After over a month of preparations, "The Big Day" was finally here. I was roped in for The Body Shop's Brush With Fashion competition about 2 months ago and I'm extremely glad I said yes!! It started with the smudge charts, the drawing board, the discussions and now the final rehearsals. Super excited that I was finally going to see everything come together.

I got to Pavilion about 740am and it was just about to start. Some of The Body Shop staff had been around since 2am setting up the stage and sorting out various things that needed to be done before anything could go on. This was the first time that The Body Shop finalists, PJCAD finalists and their models would be rehearsing on the runaway and believe me it wasn't as easy as it looked as when they had the earlier rehearsals at the PJCAD badminton court. The timing had to be right, table and chairs had to get to the runway on cue, the music and lighting had to sync in with everything that was going and everyone had to know where to stand and walk. Mini accidents on stage wouldn't exactly be a pretty sight!

I felt like Santa's lil elf helping out with the door gifts :)

Catching up with some of the finalists, some were really nervous, some appeared calm but admitted that it may have not sunk in yet, a few were sleepy. Well it was a bit too early to be up anyway. Lol!

Backstage

All smiles so early in the morning

The finalists - patient and anxious

Daphne Iking, who was to be the MC for the event was there about 830 to know what was going on and to sort out the timing as well as what to do. She looked great even at that time of morning. I mean I still looked half asleep. :P But after a cup of Caramel Hot Chocolate I was ready for anything!

Looking sleepy at 8am *yawn*

By about 1015am the rehearsal was over and everyone headed off to be prepped and get their hair done. The Body Shop finalists were prepping their models with base makeup before hand as only 20 minutes will be allowed for them to recreate the final look for the competition. The PJCAD finalists were around to make sure their models had the right hair style as chosen before hand to match with their designs and makeup.

1 hour to go before The Body Shops' Brush With Fashion Finale... Next post.. :)

Salon Results At Home!

My first encounter with Charles Worthington was way back in 1990-something. Then some of the products became a regular feature in my "haircare/styling basket" when I was living in the UK in 2000-something.

If you haven't heard of Charles Worthington, he is a much sought after hairstylist in London. His clients include the most famous of celebrities and is known for his work for red carpet events which include the Golden Globe Awards and the Oscars.

Since opening his first salon at Charlotte Palce, London in 1986, it has now grown to four and tends to 10,000 clients a month. His first signature range made its debut in Boots, UK in 1995 and now has seven award-winning ranges of haircare products.

Thanks to Natural Options Sdn Bhd and Watsons Malaysia, Charles Worthington is now ours! Yayy!! I was at the launch on Tuesday to check out the products they brought in.

The Intro

Mr Kulvinder Birring, MD of Watsons of Malaysia (2nd from Left)

Ms Tara Roux Marketing Manager of Charles Worthington (3rd from Left)

Xandria Ooi with her hairstylist

Ms Tara Roux

"Charles Worthington believes in the power of hair and its ability to transform and everyon deserves a little bit of luxury in their lives."

The Products

Frizz Free Range

Frizz Free Serum - One of my FAVES from CW!!

Use to carry the Takeaways in my bag everywhere!

Moisture Seal Shampoo & Conditioner, Hair Healer Leave-in Conditioner & Mineral Hair Rescue

Brilliant Shine Shampoo & Conditioner, Time Defy Mousse

Balancing Act Shampoo & Conditioner

Sensitive Detangling Spray

Styling Demo by Bryan Tan - Principal of Backstage Academy

Model: Cassandra Patrick

Model: Nadia

Charles Worthington is available at Watsons outlets from 8th April 2011, but I already spotted them at Watsons Pavilion after the launch. Prices range between RM9.90 for the Takeaways to RM32.90 for the shampoo, conditioner, haircare & styling products.To know more about Charles Worthington visit http://www.charlesworthington.com/.

Thanx so much Thian, Rane, Lee Na, Nicky J and Andrea Foxy for participating in The Body Shop Brush With Fashion Finale Invites Giveaway!! :) It's a shame I only have 2 invites to giveaway.

The 2 invites goes to Nicky J & Andrea Foxy!!

Congratulations guys!

*Will be mailing the both you soon!*

Please stay tuned to The Body Shop's facebook. They might be giving away more invites. :)

Which Formula One Team? McLaren! Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button the British drivers are the renown faces of Hugo Boss fragrances. You can also catch them in action at the Formula One Malaysia Grand Prix at Sepang this weekend.

The Hugo Boss-McLaren collaboration has been hailed as the longest sporting association of its kinda since it started 30 years ago and is the only fragrance that features F1 drivers.

BOSS Bottled was launched in 1998 and has since sold 70 millions bottles worldwide! It is seductive and as masculine as you can get.The warm vanilla fragrance for men paved the way towards more modern and daring territorries. Currently it is still amongst the top 10 in the global male fragrance market. Who better to represent this than Lewis Hamilton.

BOSS Bottles Night launched in 2010 which features Jenson Button represents a man who is primed for success. Its intensity and extreme masculine scent leaves you reminded of that hot sensual summer night!

My personal fave is the Hugo Boss Bottled though, really sexy!! *Any guys reading this, please take note.. winks*

It's been there for the past month and I only realised last week that it's already opened. Well, I don't exactly walk around the 6th Floor of Pavilion much.

I lurv what they have done to the place! Great nautical feel. Almost as though I was really eating at a seaside restaurant. White wooden panels line the walls, white wooden louvers fixed at the windows, black and white photos decorate the place with sunlight shining through. Feels really relaxing! Now what would make it perfect if I could walk out to the balcony and have a beautiful view of the seaside before me. But that's not happening. Lol!!

Having a Latte which was a tad too milky for me..

Home-made Salt Beef Sandwich - RM23.90

with sliced cheddar cheese, spicy mustard and country white bread and 4 colour chips and pickled gherkin

I remembered the first time I had a Salt Beef Sandwich at a Traditional Jewish Deli in London ages ago. I have never forgotten the taste, it was just lucious and tasty. Salt beef is beef cured in salt, pepper and spices which tenders due to the brining process.

Ben's Salt Beef Sandwich was rather nice. The beef was juicy and tender but personally I think it lacked flavour. Perhaps it wasn't cured long enough. However the bread was fresh, serving it with chedder cheese is completely optional but they could have done without the coloured chips. Having gherkins with Salt Beef Sandwich is a must for me because it just brings out the flavour of the beef a lot more.

Wagyu Beef Pie - RM22.90

with carrots, onions and bay leaves

I do seem to like my beef pies don't I.. lol! Well the Wagyu Beef filling was well seasoned and the beef tender. The pastry however was slighltly on the dry side.

Macadamia Cheesecake Sundae - RM10.90

ice cream, caramel & macadamia cheesecake chunks

Creamy vanilla ice cream, sweet caramel though not as gooey as expected. The macadamia cheesecaked chunks was rather disappointing as I didn't taste even a hint of macadamia in it. Unless they were refering to the whole macadamia's which was generously mixed into the sundae.

Chocolate Rocky Road Cake - RM11.90

peanut cream & chocolate mousse with a rocky road mix on a biscuit base

Since this is a traditional American Rocky Road mix, don't expect any jelly beans, cherries or desicated coconut in it. With smooth and light peanut cream and chocolate mouse layers, this was a heavy dessert. It is slightly on the rich side but some how I felt it lacked taste. The big pieces of marshmallows on top was enough to eat with the cake as well as my coffee. *grinsz*

Don't ask.. :P

Where?

Level 6

Pavilion KL

Soon to open at KLCC Level 1

I'm always sceptical when a new dessert place opens up and claims it has "The Best.. something or other". So when I saw The Cream & Fudge Factory finally opened at KLCC and saw their tageline, "The Creamiest Ice Cream On Earth" I didn't believe them! Lol! But something new deserves a chance so I tried it out.

The menu looked quite exciting with a variety of ice cream flavours with a long selection of toppings and mix-ins ranging from chocolate fudge, m&m's, brownies, strawberries, chocolate chips, it's almost endless. You can either create your own or choose from the Cream & Fudge creations. I found out that the ice cream is from Australia, which meant that it could be yummy. :P Though if I'm not mistaken the franchise is owned by a US-based company.

If you want to "Create Your Own Ice Cream", first you have to pick you ice cream flavour or flavours, then pick a mix-in and whether you want to have it in a waffle cone or a waffle bowl. Then you can stand in front of the counter while they hand fold the ice cream and your mix-in of choice on a cold marble stone. It's like playing with your food!! I should ask them if I could do it next time. Looks fun!

My Ice Cream Choices of the Day

Vanilla & Chocolate Ice Cream with chopped Almonds and Bananas in a waffle bowl - RM16.90

Cookie Dough Ice Cream with Brownies and Chocolate Fudge in a waffle bowl - RM11.50

Peanut Ice Cream with Duo Chocolate Chips and Chocolate Fudge in a waffle bowl RM11.50

The ice cream is definitely creamy! Though it may not be the "Creamiest on Earth", it sure does satisfy my craving for a good yummy ice cream. It's smooth and I can taste the flavours clearly. Gosh I could even see the vanilla seeds in the Vanilla ice cream. The toppings and mixes are of a good quality and fresh. As for the price it does seem a bit pricey but the other premium ice creams brands are just as expensive.

I dubb this "My New Hang Out Place"! *winks*

Don't forget to get a stamp card

For every RM20 you get 1 stamp

Where?

2nd Floor, Ramlee Mall,

KLCC

They also have an oulet at Fahrenheit 88, Bukit Bintang