louboutin manicure review – a chic treat in Sheung Wan

There are some partnerships that are just meant to be. Fish and chips. Fred and Ginger. Rach and cupcakes. And now another match made in heaven has materialised… The Nail Library and Christian Louboutin.

Hot on the heels of Christian Louboutin’s nail polish line launch, the iconic French designer has picked nowhere other than The Nail Library for its first ever collaboration with another brand – yep that’s right, a world-exclusive range of Louboutin nail spa treatments, right here in Hong Kong. Polishaholics assemble!

I’ve already told you how much I love The Nail Library – and with its New York cool ambience, top-class technicians and massive range of luxurious lacquer brands, how could any nail aficionado not love the place? Adding Louboutin to the party just makes it even better, with not only the whole range of Louboutin Beauté nail polish colours to pick from, but also a menu of specially designed Louboutin hand and feet treatments too.

FEAST Francfranc afternoon tea – black, white and cute all over

What’s black, white and red all over?

No, not the punch line to some dodgy joke, but the new FEAST Francfranc Afternoon Tea!

Thanks to that eye-catching black, white and red colour scheme, there’s something a little Alice In Wonderland-Queen Of Hearts about this afternoon tea set – but it’s definitely too gorgeous to have me screaming “Off with their heads!” at any of FEAST’s unsuspecting waiters. Although now you mention it, that pre-swirled cream and jam for the scones does make the afternoon tea purist in me twitch uncomfortably… but hey, it does look awfully pretty!

Australia’s Next Top Model, Cycle 7 – the full Monty?

I stopped recapping Australia’s Next Top Model when I hit Season 7; after re-watching it recently, I remembered why – it was boring.

Yes, the show had its most successful winner ever in the shape of the stunning Montana “Monty” Cox – who has since walked for the likes of Chanel, Dior, Givenchy and Tom Ford at London, Paris and Milan Fashion Weeks (*waves happily at awful Season 4 winner Demelza Reveley, last spotted advertising Ferrero Rocher*). That’s her up above managing to rock having no eyebrows in a Dubai desert by the way. And her managing to rock a ridiculous beehive and sweltering winter clothes in summer down below. Goddess.

But a cast of beautiful girls does not necessarily great television make, and given the fact that Season 7 didn’t include:

• Girl forced to repeat the phrase “I am a power pussy” down the phone to her mum
• Model shagging member of the crew, who had to be escorted off-set
• Batshit-crazy constestant having meltdown over someone speaking too loudly in a taxi
• Massive bullying scandal and the host not turning up for the finale
• Punching of walls, swearing on catwalks and stealing of lines in a commercial
• The wrong winner being announced

It was substantially less good than any of the seasons of AusNTM that preceded it. Hell, there weren’t even any proper meltdowns at makeover. Is that not the main reason for makeovers?

FINDS x GreenGate afternoon tea – Swedes do it better!

All the best things come from Scandinavia right? ABBA, Robyn, Lego, Ikea, H&M, The Moomins, Nordic Noir… and that’s just the tip of the Icelandic iceberg.

Well, now let’s add afternoon tea to the list too – as the afternoon tea at FINDS, Hong Kong’s only Scandinavian restaurant, has long been one of my favourites in town. It gets the balance between sweets and savouries pretty spot on and thanks to its Nordic inclinations, usually features a few more interesting and unusual items as opposed to yet another smoked salmon sandwich. Factor in a cute spring makeover via their GreenGate afternoon tea collaboration and it’s a definite must-visit… especially if you love pretty things as much as me!

Think of GreenGate as Denmark’s answer to Cath Kidston – namely, highly photogenic tableware adorned with pretty pastels and floral patterns galore. FINDS, located on the first floor of Tsim Sha Tsui boutique hotel The Luxe Manor, is a cushy afternoon tea location anyway (although it lacks a bit of atmosphere on quiet weekday afternoons); its interior, all curvy natural wood surfaces and bright pops of lime green, is inviting, relaxing and comfortable – so the coo-worthy crockery really is the Swedish lingonberry on top!

Louise Hill Design – Hong Kong’s a work of art

Proof that Facebook isn’t all bad: I discovered amazing artist Louise Hill through it!

Thanks to a couple of my friends liking Louise’s work, her Facebook Page popped up on my news feed one day, whereupon I immediately fell in love with her vibrant colourful designs – and now I’m showing them here in the knowledge that you will too!

Many of Louise’s pieces are inspired by her time in Hong Kong and I love the richness of detail that goes into each artwork – I’m forever noticing cool new elements and references in there, all of which transport me to certain memories, places and experiences in HK… which is exactly the idea. The Mister Softee van, the yummy dan tat (egg tarts – my favourite!), the old-school wet market red lamps… something new jumps out at you every time you look.

Winter Want List 2014: Beauty

It’s a shame there are officially only Twelve Days of Christmas – as there’s definitely way more than twelve things I’d like my true love to give to me! And yes, they’re all cosmetics – #beautybloggerproblems yo’.

Winter Want List 2014: Style

Feel that tiny drop in temperature in Hong Kong over the past few weeks? Well that, my friend, is what us shopaholics know as a trigger… a trigger to buy new things because it’s a whole new season! Right?! RIGHT. It’s called Becky Bloomwood logic, y’all.

The Loft by The Nail Library – taking mani-pedis in Hong Kong to lofty heights!

UPDATE: The Loft by The Nail Library is now closed; head to The Nail Library on On Wo Lane for all your mani-pedi needs!

Stuff I like: nail polish, mani-pedis, being pampered.

Stuff I don’t like: walking, walking uphill, getting really sweaty when walking uphill.

You may remember my discovery of The Nail Library being life-changing for my love of nail polish, mani-pedis and being pampered in Hong Kong. However, in order for The Nail Library to be something of a hidden gem, it has to be… well, a bit hidden. Hence its perfectly charming location off the beaten track in Po Hing Fong, which is a reasonably lengthy and very uphill walk from Sheung Wan MTR station.

So I bring good news to those of you who share my aversion for most forms of physical activity. You can now get all of The Nail Library’s amazing range of nail polish brands, its superstar nail therapists, its unparalleled nail art expertise, and its laidback urban-luxe vibe at an even more convenient location just by Central’s escalators at The Loft by The Nail Library. Huzzah.

Cath Kidston afternoon tea at FEAST review – it’s all coming up roses

Cath Kidston + afternoon tea = a marriage made in “pretty things” heaven!

Yep, I’m back on the afternoon tea trail, this time with the Cath Kidston afternoon tea at FEAST – the casual all-day restaurant located at the EAST Hong Kong hotel in Tai Koo.

I actually eat at FEAST quite regularly… but with the Cath Kidston afternoon tea in full swing, the restaurant was the busiest I’ve ever seen it. In fact, it was full on oestrogen overload! Girls seem to be drawn to Cath Kidston prints like bees to a floral-decorated honeypot; factor in a highly Instagram-able afternoon tea set (is Instagram-able a word yet?) and you end up with a restaurant packed with tables of girls all doing an awful lot of photographing/swooning over cute teapots and not that much actual eating!

Dilmah Real High Tea Challenge, Hong Kong – not your average cuppa!

… I think when you’re fielding several requests a month asking for afternoon tea recommendations in Hong Kong, then it probably means that people have realised your favourite foodie weakness! So when I got invited to the results party for the Hong Kong leg of Dilmah’s Real High Tea Challenge, of course I had to go check it out!